Miku Pro Movement Review

Miku developed baby monitoring using a camera and algorithm to track a baby's breathing along with video and sound, creating an all-in-one monitor. The Miku company includes parents and engineers working together to develop products they hope will create a “safer world for babies.”

Performance Comparison

Expected Reliability

The Miku offers unpredictable liability, offering one of the poorest performances in our testing and research. At one point, the Miku even continued to monitor the heartbeat of a baby who was no longer in the crib, but the Miku algorithm thought he was. Raising concerns about what it is indeed really monitoring.

Our research found reports of poor connectivity, false alarms, battery concerns, and the monitor not alarming when it should. In our tests, we believe the camera considered movement in the room as a baby in the crib. We also received the message of “connecting securely to feed” more than we think is helpful for regular and consistent monitoring.

Set Up

The setup is a mixed bag with Miku. While it comes with everything you need, including a tiny gold pencil for marking the wall for camera mounting, it is not a quick and easy setup. It requires tools, maybe a step stool or ladder; a stud finder would be helpful. It would be best if you mounted the camera above the crib, and there are components for safely routing wires out of potential harm's way. You then download an app, set up an account, and wait for firmware and software updates, and you should be ready to go. The upside is there is no wearable included with this monitor, unlike another WiFi video monitor we tested. The downside is the camera did seem confused about what it was monitoring, and a wearable might have been helpful in the design.

Ease of Use

The Miku is more challenging to use than much of the competition. We had trouble with the app always needing an update and not connecting immediately when we wanted to monitor. When the app is working, it is straightforward and intuitive, albeit somewhat plain and lacking in the flair of some competitors. The menu on the right accesses breathing control, alarm settings, music settings, and power control. The bottom portion of the split screen has a quick access button for alarms and icons to access the monitor, analytics, the care+ tracker (paid subscription), activity log, and the remainder of the app settings.

This monitor is not the most portable. It will require unmounting and remounting or finding a higher vantage point for movement monitoring of breathing. It also requires WiFi, which you could have difficulty accessing depending on your travels. We think most true wearables are better for those looking for a portable option.

Monitoring Cababilities

This monitor does it all and could act as the only monitor you need to buy. It has movement indicative of breathing, heart rate, sleep tracking, and more. You get video and sound capabilities as well as temperature and humidity monitoring.

While it has all of these features, in our tests, none really impressed us, and it didn't perform that well in our video monitor review either. This lackluster performance means you have the ability but perhaps won't be thrilled with the results.

Alerts

The reliability of the connection heavily influences how well the app and the alerts work. If your house coverage is spotty, then the Miku monitoring will also be spotty. The Miku has alerts for most things it monitors.

On the bottom of the split screen is a switch for alarms (on/off). This feature makes it easy to see if the alarm is on. In the setting portion of the menu, there are settings for audible alarms, push notifications, no movement monitoring, and awake/asleep notification. Receiving notification of sound and the baby being awake also includes a notification for delays from the factory setting.

The volume of the app is based on the volume of the phone, which must be turned on. An “audio boost” feature amplifies the app volume but occasionally causes more feedback. We couldn't test how the alert or alarm looks or sounds when a baby stops breathing. Because the monitor knows when no baby is in the crib, we couldn't trick it into thinking our fake baby had stopped breathing.

Electro Magnetic Field (EMF)

The Miku didn't have EMF emissions beyond the ambient room reading in our tests.

There were a few options in this review with low or similar to ambient emissions, which is great, in our opinion.

Should You Buy the Miku?

We think this review has better one-and-done options if your goal is a one-time purchase that does it all. While the Miku is better than average, it doesn't do any function in a standout way and doesn't perform as well in our tests as its competitors. Additionally, we experienced the monitor indicating a baby was in the monitor when no baby was there, making us worry about the reliability of the Miku. It also failed to perform well in our best video monitor review.

What Other Movement Monitor Should You Consider?

The Nanit Pro Complete Set Monitoring System is our choice if you want to own a single unit that does it all. This modern and easy-to-use monitor allows for video, sound, and motion monitoring, along with loads more. While it has a higher price and could cost you subscription money after the first year for all the features, we think anyone who wants to make a single purchase will prefer this option over the others we've looked at.

Manufacturer Video