Adidas has launched its $199 Fit Smart wristband that differentiates from a crowded wearable tech market itself by acting as a personal trainer.
The MiCoach device has a heart-rate monitor that can determine whether a user is overexerting themselves, and its lights and vibrations alert users when they should slow down.
“When people set out to get fit, they really don’t know what to do,” said Adidas Digital Sports General Manager Paul Gaudio.
The $199 wristband, which will go on sale in mid-August at Best Buy, packs most of the same features as other wearables, including the ability to track distance traveled, pace and calorie-burning.
Heart rate monitoring tells the wristband how a runner’s body is responding on a run — giving an indication, for instance, of overexertion, which can lead to fatigue and burnout.
The wristband can coach a runner to pick up or bring down the pace with LED lights and vibrations.
Workout data from the device can be transferred wirelessly to Adidas’s miCoach Train and Run app for smartphones. Users will set up their training programs through the app.
Watch this promo video below: