Biometric sensors integrated into clothing enable unobtrusive, continuous monitoring for a variety of applications. We’ve written about Hexoskin, a shirt developed at Radboud University Medical School in the Netherlands that measures breathing in patients with COPD. We also covered Heartin’s Heart Fit smart ECG t-shirt.
San Diego-based Chronolife recently announced Nexkin, a platform that includes a washable smart t-shirt that monitors ten biometric sensors to measure six physiological parameters. The Nexkin wearable can continuously record the user’s electrocardiogram, abdominal and thoracic breathing, body temperature, physical activity, and pulmonary artery input impedance. The sensor data transmits to the wearer’s smartphone via Bluetooth. The Nexkin app on the smartphone uses Chronolife’s Hierarchy of event-based Time Surfaces (HOTS) artificial intelligence algorithms to integrate the shirt sensor data and create actionable health insights. The results are then transmitted to Chronolife servers for analysis by medical professionals.
According to Chronolife, the Nexkin smart shirt battery charges in a few hours and runs for up to 24 hours per charge. So far, Chronolife’s Nexkin is CE certified for safety and performance in the EU and the FCC approved the shirt’s communications technology. The company has applied for European and FDA medical approval and expects to qualify for both during 2020.
Once the regulatory approvals are in place, Chronolife believes the Nexkin shirt will be appropriate for use in aging-in-place, senior care, occupational health and safety, sports rehabilitation, military training, and performance management applications.
