What is it?
A sensor that monitors posture and activity.
How will it change my life? We all remember those harpings from parents about not playing with our food, sitting too close to the TV or dragging our feet, but the one that most stands out most for me was my gran continually urging me to sit up straight and stop slouching.
I like to think that my posture is fairly good in spite of those endless cautions but it's more likely to be because of them. The Lumo Back from Lumo BodyTech uses the same repetitive techniques to correct your position by warning you every time it senses your form has lapsed.
It comprises of a sensor attached to a strap which is worn round the lower back and looks remarkably similar to a heart rate monitor. It measures the tilt of the pelvis, which should be about a 90 degree angle for proper posture with any sufficient deviation met with a small burst of vibration alerting you to change your ways. I quickly found myself regressing back to a rebellious six year old trying to shrug off the instruction and half expected that familiar voice telling me I'd better run a mile if I ignored her.
Good points? I found the Lumo Back easy to fit, reasonably comfortable and non-intrusive as it can be worn over any clothing. It can be used for extended periods of time and received a positive response from my body.
The device can be accompanied by an optional IOS application which can track your progress and present the data in a way that's easy to understand. Like most health-based gadgets it offers more than one feature: it can track steps taken, monitor your sleep and has a car mode function to separate this activity from the overall posture evaluation.
The innovations have been created in conjunction with medical professionals which reassures you that no damage is being caused by harnessing the device to your back. The battery life is excellent, with a single charge via USB to PC lasting about a week.
Bad points? There is no display of any note to give an indication of battery life remaining or when the charge is complete, which can get a little annoying if you tend to forget things like the last time you charged such devices.
Best for … The Lumo Back is perfect for office workers chained to a desk all day or, on the opposite end of the scale, those who spend the lion's share of their time standing in some capacity. Both can result in arching of the spine and general lumbar problems. Anyone who said standing would help you grow tall were misinformed (sorry gran).
Avoid if … You hate belts as the Lumo Back can feel awkward.
Score: 8/10. Despite my initial scepticism, it turned out to be more than a gimmick. In less than a week, my back has never felt so good.
l Lumo Back, £129.95 (lumobodytech.com)
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