Mio slice discussion. Mio Slice, or why counting steps is pointless

IT industry veteran Liz Dickinson founded Mio in 1999 to develop in-demand chestless heart rate monitors for the recreational sports community. The Canadian company gained fame due to the fact that it was the first to release sports watch with optical sensor and continuous tracking heart rate.

Since then, the market has changed, and fitness bracelets have become the main and best-selling type of wearable gadgets. The successes of Fitbit and Jawbone were followed by several generations of the mass-produced fitness tracker Xiaomi Mi Band.

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During this time, Mio developed and released several new sports heart rate monitors: and the second generation. In 2016, when it became clear that consumers preferred fitness bracelets, the Canadians announced just such a device - .

To stand out from the motley field of competing gadgets, the heart of the new device was made into an optical heart rate sensor. And in order to make Mio Slice understandable and accessible, the manufacturer has supplemented it with a new activity monitoring technology called Mio PAI.

The abbreviation PAI simply stands for: personal activity index, that is, personal activity index. Its formula is based on the results of a series of HUNT studies conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Natural Sciences and Technology. Scandinavian scientists examined tens of thousands of people over the course of 20 years and identified a connection between longevity and constant physical activity.

PAI is calculated based on a person's gender, age, weight, height, and physical fitness, but changes mainly due to increased levels of cardiac activity.

For the user, the system is extremely simple: you need to collect and maintain the number of PAI points at 100 per week.

Compared to step counting, PAI measurement seems to be a much more logical system. In most cases, the step goal is 10k every day. This activity count doesn't include workouts without steps, but it does count slow walking that doesn't really get your heart pumping. But it’s the condition main muscle the body and determines how long a particular person will live and how well his body will cope with physical activity.

Additionally, PAI has a lot of flexibility built into it, as the 100 points are spread out over the entire week. Let’s say that on some day you may not have time to work out due to a huge number of things that have piled up. It's OK! A few short ones high intensity training on the weekend - and you are back on horseback.

Results and activity data can be tracked in a special application. Mio Slice works with a separate enhanced application and shows the current score on the display.

Mio Slice: appearance and battery

In terms of design, the Slice continues in the tradition of other Mio heart rate monitors. This is a lightweight fitness bracelet made of polyurethane. The aluminum body of the device itself is rounded to fit the hand more securely. The gadget is protected from drops of water, but not waterproof: you can wash your hands with them, but absolutely not for swimming.

The strap does not change, but is available in two sizes: small for wrists with a circumference of 14 to 17 centimeters and large - up to 21 centimeters. Available colors: black, blue, gray and brown-orange.

The data is displayed on an OLED display. In its normal state it is turned off, but it reacts to raising your hand and turns on. Since the screen is not touch-sensitive, a large button is used to switch statistics. One press will show the PAI score for the week, two – for the current day, and after three presses the pulse will be displayed. The workout recording mode is activated by one long press of the button.

The bracelet is put on the hand and tightly fixed two fingers above the wrist. This is necessary to ensure that the optical sensor adheres properly to the skin and takes accurate heart rate readings.

Everyone's hand shape is different, so some users may experience discomfort, so the Slice should be tried on before purchasing. Discomfort is least noticeable during training; the bracelet reminds you of itself only the rest of the time. There were no cases of skin irritation caused by the gadget.

The bracelet sizes are comparable to and. It's slightly thicker than the Fitbit Alta and has more rigidity. Like all of these trackers, Slice works well with sportswear and casual style.

It is designed for daily wear, so it was equipped with a long-lasting (by today's standards) battery. A full charge will last for 4-5 days of operation, and recharging is carried out via the included USB cradle.

The bracelet is set up quickly and easily. To get started, the new happy owner needs to download the PAI 2.0 mobile application. Mio has other apps that will work with Slice, but the functionality will be limited, so it's important to find the right version. PAI 2.0 will work on smartphones with Android 5.0 and higher or iOS 9.0 and higher.

Note to Russian-speaking users: a localized version will be released especially for them at the end of May.

