India-based wearable maker Fastrack announced three new products under Fastrack Reflex portfolio - Fastrack Reflex 3.0, Fastrack Reflex 2C Pay, and Fastrack Reflex Tunes which marks the brand’s entry into the Hearables segment. The products will be available in 165 plus Fastrack stores and on Fastrack.in.

Read more: This Wearables Brand Is Taking the Market by Storm With Its Cool, Affordable Smartwatches

Since its inception in 2017, Fastrack Reflex wearables have seen 2 million young Indians flaunting their Reflex bands. According to IDC, Fastrack was ranked No. 2 in the smart wearable category between the years 2017 to 2019.

Fastrack Reflex 3.0

The Fastrack Reflex 3.0, priced at $35 (Indian ₹2,495), is a dual-tone (pink and green) smart band that comes with more than 10 sports modes and offers 20 watch faces that can be matched with interchanging straps. The tracker boasts a full-touch color display. Reflex 3.0 is water-resistant and is equipped with a heart rate monitor along with features like phone finder, sleep tracker, idle alert and vibration alarm, etc., reports Business Standard. It has music and camera control and comes with a 10-day battery life promise. It also features over 10 sports modes including running, hiking, walking, yoga, and cycling. The accompanying app, the Fastrack Reflex World, provides the user with a fitness activity report and in the future will give access to health and diet tips, new workout suggestions, etc.

Fastrack Reflex Tunes

Fastrack has entered the hearables market with the launch of Fastrack Reflex Tunes, which offers a range of products from over the head, behind the neck, and the popular truly wireless. The hearables are designed with an understanding of the audience and are packed with great sound quality and extended battery life. Fastrack Reflex Tunes are compatible with Android and iOS, has Bluetooth v5.0 and have varying playtime range from 6 to 26 hours.

Read more: Wearables shipments in India Jump 165%; Earwear and Watches Lead to a Record Quarter for Wearables

Fastrack Reflex 2C Pay

Aiming to make a footprint in the contactless payment space, Fastrack has also introduced Fastrack Reflex 2C Pay in collaboration with YONO SBI. Users will be able to make contactless payments using their fitness bands. The Reflex 2C Pay will also have smart band features like a sleep and activity tracker, music control, seven-day power reserve and phone finder.

As the industries demand more efficient and safer workforce, the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) has become more ubiquitous. From wearable clips to smart scanners, the use of wearable device is now a common thing among workers. Field service workers working in dangerous conditions are benefitting from the use of Augmented reality (AR) headsets, which allow them to view instruction manuals, use voice commands to perform tasks hands-free, and receive expert help remotely.

Read more: Kinetic Raises $11.25M In Series A Funding to Help it Grow And Increase Sales

PepsiCo is one of the companies using wearable devices at a pretty good scale. The company is benefitting by outfitting its workers with wearable technology provider Kinetic’s REFLEX devices.

REFLEX is a smart wearable that aims to reduce workplace injuries for industrial workers. The wearable device attaches to a worker’s belt and monitors activities that put them at risk of injury, such as unsafe postures, jumping off vehicles, or slips and falls.

Besides helping the workers avert injury, the Reflex device is saving PepsiCo money by reducing worker compensation costs related to repetitive strain and other workplace-related impairments. According to Kinetic, claim costs can be reduced by up to 54% by using the Reflex device, reports David Miller in Automation World.

“Workers at companies like PepsiCo do a lot of lifting, a lot of manual handling, high-risk postures like twisting and turning. We’ve always done all of the traditional ergonomics work and trying to do as much as we possibly can. But there was always something missing; there was always that kind of behavioral element that we never really tapped right into to create a sense of ownership in the mind of the individual employee,” said Cormac Gilligan, VP of Global Environment, Health & Safety, PepsiCo.

To reduce injury during lifting, the device detects unsafe postures and alerts the worker with a real-time vibration. Workers can gamify the process by competing with their colleagues to stay under a certain goal of unsafe motions per day. Managers can then view insights and analytics on the company’s dashboard.

Read more: KINETIC-JLG Partnership To Deploy COVID-19 Safety Wearables For Industrial Workers

“Integrating wearable technology with your workforce is going to be a fundamental part of future automation. What this technology gives you is predictive indicators in a way that’s step-change beyond what the traditional model of the safety industry we’ve spoken about,” Mr. Gilligan said.

“The employees are having conversations with us that are helping us to understand why, at a particular time or in a particular place, they have to adopt a high-risk posture, which helps us to redesign the work area or process. We were telling them what to do, and now they’re telling us what to do - that’s extremely powerful.”

Golf fans who have been curious what the golfer's heart rate is during a game may be able to find out. A multi-year partnership between the human performance company WHOOP and the PGA TOUR will implement a WHOOP Live for Charity initiative to highlight player biometric data and heart rate during defining moments throughout the season with those real-time metrics integrated into video content. Featured players will receive a $10,000 contribution to the charity of their choice on behalf of WHOOP and the TOUR.

Read more: Tag Heuer Releases Colorful Golf Edition Smartwatch Along with a Golf App

“We are excited to grow our partnership with WHOOP and utilize their health technology to optimize the way our athletes train, recover and sleep,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “Our athletes understand the importance of maintaining their health to ensure peak competitive performance, career longevity, and overall well-being. The WHOOP Strap will help our athletes unlock actionable insights via physiological data to help them understand and prepare their bodies for competition. We’re eager to begin a first-of-its-kind activation at the TOUR that will incorporate player biometric data with defining moments from the golf course to create fascinating content for fans.”

The PGA Tour will use Whoop fitness straps to show the heart rates and other biometric data of players “during defining moments throughout the season,” it announced. The new project could provide interesting data for golf fans by showing which players control their physiology best under pressure, reports PGA TOUR.

