Miku Review

The Miku company has a singular focus at the moment on baby monitoring with a camera and algorithm that monitor baby's breathing in additional to providing video. The company includes engineers, fathers, and mothers who came together to create something that might lead to a "safer world for babies".

Performance Comparison

The Miku baby monitor is a video and movement monitor with poor visuals and a higher price tag that utilizes smart devices to keep tabs on your little one.

Credit: Abriah Wofford

Range

The Miku has the benefit of Internet connectivity which means it is a good choice for larger homes or situations where more than 4 walls in play between the nursery and the parent device. Wi-Fi may be your only option depending on your situation, but you will need a robust Wi-Fi router or range extender for the monitor connection. Your chosen parent device will also need an internet connection and/or data plan if you are using a smartphone not connected to Wi-Fi.

Audio / Visual

Video monitors work best with adequate sound to indicate to parents that the baby has a need. Without the sound, you won't know when the baby needs you to look at the video. For this reason, we compare the sound from one product to the others. The Miku sound is better than some of the Wi-Fi options but it isn't impressive overall. Maximum sound is 86db and the sound is always on unless you turn it off. The sound quality is bright with almost no mid or low tones, but it is clear and does a relatively good job at indicating what is happening in the baby's room.

The visual images for this monitor are less impressive than the other Wi-Fi options we used. The video has more distortion than the competition and it is missing the ability to zoom in even with digital zoom, which seems like a huge oversight. The color is close to real life and the images are clear during the daylight. Nightvision is only so-so with darker images than the competition, but there are no hot spots of light and blurry edges found in some of the competition. If you are looking for great video from your Wi-Fi monitor the Miku is not going to offer the real-life video most parents hope for.

The Miku has a user-friendly interface with most of the regularly used features on the main viewing screen.

Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use

The Miku is one of the easiest to use monitors we tested with a score rivaling the competition. The setup process for the Miku is extremely easy taking about a minute with an easy to use app that walks you through the process. The app itself is intuitive and the lack of features means there isn't much to manipulate or learn. All of the features are located on the home screen making them easy to find and use with the most used features appearing on the video viewing screen when in full-screen mode.

The Miku attaches to the base with a round ball attachment that allows for a more versatile mounting angle than some of the competition.

Credit: Abriah Wofford

This camera will not work if you are talking on the phone, something it shares ith most Wi-Fi competition which is why we recommend using an alternate device besides your smartphone if you need constant monitoring. The app ad the sound will continue to operate if the app is minimized and running in the background while you use other apps. However, this will also run the battery down and may not be the best choice if you aren't plugged in.

Battery Life

The Miku camera does not have batteries so the battery matric is based on the parent device battery. The battery life of your device will depend on the type of device, how old it is, and what if any other apps or uses the device is being utilized for. In general, however we assume that most smartphones and tablets will have a longer battery life than the standard dedicated monitor.

The Miku and accessories are nicely packaged and give the impression of high-quality simplicity similar to Apple product presentations.

Credit: Abriah Wofford

Features

The Miku has a variety of features but took a hit in this metric because it lacks basic functionality parents might be looking for like a zoom feature. While most monitors only offer digital zoom, which is not the same as actual zoom, they at least offer something that allows parents a "close up" view of baby's face. Why doesn't the Miku have this? We aren't sure, but it feels like an oversight. What it does have includes the following:

• Two-way talk

• Breathing monitoring

• Temperature and humidity sensor

• Sound and motion detection

• Sleep analytics and reports

• Music playlists/sleep sounds

• Miku Analytics

The Miku has a unique feature that uses an algorithm and video images to monitor your baby's breathing and motion, which allows parents to use it somewhat as a movement monitor without the need for additional components. We did not test this feature, but it is one of the redeeming features that make the high price potentially justifiable if you want a movement monitor or sleep analytics.

The Miku has a lower EMF reading at 6 ft than much of the competition.

Credit: Abriah Wofford

Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Levels

Every Wi-Fi monitor emits some level of EMF, which is why we feel a responsibility to test and report on the levels we experienced during testing for a side-by-side comparison of values. While the values in your specific situation may be different as you will have other influencers than we did, it does give you an idea of which options emit less compared to others. The Miku emits an average of 0.77 V/m when placed 6 feet from the reader. This reading is one of the best in the group making it a good choice for parents concerned about EMF exposure.

The Miku does not offer remote control capabilities and must be moved manually if you want a different view.

Credit: Abriah Wofford

Security/Privacy Concerns

Miku offers a little more information on security than some of the competition and not as much as others. On their website they say the following about security and privacy:

Manufacturer Video