Sweat-sensing wearable manufacturer, Epicore Biosystems – whose products provide real-time health data on a range of metrics, including hydration and stress levels – has announced a partnership with Denka Corporation that will see its products launching, initially into the Asian market.
The wearable was originally developed at Northwestern University's Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics.
In addition to giving hydration feedback, the products can provide a range of personalised data on stress and glucose levels, which can help manage sports performance and health management.
The sports and wellness industries will be targeted in the first wave of distribution with the industrial and medical sectors following.
“As temperatures continue to rise around the globe, dehydration has become a major cause for concern,” said Roozbeh Ghaffari, CEO and co-founder. “There's now an enormous demand for solutions to address these challenges and tackle hydration problems before they impact long-term health.”
The wearable is a thin microfluidic substrate that captures eccrine sweat. It can measure biometrics such as sweat rate, sodium concentration and sodium chloride loss.
The data is analysed through a proprietary cloud-based system and delivered to the user via a mobile app which issues hydration alerts, while fluid and electrolyte refuelling plans are delivered so users can rehydrate effectively.
The product range includes the Gx Sweat patch, which helps athletes optimise hydration and refuelling after exercises; the Discovery Patch Sweat Collection System; and Connected Hydration, which constantly monitors sweat volume loss, electrolyte loss, body temperature and body movement.
The technology has been tested at sports physiology labs and research hospitals, including the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Korey Stringer Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Human Health and Performance, and the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
