Garmin announced a new WhatsApp app for select Garmin smartwatches, now available for free in the Connect IQ Store. Those with a compatible smartwatch, including select fēnix, Forerunner, Venu and vívoactive products, can quickly communicate with others—all while keeping their phone in their pocket.

When using the WhatsApp app on their smartwatch, Garmin customers can:

• View recent messages and conversations at a glance

• Read and reply to messages using the built-in keyboard

• Quickly send emojis and reactions to messages

• See more chat history with up to 10 messages shown on screen

• See incoming calls with the option to decline

“Collaborating with WhatsApp underscores the strength and momentum of the Garmin Connect IQ ecosystem. By bringing a global messaging brand like WhatsApp to select Garmin smartwatches, we’re giving customers another meaningful way to stay connected—whether they’re training, exploring or simply on the move,” says Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing.

As always, personal messages and calls on WhatsApp remain protected by end-to-end encryption, so only the user and the person they are talking to can read or listen to them, says a press release.

Garmin customers can download the WhatsApp app now in the Connect IQ Store.

Furthering innovation through the Garmin developer program

WhatsApp is the first and only third-party messaging app currently available on Garmin smartwatches, made possible through Garmin’s robust developer program and Connect IQ platform.  

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“WhatsApp helps people stay connected no matter what platform they use. We’re proud to bring WhatsApp to Garmin smartwatches, so that more people can keep their private conversations going right from their wrist,” says Nikhil Joshi, Director of Product Management at Meta.

For those interested in building unique wearable experiences leveraging Garmin device sensors and features, click here to learn more about developing in Connect IQ.

The Connect IQ Store is an all-in-one source for Garmin customers looking to personalize their compatible Garmin devices. With thousands of options to choose from, users can download apps, watch faces, music streaming services and more right to their device. The Connect IQ Store is accessible through the Google Play and Apple App Store. For more information, email our media team or connect with us on LinkedIn.

VITA, a health-tech innovator, today announced the launch of VITA RING on Kickstarter, positioning the device as the pioneer of the "second phase" of smart rings. VITA RING shifts from passive data dashboards to proactive health interventions.

As chronic diseases increasingly affect younger populations and healthcare systems face overcapacity, there is a growing expectation for wearables to anticipate health signals before problems escalate. While first-generation smart rings introduced continuous tracking, VITA RING addresses the "engagement gap" by actively surfacing data when it matters most, says a press release.

"Smart rings are entering their second phase, from data collection to intervention," said Phoebe Zheng, the founder of VITA RING. "We believe awareness, not analytics, is the future of preventative health."

Instant Alerts Users Can Feel
Most wearables require users to manually open an app to review health charts, often after anomalies have already occurred. VITA RING aims to close this gap by monitoring core signals to build a personalized physiological baseline. When meaningful deviations occur-such as abnormal resting heart rate patterns, unusual SpO₂ fluctuations, or unexpected temperature shifts-the ring delivers on-device haptic alerts via an integrated ultra-low-power micro vibration motor.

Related Smart Health Earrings Track Blood Flow

This interaction model allows users to receive critical signals during sleep, meetings, or workouts without relying on a smartphone. The system acts as an early-signal awareness tool, prompting behavioral adjustments such as rest, hydration, or stress management before issues escalate.

Shared Wellness with Health Agent Support

Beyond individual alerts, VITA RING introduces "Circle of Care," a consent-based system that allows users to share summarized health signals-rather than raw data streams-with family and friends. This feature focuses on meaningful deviations in sleep, stress, and physiological patterns, balancing proactive care with user privacy.

What sets this apart is its integration with VITA's Health Agent. Instead of deciphering complex metrics, family members can engage in AI-driven conversations to receive actionable guidance. By asking the Health Agent questions like "Should I encourage them to rest today?" or "How can I support them right now?", raw biometrics are translated into human-centered advice, such as suggesting hydration or a gentle check-in.

This ecosystem is specifically designed for adult children supporting aging parents and partners navigating high-stress cycles, providing peace of mind without the need for constant, intrusive messaging.

Hardware, Design, and CES Reception

VITA RING is crafted from aerospace-grade zirconia ceramic with a 2.7mm thickness profile. This material choice ensures superior scratch resistance and signal transparency while maintaining a smooth, jewelry-like finish. The device launches in four colors, with a fifth to be determined by the Kickstarter community.

Earlier this year at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, VITA RING was showcased. Attendees responded positively not only to its vibration-based alert system, but also to its minimalist, design-forward aesthetic.

Several visitors commented that the ring "didn't feel like medical hardware," but rather like a refined everyday accessory. The balance between discreet health monitoring and haptic feedback was a key differentiator; visitors highlighted that in sleep or high-focus environments-where phones are often muted-on-finger vibration alerts felt significantly more practical and immediate than traditional health dashboards.

Key Highlights‍

• Proactive Haptic Alerts: Integrated ultra-low-power micro vibration motor for immediate on-finger notifications

• Second-Phase Wearable Tech: Transitioning from static data collection to active health intervention

• Continuous Biometric Monitoring: 24/7 tracking of Heart Rate, HRV, SpO₂, and Skin Temperature

• Circle of Care: Consent-based wellness sharing system for families and partners

• AI Health Agent: Personalized guidance that translates physiological signals into actionable advice

• Premium Craftsmanship: 2.7mm ultra-slim profile made from aerospace-grade zirconia ceramic

• Exceptional Durability: Scratch-resistant and jewelry-like finish for 24/7 wear

As the smart ring market becomes increasingly competitive, VITA RING is not competing on tracking alone. Instead, it is attempting to redefine how wearable devices surface health signals - moving from passive metrics to proactive awareness, instant intervention, and Health Agent-guided connection.

If successful, it may signal not just a new product launch, but a new interaction model for wearable health technology.

