It has been a while since our last update, but we have been working feverishly to test and tune our final design so we can bring Basis out of the lab and into the world. We thought it best to wait until we had real news and today I’m thrilled to report that we’ve passed a major milestone and are now prepping for launch. So, here I’m going to share with you a glimpse of the work we’ve done to satisfy ourselves that our device is ready.
As we shared previously, developing hardware like Basis’ is complex – multiple advanced sensors in a compact wrist-worn form factor not only has to be comfortable and stylish, but practical for 24/7 use. We’ve been putting the Basis band through its paces in our labs here in San Francisco, our manufacturing facilities, and with our beta users throughout the U.S.
Testing with Machines
In designing a lifestyle device, we need to anticipate and test (and then test again) for what your day is going to throw at you and your Basis – water, static shock, vibration, physical impact and exposure to the elements. We also need to make sure it works well for the way you live, like adequate battery life. Here are some examples:
Mechanical Strength Tests: We know you’ll treat yours with TLC, but just in case… force is applied to each side of the band module to ensure it can take the pressure and impact of everyday use – be it sleeping on it, leaning on it or even dropping it.
Marking Test: Basis needs to stand up to the wear and tear of life. In this case, a mechanical rubber tip like an eraser, gives a deep tissue massage to the surface of our strap to see how it holds up.
Vibration Test: We like ours shaken, not stirred. Mechanical vibrations are tested at different frequencies so we can understand any impact on the four types of sensors.
Water Submersion Test:. Water is not good for electronics. Even though Basis is not designed for swimming or diving, we don’t want you to fret about your high-tech health tool during everyday activities like showering, doing the dishes and walking in the rain. This is a test that helps establish the level of water resistance for the band especially when fully submerged.
Temperature and Humidity Test: This is climate change in a box. We test in a range of temperatures and humidity levels in special testing ovens. Be it hot, cold, wet or dry, we are testing Basis for the common conditions one might encounter.
Sensor and Battery Testing: While athletic-oriented devices only require a few hours of use at a time, we want your Basis to keep up with you for several days so we don’t miss anything important. Our testing – with sensors running day and night – is showing about four days of battery life for most users.
Testing With People
Probably the most important test is how the band works with actual humans (earnest as our machines may be), so, we bring people into the lab and send Basis bands into the real world. We have beta users living with the band day in and day out, from sleeping to working, and outdoor activities to household chores.
Metric testing: Our sensors are the foundation of our product so we conduct extensive testing on all of them to understand how they work in different conditions and with different users. In this case, we are using a metabolic rate cart to study the caloric measurements. Yes, he’s wearing four Basis bands.
Our Science team will be sharing more on our approach to testing and our methodologies in an upcoming post.
Real World testing: We take Basis hiking, biking, into the kitchen and onto the court. We even muddy it up on outdoor adventures.
Critical Milestone Toward Launch
So where does all this testing leave us? The good news is that based on these results, we are now in the final stages of production and launch preparations. Pretty soon we will give you all the specifics about the final product, the date it will be available and reveal an approach to lasting health that we believe is groundbreaking.
Manufacturing preparing for launch.
We know many thousands of you have been waiting patiently while we complete our vision of how to help people fit health into their busy lives. All of us here at Basis are as excited as you are to finally see our vision come to life. Thank you again for your support and enthusiasm!
Sincerely,
Jef
CEO, Basis
exciting! it looks like a beautiful device!
Oh, man! Looking great! I’ve been waiting for the longest time, but I knew it would be worth it! Great job y’all!
Can’t wait!!!
SO excited to see your progress! I can’t wait to find out more about the dashboard and user experience too. Well done guys!
Thanks!
Can you say a bit more about the batteries? Is it a question of recharging or inserting a new battery every four days?
Thx
The Basis band has a rechargeable battery that lasts for about 4 days.
Thanks for providing all this information and the accompanying photos. Not being in the industry, I find it fascinating to see what it takes to get this to market. It also gives me (and hopefully others) the feeling that customer service is going to be a good part of your company, not just sales. You care about how it works for us and our experience with your product. That means alot in this impersonal age. I was hoping to get this as a Christmas present… Since it looks like it won’t be out in time for the holidays, I will just have to buy it as an “I’m worth it” present to myself.
Glad to see all the reliability testing you are doing, including high temp and humidity. I know that kind of testing will find flaws before the design gets to the factory!
Looking forward to launch!
My past experience with fitness devices has been that my motorcycle riding can screw them up due to the vibrations. Glad you are doing a vibration test
been patiently waiting this long, can wait a little longer ( already resorted to using duct tape and chewing gum to keep my bodybugg in one piece, glad to see mybasis band won’t require this)
Thanks for the support!
A few days ago I posted a question here regarding Bluetooth 4.0 and whether the Basis Band would have that. I’d commented that I seen a competitor’s band had the upgraded Bluetooth spec and wondered if the Basis Band would have it as well. The last time Basis officially said anything about Bluetooth, it was simply that they would have Bluetooth 2.1 as part of the Basis, although it’s functionality wouldn’t be enabled at release. I come back today and find my comment deleted. That would seem to answer my question, although in a way that doesn’t exactly encourage me to want to do business with this company. And that’s a shame, insofar as I think the Basis Band offers much more than the competing wrist worn product for those like myself who aren’t hard core competitive athletes and are more interested in overall health. The other band doesn’t track anything but heart rate and it can’t store the information during the course of a day either. But rather than saying something like, “ours won’t have Bluetooth 4.0 BUT it will have additional sensors and on band storage etc., my comment is simply deleted. Way to alienate a potential customer!
Patrick,
Your comment wasn’t deleted as it wasn’t actually answered and posted. Sorry for the delay.
In regard to your question, Basis will be Bluetooth 2.1 enabled. We chose this standard as it BT 2.1 is more widely available on other devices at this time.
Thanks,
The Basis Team.
Thanks for sharing a peak behind the scenes. This update makes me even more excited. Will Basis hold another open beta prior to launch or accept applications to join any current user testing? I signed up for the commercial waiting list in January after CES, but thought it was worth asking about the beta. Keep up the good work. I’m anxiously waiting for the launch!
I hope that in the testing you are also using obese untrained subjects to hone the correct formulas for projecting caloric expenditures as you know they can vary a good bit compared to a trained physically fit subject. Large variations in lean body mass and fat body mass of overall weight can significantly effect accurate base metabolic rate. If thats off then all the projections based on physical responses will be off. This is an issue with a number of the device out there today.
Tim,
Our testing protocols and methodologies take into account different types of users and different types of activities. We also believe our multi-sensor approach gives us a more comprehensive picture of how much exertion an individual puts into different activities.
Thanks,
The Basis Team