We’ve only begun to scratch the potential of wearables. One of the fastest growing areas is devices that track our activity and fitness levels. Belgian company Miiya is looking to extend that to children with its Miiya smartwatch. Claiming that “more than 20% of kids are overweight or obese mainly because of physical inactivity,” it proposes to turn physical activity into something fun. Children who meet the goal of 60 minutes of daily physical activity, as recommended by the World Health Organization, will see their avatar transform into a hero.
Every day, kids are given gold stars when they reach certain physical activity milestones. An avatar displayed on the watch gradually transforms based on the number of earned stars.
Paired to a smartphone app, the Miiya smartwatch also provides daily activity reports to parents so that they can easily keep track of their children’s progress.
As with other wearables aimed at children (such as the LG KizON and hereO GPS Watch), the Miiya can also help parents keep their children close by thanks to the built-in GPS module. If the child strays too far, an alert will let their parents know immediately.
Miiya will be compatible with iOS devices (iPhone 4S and up) at launch. An Android version is planned for May 2015 while BlackBerry and Windows Phone versions are also planned.
Miiya is currently looking to move past the functional prototype stage through an Indiegogo campaign. Early supporters will receive One Miiya watch plus 4 bracelets for US$75 (about CA$95). Among the other perk options is a Family Pack with five watches and four bracelets for each for US$350 (about CA$445).
Unfortunately, with less than a week left, it appears that it will not meet its US$50,000 target. Should things change over the next few days, Miiya expects to begin shipments in May 2015.
Source : Indiegogo