Don’t have enough connected accessories? Wearing them in your ears could become a reality, and the idea may not be as futile as it seems.
You don’t have to be Iron Man to track your heart rate, daily step count or body temperature in real time. Today’s technology knows how to do this perfectly at low cost, and the market is now flooded with connected watches capable of providing this type of information.
In fact, it seems that more and more accessories are intended to be packed with sensors. After AI-enhanced glasses or smart rings, “ the next big thing » could well cling to your earlobe.
Connected to the end of the lobes
In the laboratories of the University of Washington, the idea of connected earrings took a rather realistic turn. Indeed, Qiuyue Xue and her team from the University of Washington have worked on a prototype whose primary purpose is to measure the temperature of its wearer.
The device takes the place of a normal earring, with a skin temperature sensor at the lobe and an ambient temperature sensor hanging lower. This is also where the other components of the device are located, such as the battery and the Bluetooth transmitter, which can operate without being recharged for almost 28 days. Everything can be personalized with precious stones or resin charms, so as not to falter the first Cristina Córdula who comes along.
The team was able to publish its first results on February 7 and notes that its prototype is relevant for monitoring the evolution of stress, fever, physical exercise or eating habits. Better yet, these earrings could be the perfect tool for women who need reliable fertility tracking.
A small but precise accessory
Xue and her team’s smart earrings were tested on six different people and compared to various smart accessories, including watches. Their result is clear: their device is “ much more precise » to measure body temperature than those placed around the wrist.
Indeed, for researchers, smartwatches are not the best tools for obtaining estimates of ovulation period or any other critical factor in women’s fertility and health. It remains to be seen whether these results will be confirmed by other trials. However, if the promises of these earrings are kept, we could well be dealing with a very useful and crucial connected gadget for a large number of people.
You have a little time left before making an appointment with your favorite piercer. We are not close to seeing a ” iEarring » on the market, and Xue’s team still has some work to do on their side. There are still a few details to be resolved, such as the integration of other features with, why not, the use of a second earring, or the solution to adopt for recharging the battery.
Source : Android Police
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