Synchronization with a smartphone occurs via Bluetooth. Mio Slice also supports the ANT+ standard, which allows you to connect other sports devices to it. The gadget is equipped with built-in memory that stores data collected over seven days.

The configured and connected bracelet should be on your hand 24/7 (or 24/5, if we take into account the need for recharging). What metrics does it track? In addition to PAI and heart rate, this includes distance and steps traveled, calories burned, sleep duration and phases. Individual workouts are not divided by type; their duration and the number of points earned for each are recorded.

Of course, the PAI system comes to the fore, since this is what Slice was created for. One tab in the application is entirely occupied by a graph with activity statistics. The resulting “flower” clearly illustrates progress over the week and serves as a motivating mechanism. On days when activity is low, the “petals” turn out to be short, and on especially successful days, they turn out to be long.

The MiO brand is known for its accurate heart rate monitors, as well as supplying heart rate monitors for Garmin wearables. The company also created its own fitness bracelet, MiO Slice, which offers not just counting steps, but a comprehensive assessment of personal activity.

The device constantly monitors your heart rate and, analyzing all the loads for the day, determines Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) - a personal activity index. It is calculated taking into account gender, age, body weight, basic training, but it is changes in heart rate in response to physical effort that are converted into PAI points (in a week, the owner of MiO Slice is asked to score 100 points).

Additional indicators for control

The bracelet also measures steps (using an accelerometer), distance, activity period, and calories burned. Additionally, you can specify types of activities that the wearable gadget did not take into account (for example, power training with little hand activity). The bracelet analyzes sleep quite accurately, since heart rate is measured at night (every 15 minutes). But the model lacks a vibrating alarm clock in the morning.

Stylish and practical

MiO Slice is equipped with a monochrome screen with an OLED matrix and the ability to adjust brightness. The device has a non-removable rubber strap (2 sizes and several colors are available, including black, grey, blue, brown). For control, there is one mechanical button that responds to both short and long presses.

The model has a 60 mAh battery, the capacity of which is enough for 4 – 6 days of operation. medium intensity use. A convenient magnetic cradle is included for charging.

Control and synchronization

All Slice settings are performed in the proprietary Mio PAI 2 application. It is already Russified, but the quality of localization leaves much to be desired.

Bluetooth v 4.0 is used to synchronize data with smartphones. After connecting to mobile devices, the bracelet will notify you of calls and SMS. Additionally, support for the ANT+ wireless standard is provided. It is used to transmit heart rate readings in training mode and makes it easy to connect pro-level sports devices to the bracelet.

Note that the bracelet is protected from moisture and dust, waterproof up to 30 meters. But it is not recommended to swim in it, if only because you cannot press the mechanical button in the water.

MiO Slice is suitable for fans of running, aerobics, and other cyclic species sports and just active people. By constantly measuring your pulse, the bracelet will also help you monitor your condition. of cardio-vascular system and health in general.

Mio Slice is the latest and most advanced fitness bracelet in the line of the famous Taiwanese manufacturer. Like all wearable devices of this brand, starting with the revolutionary smart watch Alpha, the model is equipped with an optical heart rate sensor, which is not inferior in accuracy to stationary ECG devices.

Main features of the model

• Functionality. The main difference between Mio Slice and earlier models (Link, Fuse) is the automatic determination of PAI (personal activity index). This is a development of the Norwegian Institute of Natural Sciences, calculated on the basis of a set of data: age, height and body weight, physical form etc. It’s very easy to use – all you need to do is earn at least 100 points every week.

In addition to measuring heart rate, the bracelet also allows you to count calories burned, steps taken, speed, distance traveled, and also synchronize information with other mobile devices.

• Ergonomics and appearance. The price of Mio Slice is slightly higher compared to previous generations of bracelets, but this is compensated not only by increased functionality, but also by improved aesthetics.

The rounded aluminum case with a polyurethane strap of various colors turns the fitness tracker into a stylish accessory. Operating the device is very simple and intuitive thanks to the clear display and large multifunction button.

You can buy the Mio Slice fitness bracelet with free delivery in Moscow in the Watchsport online store.

