Healbe GoBe

Healbe GoBe overview

Healbe GoBe is a fitness wristband that measures calories consumed, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The developers declare that it does this. There are also less impressive features in the kit: the balance of water in the body, a heart rate monitor and a pressure sensor, a step counter, sleep monitoring, stress level. It looks like a small plate with holes. It weighs 100 grams..It triggers questions concerning its efficiency and technology for the fifth year in a row.
Important! The first generation of Healbe GoBe is no longer officially sold! The company has released the second version and supports it. This overview is about the first generation.

Healbe GoBe design and construction

The design is unusual. The wristband itself looks like a speaker or a GPS tracker — it is a slightly curved metal plate with many small holes. There are blue diodes under the plate. This screen can show the time, the pulse, steps, calories and percentage of charge It is difficult to see the information in the bright sun, but in general the gadget looks fresh and interesting.
The case is attached to a silicone strap, only two colors are available — black and purple. It is fastened tightly on the arm. At first, it may be unusual because Healbe GoBe "sticks" to the skin to keep track of the body's performance. The sensors are hidden on the back of the case, there are also the connectors for the charging docking station in the same place. There are three sensors in total:

• Impedance sensor. It sends electrical impulses to the skin to find out the amount of water in the cells;
• Piezoelectric transducer. It measures pulse, can show pressure upon request;
• Accelerometer. It counts steps and tracks the activity of the body.

All the sensors together count the calories in accordance with FLOW Technology — the development of Healbe — and observe the activity. Piezes and an accelerometer monitor sleep.
The main feature of the gadget is that it is heavy. It is very heavy. It weighs 100g. Compared with the other available trackers, this is really a lot, and the gadget is felt on the arm. It is especially unusual to sleep wearing the wristband. In its design Healbe GoBe is similar to the Xiaomi Mi Band, it is only bigger and heavier.

Healbe GoBe functions

Analytics and test results in this overview are obtained from Engadget, Digital Trends and Medgagdet experts.

• Calculation of calories consumed. It is a killer-feature. Due to the joint work of the three sensors, the gadget counts how many calories were consumed. The claimed accuracy is 85%. According to the tests of St. Petersburg doctors, it is 84–93%. According to the tests of journalists and experts, it is 65–95% with an average accuracy of 75–80%. So, in general it is satisfactory. The situation with proteins, fats and carbohydrates measurement is worse, but it is more difficult to check the indicators and calculate them manually;
• Activity tracking: steps, energy, pulse. Accelerometer does a good job and the Healbe GoBe’s steps counter accuracy is on the level of the best fitness trackers. Thanks to the pulse and pressure sensors, the gadget itself understands when you walk, when you run and when you sleep. The sensors exchange data, and as a result, you get a fairly accurate picture of the activity + of calories burned. In the application you can do a pressure test, but the usual tonometer does it better;
• Water balance measurement. In the first versions Healbe GoBe could count the water balance and remind you to drink water. But the consumption had to be filled in manually. After the firmware updating, the hydration sensor works by itself — the tracker understands when you drink water and takes it into account. Tips and reminders still remain. Accuracy is not ideal, it is on the same level as calories and heart rate calculation;
• Sleep monitoring. It is unusual to sleep with the wristband on your arm, and the battery discharges too fast. But the sensors do it quite well. The gadget shows the quality of sleep, the total time and the time in phases, it warns of pulse decreasing and arrhythmia. The alarm clock works in two modes: waking up in the fast phase or only after achieving the best quality of sleep. Experts are not satisfied with the sleep duration data only because the error reaches two hours sometimes.

Pros of Healbe GoBe

Innovative technology — automatic calculation of calories and water;
Fairly accurate tracking — its average error level is 20%;
Convenient application — clear and fine statistics;
Protection from water — up to 3 meters, it is protected from splashes and shower.

Cons of Healbe GoBe

Weak battery — it works less than 24 hours with full set of functions;
Inconvenient charger — you need to remove the case from the strap;
Coarse design — an unusual display, a heavy strap.

