Hilo uses an innovative method to estimate your blood pressure. Instead of relying on the discomfort and inconvenience of inflating a cuff around your arm several times a day, the Hilo Band utilizes optical sensors to indirectly track relative changes in your blood pressure throughout the day.

However, to provide absolute blood pressure values in mmHg, the Hilo Band requires a process called initialization. This step must be completed once a month using a traditional blood pressure cuff. It only takes a few minutes and is essential to ensure accurate readings.

Think of it like setting the time on a new watch. Even if you don’t set the time, the watch will still tick and show that time is passing—but it won’t necessarily match the actual time. The same concept applies to the Hilo Band: without initialization, the device will continue to track blood pressure trends, but the values won’t be comparable to those from standard monitors. Just as you occasionally adjust a watch to keep it precise, monthly initialization ensures your Hilo Band stays accurate and reliable.