AppleInsider Staff
Fitness buffs and "quantified self" aficionados now have a new, questionably fashionable way to monitor their bodies' status thanks to a new line of compression shirts that come with a network of embedded sensors.
The shirts are interwoven with a set of sensors that track heart rate, breathing rate, breathing depth, activity intensity, steps walked, calories burned, and heart rate variability. Data is transmitted from the shirts' sensors to a small "black box" that users are asked to clip onto their shirt, which in turn relays the information to a companion iOS app via a Bluetooth 4.0 signal.
Vital signs are collated by the app and are tracked by "RPM" and "Fuel" gauges. OMSignal says that the Fuel gauge tells users how much energy their body has left, while the RPM gauge visualizes their current level of focus and physical stress.
While wearing the shirt, the app will alert users when certain parameters run out of healthy norms. Gym goers might receive a notification that their breathing is too shallow, for example, while office workers might be reminded to get up and stretch if they have been sitting for too long.
According to OMSignal, the black box is good for up to 30 hours of activity tracking between recharges. The shirts themselves are not powered, and they are machine washable — though the black box is merely "water resistant" and will deflect sweat and light rain, though it should not be worn while swimming.
OMsignal shirts are available for pre-order directly from the manufacturer and are slated to ship this summer. A single long-sleeved shirt and black box set comes in at $199, while sleeveless and short sleeved versions are also available.
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
12 Comments
EDIT:
I commented on wrong thread.
[quote name="Ireland" url="/t/179471/omsignal-smart-shirts-move-activity-tracking-from-the-wrist-to-the-chest#post_2532496"]In other words: 'I am as confused about this as you are, but I know Apple isn't dumb so I'll try to find a positive explanation for this rumoured acquisition.' Myself I would rather Apple had used that 3.2B to buy Twitter 2 or 3 years ago. Or one third of it to buy Instagram and bundling the network into every iPhone as part of the Photos app package. [/quote] Damn I missed where they acquired this. Link? In other news Dolly Parton had to return her shirt when her iPhone exploded during testing.
Damn I missed where they acquired this. Link?
Wrong thread, sorry.
[quote name="AppleInsider" url="/t/179471/omsignal-smart-shirts-move-activity-tracking-from-the-wrist-to-the-chest#post_2532479"]...Fuel gauge tells users how much energy their body has left, while the RPM gauge visualizes their current level of focus and physical stress... ...Gym goers might receive a notification that their breathing is too shallow... ...office workers might be reminded to get up and stretch if they have been sitting for too long.[/quote] One would think people would be able to tell things like these themselves, especially since mankind has already done so for centuries. Who thinks this product is great? Wants to record every single tiddybitty in bodily changes? Will act upon what the app tells you?
Great product, could be successful if adapted for babies. I remember 7 years ago with our baby boy when he was all wrapped up in thick layers of cloth sleeping on the balcony in cold winter. It would allow to track a baby's warmth, without taking off all those cloths when in the cold. Or heartbeat or breathing, if you are an overcautious parent. But as with all those body monitoring gadgets, if you're good at what your doing you don't really need this as you can feel most of it. Just listen to your body.