Loss of communication can be among the most devastating symptoms for patients with paralysis. A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and Brown University describes an investigational implantable brain computer interface (iBCI) typing neuroprosthesis that can restore communication with speed and accuracy. The tool, which utilizes the QWERTY keyboard and attempted finger movements, performed well in two BrainGate clinical trial participants - one with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the other with a cervical spinal cord injury. Their results are published in Nature Neuroscience.

“For many people with paralysis, when losing use of both the hands and the muscles of speech, communication can become difficult or impossible. Often, people with severe speech and motor impairments end up relying on things like eye-gaze technology – spelling words out one letter at a time by using an eye movement tracking system. Those systems take far too long for many users,” said senior author Daniel Rubin, MD, PhD, a critical care neurologist with the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery at Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute. “Patients often find this and other types of Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems frustrating to use. BCIs are on track to become an important new alternative to what’s currently offered.”

Communication devices for people with paralysis have been sub-optimal for many years. Patients often describe them as slow, error-prone, and difficult to use; some people abandon them altogether. This gap between what is available and what is needed inspires BrainGate - a team of neurologists, neuroscientists, engineers, computer scientists, neurosurgeons, mathematicians, and other researchers from multiple partner institutions working together to create better communication and mobility tools for people with neurologic disease, injury, or limb loss, Mass General Brigham said in a press release.

“Since 2004, our BrainGate team has been advancing and testing the feasibility and efficacy of implantable brain computer interfaces to restore communication and independence for people with paralysis,” said co-author Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD, leader of the BrainGate clinical trial and director of the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery at Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute. “The BrainGate consortium demonstrates the strength of academic and university-based researchers working together, thinking about what’s possible, and then advancing the frontiers of restorative neurotechnology. And by doing so, we make it that much easier for industry to create the final form of implantable medical devices for our patients.”

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The new BrainGate iBCI typing neuroprosthesis starts with microelectrode sensors placed in the motor cortex, a part of the brain that controls movement. Next, a QWERTY keyboard is displayed in front of the participant, with each letter mapped onto fingers and finger positions - up, down, or curled. As the participant intuitively attempts these finger movements, the electrodes sense the brain’s electrical activity, then send a signal to a computer system that can translate the neural activity into letters. This output is then processed through a final predictive language model to ensure a cohesive, accurate communication result.

Two clinical trial participants, one with advanced ALS and the other with a spinal cord injury, used this new iBCI typing neuroprosthesis to communicate rapidly and accurately. The participants calibrated their devices with as few as 30 sentences; one participant was able to reach a top typing speed of 110 characters or 22 words per minute, with a word error rate of 1.6%. That’s on par with able-bodied typing accuracy. What’s more, both participants used the device from the comfort of their own place of residence, demonstrating the potential for translation and at-home use in the future.

“Decoding these finger movements is also a big step toward being able to restore complex reach and grasp movements for people with upper extremity paralysis,” said first and corresponding author Justin Jude, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at Mass General Brigham. “And there’s also room to make this communication tool better—like implementing a stenography or otherwise personalized keyboard to make typing even faster. Our BCI is a great example of how modern neuroscience and artificial intelligence technology can combine to create something capable of restoring communication and independence for people with paralysis.”

Complex electronic circuits have been successfully constructed inside thin, flexible fibers by a research team at Shanghai's Fudan University. This innovation, known as a fiber chip, enables textiles to process data similarly to a computer while yet being pliable enough to be twisted, stretched, and woven into regular garments.

The advancement has the potential to revolutionize sectors such as virtual reality, high-tech textiles, and brain-computer interfaces (BCI), which enable direct communication between the brain and external systems.

Computer chips are usually made of stiff materials like silicon and are flat and rigid. Additionally, it has proven challenging to attach enough electronic components to fibers to make them functional because to their curvature and small surface area. The Fudan University team decided to do more than merely use the fiber's surface to overcome this problem. In order to utilize all of the interior space, they instead created a multilayered spiral architecture, which effectively consists of multiple layers of circuitry inside the fiber, reports China Daily.

According to the team's experiments, 10,000 transistors – the tiny switches that process data in electronics – can fit on a fiber chip that is just 1 millimeter long. As a result, it has the same processing capacity as a heart pacemaker chip. The fiber could accommodate millions of transistors and achieve the power levels of a typical desktop computer processor if it were stretched to a length of one meter.

The study, which questions the conventional method of producing computer chips, was released in the journal Nature.

Scientists have been giving fibers fundamental abilities like energy storage and touch perception for decades. However, in order for these smart textiles to work, they typically needed to be connected to large, rigid computer chips. The clothes became unpleasant and stiff as a result. The fabric can now think and act on its own thanks to the new fiber chip, which removes that necessity.

“Our fabrication method is highly compatible with the current tools used in the chip industry,” said Chen Peining, a researcher at Fudan University's Institute of Fiber Materials and Devices. “We have already achieved a way to mass-produce these fiber chips.”

The healthcare industry will be significantly impacted by the technology. Current BCI systems require external computers to be linked to stiff electrodes. A closed-loop system, in which medical stimulation, data processing, and sensing all take place inside a single, soft fiber, might be made possible by the fiber chip.

According to the study's co-author, Professor Peng Huisheng, these fibers are as flexible as brain tissue and as thin as 50 micrometers, which is thinner than a human hair. As a result, they are safer and more efficient in treating neurological conditions.

The technology may result in more intelligent tactile gloves in the virtual reality space. The clumsy hardware used in many VR gloves nowadays makes them feel strange.

According to Chen, fiber-chip-based smart tactile gloves are identical to regular cloth. During a remote robotic surgery, surgeons may use their ability to sense and mimic the feel of various items to "feel" the hardness of tissue.

Oura announced our first-ever proprietary large language model designed to deliver personalized, clinically grounded women’s health guidance.

Rolling out for testing in Oura Labs this week, the new model within the Oura Advisor experience draws from a broad foundation of established medical standards, research, and knowledge sources reviewed by Oura’s in-house team of board-certified clinicians and women’s health experts, and integrates biometric signals and long-term trends to deliver personalized, evidence-based guidance.

