Skin phantoms help researchers improve wearable devices without people wearing them

Just 2 layers of materials commonly used in biomedical labs can mimic the electrical properties of human skin.

Krittika Goyal, Assistant Professor of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology • conversation
Jan. 29, 2025 • ~7 min

How accurate are wearable fitness trackers? Less than you might think

A new study reveals strengths and weaknesses of the gadgets we use to monitor our lives.

Cailbhe Doherty, Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin • conversation
Aug. 20, 2024 • ~7 min

What we know so far about the rumoured Apple smart ring

What are the benefits and drawbacks of putting smart technology into a ring?

Erika Sanchez-Velazquez, Deputy Head of School, Computing and Information Science, Anglia Ruskin University • conversation
March 13, 2024 • ~8 min

Heart rate variability – what to know about this biometric most fitness trackers measure

Tiny fluctuations in the time between each beat of your heart can provide clues about how much stress your body is experiencing.

Anne R. Crecelius, Associate Professor of Health and Sport Science, University of Dayton • conversation
Dec. 26, 2022 • ~8 min

A button that tells your boss you're unhappy: why mental health wearables could be bad news at work

Wearables already monitor our physical health – is it time for them to track our mental health too?

Natalie Bisal, PhD Researcher, Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, Coventry University • conversation
Feb. 8, 2021 • ~8 min

Dynamic tattoos promise to warn wearers of health threats

Researchers are developing tattoo inks that do more than make pretty colors. Some can sense chemicals, temperature and UV radiation, setting the stage for tattoos that diagnose health problems.

Carson J Bruns, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
Sept. 24, 2020 • ~8 min

Wearable fitness devices deliver early warning of possible COVID-19 infection

Fitness information like resting heart rate collected by wearable devices can't diagnose diseases, but it can signal when something is wrong. That can be enough to prompt a COVID-19 test.

Albert H. Titus, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York • conversation
Aug. 7, 2020 • ~9 min

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