(Yicai Global) Dec. 7 -- Huami, a smart wearable device developer unit of Beijing-based smartphone giant Xiaomi, launched its first satellite'Huami' today at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China's northern Inner Mongolia region.

The orbiter will test the connection between wearable devices and satellites and explore health services based on satellite technology.

Huami's Amazfit smart watches will be able to upload rescue information to a satellite with automatic triggering and active reporting when users encounter danger or serious health problems, with the information then quickly sent to the company's cloud service and the users' emergency contacts, saving more rescue time and affording better chances for those needing emergency aid, online media Tencent Yixian reported.

Huami also released an artificial intelligence-powered wearable chipset named 'Huangshan No. 1' in September, which has a cardiac biometrics engine, a heart rhythm abnormality monitoring engine, and an upgraded electrocardiogram detection module. The chipset is expected to debut in next year's first half.

Huami's Amazfit smart watches and bracelets have already landed in more than 40 countries and regions, including the US, Canada, Germany and Japan, with their shipments reaching 18 million in the first nine months.

Huami formed in 2013 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in February as the first Xiaomi unit to go public in the US.

Xiaomi Chairman Lei Jun holds an indirect 39.7 percent stake in Huami through the former's investment units ShunWei Capital and People Better, the US-listed unit's prospectus shows.

Editor: Ben Armour