Recently, there has been a large increase in the emergence of fitness tracking devices. They range from bracelets, like the Fitbit, to wearable shirts, like Hexoskin.
Hexoskin is a smart shirt, which uses three sensors to measure sleep, activity, heart rate, heart rate variability, breathing rate, and breathing volume.
Hexoskin’s Founder, Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, set out in 2005 to create a company that would allow people to reflect on their own health. Using his and his partner’s engineering backgrounds, they sought to find a way to put sensors on the body of people to track all of this data. One thing he was sure to keep in mind was how to ensure that the sensors did not impact the lifestyle of individuals.
“If we wanted to put censoring on people without affecting lifestyle, we had to build the sensor into what people already wear to hide the censors,” Fournier said. It was then that the decision was made to create a smart shirt.
Fournier was keen to point out how convenient the concept of the shirt is.
“All people have to do is get dressed in the morning and they will begin monitoring. They do not even realize they are monitoring,” said Fournier.
The shirt includes three heart sensors, which allow the user to train in their optimal heart rate zone and track ones resting heart rate. It also includes a chest and waist sensor, which gives the user information on breathing rate and minute ventilation as well as tracking the user’s breathing during sleep. Lastly, the movement tracker tracks steps, cadence, and pace.
Hexoskin also has a mobile application for the user to access all of the data as well as providing easy access to all the data the shirt collects from the user.
Hexoskin, according to Fournier, is a much different form of tracker than simple activity trackers. He does, however, attribute some of Hexoskin’s success to such devices.
“Trackers like Fitbit are doing a great job at getting people involved with their health,” Fournier said. “At some point, however, these people will want more precise information. Hexoskin provides a lot more data and multiple streams of data.”
As per the future of the company, Fournier simply stated that Hexoskin has ambitious plans.
For more information on Hexoskin, view this promotional video.
Pierre–Alexandre Fournier, Founder of Hexoskin, will be speaking at The Internet of Things Summit is taking place in San Francisco on November 6-7 at Broadway Studios. The summit will host a wide range of speakers from startups toestablished companies to leading researchers, exploring how IOT technologies will affect the future of business and society, and what challenges we will face by integrating them. Register here using the SportTechie discount code SPT20 for 20% off: re-work.co/internet-of-things