Innovation That Matters

Fitness device coaxes users into action

Work & Lifestyle

We’ve already covered a few wearable fitness devices that measure the physical activity of users throughout their day, but what separates Gruve from other monitors is the real-time feedback it supplies. The device has an indicator light that changes colour according to how much energy the wearer is burning over the course of a day, and it vibrates if the user has been inactive for too long: a polite reminder that it is time to get moving. Developed in cooperation with Mayo Clinic, Gruve keeps track of the user’s metabolic progress against his or her pre-measured metabolism. The information collected is then synced to the Gruve Online website, giving users the ability to view their daily calorie burn and weight loss progress. Gruve is priced at USD 199.95, which includes a one-year subscription to Gruve Online. Gruve’s targeted customer base is corporations looking to reduce their insurance premiums and employee healthcare costs by improving the health of what are often increasingly sedentary employees. It’s a savvy strategy: the US Department of Health estimates that the annual obesity cost to American companies exceeds USD 120 billion. The health market should be on every entrepreneur’s watchlist. Tracking and activity-based weight management products in particular are proving to be a growth market, with lots of room for regional distribution and adaptation. (Related: Wearable device tracks fitness data 24/7Wrist device rewards kids for exercising.) Spotted by: Frank

Email: Joel.Silverman@Muve.Me

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