I am looking for a fitness band which provides direct real-time sensor data over Bluetooth to a mobile (Android) app. I want to write a health app that tracks the heart rate continuously. Most of the bands I found, does not provide direct access and the sensor data needs to be synchronized over the web.
While searching I came across the “Microsoft Band”. Their website (http://developer.microsoftband.com/) says it provides data directly over Bluetooth. But I also found out that for an third party Android app to access the sensor data one has to install “Microsoft Health” app beforehand. Hence I am in doubt whether the data for the Microsoft Band also gets synchronized over the web through the Microsoft Health app or not.
Can someone please clarify my doubt, i.e. whether the sensor data can be access directly at real-time or not. I just want to be sure before buying the product.
On Android, in order to stream sensor data from the Band via the Band SDK, you must install the Microsoft Health application. However, the aggregate data collected by the Microsoft Health application and sync'd with the Cloud is completely independent of any data streamed in realtime by a third party application.