The latest Whoop Strap 3.0 uses your heart rate to measure your sleep quality, workout intensity, and recovery while providing advice on how to improve in those areas.

Read more: Garmin’s Approach S40 is a Stylish Smartwatch that’s Especially Designed for Golfers

The Tour had already distributed around 1,000 of the devices to players on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, and PGA TOUR Champions circuits. On top of helping players monitor their fitness, data from the strap may have indirectly identified the first case of COVID-19 on tour with player Nick Watney. “They've done studies where, if your respiratory rate goes up during the night... that's sort of a telltale sign that you might have something,” said major champ Rory McIlroy back in June. “It was actually his Whoop that told [Watney] his respiratory rate went up, and that's why he thought maybe he could have it.”

The world of wearable technology is moving rapidly. The most embellishing form of the wearable device is jewelry. These smart jewelry come in the form of necklaces, bracelets, watches, and rings. They can track your heart rate, sleep, stress, and give you advice on how to stay healthy. From necklaces that track your sleep, to bracelets that make contactless payment – here are our favorites.

Read more: Motiv Ring: A Stylish Fitness Tracker with New Security Updates

Senstone

Senstone is a wearable voice recorder – a new way to create notes — five times faster and much more convenient than any smartphone app. With Senstone you no longer have to pull out your phone to take notes on the go. Just capture the things in your daily life that you don’t want to miss. It automatically converts your voice notes into text and organizes them for easy access.

Senstone is a notepad about the size of a bottle cap. Tap on the Senstone to start recording and speak. Tap again and it stops. All audio and text notes are synced into the Cloud seamlessly. This is a standalone device and doesn’t need a smartphone to work. It records for up to two and a half hours when offline. Then it automatically syncs your notes in the cloud when you are back in range.

Oura Ring

Finnish health tech company Oura Health is the maker of Oura ring, a wearable device in the form of a ring that guides its wearers towards better sleep, recovery, and readiness by analyzing the body’s sleep, daily rhythms, activity levels, and physiological responses.

With daily feedback to improve your health, Oura helps you better understand your body and reach your goals. You’ll be guided through an intelligent, data-driven plan to help you improve across the most important aspects of your well-being. The sleep tracker automatically collects the wearer’s data and synchronizes it to the Oura app to a smartphone running Android or iOS. Just wear the ring around your finger, and it’ll measure your physiological signals, with no switches or flashing lights.

The Oura ring registers your body temperature reading every minute while you sleep. Temperature data collected by Oura ring detected the onset of fevers, a leading symptom of both COVID-19 and the flu, according to a team of researchers from the University of California San Diego, UC San Francisco, and MIT Lincoln Lab.

Amazfit Equator

This exquisite and elegant fitness tracker is made by the famous Chinese brand Xiaomi. It has a simple rigorous design and a removable exchangeable strap. Due to its unique and elegant form, AmazFit can be worn as a pendant, which makes it suitable for all occasions: training, work, parties.

With the AmazFit bracelet you have the opportunity to daily measure the distance covered, to control the number of calories burned during sports activities, to set the frequency of your sleep phases, and to set alarm clocks. AmazFit will help you to get the rhythm of your life under control! The main components of the bracelet Xiaomi AmazFit are a motion sensor and a Bluetooth 4.0 chip. The bracelet is powered by a 15mAch battery and the ultra-low power consumption level ensures the continuous work of AmazFit for 10 days without recharging!

Bellabeat

Zagreb, Croatia-based Bellabeat makes a wellness wearable called Leaf Chakra, which features the added power of healing crystals. Leaf Chakra, the most unique Bellabeat wellness tracker, was created to highlight the importance of personal wellness and to help reaffirm the user’s connection with the Earth and his or her chakra energy through the healing powers of gemstones and crystals.

Leaf Chakra is available in Love and Power varieties and features patented technology that tracks your activity, sleep, and menstrual cycle, and combines this into a single metric that lets you know how stressed you are. You can then choose from about 20 different guided meditations and breathing techniques designed to help you relax.

Tovi Sorga Contactless Bracelet

Tovi Sorga’s fashionable bracelets allow contactless payments. Free to use and easy to manage via the Pingit app on both iOS and Android, for UK residents over 16 with any UK current account. The bracelet never needs charging or batteries and eliminates rummaging for your wallet. The stylish device can be used for payments for a minimum of 2 years.

The bracelets are made of genuine leather with a gold-plated surgical stainless steel magnetic clasp. The position of the payment chip indicated on the outside of the bracelet with a printed heart symbol.

If you have more than one Tovi Sorga wearable, you can easily organize your funds between different devices with Pingit jars.

Read more: These Smartglasses Aren’t Just Smart They’re Also Very Fashionable

The Pingit contactless payment chip is water-resistant and Tovi Sorga luxury leather bracelets are splash and rainproof. But you should not use solvents or solvent-based products. Tovi Sorga comes with a complimentary 1-year warranty. Tovi Sorga bracelets are designed for both men and women and they also come as key rings.

Wearable smart patches offer a wide range of possibilities in medical diagnosis and are becoming increasingly popular. These are already widely used for medical diagnosis, for example, to measure a patient’s blood sugar levels, body temperature, or heart rate. The observation of disease patterns such as skin cancer or chronic wounds is also possible.

Read more: This Wearable Uses Covestro Polycarbonate Blend to Help You Bounce Back from Stress and Get Better Sleep

Covestro, in collaboration with its partner accensors, has developed a concept for reusable wearable smart patches. The smart patches consist of a non-reusable element that is applied directly to the skin, and a durable element in which the electronics are integrated. The miniaturized solution contributes to resource conservation and sustainability. Covestro made this progress possible with Baymedix raw materials for adhesives and foams, as well as Platilon thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films. accensors has developed the sensor system and electronic modules, Covestro said in a press release.

