Use your Xiaomi MI band to train indoor while playing a video game

Xiaomi MI Logo

Train in virtual worlds with heart rate and play video game with your Xiaomi MI band 4, MI 3 or MI 2

Smartbands are small devices worn on the wrist which help you track your activities and improve your fitness level. Xiaomi is one of the main wristband manufacturers in the world and their devices brodcast heart rate in real time from which our app Arcade Fitness can compute power and speed. So why not using this information on a bike trainer or treadmill. They have several models such as MI 2, MI 3, MI 4


Xiaomi MI Bands

MI Bands can be used as standard Bluetooth Smart continuous heart rate monitors

Activate heart rate broadcasting during workouts in MI Fit app

1
Be sure to have MI Fit for Android or MI Fit for iOS installed on your smartphone and check that your band is registered within the app

2
In the MI Fit app, click on Profil, then select your MI Band device and activate band visibility

3
Go back to main screen of MI Fit app and select Trainings. Choose the activity type you plan to do (running or cycling)

4
Click on GO to start a workout. Your band will automatically broadcast continuous heart rate values and can be paired with external apps such as Arcade Fitness, Zwift or any compatible GPS head unit.


Xiaomi MI Band activate cintinuous heart rate

Get Arcade Fitness video game and pair your band

Download Arcade Fitness indoor running and cycling app

Get Arcade Fitness 6.0 for Windows Get Android APK 6.0

Get Arcade Fitness 6.0 for Linux Get Arcade Fitness beta 6.0 for OSX

Get Arcade Fitness for iOS / iOS TV



Arcade Fitness Screenshot


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Scan for bands and select yours within the app

First be sure that your phone is compatible with Bluetooth Low Energy, that Bluetooth is activated and click on the Search button to scan for devices in the Settings menu. Select the right device among the list and click on the save button.

If you have trouble finding your device, first try to restart Bluetooth by de-activating and re-activating Bluetooth connectivity. If it is not enough, try to restart your phone. This should fix almost any trouble...

Select Xiaomi MI Band Bluetooth device

Now you can enjoy playing Arcade Fitness with your MI band!

About our heart rate to power matching algorithm

We did a lot of research and simulations in order to find a good relationship between heart rate and power output. Power is very usefull for training indoor both for cycling and running but our app is not limited to these activities... You can use it as well on every aerobic training equipment such as a stepper, a rowing machine...

Heart rate is a good indicator for indoor training but power is much better. If you only look at heart rate, it can take up to several minutes to go from one intensity zone to another whereas power is much more reactive (between 10s and 30s). This allows a more precise training and increases the interactivity within the video game.

Here is an example which shows our results when we simulate power derived from heart rate:


Estimate power output from heart rate monitor


Please note that we took an example with the Xiaomi MI Band but any standard Bluetooth Smart heart rate monitor can be used as well together with Arcade Fitness video game. The HR sensor alone is enough, no other sensor needed!