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Samsung Debuts Open Modular Health-Tracking Band and Cloud Platform

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Ahead of the upcoming debut of iOS 8, which is expected to include Apple's "Healthbook" health aggregating platform, Samsung has announced its own health tracking platform that envelops both open modular hardware and a cloud storage solution.

Called SAMI (Samsung Architecture Multimodal Interactions), the company's cloud-based sensor data platform is designed to be entirely open to developers and "complementary" with Samsung's S Health initiative.

samiplatform.jpg
Alongside SAMI, Samsung showed off its Simband, a reference device that includes a multitude of wearable sensors with several different health-tracking functions. Designed to be an open reference sensor module, Simband offers the standard accelerometers to measure movement along with an ECG sensor and a sensor that measures skin temperature.

The device, which offers miniaturized electronics along with Bluetooth and WiFi, also shows off a removable "shuttle battery" that clips into the band to charge it while it's being worn. As described, the battery allows the device to be worn 24/7, snapping in to charge it during sleep. The open device is multimodal and designed to be customized with interchangeable components, allowing hardware developers to create their own hardware able to be attached to the band.

simband.jpg
Samsung's cloud platform SAMI is designed to collect "any kind of data" from a range of devices. On stage, the platform was likened to a bank, storing and securing data privately.

Samsung president Young Sohn compared the company's health efforts to a car dashboard for the human body, aimed at giving consumers an overall picture of their wellbeing. Simband and SAMI are both open and available to developers, and Samsung has paired with early partners like PhysIQ and UCSF to develop new wearable hardware. Developers will be given access to the SAMI SDK later this year.

The company also announced a $50 million digital health challenge aimed at creating new sensors and new health-related technology.

Article Link: Samsung Debuts Open Modular Health-Tracking Band and Cloud Platform
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/28/samsung-health-tracking-platform/
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,132
31,176
So basically Samsung is saying pick us over Google. And at the same time making sure they can say first! before Apple announces anything next Monday. Reminds me a little bit like when Google scheduled a maps event right before WWDC in 2012.
 
C

cymerc

macrumors member
Jan 16, 2008
65
5
SAMI: the perfect example of an acronym who's words were chosen for the sake of the acronym.
 
bpcookson

bpcookson

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2012
484
90
MA
Umm... am I missing the source link? Call me crazy, but I don't see a single link in the entire post. That's just weird, right?
 
W

Windlasher

macrumors 6502
Jan 11, 2011
483
111
minneapolis
I see and the Apple this, Samsung that, comments coming in this thread.

But you do have to find it amusing that These Tech rags, announce that apple bought product A to augment Product B, and Samsung drops in a month before with an almost identical concept.

Six months from now after Apple launches a biometric product This thread will be filled with Samsung did it first but Apple did it better rants.

The only way we can prove it once in for all is if Apple buys enough companies to make the next great "iproduct" completely in house and has absolutely ZERO leaks.

Better yet, If I was Apple, I would announce a completely viable but BS product including scheduled leaks and product images.... And then NEVER release it. (kinda like the iTV).
 
guerro

guerro

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2002
268
494
Parts Unknown
If only Apple would rumor that they intend to come out with a cure for cancer, every other phone/electronics company would try to beat Apple to market with the cure. Amazing how a mere inkling from Apple can drive the competition.
 
Mousse

Mousse

macrumors 68040
Apr 7, 2008
3,489
6,711
Flea Bottom, King's Landing
This would be useful in a hospital or as an outpatient tool. But for the life of me, I cannot think of a reason the general populous would want to constantly monitor their current health. I see this leading to lots and lots of cases of hypochondria.

"Oh no! My BP is 10 points higher than normal!" The stress of worrying about high blood pressure causes blood pressure to increase some more. Ack! Vicious circle.
 
PBG4 Dude

PBG4 Dude

macrumors 601
Jul 6, 2007
4,267
4,478
guerro said:
If only Apple would rumor that they intend to come out with a cure for cancer, every other phone/electronics company would try to beat Apple to market with the cure. Amazing how a mere inkling from Apple can drive the competition.
Click to expand...

I was hoping more companies would build spaceships after Apple announced they were building one. :D
 
chumpy34

chumpy34

macrumors 6502
Jun 28, 2010
319
247
If I was Tim Cook, I would create a new team at Apple to come up with crazy products designs or at least prototypes (that are fake) just to see how many Samsung copies and releases. Would be fun to watch...
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,132
31,176
I know announcing this right before WWDC was intentional but it seems like stupid timing because the tech media is focused on the Re/Code conference right now (of which it doesn't appear that Samsung is participating in).
 
I

ineedamac

macrumors 6502
Jul 10, 2008
478
157
Couldn't they have found something better to hold the device other than some man's hairy arm?
 
B

brendu

Cancelled
Apr 23, 2009
2,472
2,703
Mousse said:
This would be useful in a hospital or as an outpatient tool. But for the life of me, I cannot think of a reason the general populous would want to constantly monitor their current health. I see this leading to lots and lots of cases of hypochondria.

"Oh no! My BP is 10 points higher than normal!" The stress of worrying about high blood pressure causes blood pressure to increase some more. Ack! Vicious circle.
Click to expand...

This is mostly a proof of concept and a backbone for developers to build on. Final products that go for sale to consumers will likely end up doing much much more and the health tacking will be a secondary benefit of wearing the device. That seems to be the way apple is heading with the iWatch. After all the lawsuits for copying I understand why Samsung wanted to announce this before WWDC. I'm very eager to see how apple responds to this so that developers target apples products first. I am sure that is apples goal. Get the developers busy working on their platform so android wear and this initiative by Samsung don't gain much traction.
 
J

jozero

macrumors 6502
Sep 14, 2009
345
387
I can't believe an entire company exists just to be the hardware equivalent of the internet 'First !' meme.
 
C

camnchar

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2006
434
415
Samsung president Young Sohn compared the company's health efforts to a car dashboard for the human body
Click to expand...

He then added, "And once we have a better idea of what Apple's doing with CarPlay, we'll release an actual car dashboard too."
 
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