Smart patches should be as small, flexible, and unnoticeable as possible in order to offer patients a high level of comfort. The newly developed solution consists of two elements: a non-reusable element (the Disposable Patch) including sensors that is applied to the skin with an adhesive and used only once, and a reusable element, the ReUse Patch, which houses all the electronics, for example the measurement technology, power supply, data processing, radio transmission and if desired an optical camera.

High comfort, ease of use, efficient manufacturing

Thanks to Covestro materials and to integrated film sensors, the wearable patches are very lightweight, thin and flexible, and fit well to the surface of your body – you can hardly feel them. Polyurethane adhesives made from Baymedix raw materials are skin-friendly and offer low trauma when removed from the skin. Various sensors are integrated in the patch to determine vital signs, for example, pulse, pressure or temperature. Here, sensor integration is achieved by using special Platilon® films in combination with a thermoformable foam based on Baymedix. All these materials are breathable and can be efficiently processed with roll-to-roll technology.

Removing and inserting the ReUse Patch into the Disposable Patch is also very easy – thanks to an ideal combination of materials and function. accensors particularly developed a film sensor that forms the interface between the smart patch and the patient and can be equipped with varied sensors.

About accensors

Founded in 2015, accensors produces sensor systems in small, medium, and high-volume quantities. accensors operate internationally and count medical technology, pharmaceutics, and biotechnology as well as an industry among its customers. The company’s 25 employees enable the development of innovative products at the two locations Espelkamp and Munich.

Read more: Covestro Unveils Smart Bracelet that Regulates Body Temperature at CES 2019

About Covestro

With 2019 sales of EUR 12.4 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 17,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2019.

US wearables maker Fitbit has launched Ace 3, a fitness tracker specially designed for kids. The Fitbit Ace 3 comes with a touchscreen PMOLED display and offers up to eight days of battery life on a single charge. Kids can wear it while swimming, as it is water-resistant up to 50 meters. Apart from all-day activity tracking, the Ace 3 also offers reminders to move.

Read more: Fitbit Users Can Now Track Their Blood Sugar Levels with the App Update

The Ace 3 has a 20% brighter screen and includes do not disturb and sleep modes. The new animated clock faces change and grows as kids make progress toward their fitness goals. The clock faces are a bunny, a cat, a Martian, and spaceship designs. The screen size is 1.47 inches and has 240 x 240 pixels resolution.

Furthermore, the manufacturer does not have a heart rate monitor this year and offers children the well-known tracking of activities including Sports modes (e.g., running, hiking, cycling), pedometer, and sleep monitoring.

The weight of the tracker is 70 grams and the new model also enables the easy change of bracelets. Except for the note "waterproof", the datasheet does not contain any information on protection against moisture. But since its predecessor, Fitbit Ace 2, was able to survive in a water depth of up to 50 meters and was suitable for swimming, one can strongly assume that the Fitbit Ace 3 is also equipped with a similar or even better protection.

The Fitbit Ace 3 can be paired with Android smartphones and Apple iPhones (iOS) via Bluetooth. With the help of the Fitbit app, children get access to essential information about their daily routine, motivation to exercise more, and incentives, such as virtual badges and avatars. Parents, on the other hand, can use a family account to keep an eye on their child's activities, approve friend requests, and view statistics.

Read more: Fitbit to Equip NASA Employees with Wearables to Protect Them from COVID-19

Price and availability

The Fitbit Ace 3 is available in two colors – Black+Sport Red and Cosmic Blue+Astro Green. It is priced at $99.95. Later this summer it will have two Minions-themed accessory bands (in Blue and Black with yellow buckles) available separately for $29.95. Fitbit Ace 3 is available for preorders from the Fitbit online store.

Exclusive Networks has a struck an agreement to distribute RealWear’s wearable computing devices in India, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

The deal now makes Exclusive Networks an official distributor for RealWear’s HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 voice-enabled headsets across South East Asia, Australia-New Zealand, and India. The state-of-the-art headsets improve communication amongst a distributed workforce, as well as safety compliance.

Read more: Italgas Deploys RealWear’s HMT-1Z1 Wearable Solution Running OverIT Field Services Management Software

“RealWear is pleased to be partnering with Exclusive Networks at a time when our customers are actively looking to empower and connect their remote and field services workforce. Exclusive Networks’ wide regional reach in the Unified Communications space and excellent pre-sales and post-sales support makes them a perfect partner for RealWear in the Southeast Asian, ANZ and India markets,” says John Higgs, Vice President, Asia Pacific at RealWear. “RealWear’s fully ruggedized Android wearable computers are specifically designed to safely support industrial and field service workers in high-risk environments. Through the RealWear HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 devices, frontline workers across a range of industries can collaborate remotely, and access data files and documentation workflow on a real-time basis, resulting in higher compliance rates, improved safety, and productivity, and better customer service.”

RealWear’s HMT-1 and HMT-1Z1 wearable computers incorporate a high-resolution camera, noise-canceling digital microphones that allow the user to control the device or communicate even in high-noise environments. Users can safely take photographs, pull up additional multimedia, or open up a variety of third-party productivity apps that are optimized for voice controls, reports Exclusive Networks.

“RealWear’s headsets are the future of the connected worker, especially for industrial and remote workers who are required to perform complex tasks in a very hands-on environment,” says Mike Beesley, Vice President, Unified Communications, the Asia Pacific at Exclusive Networks. Beesley added: “Complex equipment and systems often take a team of experts to maintain and fix, which can be hard to organize and find logistically challenging. RealWear’s head-mounted wearable computers connect on-site workers with experts dotted around the world. Its integration with collaboration software such as Microsoft Teams allows for collaboration and remote communication between subject matter experts who can work together to address difficult challenges despite not being on-premises. This is a great addition to Exclusive Networks’ Unified Communications offering and we look forward to providing this solution to our customers.”

