EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Bose’s wireless headphones that measure heart rate will be made available to consumers and hit the market in three weeks, according to company officials.
The SoundSport Pulse headphones are designed for exercise, as they come with a heart rate monitor to track performance and can be integrated with fitness apps such as Runkeeper and Endomondo.
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The heart rate can be tracked through the ear, as light is shined on the skin to measure blood flow, according to Bose vice president of consumer electronics product engineering Sean Garrett. According to the company, the device has the precision of a chest strap in measuring heart rate.
The SoundSport headphones without the heart rate monitors are currently the ones that have been on the market since June, enabling wireless workouts while users listen to their audio playlists of choice. These have six hours of battery life, and the SoundSport Pulse comes with five hours of battery life.
The noise-canceling technology that Bose uses in headsets for everyone from airplane travelers to NFL coaches is not used in the SoundSport since those doing exercises should at least be somewhat aware of their surroundings — especially while listening to music.