Clinically informed and rigorously vetted, the model supports questions spanning the full reproductive health spectrum, from early menstrual cycles through menopause. Customized to reflect women’s unique physiology and lived health experiences, it marks a significant evolution in Oura’s approach to AI—shifting from applying general-purpose AI tools toward more personalized, empathetic, and clinically informed conversations designed for specific health use cases, reports Oura.

“This custom model is a fundamental shift in how we responsibly deploy AI in health to meet the needs of our members,” said Ricky Bloomfield, MD, chief medical officer at Oura. “Women’s health is too complex—and too often overlooked—to rely on one-size-fits-all systems. By designing a model specifically for women and grounding it in trusted clinical science and real-world biometric data, we’re setting the standard for how responsible intelligence should be built and expanded across more areas of health, pairing rigorous science with the lived, longitudinal data that makes Oura uniquely powerful.”

Establishing a New Standard for Health AI

The new AI model, currently in Oura Labs, supports questions spanning the full reproductive health spectrum, from early menstrual cycles through menopause.

Across the broader landscape of health information, AI has already become a first stop for many: a 2025 survey found that nearly 8 in 10 U.S. adults go online to look up health symptoms or conditions, and almost two‑thirds of them report seeing AI‑generated responses in their results. As people—and women in particular—increasingly turn to AI for guidance on everything from cycle changes to perimenopause symptoms, the need for models that are clinically grounded, context-aware, and designed specifically for their health experiences has never been more important.

Related New Femtech Wearable Focuses on Perimenopause

The new women’s health model represents Oura’s first custom large language model, building on Oura Advisor’s existing combination of generative AI, health-sensing algorithms, and Oura’s extensive biometric tracking to deliver more accurate, reliable, and accessible health guidance for women. This foundation allows Oura Advisor to interpret questions through the lens of women’s physiology, cycles, and life stages, adding critical context where general-purpose AI models can fall short.

When members ask Advisor a women’s health question, it prompts the new model to reference its curated body of women’s health research and knowledge sources, while also analyzing relevant biometric signals and longitudinal trends across sleep, activity, cycle and pregnancy data, stress, and more. It is intentionally tuned to be non-dismissive, reassuring, and emotionally supportive, helping women feel seen and equipped to have more informed and confident conversations with their providers.

“Women’s health questions are often deeply personal and high-stakes, and they deserve answers that can be trusted,” said Chris Curry, MD, clinical director of women’s health at Oura and board-certified OB/GYN. “With this model, we’re providing the kind of preparation and insight that I wish every one of my patients had before coming to their appointment.

For example, if someone asks, ‘Why has my cycle suddenly become irregular, and is that something to worry about?’ Oura Advisor can walk them through what’s typical, what their data may be showing, and what would be most helpful to surface in conversations with their provider. It translates complex science into clear, compassionate, always-available guidance—helping women connect what they’re feeling with what they’re seeing in their data, and allowing them to walk into discussions about their health more informed, confident, and in control of their decisions.”

Member-Led, Privacy-First Testing

Women who opt in to test the new model in Oura Labs gain early access to the experimental model and the opportunity to help shape its development.

Oura’s new custom women’s health model is built on the belief that advancements in AI should not come at the expense of privacy, a principle reflected in its privacy-first foundation. It is hosted entirely on Oura-controlled infrastructure, and conversations are never sold, shared, or used to train public or third-party AI systems. Participation in Oura Labs is entirely optional, and members can choose not to join or to opt out at any time.

Oura Labs serves as a space for testing and learning, where new innovations are evaluated in partnership with members and continuously improved through real-world engagement and feedback before being refined, removed, or integrated into the core app experience.

Women who opt in to test the new model in Oura Labs gain early access to the experimental model and the opportunity to help shape its development. By contributing feedback, members help transform individual experiences into collective intelligence—unlocking deeper insights across cycles, fertility, pregnancy, hormonal health, and more, and accelerating progress in how women’s health is understood and supported.

Traditional headphones can’t recreate the experience of a full system—because they are not full systems. They skip critical components, share circuitry between channels, and collapse everything into a single chip to save space and expense. The result? Flattened sound, smeared imaging, and a lack of depth.

écoute doesn’t make those compromises. écoute is a full hi-fi system.

Built with the same signal path architecture as a full reference-grade hi‑fi system, écoute audio headphones feature a built-in vacuum tube preamp and true dual‑mono amplification that render space, depth, and warmth in a way no other headset can—because no other headset is built like this.

What makes this headset remarkable is how it sounds— and that comes from how it’s designed.

TH2 replicates the architecture of a high-end hi-fi system. Real vacuum tubes act as true analog preamps—not emulations or DSP filters. And because the left and right channels stay physically separated from DAC to driver, TH2 preserves precise stereo imaging and creates a wide, natural soundstage that feels more like in-room listening than any other headphones.

At the heart of every unit sits real, glowing triodes. These aren’t emulations or effects, but actual vacuum tubes performing a critical role: voltage gain. In any high-fidelity system, the gain stage is where signal integrity is shaped. It’s the front end of the amplification chain—where microdynamics, harmonic structure, and spatial cues are either preserved or lost.

Read more JBL Introduces Three New Open-Ear Model Earbuds

Vacuum tubes remain prized in high-end audio because they do something solid-state circuits don’t: they restore natural harmonics lost during the recording and digital conversion process. Specifically, triodes generate even-order harmonics—the same consonant structures found in real instruments and voices. These harmonics don’t distort the music; they reinforce it, adding warmth, body, and presence that makes music feel less like playback—and more like a performance.

écoute is the only headphone in the world to incorporate a true vacuum tube preamp inside the headset itself—no external gear required. Just the unmistakable musicality of vacuum tubes—anywhere you want to listen.

TH2 uses true dual-mono architecture: two fully isolated analog amplification paths—one per channel—fed by a separate triode stage per side and powered by two discrete solid-state analog amps. This eliminates crosstalk at the structural level and preserves the spatial information embedded in the recording.