Read more: RealWear’s HMT-1 AR Headset Helping Automotive Companies Achieve Greater Productivity

RealWear’s wearable computers connect frontline workers across almost all industries, from oil and gas, mining and construction, to food and beverage. RealWear allows organizations to connect their distributed workforce to a central network, making communication easier, reducing errors, improving compliance, and ensuring workflows can be accessed and followed easier and quicker.

U.S. Army paratroopers are sporting biometric data-collecting wearables nonstop for half a year as part of an ongoing research project to measure stress levels and examine the resiliency of soldiers operating in Arctic environments. As part of the research, about 1,000 paratroopers of the so-called "Spartan Brigade" – the nickname for the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division based in Alaska – are wearing the device.

Read more: US Army Uses Modified HoloLens 2 for Real-Life Video Game

The paratroopers have teamed up with WHOOP, a Boston-based human performance company, in a six-month study with the University of Queensland.

The WHOOP Strap is capable of 24/7 monitoring in an unobtrusive form factor that is able to withstand the rigors of military use while also being waterproof and sporting a 5-day battery life with on-the-go charging.

“Previous research has typically focused on investigating stress in laboratory settings using standardized stress tasks," said Kristen Holmes, VP of Performance Science at WHOOP and Principal Investigator on the study. “We are carrying this study out in the field to better understand how personal, psychological, and situational factors can impact a soldier while training during extreme Arctic conditions. We are proud to support our troops in an innovative way and this data could be a critical tool for the military to improve soldier resiliency at a time when mental health issues and suicide rates are higher than ever.”

By providing the United States Army with more insight into individual physiology and the impacts of training in an extreme environment, soldiers will be better equipped to manage stress and ultimately, have higher readiness. All leaders from the squad level, NCOs, and above will have access to their paratroopers' data, so they can adjust training and operational plans to maximize the health and readiness of their teams, WHOOP said in a press release.

“Imagine as a squad leader that you have a paratrooper that has had an abnormally low recovery for several days," said the Spartan Command Sergeant Major Alex Kupratty, "Maybe your platoon has been in the field for weeks, or the paratrooper just returned from an Army school. Now, you have the data to better help them recover, or to adjust your training to match the team's needs.”

The research project will analyze personalized data like heart rate variability, resting heart rate, cardiovascular strain, and respiratory rate to also create a biometric baseline for the Spartan Brigade grounded in overall resilience, stress, and sleep quality. Unlike blind studies, the participating paratroopers will have immediate access to their own data, as well as techniques to maximize recovery, and can make decisions using this feedback to optimize their personal performance.

Read more: Pentagon Tells Soldiers to Leave Wearable Trackers at Home When Heading to Warzones

“WHOOP provides seamless and highly reliable biometric capture, thereby producing objective measures of sleep quality and recovery, which are of central importance to our research,” said Dr. William von Hippel, lead investigator on the study and professor at The University of Queensland. “Once the data are analyzed, we hope to uncover insights the military could leverage to enhance training regimens and maximize soldier preparedness.”

Everything we wear is becoming smarter. Smartwatches are slowly replacing analog watches (aka dumb watches) and smart glasses allow us to see more than what’s around us.

Read more: The Best Heart Rate Tracking Watches and Chest Straps for 2021

People now prefer wearing a smartwatch over a dumb watch because of its usefulness in tracking health. Many smartwatches offer heart rate tracking features and there are also chest straps that can monitor your heart. Many people track their heart rate data to estimate their energy expenditure, which is very helpful for body composition.

But how accurate is the data your device is giving you and which ones are better for monitoring your heart – smartwatches or chest straps? Here we compare few types of chest straps and smartwatches.

Both, smartwatches and chest straps, do the same thing but in hugely different ways.

Chest straps

Pros

Before smartwatches, only way to monitor heart rate was a chest strap. Electrodes embedded on these chest straps press against the skin and uses electrocardiography to get the heart’s electrical activity. Chest straps are very accurate. Some brands like Polar claim their straps can measure heart rate to a granular degree of accuracy. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise showed that Polar H7 chest strap was 99.6% accurate when tested against an ECG.

Cons

Many people find chest straps to be uncomfortable. On the other hand, constant exposure to sweat can cause them to corrode, which means interference with the electrodes and delivering inaccurate readings. To pick up electrical impulses coming from your heart, the pads on the chest straps need a bit of moisture, so they may need a few minutes once you get sweating to give you an accurate reading, reports Colin Levitch in CyclingNews.

Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers

Pros

Smartwatches and fitness trackers use a method called photoplethysmography (PPG) to measure heart rate. PPG is a technical term for shining light into the skin and measuring the amount of light that is scattered by blood flow. When you’re wearing your smartwatch or fitness tracker, the heart rate sensors at the bottom of the dial press up against the skin and tracks heart rate. This is very comfortable for the user but there are drawbacks.

Cons

Wrist-based heart rate trackers need to be worn accurately (tight, above the knuckle on your wrist) to get a precise heart rate. Also, skin tone, hair, moles, etc. can affect accuracy. A 2019 study, published in the Journal of Sports Science, found that the point-to-point accuracy in these wearables can vary from +/- 1% to error rates as high as +/-13.5%. Types of LEDs and algorithms also can affect the accuracy of these wearables.

