In the technology industry, we rarely find a product that's
designed specifically for a particular gender. The smartwatch that can be
categorized as a fashion item is generally designed with unisex style; which
distinguish between the variant for men or women is usually only its size.
Y Combinator's startup, Bellabeat, apparently responds to
gender differences seriously. Once on display at CES 2015 in last January, they
finally release their wearable device, Leaf, to the market.
Unlike other wearable devices, Bellabeat Leaf is designed
specifically for female consumers. So specific, they prefer to categorize the
Leaf as a 'smart jewelry'. Leaf can be used as pendant, bracelet or brooch
that's clipped to a shirt or pants.
Leaf weighs about 18 grams. The material is made from
stainless steel and timber that wrap the electronic components. Inside this
device there is 3-axis accelerometer to recognize the users’ movements, as well
as Bluetooth 4.0 chip to forward the collected data to its companion app on
Android or iOS.
In addition to monitoring users' steps and sleep patterns,
Leaf can also be used to monitor stress levels. It will evaluate every small
movement of your body when taking a breath and exhaling, and then translate it
into standard metrics related to your emotional stability. Bellabeat claims
that Leaf accuracy reaches 95%.
As with any other devices that are utilized to monitor
stress levels, through a companion application, Leaf will also guide users to
undergo a number of breathing exercises so they can be more relaxed and
concentrate.
When there is no smartphone connected, Leaf will store the
collected data in the internal storage up to 14 days ahead. Bellabeat even has
planned Leaf compatibility with a variety of other health applications.
Nevertheless, Leaf's companion app has stored a number of
unique features. One of them is the ability to monitor the menstrual cycle.
Users can input the data manually, and then evaluate it along with other health
data that has been collected by the Leaf. Hopefully, women's reproductive
health can be monitored in more detail.
Leaf also saves a haptic motor so it can be used as an
alarm. Related to the battery
resistance, Leaf is using a standard button battery that can last up to 6
months. When the battery dies, users can replace it with a new battery.
Bellabeat Leaf can be ordered directly through the official
website (bellabeat.com). The price per unit is $ 129, but there is also a
limited edition for $ 250 which is coated with gold color and uses special
timber.