Healbe GoBe errors and bugs

Inaccuracy of tracking is not regarded as an error. Many bugs appear when the sensor loses contact with the skin — to work properly, it should always fit your skin tightly. Therefore, check the wristband more often if you notice a malfunction. Some journalists note that Healbe GoBe calculates pressure on the basis of another statistics, not measuring it directly. There are no confirmations of this information, other experts did not have such problems. Another bug from the Digital Trends analyst — the application often says that the wristband is worn incorrectly. It is also solved by checking the sensor and its contact with the skin.

Typical errors are also given on the official Healbe site:

• NO CONTACT on the display and NO DEVICE in the application. Most likely, the synchronization is not over yet. It can last up to 3 minutes. To speed up the process, developers advise users to wet the skin under the tracker;
• The gadget does not synchronize with the application. The connection may be broken if the Healbe GoBe is configured incorrectly or discharged. Firstly, charge the gadget. Check that it is worn on the arm correctly. Restart the application.

Sometimes resetting to factory settings can help. You can do this only with the smartphone — go to the application and open the section with the service settings. Then just select "Reset".

Recommendations for owners of Healbe GoBe

Useful tips can also be found on the website:

• Charging. Before the first start, you need to charge the gadget at least for 1.5 hours. Then it takes 1 hour to charge it completely. Useful hint from the developers — in order not to take the case out of the wristband before each charge, just flip it down with the display at the bottom and connect the docking station in this position. You can charge it from a computer or grid;
• Battery life increase. Use branded cables and a docking station, charge the wristband from a source with the voltage of at least 4.8 V and the amperage of 700 mA. Do not discharge the gadget to zero, or not even up to 10%. Charge it at least up to 70%, but ideally — up to 100%. Once a month, discharge it completely and immediately charge it to the maximum;
• Usage. The sensors must fit the skin very tightly. You can wear it both on your left and right arms. Try to wear Healbe GoBe constantly, except charging — if the break will be more than 100 minutes per 24 hours, then errors in statistics are possible. Creators do not advise users to wear the gadget there where you have tattoos, scars or a skin disorders;
• Care. After heavy workloads, the device and the skin beneath it should be wiped from sweat, but do not use creams and balms. Once a week, you need to clean the contacts. You can use usual cotton swabs for this purpose.

Reviews about Healbe GoBe

The opinions of ordinary users as well as of experts differ. As for advantages, activity monitoring, motivation in terms of water balance, observation of sleep are mentioned. As for disadvantages, cumbersome design and weak for such a number of features battery are listed. One of the main arguments is that Healbe GoBe has no competitors. And it is true. Fitness trackers with non-invasive glucose and calorie control are not yet available. One exception is Healbe GoBe 2.
The following review deserves attention: "On the whole, it is a very Russian device: magical and wacky, but you believe in this miracle and immediately feel better...".

Healbe GoBe application

The companion is available for Android starting at 4.3 and for iOS starting at 8. The app is compatible with Apple Health, Google Fit and InKin. Connection to the gadget is possible via Bluetooth.
Compared with the design of Healbe GoBe itself, the application is simple and stylish. During your first contact, you need to fill in enough detailed information: sex, age, weight, height + arm length, step length, general health level, normal pressure and pulse when you do not move. It is better to fill in these facts accurately — otherwise, errors may seriously affect the gadget's measurements.

After the authorization, the main screens will become available, each of them is supplied with tabs for short and detailed statistics, data for the current day and six previous days:

1. Energy balance. The calories consumed, the calories burned, the energy balance, differentiation between proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
2. Water balance. The amount of water drunk, the volume remaining to the norm, reminders. The application itself determines the necessary normal rate on the basis of the indicators and activity input at the start;
3. Pulse. Minimum, maximum and average pulse per day, pressure measurements. Here you can turn on the pressure test, but it is not very accurate;
4. Sleep. Total duration, phases, awakenings, efficiency and quality of sleep, recommendations;
5. Stress. General level and tension. Stress is measured on the basis of movements and pulse — if the heart beats very fast without active movement of the body, then the device regards it as a stress period.

The application has a web version. The site has all the same statistics, but for the entire period of wristband usage. The graphs look nicer on the big screen.

Healbe GoBe - Comparison

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