Xiaomi’s crowdfunded neck ring could be a device of the future - here's why

Xiaomi HiPee Smart Health Neck Ring
(Image credit: Xiaomi Youpin)

Health-related gadgets draw more attention today primarily because they are now smarter and hence hold a lot of potential. The remote working phase necessitated by the global pandemic yet again highlighted their value as digitally managed work reduced physical activity.  

Lifestyle ailments, that were once the exclusive challenge of the IT and IT-enabled workforce, became more widespread giving rise to health conditions such as neck pain and spondylosis, because of the increased time we spent in front of our PCs and smartphones. 

Not everyone wants to visit a chiropractor today and get physically checked in this era. That’s why Xiaomi’s crowdfunded platform has come up with a gadget that can help you correct your posture from the comfort of your home. 

Xiaomi Youpin, an ecological chain that is invested by Xiaomi has come up with a product dubbed HiPee Smart Health Neck Ring that aims at monitoring and correcting the posture in real-time for 24-hours.

The company claims that improper sitting postures are difficult to correct on their own but its product can help. Making sure that you maintain your pose right, whether you’re moving or still, can prevent pain, injuries, and other unforeseeable problems.

Xiaomi HiPee Smart Health Neck Ring

(Image credit: Xiaomi Youpin)

However, maintaining a good posture can be a task especially for some professionals who work in the IT industry, media, or publishing houses. A report from ResearchGate tells us through its extensive research that neck pain among smartphone users has increased, thanks to the pandemic. Meanwhile, several orthopedic surgeons also back such reports since they have recorded a rise in this issue among users. 

The Neck Ring from Xiaomi Youpin uses an AI algorithm, which senses posture changes in front, back, left, and right 360-degrees and that too in real-time. It also reminds the users that their head is bent unconsciously for more than what it should be.

With some high-precision motion sensors, the HiPee Smart Health Neckband recognizes movements and monitors the bending direction like the tilted angle in the spine. Seeing bad postures, the Neck Ring generates linkage in the game world with the help of somatosensory games and suggests users build a good posture and hence get rid of neck pain.

The neckband is priced at 299 yuan (~$47) in China but is currently on discount and can be grabbed for 199 yuan (~$31). 

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Naina Batra

For the past seven plus years, Naina has been an avid follower of the consumer technology industry, with a special focus on gadgets. Her areas of focus include the broad world of smartphones, apps, wearables, and other consumer electronics. Always on the lookout for new and unique bits, Naina constantly seeks to find ways to share her knowledge with readers in a fashion that benefits both.