The Hilo Core blood pressure system comes with a wireless cuff and a thin wristband that can continuously track your blood pressure.
Giselle Castro-Sloboda/ CNET
Swiss health tech 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 insights so users can better understand their heart health, which is especially significant considering that about half of US adults have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension).
According to the company, Hilo is also the world’s first blood pressure health system that combines an FDA-cleared cuff, which helps establish a baseline blood pressure reading, with a lightweight wearable wristband that provides ongoing blood pressure readings between cuff measurements.
“What we’re doing here is redefining completely the experience of blood pressure from a one-graph reading with a cuff on the arm to something that is embedded into your life,” Josep Solà, Aktiia co-founder and chief technology officer, told CNET during a Zoom call.
Ahead of its US launch, I’ve spent the last few days testing Hilo. This is what I’ve learned.
How Hilo works
Hilo focuses on your diastolic and systolic numbers, which are used to measure blood pressure. Systolic, the number on top of your reading, measures the maximum pressure in your arteries when your heart pumps out blood, while the bottom diastolic number shows the minimum pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest and refills with blood.
Monitoring your blood pressure numbers can help prevent strokes and heart attacks.
An example of how Hilo reads your blood pressure trend over the course of a week.
Hilo/Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET
I got to try Hilo firsthand and found it simple to use and set up. The Hilo Core kit includes a thin, screenless wristband wearable with a 15-day battery life and an FDA-cleared cuff that connects to a mobile app. Cuff measurements are required only during the first four days of activation for calibration, and thereafter on a monthly basis. This approach aims to give you a more comprehensive picture of your blood pressure fluctuations over time, rather than focusing on a single reading.
I took my cuff readings first thing in the morning after waking up and before eating or drinking coffee because certain foods and beverages can affect your readings.
After an initial four-day calibration, the Hilo cuff is used to measure your blood pressure monthly.
Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET
The cuff reading felt similar to when I have my blood pressure taken at a doctor’s office, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. The only difference is that the cuff is wireless and controlled by the app. The app recommends sitting still and relaxing to get 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 contextualized insights.
To collect this data from the wrist, Hilo relies on optical blood pressure monitoring technology: photoplethysmographic — or PPG — light sensors, typically found in wearables, that can estimate blood pressure without requiring frequent cuff inflation.
After you’ve calibrated your wristband, all you need to do is wear it like any other wearable. It’s lightweight, so you barely feel it, and it continuously reads pulse waves of your arteries every 90 minutes.
Setup was fast, and within minutes of the three inflating-and-deflating cycles performed by the cuff, I was able to view the cuff readings sent to the app. You can use the cuff for spot checks monthly or to validate the wearable’s readings.
For individuals who need to check their vitals regularly, I can see this device making it easy for them to track their blood pressure daily with minimal effort.
Is Hilo medical-grade?
In Europe, both the Hilo cuff and band are certified as medical devices. In the US, the Hilo cuff is FDA-cleared as a medical device, while the Hilo band is considered a wellness product and has not yet received FDA clearance. Just keep in mind that the system is meant to make you more aware of your daily blood pressure and isn’t meant to replace your doctor.
As always, consult with your practitioner before making any lifestyle changes or if you have questions. Before purchasing any health monitoring device like this one, you may also want to ask your doctor whether it’s right for your specific health condition.
However, Hilo is working toward getting approved to be included in a regulated medical platform used by healthcare professionals.
Hilo vs. other wearables that monitor blood pressure
There are already wearables, such as the Apple Watch and Oura Ring, that use their own tech to detect blood pressure changes to provide users with blood pressure awareness, but they aren’t currently approved for medical use, either. Now, there’s also the Signal Ring, which claims to replace a blood pressure cuff in providing accurate readings. Unlike Hilo, these wearables don’t come with a cuff that can establish a baseline reading or be used for monthly spot checks.
Previously, there was the Omron HeartGuide, a blood pressure monitor that used an inflatable cuff built into the wearable. It’s since been discontinued, but according to Hilo, its system differs from the HeartGuide because its wearable band doesn’t have a screen and uses optical sensors rather than an inflatable cuff. Hilo comes with a separate cuff for extra assurance that its readings have a baseline and are correct. With the HeartGuide, you’d chose when you’d take your blood pressure measurements, while Hilo automatically conducts readings every 90 minutes, including overnight.
Past success in Europe
Hilo already exists in Europe and has found success in helping people monitor blood pressure. According to a press release, a study conducted by the company from 2022 to 2025 with about 30,000 European participants found that, compared to people who didn’t regularly use a similar EU version of the Hilo app, those who consistently used it reduced their systolic blood pressure by up to five times over six months.
Solà told CNET that Hilo Core is generally used by people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and those in their 50s and 60s.
How Hilo is different from traditional blood pressure cuffs
What the Hilo calibration process looks like during the first four days.
Hilo/Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET
Normally, the recommended method to track blood pressure readings at home via a blood pressure cuff or monitor, but Solà wanted an easier approach: “I realized that they could shift this pain [of repeatedly using a blood pressure monitor] to a wearable device that does everything automatically.”
According to Solà, Hilo observed that those who were most engaged with the app saw greater improvement in their blood pressure readings over time.
“Normally, anyone who is diagnosed with high blood pressure has to measure it at least two times a day,” Solà explained. “What we’re seeing is that the average number of times that our users open the app to get their blood pressure numbers is up to three times a day.”
Having this knowledge at your fingertips can make you feel more in control and motivated to change your lifestyle habits, allowing you to see improvement in your blood pressure readings. It also gives you a clearer picture of your blood pressure health, which you can share with your doctor.
“We’re the companion to help them control blood pressure because we empower them with the data that they need,” Solà said.
The Hilo band makes it possible to continuously track your blood pressure.
Hilo
What Hilo hopes to achieve in the US
Hilo’s goal with this launch is to help Americans with hypertension lower their blood pressure, as it did in Europe.
“This has the potential to help these patients resolve this hypertension problem,” said Solà. “The sooner you become aware of being hypertensive, the sooner you can start managing your blood pressure to help make it go down.”
Hilo’s privacy policy
Concerns about privacy are always at the forefront when someone chooses to monitor their health with a wearable. Hilo says that user data collected by the system is only used to improve Hilo’s products and services. The company doesn’t sell health data to third parties, and any data used for research or similar purposes is anonymized or aggregated.
An annual subscription is required
The Hilo Core kit is available for $90 at Amazon and Hilo.com. There is also a $150 annual subscription fee, which could be a barrier for those seeking an affordable way to regularly monitor their blood pressure. You can get pre-approved for HSA and FSA eligibility through your health insurance.
Giselle Castro-Sloboda
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