Samsung Targets Wearable Health Market With Simband

Samsung has finally revealed its next step into the wearable tech market with Simband, a health and fitness prototype device worn son the wrist, and a modular hardware platform for wearable sensors called Sami (Samsung Architecture Multimedia Interactions).

The Korean manufacturer used its Voice of the Body conference in San Francisco to reveal new additions to its health portfolio, having hinted at its move into the health and fitness market back at Mobile World Congress in February, when it launched the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone, which boasts a number of fitness features.

During that launch, it also revealed its Gear Fit, which was a 27g wearable wristband that included a built-in heart-rate sensor and pedometer.

Simband And Sami

Samsung says that its Simband prototype is not a product, but rather a reference design so that it can used by third-parties.

“It’s our concept of what a smart health device should be. Devices based on the Simband platform will be able to gather vital diagnostic information – from your heart rate to your skin’s electrical conductivity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said the company.

The idea is to allow an individual to get much more detailed data about their body, and to “give your body a voice.” The Simband prototype, which it co-developed with biometric sensor specialist IMEC in Belgium, can apparently track blood pressure, heart rate hydration and oxygen levels etc.

Open Platform

Meanwhile, the Sami platform is designed to be a data broker that combines both hardware such as the above Simband reference device, as well as a cloud back-end for the sensor data. This will apparently allow wearable devices, like the Simband, to upload information to the cloud. Developers can then use this data in order to build new approved applications and services.

“Its open APIs enable it to collect data from any type of device or online source and deliver it to any other device or application in real time,” said Samsung. “These APIs are simple, which allows sensor developers to recruit data in the way they want.”

Samsung Electronic’s chief strategy officer Young Sohn was quoted by the BBC as saying that its concept would only come to fruition if “we all work together as one”. This means that Samsung is keen for other health and tech professionals to take part in order to make Sami an industry standard.

Samsung is the latest company to enter the werable tech market. Google for example already has its Google Glass device, and there a number of other wearable devices such as Fitbit and Pebble.

Earlier this month, research from Rackspace indicated that the adoption of wearable technology in the workplace can increase staff productivity and job satisfaction.

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