We’ve covered wearables that detect UV exposure several times. The positive correlation between UV overexposure and skin cancer prompts some people to cover up or slather themselves with sunscreen while others choose to stay out of the sun as much as possible. We’ve written about UV-sensitive stickers developed at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering, LogicInk’s UV-sensitive temporary tattoos, a stretchable patch that detects UV exposure from RMIT University in Australia, and La Roche-Posay’s My UV Patch. The downside of these solutions is that they are one-and-done consumable devices: after one or just a few days’ use, you have to replace them.
At CES 2018, La Roche-Posay introduced a new UV detection form factor and technology. UV Sense, a wearable sensor less than two millimeters thick and nine millimeters in diameter, sticks to a fingernail with an included adhesive. Worn up to two weeks at a time, the sensor can be reapplied multiple times. UV sense stores up to three months of UV exposure data. UV Sense transmits exposure data via NFC (near field communications) wireless communication to a mobile app on associated iOS or Android mobile device with no battery required. The app uses the data to produce a user’s UV exposure level profile and suggests sun-safety habits. La Roche-Posay employed research from parent company L’Oréal and from MC10, Inc. including intellectual property belonging to John Rogers at Northwestern University.
UV Sense is scheduled for limited distribution in the U.S. by summer 2018 with a global launch in 2019. Pricing is not yet available.
