Review Time
I think this device is great if like me you thrive on data and want to understand how your blood pressure ‘works’. It is simple to use but you do have to follow a routine and accept limitations. You can not allow it to get wet so you have to have a routine to charge it whilst about one’s ablutions and because it needs charging once (often twice) a day it needs a regular routine. That said after you have been monitoring for a few months you realise that this device is about trends not alerting you to a short term crisis so if you don’t wear it for a few hours it’s not a disaster. The graphs are interesting. After a while you realise what triggers a rise in BP and what calms you. I was surprised to find that mine was super low when asleep (no big surprise there) but also when I was working, particularly when solving complex problems. After c.9 months of use I’ve noticed that charging and connectivity are becoming a little erratic - something to keep an eye on although it has a two year warranty so hopefully if it becomes a problem it will be covered. I’m a little concerned that constantly cycling through a small battery isn’t the best way to treat rechargeables. It does bring peace of mind however and it reinforces the benefits you can get from lifestyle changes (I’ve dropped several stone in weight and given up alcohol and the reduction in my average BP has tracked progress in both). Do I want to spend the rest of my life wearing it? Probably not. Would I rather this tech was built into an iWatch? You bet!But for now this is a great solution to a specific problem, easy to wear, easy to use and genuinely useful. Well worth the money and I will continue with it until Apple can do it better!UpdateMy comments about charging triggered a response from Aktiia’s support team and long story short they asked me to return the bracelet for testing. They discovered a problem with the battery and replaced the bracelet. Since then the device has been even better. The battery lasts for ages and only needs a top up every few days. In practice a few minutes on the charger each day whilst showering is sufficient to keep it topped up and I don’t bother taking the charger with me if I’m travelling for a few days. Full marks to Aktiia for the quality of their support function and it’s efficiency.
Original bracelet failed after 6 months, and was eventually replaced FoC with a more up-to-date version. In terms of how the device works, it appears to take accurate measurements multiple times during the day. Once charged, the bracelet only needs to be recharged about every 10 days. It would be good to be able to set up reminder emails once the charge reaches a level set by the user.The main issue I have is the kludgy software. For no apparent reason, periodically for a day or so, the data won't synchronise. Equally spontaneously, it does start synchronising again. This morning, following advice to do so, I undertook a re-initialisation. Looking at the app, it said the cuff was disconnected and reinitialisation was not necessary for over 3 weeks - when another area of the app had told me I needed to reinitialise now! I go into my phone settings, find the cuff in the list of Bluetooth devices, click connect and it connects. Goo back to the Aktiia app and it says the cuff isn't connected. Go back to settings and reconnect the cuff. Return to the app and it says it isn't connected. Repeat the very frustrating cycle 3 more times with the same failure every time. Try hitting 'reinitialise', and a different screen comes up saying the cuff is disconnected. Click 'connect', and it immediately connects, and I was able to undertake the check reinitialization. As I say, kludgy software.
Works ok but no one ever explains to you that your blood pressure has to go up so you can move or do things so the higher readings during the day are NORMAL. As you don’t rest for half an hour to have your blood pressure taken all day! So the lowest readings are what you are looking at not the others unless you are literally not moving all day.
I use it regularly to monitor a health condition through the app It is much easier to collect regular data this way than using a BP meter (I tried). The health report feature is very good for sharing data with my doctor.Although it works well, the wrist strap can get uncomfortable. After a few hours I have to remove it for a break. Could an alternative material be offered, e.g. fabric?
Asynchronous responses with canned answers are not very helpful and do not solve issues. I would much prefer to have a conversation or chat with a real person and resolve matters quickly and efficiently. In the end, my problem remains unresolved (poor battery performance).
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Aktiia, now trading under Hilo, was established in 2018 to transform how blood pressure is measured and therefore managed.
Hilo is transforming blood pressure monitoring with cuffless, AI-powered technology that delivers continuous, accessible insights for individuals and healthcare professionals. Our foundation model is trained on billions of optical signals and hundreds of millions of readings from over 120,000 users—one of the largest datasets in the field. Backed by a multidisciplinary team with deep expertise in biomedical signal processing, Hilo has contributed to over 120 peer-reviewed publications and holds more than 35 patents. Headquartered in Switzerland, we’re expanding globally to redefine how blood pressure is measured and managed.See more
