The bracelet/watch model for a fitness tracker makes for a convenient device, but it has its limitations. To monitor heart rate, many require that you wear a separate chest band, for example. While not a new product, the Hexoskin shirt provides a different approach to wearing sensors during your workouts.
The Hexoskin shirt has wearable monitors built-in. They communicate with a Bluetooth-enabled recording device that works with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. The shirt senses heart rate, breathing rate, breathing volume, and activity (such as steps and cadence). It can even monitor your sleep and tell you how often you change sleeping positions during the night. The shirt alone sells for $175, and the “starter kit” that adds the recording device and a USB cable costs $399.
There certainly are drawbacks to a shirt with integrated sensors; it’s the wearable Health Tech version of the compact stereo vs. separate components that fueled audiophile discussions for years. But for those serious about physical training who want to share real time performance data with coaches and trainers, the Hexoskin shirt makes a lot of sense.
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