Cambridge wearable tech could add 10 years to your life

Balance is Best' wearable is not just for fitness fanatics.

MvBii Ventures, (pronounced moobie) a Cambridge based start-up, have developed a range of smart watches that link with your iPhone and Android.

Their products, the z-Track and z-Zap, are a new alternative to fitness trackers, focussed on assisting a balanced lifestyle.

Working with David Hewson, Professor of Health and Ageing at the Institute for Health Research at the University of Bedfordshire, MvBii have concluded that balance between activity and rest throughout the day is better than focussing on activity alone.

Through adhering to their balanced lifestyle, alongside other sensible living measures, the company believe that forty-somethings could aim to add ten years to their life expectancy.

We're not saying burn your gym membership, our device works well in that context too, but don't just rely on that as way to feeling better.

Co-founder of MvBii Ventures, Justin Pisani, said: “Wherever you sit on the argument of nanny state versus wise advice it’s hard to dispute the growing body of evidence that supports the need for all of us to take better care of ourselves.

“The first wave of smart wearables has, in our view, concentrated on the already active and offer lots of data for users with everything from steps taken, distance travelled, heart rate etc.

“Whilst popular, we felt they were preaching to the already converted. Many of them even look a bit too much like rubber sports devices.

“We wanted a product designed for those with demanding lives who struggle to make time to follow a regular exercise regime. To achieve the goals as outlined in initiatives like “One You”, we believe you have to take your moments in the day to find ways of getting exercise or resting effectively, not just when you finally get to the gym.

“We’re not saying burn your gym membership, our device works well in that context too, but don’t just rely on that as way to feeling better.”

The devices are based on the mantra ‘balance is best’, and work within the principles of Public Health England’s ‘One You’ campaign, that suggests living healthily in midlife can double your chances of being healthy at 70 and beyond.

MvBii Ventures co-Founder, Ludo Chapman, said: “We feel the range is one of our best yet and we wanted to create a brand which fits into the lives of the people who will use it and not be a standalone piece of technology demanding your instant attention.

“We’ve seen some really encouraging things, things that may seem like small steps but are vital to balance and change, i.e. by simply wearing it people subconsciously get in the habit of taking the stairs at work instead of the lift and we had one man who noted he had started to walk more briskly when he was about town.

“They sound small things but taken over time they will help people get into that virtuous circle of the more you do the more you want to do”

The company plans to develop the z-Track range with further app updates to add more stress defence features for relaxation.

MvBii Ventures have been in discussion with several companies about the use of balance in the workplace and plan to undertake some large scale trials to show how it can help with occupational welfare ideas such as the NHS Live Well campaign.