The specs

• Tube Preamp: Nutube 6P1 dual triode

• Amp: Fully discrete Class A/B, dual-mono (1 per channel)

• DAC: High-resolution dual-core 32-bit / 384kHz (operates at 24-bit / 96kHz)

• Drivers: 40mm titanium-coated mylar

• Wireless: Bluetooth 5.3 (LDAC, AAC, SBC)

• Input Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm

• Tuning: 8-band EQ via app

• Noise Control Modes: Hybrid ANC + Transparency

• Battery: 1600 mAh, 20+ hours

• Weight: 424g

• Form: Over-ear

• Certifications: FCC, CE, RoHS

The TH2 is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter for as little as $749, although Ecoute claims it will retail for US$999. The later you support this campaign, the less the discounts become.

The TH2 is available in nickel and brown or gunmetal and gray. Orders come with a charging cord and a travel case. For $50, you can also purchase a second set of real lambskin leather ear pads, head pad, and headband wrap.

The T-Rex Ultra 2, the newest GPS smartwatch from Zepp Health's flagship wearable brand Amazfit, is designed for use on expeditions and in harsh conditions.

The watch has biotracking and activity technology that measures blood oxygen, heart rate, breathing rate, sleep quality, and stress levels, reports MobiHealthNews.

The wearer's breathing patterns, sleep stages, and quality of sleep are all examined by the sleep-tracking algorithm.

The Zepp App, which displays trends and charts of health parameters and enables users to compare activity over time, allows users to view the data they have collected.

The watch is compatible with both Apple and Android phones, and in addition to health-related apps, users can send and receive texts and make phone calls. The watch features GPS, a built-in backlight, a battery life of up to 30 days, and water resistance for up to 10 minutes at a depth of 100 meters (328 feet).

Related Zepp Health Integrates ChatGPT into Its Smartwatches

By utilizing Low Temperature Mode, which maintains the watch's fundamental functions responsive even at temperatures as low as -22°F or -30°C, it may also continue to function in extremely cold conditions.

The T-Rex Ultra 2 will go on sale on February 19 and retail for $549.99.

"With the T-Rex Ultra 2, we focused on building a watch for people who rely on navigation, endurance and on-watch decision-making in demanding environments," Scott Shepley, head of global marketing at Amazfit, said in a statement.

"It's designed for long, complex routes where preparation and reliability matter, and it complements the T-Rex 3 Pro within the T-Rex family by serving a more expedition-focused use case."

The Larger Trend

Zepp OS, a wristwatch operating system based on OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o paradigm, was introduced by Zepp Health in 2024. Zepp Flow, a voice assistant that enables the wearer to operate the gadget with speech commands without the need for particular keywords or physical contact, was debuted with the integration.

Amazfit and the women's health portal Wild announced a collaboration that same year.AI helps women "track, train, fuel and recover" according to their life stage and cycle, from menstruation to menopause, by using physiological and hormonal data.

Through the collaboration, the Wild.AI mini-app, a wellness tool that tracks hormones and cycles, was integrated into the Amazfit Active 2 wearable. Customized training, food, readiness scores, and performance recommendations based on a woman's physiology might be provided to watch wearers.

Zepp Health, the parent company of Amazfit, purchased Wild.AI's core technology and assets last year, including several of its top team members and proprietary technology.

OURA, maker of the world’s leading smart ring, Oura Ring, today announced a strategic partnership as the Official Wearable of Team USA and the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games. As Team USA and LA28’s exclusive provider in the category of continuous health and fitness tracking devices, ŌURA will support U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes from both the 2026 and 2028 Games and will provide them with an Oura Ring to help manage their athletic performance, recovery and wellbeing.

“U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes operate in environments that demand careful attention to recovery, sleep, and overall wellbeing,” said Tom Hale, chief executive officer at ŌURA. “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to supporting athletes with scientifically validated insights that can help them better understand their bodies and make more informed decisions as they navigate the demands of training and competition.”

OURA has supported a number of Team USA National Governing Bodies since 2024, including U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USA Hockey, enabling athletes to monitor training load, readiness, and recovery in support of performance planning and competition preparation. In 2025, this support expanded to U.S. Speed Skating and Women’s Soccer including studying sleep-therapy, recovery and their role in sustaining high-level performance across training and competition cycles, reports Oura.

Through this new partnership, Team USA athletes can use Oura Ring to benefit their training and competition regimens through insights across sleep, readiness, and recovery to complement existing training and performance programs.

“Elite athletes train and compete in uniquely intense physical and mental environments,” said Ricky Bloomfield, MD, chief medical officer at ŌURA. “ŌURA is proud to support Team USA by reinforcing the importance of sleep, recovery, and overall wellbeing as foundational elements of athletic performance and competition readiness, while also creating an opportunity to generate real-world evidence that can help elite athletes prepare for and perform their best in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Related England Players Wearing Smart Rings to Boost Euro Hopes

“Supporting the health and performance of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes requires a holistic approach that extends beyond training alone,” said Jonathan Finnoff, DO, chief medical officer for Team USA. “Wearable technologies like Oura Ring provide valuable insights into sleep, recovery, and overall wellbeing, helping athletes and medical teams make more informed, individualized decisions as they prepare for the physical and mental demands of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

The partnership supports a shared focus on athlete preparation and wellbeing as Team USA athletes compete at the highest levels of Olympic and Paralympic sport. Through this collaboration, sleep, recovery, and overall wellbeing are reinforced as important considerations throughout the Olympic and Paralympic preparation cycle.

As part of the partnership, ŌURA will support NBCUniversal’s multi-platform coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and the LA28 Games.

About LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games

The LA28 Games will mark Los Angeles’ third time to host the Olympic Games, previously hosted in 1984 and 1932, and first time to host the Paralympic Games. Los Angeles will host the world’s most elite athletes in 2028 as it welcomes Paralympians and Olympians from around the world to compete on the biggest stage in sports. The LA28 Games are independently operated by a privately funded, non-profit organization with revenue from corporate partners, licensing agreements, hospitality and ticketing programs and a significant contribution from the International Olympic Committee.