Around March 8, my collection of fitness gadgets was replenished with several new items. The first of them is the Mio Slice fitness tracker, which was received as a gift by the eldest daughter, who very timely before the holiday mentioned that she would soon need a heart rate monitor, since she was starting practice at the fitness club. I have been interested in the new Mio model for a long time, as I was very pleased with the previous Mio Link and .

PAI - Personal Activity Intelligence

The main feature of this tracker, which distinguishes it from trackers Garmin, Fitbit and the like, is PAI - Personal Activity Intelligence, in Russian this can be called a personal activity analyzer. PAI sets you not just a goal of walking 10,000 steps a day, but based on your age, a weekly physical activity and level physical training Counts your physical activity points based on your heart rate. The goal is to score 100 points.

Mio Slice technical specifications

Material: TPU

Display - OLED

Battery - li-poly, lasts about 5 days

Water protection - 30 meters, 3 atmospheres

Sensors – optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer and vibration motor

Communication - bluetooth and ANT+, but transmits heart rate data only via ANT+

Memory - 7 days of activity, heart rate data every 1 second in training mode, every 5 minutes during average daily activity and every 15 minutes during sleep.

Mio Slice measurements

• pulse
• resting heart rate
• calories
• distance

Mio Slice Dimensions

• Small fits hands with a circumference from 13.97cm to 17.15cm. Size 1.35 cm x 2.08 cm x 21.5 cm. Weight 28g.
• Large fits hands with a circumference from 17.15cm to 20.96cm. Size 1.35 cm x 2.08 cm x 24 cm. Weight 29g.

Mio Slice compatibility

• iOS 9.0 or higher - iPhone 7, 7Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 6, 6 Plus, SE and 5S
• Android 5.0 or higher - Google Nexus 5, 5x, 6, 6p, Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, S7, Note 5

Experience using Mio Slice

Sleep tracking

For those for whom a fitness bracelet on their wrist does not interfere with their sleep, Mio Slice provides fairly accurate information about deep and non-deep sleep, based on heart rate data. Here's what I got -

Heart rate sensor for the Mio Slice fitness bracelet

For the test, I used 3 sensors at once -

1. Actually Mio Slice transmitting heart rate to Garmin Fenix ​​3. I'm not sure if it's possible to export heart rate data directly from Slice. Also, my Xiaomi Mi 5S phone does not have ANT+, and Mio Slice did not find any devices on Bluetooth.
2. TomTom Spark 3 with LifeQ sensor.
3. Scosche Rhytm connected to the phone.

And here are the results I got during the 5km race, with 4 short accelerations of 30 seconds and the last fifth for 1 minute. You can see from the graph that Slice was a bit lagging from the start. This may be due to the fact that it was too close to the palm.

TomTom Spark 3 data

Scosche Rhythm + Endomondo data on Xiaomi MI 5S

Mio Slice heart rate data, everything else from Garmin Fenix ​​3

On my second run, I placed the Mio Slice further away from my palm and did 3 intervals. The differences in measurements with Scosche Rhytm, which transmitted data to my phone, are almost invisible.

The following graph was made during functional training— horizontal bar, weights and TRX. There is a difference between Scosche and Mio Slice, but not as dramatic as the one.

Mio Slice Instructions

The instructions for the bracelet are available in 10 different languages, including Russian. You can download the Mio Slice instructions in Russian.

Pros of the Mio Slice fitness bracelet

• Transmitting heart rate data in training mode via ANT+ (HR broadcasting)
• PAI Personal Activity Analyzer. For 3 days, 2 of which I ran 5-7 km and once worked out in the gym for 1.5 hours, I was counted 85 PAI
• Sleep detection accuracy
• Design
• Convenient charging with magnet
• Automatically turns on the screen if you turn the tracker screen up
• Excellent warranty support from the manufacturer, for example, they sent me a new Mio Fuse after I broke the strap on the old one, after only one year of warranty.

Cons of the Mio Slice fitness bracelet

conclusions

If you need high quality and inexpensive fitness tracker, the presence of GPS is not so important - then you should seriously consider the Mio Slice bracelet, as possible variant for purchase.