Blood pressure is the single best indicator of general health, however blood pressure monitoring devices are cumbersome and uncomfortable. Blumio conceived of a new type of monitor that uses small radar sensors to measure blood pressure instead of the conventional air pump cuff that squeezes the arm. There are many advantages to Blumio’s radar technology including offering real-time constant BP monitoring with a paired app; more comfort because it does not inflate; and the digital results are more accurate. Our design challenge was to configure this new technology into a form factor and usability model that end users would appreciate, and that would define this new product paradigm. Our design solution is a seamless fabric armband that has a pocket in the end, which contains a thin and flexible electronic sensing unit. To separate the electronic unit from the armband for cleaning, the armband strap grommet pulls apart like a snap to access the electronic unit. When Blumio is on you barely notice it but if you want to show it off it sure looks cool.
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