Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) and SMS Audio have come together to design a pair of earbuds that can monitor the user’s heart rate, says a report from PC World. The SMS Audio BioSport will track the heart rate of the user through the ear canal and show the data in third-party smartphone apps such as RunKeeper.
A unique gadget
Intel said the “ear wing” fits perfectly in the ear canal and can track the heart rate constantly, cancelling all other types of noise. BioSport is not the first set of earbuds to monitor heart rates, but its ability to take power from the headphone jack makes it unique.
Jabra’s Sport Pulse Wireless earbuds can be connected through Bluetooth and need charging at regular intervals with a MicroUSB cable. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. Since Jabra’s Sport Pulse earbuds have Bluetooth connectivity, there are no wires, and it is compatible with any recent iPhone or Android device.
Both Intel and SMS have stated that the new earbuds are compatible with the iPhone 4S and higher models and with five Android smartphones. The five Android phones that can be connected to the BioSport are the Samsung Galaxy Note II, the Samsung Galaxy Grand II Duos, the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Samsung Galaxy S5, the LG Nexus 5 and the Motorola Moto X.
Intel takes strides in wearable tech
Intel Corp’s new gadget seems a desirable piece, and the capacity to feed the data into third party fitness apps is useful. However, these earbuds are limited to only the RunKeeper app as of now, and there are no more details about other third party apps that will be compatible. SMS Audio has started taking pre-orders for $150.
For Intel, it is the first actual product from its nascent wearable segment other than the recently launched MICA fashion band for women. Recently Intel won a deal to power the next version of Google Glass, and it also entered into a partnership with luxury eyewear brand Luxottica.
Additionally, the company has exhibited a shirt that collects biometric data, but no product has yet been announced. Intel entered the phone and tablet segment late and is still lagging behind fierce competition, but the chip maker is working hard to close the gap and gain market share.