About ŌURA

ŌURA delivers personalized health data, insights, and daily guidance with Oura Ring, the leading smart ring that helps you live healthier, longer. Guided by a mission to shift healthcare from sick care to prevention, ŌURA supports millions of members worldwide across sleep, activity, stress, readiness, women’s health, and heart health. Scientifically validated against medical gold standards, the lightweight Oura Ring tracks 50+ health metrics continuously, empowering both individuals and thousands of research teams, healthcare providers, and organizations. With 1,000 ecosystem partners across wellness and medicine, ŌURA is advancing the future of preventative health.

Founded in Finland in 2013, ŌURA has E.U. headquarters in Oulu and U.S. headquarters in San Francisco. ŌURA was last valued at approximately $11B – making it the world’s most valuable standalone wearable company. Learn more at ouraring.com or connect with ŌURA on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
Oura Ring is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, monitor, or prevent medical conditions or illnesses.

About Team USA

Team USA is the world’s largest and most diverse team of athletes from across the United States who compete at the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, founded in 1894, serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and is responsible for protecting, supporting and empowering Team USA athletes.

We are excited to introduce NAOX Wave, a next‑generation wearable designed to bring continuous brain activity monitoring into everyday life through EEG‑enabled wireless earbuds. Developed by French neurotech company Naox Technologies, these smart earbuds combine comfortable audio with clinical‑grade electroencephalography sensors, offering real‑time insights into brain health, cognitive states, sleep patterns, and neurological wellness — a breakthrough in wearable neurotech that debuted at CES 2026 and is poised to roll out to consumers later this year.

Unlike traditional brain monitoring systems that require bulky electrodes and clinical settings, NAOX Wave captures EEG signals quietly as you wear them — whether relaxing, working, or sleeping — bringing real neurological data into daily routines without compromise.

Seamlessly paired with a companion app, the earbuds translate brainwave patterns into easy‑to‑understand insights on focus, alertness, relaxation, and sleep quality. Whether you’re aiming to improve daily performance or gain deeper awareness of your mental rhythms, NAOX Wave makes advanced brain tracking feel natural and intuitive.

About NAOX Wave

Created to push wearable health beyond basic vitals, NAOX Wave fuses audio design and neuroscience into one wearable experience. By integrating EEG (electroencephalography) into wireless earbuds, it represents a major leap in non‑invasive, everyday brain monitoring for proactive health and cognitive wellbeing.

Clair, a new women's health firm, has emerged from stealth with ambitions to introduce a wearable that can be worn on the wrist and offers continuous, non-invasive insights into the hormone patterns of women.

Clair, which was founded by Stanford graduates Jenny Duan and Abhinav Agarwal, bills itself as the first wearable designed especially to measure hormonal dynamics in real time without the need for needles, blood draws, or urine testing. Instead of measuring hormones directly in blood, saliva, or perspiration, it characterizes the product as continuous hormone monitoring by physiological inference. According to the company, its technology uses a variety of physiological cues to determine changes in important reproductive hormones, such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, and estrogen, reports Future Fem Health.

Skin temperature, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep architecture, breathing rate, electrodermal activity, and motion tracking are the ten biosensors that Clair utilizes to monitor hormonal changes. Throughout your cycle, these signals correspond to changes in progesterone and estrogen.

Clair is intended to fill a number of gaps in the healthcare system as it stands today. Women are still underrepresented in clinical trials and medical research, which results in a lack of data and a slower rate of advancement in our knowledge of women's health issues. Duan and Agarwal hope to bridge these gaps with Clair, a technology that offers ongoing, noninvasive hormone insights.

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According to Bavan, hormone tracking can “provide insight into menstrual cycle patterns and can aid with both diagnosing and assessing treatment for [various] conditions.”

“[Clair enables] patients [to] gain insight into their personal hormone fluctuations over different time periods,” Bavan said, “and share this information at healthcare visits to better understand and correlate any medical issues they are facing and avoid repeat blood draws.”

Clair focuses on four primary uses:

• Fertility tracking: The majority of ovulation tests identify the spike in LH that occurs when your body tries to ovulate, but they are unable to verify if ovulation actually took place. Clair monitors the rise in progesterone after ovulation to verify the release of the egg. Notifications will be sent to you prior to the onset of your fertile window, not after it has passed.

• Hormonal health management: If you're tired after eight hours of sleep and your fitness tracker indicates that you're recovering "excellently," Clair can demonstrate that your weariness was caused by a nocturnal rise in progesterone. The effects of hormones on mood, energy, and sleep quality are demonstrated by continuous tracking, which identifies trends that snapshot testing overlooks.

• Athletic performance: By explaining why recovery seems more difficult in the luteal phase and high-intensity training may feel simpler in the late follicular phase, Clair can help you modify your program according to real physiology rather than conjecture.

• Support during the menopause and perimenopause: Clair will offer knowledge amid hormonal changes that typically leave women in the dark about their bodies.

In order to establish Clair as a legitimate medical device rather than just a lifestyle item, Duan and Agarwal intend to apply for FDA approval. The company intends to start a clinical trial at Stanford Medicine this spring as part of this endeavor.

Duan stressed how crucial it is to exercise initiative when attending college. "One of the best places to go out and try something new and choose a path that comes in line with your mission and vision for the world is Stanford," she said.

Canadian neurotech company Naqi Logix has closed its acquisition of Paris-based neurotech startup Wisear, expanding its earbud-based neural interface platform and establishing a European R&D hub.

The acquisition marks a major step forward in Naqi’s strategy to build the leading non-invasive neural interface platform, strengthening its intellectual property portfolio while integrating Wisear’s experienced team in signal processing, embedded AI, and wearable neurotechnology. Together, the combined organization accelerates Naqi’s roadmap across accessibility, robotics, AR/VR, and next-generation human-computer interaction, says a press release.

