The online store said that its $139.99 sleep device measures the temperature, humidity, and light in the room.
(Reuters) – Amazon.com, Inc. announced on Wednesday a new contactless device that can track people’s sleep, as well as updates to its voice-controlled devices and e-readers.
The online store said that the Halo Rise sleep device, which costs $139.99, can track the temperature, humidity, and light of the room as well as the breathing patterns of the person who is closest to it. The goal is to help users understand why they might or might not feel rested when they wake up.
Amazon, like its rivals Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, has invested in consumer health-tracking technology.This has sometimes gotten the attention of regulators because Amazon wanted to collect sensitive information with its Halo fitness wristband, like the percentage of body fat.
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Amazon has said that privacy is at the core of what it does. The sleep device will encrypt data about your health, and it doesn’t have a camera or a microphone.
The store is also looking into health in a broader way. In July, it said it would spend $3.5 billion to buy primary care provider One Medical (ONEM.O).
Amazon said that the Halo RISE is not a medical device and has not been approved by the FDA.
At its virtual devices show, Amazon announced a new Kindle e-reader with a pen for making digital notes on books. This was in addition to its bet on health. The company also showed off new versions of its voice-controlled speakers for the home and car, as well as new devices that connect to the Internet.
