Gone are the days of fumbling with wristbands or stopping mid-workout to check if your activity is getting logged. The Ultrahuman Ring AIR uses in-built motion sensors to identify activities like walking, running, cycling, and swimming.
While the smart ring promises to promote overall health, its fitness-tracking capabilities are just as enticing. These are probably the best metrics I’ve seen in a smart ring so far. But how well they work is a question that has sparked my curiosity for some time now. So, I put these to the test, and here’s my review.
My Experience With the Ultrahuman Ring’s Fitness Tracking
It’s been a month since I have been using the Ultrahuman ring AIR, and by far, it does live up to the hype related to its fitness tracking capabilities. But is it one of the best?
This $349 smart ring monitors my performance in real-time, allowing me to adjust my workout intensity. But there are a few things that feel half-baked.
1. Step Count and Calories Burnt
Every time I go for a run or walk around on the block, the Ultrahuman ring is always a step ahead with detecting my step count. With real-time data, including my heart rate, pace (for running), calories burned, and distance, the built-in 6-axis motion sensor automatically identifies these activities.
While I love it when it amplifies my step count, I know for a fact that I wasn’t that active. I don’t blame Ultrahuman for this; it is the sheer form factor of a smart ring that will inevitably overcount the finger movement as steps and add to the stress graph.
2. Post Workout Analysis
So, while the step count may be ignored, the post-workout data is essential. Once my workout is complete, the Ultrahuman app generates a detailed report summarizing my performance.
The heart rate calculated during my workout was inconsistent, to say the least. While my Apple watch recorded the same to be in a 160-170bpm range, the Ultrahuman AIR went from 90 to 165 to 140 and whatnot. I’ve noticed for higher-intensity workouts, any smart ring is not well-equipped to record the data accurately.
As Mohit, founder of Ultrahuman, explains, this is due to the fated nature of noise in data calculated by a smart ring as opposed to a smartwatch. While he did confirm that improvements are constantly being made, I wonder how much of this can be compensated for within the same form factor.
3. Movement Index
As annoying as it can be to constantly be reminded of the things we’re supposed to do but are too lazy/ busy to, I know I need to be kept under the thumb. Ultrahuman’s movement index does just that.
If it detects a prolonged period of inactivity, it sends reminders to take a stroll. Especially important with a desk job. This not only increases my non-exercise energy usage but also increases my glucose metabolism.
Every morning, the Movement Index Score automatically sets to the default 100, (highest value), and it keeps dropping throughout the day according to my movements. Though not the most perfect in workout tracking, it sure has helped me achieve my New Year’s resolution to move more throughout the day.
4. Recovery Score
Ultrahuman ring doesn’t simply track my workouts; it also pulls focus on my recovery. After analyzing my sleep data, heart rate variability (HRV), and activity levels post-workout, it estimates my recovery status and in the morning, gives me a score.
Similar to Oura’s Readiness Score, it helps me understand how well my body is bouncing back from intense workouts or periods of stress. Recovery score has also been a vital part of my morning to check whether I need to take things slow or go for another intense training session.
The Recovery Score indicates the overall state of my “well-being” monitored on the following parameters:
- Resting heart rate
- Heart rate variability
- Body temperature
- Sleep Quality
- Stress rhythm score
5. Cardio Adaptability
Ultrahuman introduced Cardio Adaptability, which monitors our heart’s activity every single night. Using tachograms and Lorenz plots, it analyzes variations in cardio trends and offers insights into how the heart reacts to certain stress, activities, and rest.
Using this data will help you understand your heart’s capacity to adjust to various situations and its endurance. I can see this feature being especially useful for older generations.
But there’s a snag– a few of Ultrahuman’s PowerPlug features, cardio adaptability being one, is a paid feature at $2.9/month and $24 annually.
6. Circadian Alignment
Taking 2 weeks to set a baseline, the circadian phase alignment suggests the best time to get in some natural vitamin D, exercise, and unwind after a long day of work. These recommendations aim to improve productivity and energy levels and enhance sleep quality.
7. VO2 Max Tracking
I was always under the impression that VO2 Max is calculated during workouts, but the Ultrahuman ring seems to have daily VO2 Max readings. Upon getting clarity from their customer support, I got to know how the Ultrahuman calculates VO2 Max.
They use age, gender, mobility level, max heart rate, nightly RHR, and body weight entered on the app to calculate the VO2 Max of a person. I’m not a cardio person, and I have never really paid attention to this reading, which is why I can’t tell you how accurate or inaccurate this value is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrap Up
The Ultrahuman Ring AIR is designed for people seeking to enhance their sleep and fitness combined. With real time performance data, post workout analysis, and recovery insights, it definitely packs more fitness-forward features as compared to other smart rings in the market, but some of its features lack accuracy owing to its form factor.
It is also noteworthy that the addition of paid PowerPlug features, such as cardio adaptability and AFib detection, puts Ultrahuman in a negative light, for one of its main attractions was the ‘no subscription’ model.
Overall, the Ultrahuman Ring AIR is a solid everyday tool, but if your primary focus is to buy a smart ring to monitor fitness, you might want to consider other options.
