Category: fitness

  • Future hearable sensors could track physical, emotional state

    Future hearable sensors could track physical, emotional state

    Apple has filed patent applications describing wireless earbuds that monitor health while a wearer talks on the phone or listens to music.  This has obvious exercise-related implications, but could potentially track the physiological impact of one’s emotional state while making calls, as a mobile mental health tool. Sensors included in the patent include EKG, ICG,…

  • Wearable patch monitors lactate, glucose, and pH in sweat

    Wearable patch monitors lactate, glucose, and pH in sweat

    Northwestern’s John Rogers has developed a wearable, sweat analyzing patch.  The flexible microfluidic device uses colorimetric biochemical assays and integrates smartphone image capture analysis to monitor lactate, glucose, chloride ion concentrations, and pH.  The wearable, with sports, military, and disease monitoring applications,  can be adapted to test tears and saliva. Professor Rogers will be a…

  • “Data, not drugs” for elite sport performance

    “Data, not drugs” for elite sport performance

    With equal parts modesty, enthusiasm, and wearable tech expertise, Olympic cyclist Sky Christopherson came to ApplySci’s recent Wearable Tech + Digital Health + NeuroTech NYC conference to “thank this community for helping the US Olympic team before the last Olympics with a lot of the same technology to help athletes prepare, using data and not drugs.”…

  • Wearable patch simultaneously monitors biochemical, electric signals

    Wearable patch simultaneously monitors biochemical, electric signals

    Joe Wang and Patrick Mercier of UCSD have developed a flexible, wearable, patch that monitors both biochemical and electric signals. Most  wearables only measure one parameter, such as steps or heart rate, and few measure chemical signals. The Chem-Phys patch records EKG signals, and tracks lactate levels, marking physical effort, in real time.  It  is worn on…

  • Sports camera collects, overlays health data

    Sports camera collects, overlays health data

    As part of its new developer program, GoPro has partnered with Polar to overlay health data on videos. Similar to video games, sports videos will be able to display heart rate, speed, distance, and altitude.  This has been presented as a fun feature, but could also provide physicians with a better understanding of one’s health in various…

  • Ultra slim sensors for next generation wearables

    Ultra slim sensors for next generation wearables

    LG Innotek has developed an ultra-thin optical bio sensor module for monitoring heart rate, blood oxygen, and stress. High-end smartphones typically include these  modules, which complement fitness wearables and apps. LG claims that the new module is more accurate and uses less energy than current sensors. Because of its size,  is can be used in very…

  • Wearables + app + AI for personalized fitness coaching

    Wearables + app + AI for personalized fitness coaching

    Under Armour has partnered with IBM Watson to create a fitness app called Record. Exercise, sleep and food intake are recorded from wearables, apps, and one’s own entries, and analyzed by Watson, which provides personalized coaching based on the data of others with similar fitness profiles. Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April…

  • Sensor shorts provide real time runner feedback

    Sensor shorts provide real time runner feedback

    ApplySci has described several examples of smart shirts and smart fabrics in recent months.  Now, Lumo his integrated sensors into shorts to monitor  cadence, stride length, pace, distance and pelvic rotation in runners.  Placed inside the waistband, the sensors sync with smartphones to provide real time feedback, and the app sends data and coaching content…

  • Ralph Lauren’s health sensing smart shirt

    Ralph Lauren’s health sensing smart shirt

    PoloTech, Ralph Lauren and OMsignal‘s smart shirts, will be available for sale this week.  Like the partnership between Intel and Opening Ceremony, this represents the fashion mainstreaming of wearable technology. The shirt has embedded silver fibers to track heart rate, heart variability, breathing depth and recovery, intensity of movement, energy output, stress levels, steps taken,…

  • Samsung patent describes phone grip body fat measure

    Samsung patent describes phone grip body fat measure

    Samsung has filed a patent application describing technology that could measure body fat levels when a user grips a device. Four sensors would be incorporated into a smartphone or case.  “Input current and the intensity of the measured voltage”  are measured to determine fat levels.

  • Optical frame integrated health tracker

    Optical frame integrated health tracker

    VSP Global‘s Project Genesis integrates health tracking technology into optical frames.  Steps, calories burned, activity time and distance traveled are calculated by sensors at the part of the frame that touches one’s temple. Building wearable technology into stylish glasses, worn every day to improve vision, increases the potential for mass adoption. The prototype is now…

  • VR headset + bike sensors gamify fitness

    VR headset + bike sensors gamify fitness

    Virzoom is a virtual reality exercise system meant to decrease distractions, and increase focus and fun while riding a stationary bike. Sensors attach to several parts of the bicycle. For example, one on the rear wheel measures speed, and one on the front wheel responds to direction.  After connecting via USB to a computer, VR…