New Microsoft Band Model Could Still Launch, Patents Indicate

Microsoft Band was quietly discontinued after only two generations, and while it’s believed that the software giant is more or less done with activity trackers, a couple of new patents seems to suggest otherwise.

While patents are by no means an indication that a certain product or technology could see daylight, it’s important to note that Microsoft filed the patents in February and November 2017, respectively, at a time when the company was already believed to have ended investments in such devices.

One of the patents is called “ring-shaped skin sensor” and describes a technology that would eventually help Microsoft collect data and generate statistics regarding stress levels. As DT notes, Microsoft envisions a design that uses not one but two different sensors, pretty much to make sure that there’s always contact between the skin and the tracker.

This way, regardless of wrist position or movements, the device can still receive information and provide more accurate statistics.

Measuring blood pressure

The second patent is entitled “blood pressure estimation by wearable computing device” and it comes with a pretty self-explanatory purpose. This technology would help monitor blood pressure, and Microsoft says it’d use machine learning systems to provide more accurate numbers.

“The method may include calibrating the machine learning model to the subject based on a set of time-varying features and blood pressure measurements of the subject. In addition, the method may include using the machine learning model and the time-varying features for the subject to generate a blood pressure estimate,” Microsoft explains.

Additional input from the user might be required, such as the medical history of the subject, and all this information could help better personalize the machine learning system and calibrate it to each user.

The drawings in the patent seem to point to a Microsoft Band-like design, though there’s a chance that if they ever get the go-ahead, these technologies could end up being used on a substantially refined design.