“Naqi Logix was born from a deeply personal mission: to give people a new way to interact with technology when traditional interfaces fail them. Wisear emerged from Europe with a bold vision to bring neural control into everyday consumer devices. Bringing these two journeys together is about accelerating a shared destiny by creating a universal, invisible interface layer for the global wearables ecosystem. Together, we believe this marks the beginning of the post-touch, post-voice era of computing,” said Mark Godsy, Co-Founder & CEO of Naqi Logix.

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Wisear’s technology and talent will play a central role in advancing Naqi’s core platform, enabling faster collaboration with OEMs and strategic partners while improving performance, reliability, and real-world usability of neural input across consumer and enterprise applications.

“From day one, Wisear was built around the idea that neural interfaces should feel natural, wearable, and ready for everyday life,” said Yacine Achiakh, Co-Founder & CEO of Wisear. “Meeting the Naqi team felt less like a partnership discussion and more like a continuation of the same journey, making this union a natural step forward.”

“This acquisition validates years of deep R&D work around ear-based bioelectrical signal capture and real-time intent decoding,” said Alain Sirois, Co-Founder & CTO of Wisear. “By joining Naqi, we can now push this technology further and faster within a platform designed to scale, integrate with partners, and reach real users in everyday contexts.”

Following the close, Wisear’s Paris operations will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Naqi Logix, providing a dedicated European innovation hub focused on product development, data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. It will serve as a strategic center for advancing Naqi’s next-generation neural wearables, expanding AI-driven intent detection, and accelerating the development of software, firmware, and cloud platforms.

By integrating Wisear’s engineering talent and European innovation heritage with Naqi Logix’s patented neural-interface platform, the company intends to deepen its global R&D capabilities and accelerate commercialization across consumer electronics, assistive technologies, robotics, and extended reality platforms.

Naqi Logix will continue to focus on developing advanced signal-processing algorithms, real-time neural-intent inference models, embedded AI firmware, and next-generation wearable architectures. The teams will collaborate closely on engineering, AI/ML, and product teams to accelerate product roadmaps and support global commercialization efforts.

About Naqi Logix

Naqi Logix is pioneering neural interfaces through everyday wearables. By transforming smart earbuds into AI-powered neural input devices, Naqi enables hands-free, voice-free, camera-free, and screen-free control using subtle facial micro-gestures.

About Wisear

Wisear is a French deeptech company recognized for its pioneering work in signal processing, embedded AI, and wearable neurotechnology. When we connected, it was clear we had a shared vision.

A new washable device worn around the neck has restored voice to stroke sufferers.

Revoice is a technology developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge that may eliminate the need for invasive brain implants and allow patients to speak organically.

“When people have dysarthria following a stroke, it can be extremely frustrating for them, because they know exactly what they want to say, but physically struggle to say it, because the signals between their brain and their throat have been scrambled by the stroke,” explains Prof. Luigi Occhipinti, one of the leaders of the research team.

Revoice is designed specifically to read and reconstruct these signals. Invasive treatments like brain implants are frequently not necessary because many people eventually regain their natural speech and just require temporary assistance. Revoice provides a wearable, non-invasive substitute, reports New Atlas.

The device has a wireless printed circuit board, textile strain sensors, and a soft, adjustable choker-like appearance. Two AI agents are used by its integrated AI system to decipher speech signals: one reconstructs words from quietly mouthed speech and anticipates phrases by sensing vibrations in the throat muscles, while the other measures the patient's neck pulse to determine their emotional state. This enables the device to rebuild entire sentences while still making them logical and emotionally compelling.

Read more New Brain Implant Decodes A Person's 'Inner Monologue'

Following a trial with healthy individuals, the wearable underwent some tuning before being tested on five stroke patients. The results showed remarkably low error rates of 2.9% for sentences and 4.2% for words. In one instance, a patient mouthed the words "We go hospital," which Revoice translated into “Even though it’s getting late, I’m still feeling uncomfortable. Can we go to the hospital now?” Participants indicated that the device allowed them to speak as fluently as they did prior to the stroke and reported a 55% increase in user satisfaction.

Revoice may benefit those with Parkinson's illness and motor neuron disease in addition to stroke victims, according to the researchers.

Revoice is useful for everyday usage because its fabric is washable, breathable, and long-lasting. With just one charge, the 1,800-mWh battery that powers it should last all day. The product will need to go through more thorough clinical trials before it can be sold. The study team intends to expand the variety of emotional expressions and add support for different languages if they are successful.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

A team of Chinese researchers have created an amazing device that enables persons with restricted movement to use computers and view virtual reality content by only moving their eyes. The device can be powered by blinking.

According to the team, this has the potential to replace a lot of current-generation systems that can strain the eyes and rely on external power. Its solution is said to be as light as standard spectacles, making them more pleasant than the heavy substitutes of today. For those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which severely impairs their ability to utilize their limbs and fine motor skills, it can be an attractive choice, reports New Atlas.

The wearable device detects even the smallest movements of the eyeball and precisely converts them into commands that make sense in the given context. A cursor may be moved across the screen by rotating your eyes to the left. Additionally, you may use your eyes to control the mobility of your wheelchair and navigate through text in a virtual reality setting.

The main wearing part of the system is a very thin, flexible coating of skin-safe, clear PDMS plastic that is applied to your eye like a contact lens. Its primary function is to produce a tiny amount of static electricity by rubbing on the eyelid during a blink. Additionally, there are special spectacles with lenses coated with transparent sensors known as substrate electrodes (made of a material called ITO). As the eye moves in various directions, they are positioned to "catch" the electrical signals produced by the contact lens.

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A tiny signal processing processor is attached to the glasses in order to filter out noise, boost the signal that the tracker receives, and convert it into commands like "turn left" or "move the cursor up".

The user's eyelid scrapes against the PDMS contact lens each time they blink. Due to this friction, a significant amount of negative static electricity builds up and is stored on the lens's surface. After a single blink, the lens remains charged for up to ten minutes. This stored static charge travels with the user's eye as they move it up, left, or right.

