10 Wearables You Haven’t Heard Of…Yet

Smart socks

The key to better health might be found in your feet. Sensoria’s Fitness Socks are infused with textile sensors and come with a detachable Bluetooth anklet to create a next generation health tracker designed specifically for runners. Like other fitness wearables, Fitness Socks track step, speed, calories, altitude and distance but also monitor cadence and foot landing technique as you run. Not only does this feature help identify injury-prone running styles (heel striking, ball striking, etc.), it uses a mobile app to coach the runner via real-time audio cues.

Mood boosting bracelet

Need an energy boost? Want to relax? There’s an app for that, connected to a new wristband called doppel. The device, which debuted at CES 2017, claims to work with your body’s natural response to rhythm to change how you feel on demand. doppel creates a rhythmic pulse that is felt on the inside of the wrist as a heartbeat-like vibration. A faster rhythm makes us feel more alert, while a slower one calms us down. There’s a mobile app to track and store your personal rhythms, which are linked to your resting heart rate.

Personal protection

If you carry your phone on your belt or in your pants pocket beware. You could be exposing your most personal parts to the electromagnetic radiation they admit. While there is little compelling evidence definitively linking this type of radiation to disease, a Toronto company has a novel solution for those not willing to take a risk. Billed as the “ultimate underwear,” Riparo’s EMF blocking boxer briefs blend silver with the standard cotton and polyester to block low level cellphone radiation. No word if a women’s product is on the horizon.

A watch that watches out for you

Is it a watch? A fitness tracker? It’s the CarePredict Tempo, a wearable sensor that helps senior living staff and home care providers identify small changes in their patients’ daily activities that could be precursors to serious health concerns. The device learns each individual’s normal daily activity patterns and wirelessly alerts caregivers about significant variations like not waking at the typical time, eating less than usual, abnormal repetition of activities, or restless sleep.

A better bra

Can a bra lead to better breast health? Cyrcadia Health thinks so. Its iTBra consists of two wearable, comfortable intelligent breast patches which detect abnormal circadian temperature changes within breast tissue. Data collected by the iTBra can then be sent directly to Cyrcadia Health’s lab for analysis via a PC or smart phone app. The company believes that better monitoring can lead to earlier detection of breast health issues, providing women with more treatment options.

Diagnostic Dentures

Twenty-five percent of adults age 60 and older in the U.S. have lost all their natural teeth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and approximately 20 million Americans wear full or partial dentures. Unfortunately, at least half of denture wearers experience problems with fit. Researchers at the University of Florida have patented the Multifunctional Smart Denture, which features micro-sensors to detect problems which lead to poor fit: gaps between the denture and oral tissue; stress, strain; pressure; movement; and temperature.  But that’s not all. The sensors have the potential to be used for more advanced applications, such as monitoring pH levels, glucose and other chemicals in the saliva to detect health issues, and to deliver medication.

Bluetooth baby booties

New parents have long relied on baby monitors for peace of mind but today’s monitors go far beyond seeing and hearing baby’s movements in the middle of the night. The Owlet Smart Sock 2 is a hypoallergenic cotton booty which allows parents to track their infant’s heart rate and oxygen levels while they sleep. If the results fall outside a predetermined range, parents get a notification on their smartphones.

Fitness tracker for your furry friend

If you’re a FitBit fan who worries about your pet’s health, the PetPace may be for you. This state-of-the-art smart collar continuously collects a pet’s vital signs to warn owners about potential signs of illness, stress or other health-related problems. The PetPace uses non-invasive sensors to track temperature, activity, pulse, respiration, positions, calories consumed and burned, and heart-rate variations. It is lightweight, waterproof and comes in three sizes.

Breathalyser on board

Ready for another round or time to call it a night? BACtrack Skyn, billed as the world’s first wearable alcohol monitor, may help you make up your mind. The device works as a standalone wearable or with the Apple Watch to continuously track alcohol levels in real time. Users get a notification when their alcohol level is increasing to remind them to slow down or stop drinking. More importantly, it provides users with clear, objective data to determine if their alcohol levels are above the legal limit for driving.

Connected clothing

Now this is a wearable you can really wear! The Hexoskin Smart Shirt was designed to give the wearer insight about their physical training, sleep, and personal daily activities. Sensors woven into the fabric measure biometric data including heart rate, heart rate variability, breathing rate, breathing volume, steps, pace, activity intensity level, and sleep. It can be paired with Hexoskin’s smartphone app and works via Bluetooth to provide analytics in real time.