Read more Google Pixel Phones Will Soon Track Heart Rate and Respiratory Rate Using Your Phone’s Camera

Takeaway

When it comes to point-to-point accuracy, chest straps are more accurate than optical heart rate sensors. Chest straps are proved to be the most accurate of the heartrate-measuring devices, with a 99.6% accuracy. The wrist-worn devices, however, are far less accurate. If you want real-time heart rate monitoring and don’t care about point-to-point accuracy, then a smartwatch should be good enough for you.

In the future, wearable sensors like those found in Fitbits and pedometers could be replaced by mushrooms.

Read more: UC Boulder Scientists Develop Self-Healing Device That Can Power Wearables

In a recent study, researchers explored the use of fungi as a potential candidate to produce sustainable textiles that can be used as eco-friendly bio wearables. For example, the processors in tech wearables like Fitbits could be replaced by incorporating oyster mushroom mycelium.

Oyster mushroom mycelium, the fibrous mainframe tissues of fungi that colonize under the soil and from which mushrooms sprout, were able to perceive electrical signals in such a way as to replicate that part for sensors and processors, which are readable by a computer, reports GoodNewsNetwork.

“Smart wearables sense and process information from the user’s body and environment and report results of their analysis as electrical signals. Conventional electronic sensors and controllers are commonly, sometimes augmented by recent advances in soft electronics,” the researchers wrote.

“Organic electronics and bioelectronics, especially with living substrates, offer a great opportunity to incorporate parallel sensing and information processing capabilities of natural systems into future and emerging wearables. Nowadays fungi are emerging as a promising candidate to produce sustainable textiles to be used as eco-friendly biowearables.”

To assess the sensing potential of fungal wearables the team undertook laboratory experiments on the electrical response of a hemp fabric colonized by oyster fungi Pleurotus ostreatus to mechanical stretching and stimulation with attractants and repellents.

“We have shown that it is possible to discern a nature of stimuli from the fungi electrical responses. The results paved a way towards the future design of intelligent sensing patches to be used in reactive fungal wearables,” the team wrote.

Read more: Flexible Thermoelectric Device Harvests Energy from Skin Temperature to Power Wearables

The joint research venture was undertaken by the University of the West of England, Bristol, the U.K. (UWE Bristol) and collaborators from Mogu S.r.l., Italy, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Torino, Italy, and the Faculty of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has assessed the sensing potential of fungal wearables.

There's no shortage of smartwatches to choose from these days. But it’s hard to find the one that matches your expectations. eBuyNow, a Motorola brand licensee, is all set to introduce not one but three new Moto-branded smartwatches in 2021. According to Twitter user Felipe Berhau, eBuyNow will be soon releasing these Motorola-branded smartwatches: Moto Watch, Moto Watch One and Moto G Smartwatch.

Read more: Motorola Patent Hints At Solution for Foldable Phone Displays

A few images appearing in Twitter shows the design of the watches. The Moto Watch One and the Moto G Smartwatch are likely to come with a circular build, similar to that of the Moto 360 smartwatch. In contrast, the Moto Watch appears to come in a square-shaped design. The watches are expected to run on Google’s Wear OS and powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor.

The image that shows the potential watch was found in an investor presentation alongside three other smartwatches. The image reportedly also shows a wireless charging coil, reports TheVerge.

According to Reddit user TheMacJezza, one of the images used in the presentation just barely shows some hardware details for one of the new Motorola watches (seemingly the Moto Watch One, based on the lug design). The back of one of the watches says 5ATM (water resistance), GPS, NFC, and most importantly, Snapdragon Wear 4100.

If the new Moto watches succeed to take off, they could offer serious competition to larger Wear OS watchmakers like Mobvoi and Fossil. Compared to what Apple and Samsung offer, the Wear OS smartwatch market is still relatively small. This will give any newcomer to thrive in this market.

Read more: Fossil Launches Nextgen Touchscreen Smartwatches with Wear OS and Extended Battery Life

Motorola stopped making Moto-branded smartwatches. The name was licensed to a company called eBuyNow, which released the third-generation Moto 360 in 2019.

For some time, rumor has been going around that Apple could release their own augmented reality glasses. However, it was recently circulating that the tech giant could actually be planning other mixed reality devices as well, such as an AR/VR headset. Now according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will also release AR glasses and AR contact lenses within a decade.

Read more: Apple Watch’s New Health Feature Monitors and Notifies You About Your Cardio Fitness

In the past few years, Apple has increased its focus on health, fitness, and wearable products like the AirPods and Apple Watch. The company also is repeatedly associated with other wearables.

Kuo outlined three predictions for Apple: an AR/VR headset in 2022m, AR glasses in 2025, and finally, AR contact lenses between 2030 and 2040. Kuo doesn’t get any more specific than that in terms of a release timeframe.

According to MacRumors, Kuo said the lenses will bring electronics from the era of "visible computing" to "invisible computing". He predicts that Apple's MR/AR product roadmap includes three phases: Helmet type by 2022, glasses type by 2025, and contact lens type by 2030-2040.

These AR lenses probably won’t have their own computing power and storage, which suggests they’d likely be connected to an iPhone or other device.

AR/VR headset in 2022

We could see Apple AR and VR headsets as soon as next year. According to Kuo, the prototypes show that it weighs between 200 grams and 300 grams, reports 9to5 Mac. “If Apple can successfully solve the significant technical problems, the final product weight will be reduced to 100–200 grams,” Kuo writes.

Augmented Reality glasses in 2025

Kuo believes Apple will release AR glasses by 2025 “at the earliest” and the company has yet to start prototype production.

Read more Apple Watch’s Future Band Design Could Boost Battery Life

Contact lenses after 2030

Kuo’s final prediction is AR contact lenses, which he believes Apple will launch after 2030. But he sees “no visibility for the launch schedule” yet. The main focus for these contact lenses will be invisible computing and they are unlikely to have independent storage and power technology.

