This Wearable Aims to Improve Your Blood Pressure. It’s Now in the US, and I Got a First Look
The Hilo Core blood pressure system comes with a wireless cuff and a thin wrist strap that can continuously track your blood pressure.
Giselle Castro-Sloboda/ CNET
Swiss health technology brand Aktiia announced Tuesday that its blood pressure health system, Hilo Core, is now available in the US. Backed by 22 years of research, the device delivers long-term blood pressure data so users can better understand their heart health, which is especially important considering that nearly half of US adults have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension).
According to the company, Hilo is also the first health system in the world to include an FDA-cleared cuff, which helps establish baseline blood pressure readings, with a wearable non-invasive wristband that provides continuous blood pressure readings between cuff measurements.
“What we’re doing here is to completely redefine the blood pressure experience from reading a single graph with a cuff on the arm to something embedded in your life,” Josep Solà, Aktiia’s founder and chief technology officer, told CNET during a Zoom call.
Ahead of its US launch, I’ve spent the past few days checking out Hilo. This is what I learned.
How Hilo works
Hilo focuses on your diastolic and systolic numbers, which are used to measure blood pressure. Systolic, the number at the top of your reading, measures the maximum pressure in your arteries when your heart is pumping blood, while the lower diastolic number shows the lowest pressure in your arteries when your heart is resting and filling with blood.
Monitoring your blood pressure numbers can help prevent strokes and heart attacks.
An example of how Hilo reads your blood pressure trends over the course of a week.
Hilo/Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET
I got to try Hilo myself and found it easy to use and set up. The Hilo Core kit includes a thin, screenless wearable wristband with 15-day battery life and an FDA-cleared cuff that connects to a mobile app. Cuff measurements are only required within the first four days of activation for calibration, and monthly thereafter. This method aims to give you a broader picture of your blood pressure changes over time, rather than focusing on a single reading.
I took my cuff reading first thing in the morning after waking up and before eating or drinking coffee because certain foods and drinks can affect your reading.
After the initial four-day measurement, the Hilo cuff is used to measure your blood pressure every month.
Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET
The cuff reading felt the same as when I had my blood pressure taken at the doctor’s office, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. The only difference is that the cuff is wireless and controlled by an app. The app recommends sitting still and resting for the most accurate readings.
As for the Hilo band, it can capture up to 35 blood pressure readings per day. It also uses your sleep, heart rate and step count to provide you with contextual information.
To collect this data from the wrist, Hilo relies on visual blood pressure monitoring technology: photoplethysmographic — or PPG — light sensors, usually found in wearables, that can measure blood pressure without requiring constant inflation of the cuff.
After you measure your wristband, all you need to do is wear it like any other wearable. It’s light, so you don’t feel it at all, and it keeps reading the pulse waves of your arteries every 90 minutes.
Setup was quick, and within three minutes of the cuff’s inflating and deflating cycles, I was able to view the cuff readings posted to the app. You can use the cuff to check monthly spots or confirm wearable readings.
For people who need to check their vitals regularly, I can see this device making it easy for them to track their blood pressure every day with little effort.
Is Hilo medical grade?
In Europe, both the Hilo cuff and the band are approved as medical devices. In the US, the Hilo cuff is cleared by the FDA as a medical device, while the Hilo band is considered a health product and has yet to receive FDA approval. Just remember that the program is intended to better monitor your daily blood pressure and is not intended to take the place of your doctor.
As always, consult your doctor before making any lifestyle changes or if you have any questions. Before purchasing any health monitoring device like this, you may also want to ask your doctor if it is right for your particular health condition.
However, Hilo is working on getting approval to be included in the regulated medical field used by health professionals.
Hilo is compared to other wearable blood pressure monitors
There are already wearables, such as the Apple Watch and Oura Ring, that use their technology to detect blood pressure changes to provide users with blood pressure information, but they are not currently approved for medical use. Now, there is also the Signal Ring, which claims to replace the blood pressure cuff in providing accurate readings. Unlike Hilo, these wearables don’t come with a cuff that can be used to establish baseline readings or be used for monthly spot checks.
Previously, there was the Omron HeartGuide, a blood pressure monitor that used a breathable cuff built into the wearable. It has since been discontinued, but according to Hilo, its system differs from the HeartGuide in that its wearable band does not have a screen and uses visual sensors rather than an inflatable cuff. The Hilo comes with a separate cuff to further ensure that its readings are grounded and correct. With HeartGuide, you can choose when to take your blood pressure readings, while Hilo automatically takes a reading every 90 minutes, including overnight.
Past success in Europe
Hilo is already available in Europe and has found success in helping people monitor their blood pressure. According to the press release, a study conducted by the company from 2022 to 2025 with about 30,000 European participants found that, compared to people who do not regularly use the same EU version of the Hilo application, those who use it consistently reduce systolic blood pressure by up to five times in six months.
Solà told CNET that Hilo Core is commonly used by people diagnosed with high blood pressure, and those between the ages of 50 and 60.
How is Hilo different from regular blood pressure cuffs?
Here’s what Hilo’s rating process looks like during the first four days.
Hilo/Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET
In general, the recommended way to track blood pressure readings at home is with a blood pressure cuff or monitor, but Solà wanted a simpler way: “I saw that they could take away this pain. [of repeatedly using a blood pressure monitor] in a wearable device that automates everything.”
According to Solà, Hilo noted that those who were most engaged with the app saw significant improvements in their blood pressure readings over time.
“In general, anyone diagnosed with high blood pressure must measure it at least twice a day,” explains Solà. “What we’re seeing is that the average number of times our users open the app to get their blood pressure numbers is up to three times a day.”
Having this information at your fingertips can make you feel more in control and motivated to change your lifestyle, allowing you to see improvements in your blood pressure readings. It also gives you a clear picture of your blood pressure health, which you can share with your doctor.
“We are comrades who help them control their blood pressure because we empower them with the data they need,” said Solà.
The Hilo band makes it possible to continuously track your blood pressure.
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That’s what Hilo hopes to accomplish in the US
Hilo’s goal with this launch is to help Americans with high blood pressure lower their blood pressure, just like in Europe.
“This has the potential to help these patients solve this problem of hypertension,” said Solà. “The sooner you realize you have high blood pressure, the sooner you can start controlling your blood pressure to help lower it.”
Hilo’s privacy policy
Privacy concerns are always at the forefront when someone chooses to monitor their health with a wearable. Hilo states that user information collected by the program is used only to improve Hilo’s products and services. The company does not sell health data to third parties, and any data used for research or similar purposes is anonymized or aggregated.
Annual subscription is required
The Hilo Core kit is available for $90 at Amazon and Hilo.com. There’s also an annual subscription fee of $150, which can be a deterrent for those looking for an inexpensive way to regularly monitor their blood pressure. You can get pre-approved for an HSA and FSA through your health insurance.
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