BodyMedia, the maker of body monitoring devices, has announced a developer API (Application Programming Interface), which should encourage developers to explore and discover new applications to help people know their bodies and improve their lives.
To meet these goals BodyMeida has partnered with Mashery, an API management and strategic services company, to create new apps, either within the existing lifestyle management platform or to apply the unique BodyMedia technology into new spaces, which could include gaming, fitness, entertainment or social networking.
“We want to take our unique data right from the Armbands of our consumers and put it directly into the hands of developers to discover new uses and markets,” stated Ivo Stivoric, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, BodyMedia, Inc. “Our goal is to enable more people to leverage the powerful BodyMedia tools to expand the positive impact of body monitoring.”
According to BodyMedia several unique product offerings already in the and include:
Gist Innovation, a start up technology firm that specializes in social and entertainment apps, have begun creation of fitness gaming apps that encourage users to accomplish various fitness challenges like hiking mountains and the ability for users to interact through social networking integrations and set-up virtual fitness competition or groups.
Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) is using the BodyMedia technology to address one of the nation’s serious epidemics, childhood obesity. ETC prototyped a fitness gaming app aimed at encouraging children to stay more active and burn more calories than they consume – which is an example of how the BodyMedia FIT Data API could be used commercially.
Another example of the versatility of the data is the upcoming summer launch of the BodyMedia app for Panasonic’s line of VIERA Connect IPTVs. This app for Panasonic’s VIERA integrates body monitoring technology with the TV to enable real time health and wellness management. Merging data returned by the API with the real time information from the Bluetooth enabled Armband BW, the app will allow users to watch their information update in real time while they watch TV or play video games.
The more users monitor could mean they’ll see results and stick with it.