The "Global Consumer Wearables Market 2020-2026 - Competitive Intensity Driving Healthcare Focus in the Market" report has been published by ResearchAndMarkets.com.

This study covers the aspects mentioned below and serves as a starting point for companies to design the strategy and framework for their next steps in the healthcare domain.

Read more: Wearable Medical Devices Market Expected to Experience Huge Growth by 2030, Says Market Industry Reports

With several consumer wearable devices now having regulatory clearances for detecting conditions like atrial fibrillation and other cardiac conditions, their role in the healthcare landscape is becoming prominent.

COVID-19 induced lockdowns, quarantines, and the need to avoid healthcare facilities for fear of contracting the virus has brought wearable devices to the forefront for monitoring patients' vital signs remotely. These have also proved key in facilitating 'back to school' and 'return to work' programs.

Effectively, consumer wearables are carving a niche in the healthcare domain by enabling disease prevention and early detection, post-acute care monitoring, as well as chronic disease monitoring and management. The sector is therefore likely to blur out the distinction between consumer-grade and medical-grade wearables, since both may have regulatory clearances for various applications. This also means that the consumer wearable device makers must adapt to the nuances of the healthcare industry and design business models that fit the needs of the industry, says a press release.

As is already clear, the data emanating from these devices is of significant value. However, monetizing this data is no easy feat. Several models have already emerged that support healthcare industry stakeholders in their quest to help populations stay healthier, live longer, and recover quickly from their ailments.

Read more: Fitness App Market Poised To Grow at a CAGR of 12%, Reaching 1.68 Billion During 2020-2024 Period

Partnerships are key, but consumer device companies continue to hesitate to fully commit to this space. Regardless of whether these companies take the plunge, there are ample opportunities for wearable device makers in the healthcare space, given the need for these tools to help manage the burgeoning population of people who need care and support, remotely.

GPS has become so popular that it’s a must-have feature in smartwatches and smartphones. For many of us, getting to a new place without the help of GPS is almost impossible. However, most of us do not know how GPS works and some are unaware of other satellite navigation systems like Glonass, Galileo, and BeiDou.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. This satellite-based navigation system is made up of at least 24 satellites.

Read more: Coros Pace 2 Is the World’s Lightest GPS Watch Especially Designed for Competitive Runners

The GPS does not require the user to transmit any data, and it operates independently of any telephonic or internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the GPS positioning information.

GPS works in any weather condition, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, with no subscription fees or setup charges.

The satellites were put into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense (USDOD). Originally meant for military use, the satellites were made available for civilian use in the 1980s.

Following a precise orbit, the GPS satellites circle the Earth twice a day. A unique signal and orbital parameters are transmitted by the satellites, allowing GPS devices to decode and compute the precise location of the satellite. GPS receivers then use this information and trilateration to calculate a user's exact location. Essentially, the GPS receiver measures the distance to each satellite by the amount of time it takes to receive a transmitted signal. With distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine a user's position and display it electronically to measure your running route, map a golf course, or find your way home.

Garmin is a pioneer in building portable GPS systems. The company launched its first GPS device in 1989.

How accurate is GPS?

Thanks to their parallel multi-channel design, today's GPS receivers are extremely accurate. Garmin’s receivers are quick to lock onto satellites when first turned on. They maintain a tracking lock in dense tree-cover or in urban settings with tall buildings. Certain atmospheric factors and other error sources can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers. Garmin GPS receivers are typically accurate to within 10 meters. Accuracy is even better on the water.

Read more: Garmin Launches quatix 6 Maritime GPS Smartwatch With Comprehensive Connectivity and Much More

Other Satellite Navigation Systems

GLONASS. GLONASS is a satellite constellation system built by Russia. GLONASS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System and is slightly more precise with roughly 4.5-7.4-meter accuracy. The accuracy it achieves is due to the positioning of the 24+ GLONASS satellites, which are designed for greater coverage at high altitudes. Some smartwatches offer GLONASS in addition to GPS. Aside from being precise, GLONASS can be a useful backup when your device can’t locate GPS.

BeiDou and Others. BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, or BDS, is China’s satellite navigation system. This system was previously known as Compass. BeiDou started offering global services in 1918 and it now has 35 satellites.

Another navigational system is India’s Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). It has 8 satellites, reports Android Authority.

Japanese government offers another navigational system, called Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). With 8 satellites, QZSS is a four-satellite constellation and has 3 satellites visible at all times.

Some of these systems are only available in the respective countries. However, some smartwatches offer multiple navigational systems. Most Garmin running watches, for example, offer GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, which were created by the European Space Agency.

The advancements of technology have affected every aspect of our lives and the sports industry is no exception. Thanks to technology, the modern athlete can enhance their performance, and trainers can evaluate athletes’ performance via wearable devices. For athletes, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other wearables have become an indispensable part to optimize training sessions.

Read more: Duke Athletes Develop Wearable That Can Predict Injuries Before They Happen and Accelerate Healing

Wearables conquer the market

As the market for wearables is growing, more and more developers from the IT industry are working on intelligent clothing, like Smart T-shirts, which carry data without an additional belt or bracelet attached to the athlete's body. These smart shirts can track the respiratory rate, calorie consumption, and heart rate. This is made possible by sensors sewn into the garment, reports Thomas Wingenfeld in itespresso.

From Smart Shirts to Smart Socks

Smart wearables contain a wide range of features. They can be used to automatically adjust temperatures using carbon nanotubes, for example, or operate smartphones, generate solar-generated electricity during training, measure all possible body functions and thus monitor health. Special chips that are integrated into running shoes provide information about the cadence of the runner, while socks provide information about the way in which the foot is put on when rolling. The number of manufacturers of smart sportswear who are constantly designing new products for the market together with IT learners or start-ups is also growing. According to estimates by market researchers, consumers worldwide will have spent around 52 billion dollars on wearables in 2020.