Electrostatic induction is the process by which the charged lens pushes and pulls electrons within the glasses' sensors as it approaches them. A brief electrical pulse is produced by this movement of electrons. Based on which sensor "feels" the electrical pulse, the system can determine precisely which direction the eye is gazing because the sensors are placed in a grid.

A live rabbit and a set of mechanical artificial eyeballs were used by the researchers to test the device.

A safety solution designed specifically for cyclists, the Aerobag system maximizes riders' peace of mind when they go out for training or recreational riding. The system consists of an aerodynamic pouch on the wearer's back that contains the necessary electrical components and a replacement CO2 cartridge. Nine motion sensors are used by the system to continuously scan the wearer and activate the airbag system if a crash is detected.

The system is made by a Belgian firm of the same name. It's designed for use by professional cycling teams, and will in fact be used by the Netherlands' WorldTour Team Picnic PostNL for training this season, and possibly for races. Other pro tour teams are reportedly in the works, reports New Atlas.

Aerobag uses electronic sensors and software to detect a crash and trigger inflation.

“It’s all fired by an algorithm,” explains Quinton van Loggerenberg, Aerobag international business development manager. “There are XYZ sensors, inertia sensors, impact sensors, and there are magnetic fields to give you a fixed zero – the system is very clever”

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He explains that cycling kit needs to be lightly modified to accommodate the system: “That’s only because we need to control where the tubes go so that the inflation happens in the right place”

The Aerobag uses its cartridge to inflate a network of sleeved TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) tubes that are channeled through the slightly altered straps of the cyclist's third-party bib shorts. These tubes expand to create airbags that shield the neck, spine, chest, and hips from severe collisions in as little as 100 milliseconds.

Importantly, the cyclist can continue racing after the collision by folding the now-deflated tubes back into the shorts. The Aerobag system is completely reusable except for the need to refill the CO2 cartridge.

Pricing should eventually be between €700 and €850 (about US$815 to $990), according to van Loggerenberg.

We are excited to introduce Tactus Wearable, a next-generation device designed to transform how music is experienced by the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Sleek and textile-integrated, this smart vest and jacket combine patented vibration technology with high-fashion design to convert every beat into a physical sensation.

The Stealth of Inclusive Design

One of the most revolutionary aspects of Tactus is its commitment to inclusive design. Unlike bulky medical devices or conspicuous gear, Tactus is built directly into everyday clothing. It looks and feels like high-quality streetwear, allowing users to experience rhythm and emotion without the device defining their aesthetic. Whether dancing, walking, or socializing, the technology remains invisible to the eye while being deeply felt by the wearer.

Proven on the World Stage

Tactus is already making waves globally. In November, the company served as an official partner of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, where they exhibited throughout the event. Athletes and attendees from around the world were able to test the technology firsthand, proving that the future of music is not just heard - it’s felt.

The Future of Live Performance

The vision for Tactus extends far beyond individual use. They are currently:

• Piloting Hybrid Concerts: Launching in Tokyo and Hong Kong, these live shows allow both performers and audience members to wear Tactus gear, ensuring everyone in the crowd shares the same visceral energy.
• Empowering Performers: Tactus is collaborating with a Deaf dance group who use the devices during rehearsals and live shows. The haptic feedback allows dancers to synchronize perfectly with the music and each other through tactile cues.

By translating sound into physical vibrations across the body, Tactus opens new pathways for connection and expression, ensuring that the joy of music belongs to everyone, regardless of hearing ability.

According to The Information, Apple is reportedly developing a wearable pin with artificial intelligence that could be released in 2027 with an estimated 20 million units. The device is shaped like a round disc that is slightly thicker than an AirTag and has a glass and aluminum shell that hooks onto garments.

According to reports, the device would have a speaker, three microphones, two cameras, and a physical button. It would likely pair with devices like iPhones to provide access to the audio, video, and photo data it is gathering. It's easy to imagine a device that can search up information from your phone or ask inquiries while on the go using whatever results from Apple's collaboration with Google's Gemini AI, according to CNet.

The idea of a wearable AI device is not new; many companies, such as note-taking specialists Memories.ai, are experimenting with it. The praise and life-logging business Looki, but not every endeavor in the area has been fruitful.

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Humane, a company founded by former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, attempted and failed to create a trend with its $699 AI pin. In the end, HP purchased the technology underlying Humane's expensive pin.

However, Apple may be well-positioned for success in this quickly evolving market given its record for producing wearables that are less costly and swiftly iterate new technology year after year. There have also been rumors that Apple is developing smart glasses and a ring.

There might be competition. Former Apple designer Jony Ive is developing a small-form AI hardware device for OpenAI.

Researchers at The University of Queensland are using wearable robotic exoskeletons to help people with Motor Neuron Disease (MND) walk further, faster and with more confidence.

The device, designed to enhance movement by providing assistance at the ankle joint, is being trialed as part of the iMOVE-MND project led by Associate Professor Taylor Dick from the School of Biomedical Sciences.

“We are seeing exoskeletons go from fiction to reality; our device consists of a small pack containing the ‘brain’, motors and batteries worn around the waist, with cables that transmit force to the ankles making it easier for a person to walk," Dr Dick said.

"A bit like adding an extra spring in your step. It’s lightweight, portable and untethered, so we can move beyond the lab and into the real world. We’re targeting the ankle joint based on our biomechanics research showing it plays a critical role in walking performance for people with MND.”

According to Dr. Dick, the primary goal of the device is to assist individuals living with Motor Neuron Disease (MND) in preserving their mobility for the maximum duration possible, reports The University of Queensland.

She explained that while most robotic exoskeletons are typically utilized in rehabilitation settings to gradually restore lost function, this project takes a different approach. The team aims to help patients sustain their ability to walk and remain independent as their condition advances.

As the first device of its type in Australia, it also marks a global milestone as the first trial involving participants with MND. Dr. Dick noted that the research team is particularly eager to evaluate the technology’s performance in everyday, real-world settings rather than limiting tests to a controlled laboratory environment.

