A ‘wellness ring’ that uses health stats to make lifestyle suggestions has taken crowdfunding website Kickstarter by storm, raising more than double its US$100,000 (€88,601, £63,737) target in a matter of days.
Oura, described as a “revolutionary ring-sized wellness computer that helps you sleep and perform better” had raised US$206,608 (€183,057, £131,686) by Friday (21 August) and has more than one month of fundraising still to run.
The ring has been designed to bridge the current void in wearable tech between comfort and accuracy. With no screen or buttons, the ring begins tracking heart-rate, respiration, motion and body temperature as soon as you put it on. It then harnesses this data to provide feedback via an accompanying app, which makes workout and nutritional recommendations, as well as providing advice on how to improve sleep quality and ‘ability to perform’.
Its makers say the lack of a screen separates Oura from other sleep improvement wearables, as most require the counter-productive task of looking at a screen shortly before you go to bed. They add that the sleek design of the ceramic zirconium ring makes it significantly more comfortable and unintrusive than other wearables.
The Finnish company behind the product is currently working to refine the user experience and accompanying app, ahead of plans to begin shipping in November for US$299 (€265, £190).
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