In Singapore, India, and Hong Kong there are now three out of four sports fans who have used wearables, apps, and other technologies in a stadium. In India, this should apply to 88 percent of stadium visitors. Germany is not that far with 50 percent.

Read more: Nexus Uses Revolutionary Tracking Technology for CrossFit Athletes to Quantify Their Workout

Courses offered in universities

The topic of Wearables for sports has also reached universities. At the German University for Prevention and Health Management, for example, the "Sports and Health Informatics" course has been offered for some time. The contents of the course deal, among other things, with the various digital and technical possibilities for fitness and health and implement them. In addition, students learn how digital training and assistance systems are evaluated in order to analyze their benefits and potential - in a target group-oriented manner. "The sports and health sector in connection with the IT sector have become important markets for growth and employment and their economic importance will continue to increase with regard to digitization," according to the University’s homepage.

Vishay Intertechnology introduced a new high-speed silicon PIN photodiode with enhanced sensitivity to visible and infrared light. Featuring a rectangular 4.8 mm by 2.5 mm top-view, surface-mount package with an industry-low 0.48 mm profile, the Vishay Semiconductors VEMD8081 offers an increased typical reverse light current of 33 µA for improved biosensor performance in wearable devices and medical applications.

Read more: Dialog Semiconductor, Flex Logix Partner Up for Embedded Field-Programmable Gate Array Technology

The VEMD8081 offers 15% greater reverse light current than its predecessor, the VEMD8080 while maintaining the same package dimensions. For designers, this provides a drop-in replacement that can improve performance by increasing signal output or extend battery life by reducing LED current.

For heart rate measurement in wearable devices such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, the VEMD8081 is placed between two pulsing green LEDs. The light reflected off the skin is received by the photodiode and converted to an output current, with the device’s increased sensitivity enabling more accurate measurements. The VEMD8081’s rectangular shape maximizes the area of the photodiode receiving reflected light, eliminating the wasted area typically found in square photodiodes. When combined with red and infrared emitters, the device is ideal for SpO2 measurement in medical monitors, reports GlobeNewsWire.

With its high sensitivity and a radiant-sensitive area measuring 5.4 mm², the VEMD8081 utilizes Vishay’s proven wafer technology to detect visibly and near-infrared radiation over a wide spectral range from 350 nm to 1100 nm. For high sampling rates, the device offers fast switching times and a low capacitance of 50 pF.

The VEMD8081 features a ± 65° angle of half-sensitivity, operating temperature range of -40 °C to +85 °C, and 840 nm wavelength of peak sensitivity. RoHS-compliant, halogen-free, and Vishay Green, the photodiode provides a moisture sensitivity level (MSL) of 3 in accordance with J-STD-020 for a floor life of 168 hours.

Samples and production quantities of the VEMD8081 are available now, with lead times of 10 weeks.

Read more: Nordic Semiconductor Launches Bluetooth 5.1 SoC for Multi-Protocol Applications

Vishay manufactures one of the world’s largest portfolios of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components that are essential to innovative designs in the automotive, industrial, computing, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets. Serving customers worldwide, Vishay is The DNA of tech.™ Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. is a Fortune 1,000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH). The DNA of tech is a trademark of Vishay Intertechnology.

As the coronavirus outbreak quickly surged worldwide, many countries started to adopt preventative measures like travel bans, remote work, and contact tracing. We don’t know if contact tracing will become the norm but various industries are using this technology to restart their operations and ensure safe return of employees.

Read more: BlueCats Launches Fully Configurable Wearable Contact Tracing Solution

Cruise Ships

TraceSafe is a Vancouver, Canada-based wearable tech firm. The company is working with cruise lines to develop onboard contact tracing systems that could help the industry reopen their operations. TraceSafe has entered into a partnership with Tritan Software, a Miami-based company that provides health and medical operations to 95% of major cruise lines, as well as the commercial shipping, energy and mining industries, reports TravelPulse. TraceSafe’s small medallion wristbands are a full suite of real-time location management services and contact tracing solutions. They use advanced low-power Bluetooth beacons in a variety of form factors to communicate. TraceSafe’s leading cloud management solution ensures both user privacy and user-friendly comprehensive administrative control.

Basketball players

Student-athletes and staff within Stanford University’s men’s and women’s basketball programs are now required to wear small devices throughout most of the day. The devices, which do not track location, are used specifically for contact-tracing purposes to identify if anyone came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, according to Stanford Athletics spokesperson Brian Risso. This implementation is part of a Pac-12 program that provides KINEXON SafeTags— small devices that can be worn on any part of the body — to member universities.

Construction workers

The government of Ontario is supporting the use of contact tracing wearables among construction employees. The government made the decision following endorsement by LIUNA (Laborer’s International Union of North America) and successful testing in pilot projects by the union. Many of LIUNA’s 130,000 members at construction sites across Canada will use the device. All workers on a site would wear the app in a wristband and the device would register contacts closer than two meters. An LED light blinks every two seconds when the user is too close to another worker, meaning TraceSCAN both records contact information and also warns of lack of social distancing.

Read more: Singapore To Give Its Citizens Wearable ‘Tokens’ for COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Can Wearables Effectively Contain COVID-19?

To control an infectious disease, you must first interrupt its spread from person to person. This means quarantine, face masks, hygiene measures, and social distancing. Contact tracing can be a valuable tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. People involved should be aware that the intention isn’t to infringe privacy but to gather data to keep everyone safe.

Chinese tech company Rollme launched its newest smartwatch Rollme Hero. An Android smartwatch/phone, the Rollme Hero is the world’s first smartwatch with full screen display. The device is a standalone smartwatch with 4G SIM card, 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM, Dual Camera, 10ATM Waterproof, and more.