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Dr Dick said the results so far had been impressive, with participants noticing an immediate improvement in mobility.

“We hear things within 5 minutes of wearing the device like: ‘I regained my confidence in walking’.”

Dr James Williamson, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Biomedical Sciences, is leading the technical development of the device.

“The exoskeleton uses sensors to detect force through the foot and applies mechanical assistance accordingly,” Dr Williamson said.

“A mini motor for each leg helps with plantarflexion and dorsiflexion, which means moving the leg up or down, and we apply that assistance for each and every step.”

The UQ Centre for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Research was launched earlier this year – the first center to integrate discovery, translational, care and clinical trial research.

Dr Williamson said the goal of the exoskeleton was to increase the number of steps someone can take in a day while minimizing their fatigue.

“If we can help someone stay out of a wheelchair for a week, 2 weeks, a month, then that’s a massive win,” he said.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia has given Singaporean firm Aevice Health permission to use its AI-powered respiratory monitoring system in people three years of age and older.

According to a press release from Aevice, this is the nation's first approval of a device that combines digital auscultation, heart and respiratory rate monitoring, and wheeze detection into a single Class IIa medical equipment for patients older than three years.

The AeviceMD was also added to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods as a result of the approval. CEO Adrian Ang told Mobihealth News that the firm was given accelerated registration since the TGA recognizes Singapore's Health Sciences Authority as a Comparable Overseas Regulator, which gave it its first regulatory approval. "Aevice Health has leveraged this pathway for market access into Australia," he stated.

The results of Aevice's observational study with National University Hospital in Singapore, which demonstrated that the AI-powered wearable stethoscope achieved 92% detection accuracy in a pediatric population, were also highlighted by the Australian regulator.

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Further, the wearable system pairs with mobile and web applications which are expected to enable clinicians to monitor patients outside traditional healthcare settings.

This approach seeks to reduce the need for frequent in-person visits while supporting timely intervention when symptoms change.

The new approval in Australia follows its prior regulatory clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for pediatric use of the same wearable stethoscope.

Commenting on the new grant, CEO Ang said, Aevice Health, “With its new TGA clearance, Aevice will explore potential pilot deployments and workflow integrations with local hospitals, respiratory specialists, and clinical teams. These discussions will focus on incorporating respiratory monitoring into existing asthma management pathways in the outpatient care model for their remote patient or therapeutic monitoring programs.”

Wearlinq, a San Francisco-based maker of a wireless clinical-grade wearable 6-lead EKG, has secured a $14 million Series A investment and $5 million in venture debt funding.  

“Today, I’m proud to share a major milestone for our team: we’ve raised a $14M Series A, led by AIX Ventures, with continued participation from our earliest supporters SpringTide Ventures, Berkeley Catalyst Fund, and Amino Capital, alongside other outstanding funds and a group of deeply experienced clinician and medtech operators,” said Konrad Morzkowski, cofounder and CEO of Wearlinq.

Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. Nearly 1 in 3 deaths are tied to it, and far too many are preventable with earlier detection, better monitoring, and timely treatment.

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The funding will allow Wearling to bring their technology to hundreds of thousands of patients in the near term, and many more in the years ahead, expanding access to high-quality cardiac monitoring that can meaningfully change outcomes.

Wearling’s eWave is a continuous, 6-lead wireless ECG cardiac monitor that interfaces with the wearer's phone and provides clinicians with reports in less than 48 hours along with real-time data. The wireless monitor can operate for over five days on a single charge, according to the manufacturer, reports MobiHealth News.

Although the business says it intends to expand into other indications in the future, the device can currently assist in the detection of arrhythmias.

“Even a 10% reduction in early heart disease death in the U.S. equates to over 100,000 lives saved,” explained Morzkowski. “There is no bigger mission for us, and this new funding gives us the ability to scale eWave nationally.”

While VR headsets are engaging, they are excessively heavy, cumbersome, and constrictive for daily usage, and most AR glasses in today's portable entertainment market feel like enlarged phone screens. Customers are looking for something different: a gadget that offers true cinematic immersion without being heavy, noisy, or uncomfortable. Something that can be used anywhere without upsetting other people or sacrificing comfort, such in a café, on a plane, or in bed at home.

Xynavo AR glasses offer a glimpse of what the future of portable entertainment may look like, and they are currently available for backing on Kickstarter.

Built around the ideas of Lightweight Immersion, Private Audio, and Expandable Functionality, Xynavo turns everyday viewing into a full theater-grade experience while remaining incredibly portable. It’s not just another AR device – it’s a next-generation personal cinema platform designed for real-life freedom.

Xynavo’s AR glasses offer a sweeping 70° field of view, creating a virtual display equivalent to a 300"+ screen. Powered by dual 4K displays, the massive virtual screen remains sharp and immersive across your entire field of view. The moment you put it on, your environment fades and a true cinematic scene fills your vision – ideal for travel, gaming, movies, and streaming. This is not a portable screen; it’s a cinema you can wear.

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Xynavo is powered by dual 4K displays, delivering ultra-high resolution to each eye for a truly cinema-grade viewing experience. The glasses offer exceptional sharpness even at massive, cinema-scale sizes – so text stays crisp, details stay clean, and motion remains smooth.

Xynavo weighs just 95 grams, making it one of the lightest immersive, cinema-grade AR glasses available today. It maintains a careful balance of a 70° wide field of view, private in-ear audio, full 3D support, and adjustable diopters. All of this is built into a lightweight frame that lets you enjoy full movies, binge entire shows, or play games for hours with ease.

The glasses connect instantly to a wide range of devices through its Type-C cable and included HDMI adapter. Whether you’re using a smartphone, handheld game console, tablet, laptop, gaming system, or PC, Xynavo works seamlessly without the need for special apps or pairing.

Xynavo is designed as an expandable visual platform, with built-in Type-C support for future external vision modules such as cameras, night vision, and thermal imaging.