Health Tech Insider covered Kenzen’s inaugural product, the ECHO Smart Patch, in 2017. The ECHO continuously analyzed sweat to check hydration, electrolyte levels, and vital signs. The company no longer offers the ECHO, but Kenzen has built on the original idea of real-time monitoring. The company launched a new smart patch this past summer that monitors body temperature rather than sweat.
Marketed for industrial use, the Kenzen heat-sensing patch detects core body temperature and heart rate. It also tracks hydration and activity levels. Workers wear the patch — housed within a flat, waterproof case — strapped to their upper arm. The corresponding mobile app and team dashboard analyze these metrics to identify when a worker becomes overheated, has elevated body temperature, experiences dehydration, or has an increased risk for injury.
Individual workers can use the mobile app to track their personal metrics; the app also sends alerts telling them to stop work if they’re overheated or need to rehydrate. The web-based team dashboard allows leaders to track their team’s wellness based on de-personalized, anonymous data. The dashboard offers actionable insights and uses predictive data analytics to help prevent heat-related injury or illness.
Occupational Health & Safety Magazine recently recognized the Kenzen smart patch with a 2020 New Product of the Year award. The technology is being adopted across industries, including mining, clean energy, and healthcare. Clearly, it offers the most benefit to individuals and teams that regularly work in high heat conditions. And other applications for the smart patch may quickly arise. For example, it could be used for early detection of fever, which might help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses in the workplace.