Read more: Huami Amazfit GTR 2 LTE And Amazfit T-Rex Pro to Arrive This Year

The watch is stylish, fashionable, and suitable for both men and women. The Rollme Hero has 4G cellular connection so that you can make and receive phone calls. The built-in camera allows you to take pictures and videos. The front camera is equipped with a flagship new-generation 13MP high-definition camera with a newly upgraded sensor. Face recognition is very fast and it can unlock the watch in 0.1 seconds.

Here are the specs:

• Display: 1.69” IPS Display
• Resolution: 450x450px
• Corning Gorilla glass
• Camera: 13.0 MP autofocus
• Altimeter & Barometer
• Heart rate sensor
• GPS
• 10 ATM Waterproof
• 1600mAh battery
• 4G independent calling
• 3 satellite positioning

In addition to the features mentioned above, the Rollme Hero 4G watch has built-in 20 sport modes that include running, walking outdoors, indoor jogging, cycling, basketball, football, table tennis, badminton, rope skipping, and more. Additional features include a 10ATM waterproof, heart rate monitor, pedometer, Face unlock, and many more.

A 64-gigabyte memory is built-in, which can be used to store music files for playback on a Bluetooth headset, for example. The SoC used is the Helio P22 known from the Lem14, which can access a four-gigabyte working memory. A 13- and 8-megapixel camera is installed, whereby unlocking via Face Unlock should also be possible, reports Notebook Check.

The built-in heart rate sensor, in conjunction with the GPS module, allows precise recording and evaluation of sports units with several sports profiles. According to the manufacturer, the model should be waterproof up to a pressure of 10 ATM, which means that, unlike IP68 wearables, the model should actually be suitable for swimming.

Read more: Huawei Now Allows Third-Party Apps On Its Wearables

The watch, equipped with a 1,600 mAh battery, can now be pre-ordered directly from Asia for around US$200. An alternative available from Germany is the TicWatch Pro 4G.

VivaLNK announced that its wireless ECG monitor can now be used to capture changes in heart rate and electrical activity in people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) or other disorders during the six-minute walk test (6MWT). The 6MWT is a common exercise routine used for patients with pulmonary hypertension, congestive heart failure, pre-lung transplant evaluation, interstitial lung disease, or COPD. It involves monitoring a patient while they walk as far as they can in a six-minute period and assessing cardiopulmonary function.

Related: VivaLNK Launches New Turnkey Service for Healthcare Applications in Remote Patient Monitoring

The VivaLNK solution is used for clinical research in a variety of applications, such as cardiac rehab, digital biomarkers of arrhythmia onset, and pharmaceutical clinical trials, and includes a wearable ECG patch, a specialized mobile app, and cloud data services. In these studies, patients wear the wireless ECG patch while a clinician is able to monitor and control the test using a mobile app. Data collected during the test is then consolidated into a centralized database in the cloud for post-analysis, according to a press release.

In one study, up to 80 subjects across multiple sites are monitored for their ECG and heart rate before, during and after the exercise. A significant part of the technology selection includes device comfort for the patient and stability of the ECG during movement, as well as a mobile app designed for the protocol. At only 7.5 grams, VivaLNK's unique wearable ECG monitor is barely noticeable when worn. In addition, special built-in algorithms reduce motion artifacts to provide a smooth ECG signal during activity. For the study, VivaLNK also customized a mobile app to facilitate data capture even in the event of intermittent network disconnections.

Read more: SPHCC Partners with Cassia and VivaLNK to Use Wearable Tech for Monitoring COVID-19 Patients

“Medical wearables are making it possible to explore new, potentially meaningful outcomes in clinical studies without adding much additional burden to patients or their clinicians,” says Robert F. Roscigno, PhD, Vice President, Clinical Development at Gossamer Bio.

Aside from the 6MWT, VivaLNK's medical data platform and wearable sensors are used in other applications such as mobile cardiac telemetry, oncology RPM, and virtual hospital patient monitoring.

The Nike Run Club App provides you with the guidance, inspiration, and innovation you need to become a better athlete. Similar to the Adidas Runtastic app, the Nike Run Club guides its users through their run, telling them when to speed up, rest, or giving a little pep talk while running.

Read more: Garmin Enduro Is A Solar-Powered Smartwatch Designed For Serious Athletes

Nike Run Club app is available for iPhone and Android smartphones and it's free to download.

Who Might Be Benefitted More From Nike Run Club?

Beginners or intermediate runners will be most benefitted from the Nike Run Club app. The unique mix of training styles provided by the app can help runners build endurance, improve running pace, eliminate stress, and reach distance goals. The app will help the intermediate runners to run faster and longer, helping them become better athletes, reports PositiveFitnessBlog.

Here are more ways Nike Run Club Can help runners:

Tracking Progress

Gives you all the detail you need—pace, location, distance, elevation, heart rate, and mile splits—and greater control over what you see during your run.

Motivation

Nike Run Club will motivate you by delivering NRC’s custom Apple Music playlists, in-run cheers from friends, and encouragement from elite athletes.

Running Together

Easily compare and compete with friends and fellow runners—just hashtag your miles against specific goals or challenges to see where you stand.

Personalized Coaching

Your coaching starts with your goals and fitness level and adapts as you progress. Nike Run Club’s coaches give you key pointers, tell you when to push yourself. They also tell you about the importance of hydration, and so on.

Read more: Coros Pace 2 Is the World’s Lightest GPS Watch Especially Designed for Competitive Runners

Sharing Your Run

Personalize your posts by adding photos, stats, and stickers, then customize who sees it—your entire social network, or just your Nike friends.