Skip to main content

AmpStrip: The fitness tracker you stick on your torso

ampstrip the fitness tracker you stick on your torso 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Forget strapping a fitness tracker onto your wrist – health tech firm FitLinxx is on the verge of launching a neat little wearable that you simply stick on your body, just like a Band-Aid.

Although it’s geared primarily toward the accurate tracking of your heart rate – including recovery and resting rates – the tiny tracker also gathers a stack of other data, including steps taken, calories burned, and skin temperature.ampstrip 1

Designed to be worn around the clock, the waterproof AmpStrip tracker can go for up to a week on a single charge, with gathered data transmitted via Bluetooth 4.0 to its dedicated iOS/Android AmpInsights app.

To get it to work, users stick the AmpStrip on the left side of their torso, a location that enables its super-sensitive single lead ECG sensor to capture a clear heart rate signal.

If the AmpStrip works as advertised, the device clearly has a great chance of becoming a real hit with not only serious athletes but also more general sports enthusiasts interested in keeping an eye on their fitness stats.

FitLinxx, a Connecticut-based company founded more than 20 years ago, spends much of its time collaborating with other firms in the field of health-related tech. In fact, its AmpStrip device represents its very first attempt at selling a product directly to consumers.

Any possible issues? FitLinxx says that after several days, data will stop flowing from the AmpStrip to the accompanying app as the device’s adhesive slowly peels away from the body. Although the app will inform the user when this happens, some might find the frequent adhesive-changing a little irritating, as well as costly – you’ll have to spend out $30 on a fresh supply every three to six months, depending on how long each one lasts.

Set for a beta launch in March followed by a wider rollout in July, the AmpStrip is close to hitting its $50,000 funding goal less than a week into its Indiegogo campaign. The device is expected to retail for $150, though back the project before February 8 and you can score yourself a discount of up to 33 percent.

[Via The Verge]

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
How to track your period with Cycle Tracker on the Apple Watch
how to track your period with cycle tracker on the apple watch feature image

Cycle Tracker, an app that helps women keep track of their menstrual cycles, is available now on the Apple Watch. While limited cycle tracking has been part of Apple’s iOS Health app since 2015, Cycle Tracker is available on WatchOS 6 and iPhones running iOS 13 or later. Cycle Tracker is now its own discrete sector within the Health app on the iPhone and a separate app on the Apple Watch.

Designed to offer various health benefits that assist with menstrual cycle tracking, family planning, reproductive health issues, irregularities, and those pesky time-of-the-month symptoms, you can now enter and view data directly on your watch.

Read more
The best pet trackers for your furry friends
Pet tracker app.

Wearables have arrived in the domestic animal kingdom. GPS and Wi-Fi-trackers allow caring owners to review their pet's eating and sleeping habits, activity levels, and location. They even monitor their overall health and fitness over time, all with the help of mobile apps that continuously record and send information to your smartphone. But it's a jungle out there.

With so many pet trackers and companion apps to choose from, it's hard to figure out which one will best serve you and your pet. Here are a few things to consider as you search for a tracker for Fido or Fluffy.
Picking a pet tracker
For the device itself, comfort is paramount. You want something comfy and adjustable, so your dog or cat will not have to endure a klutzy device. Ideally, the tracker should be waterproof, so doggo can go for a swim or get caught in the rain. It should have a removable battery or be easy to remove from the collar or harness, so you don't have to wrangle your pet just to keep the thing charged.

Read more
Everything you need to know about the new Fitbit Charge 4
Fitbit Charge 4

Fitbit just debuted its latest fitness tracker called the Fitbit Charge 4, which is packed with new features like built-in GPS and a workout intensity map. 

There's a slew of new features in the Fitbit Charge 4 that people have been asking for, as well as the usual Fitbit fitness tracker features that you have come to know and love. 

Read more