Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology have invented a wearable fitness monitor marketed toward military training and patients with dementia. In addition to tracking fine-grained movements, the device also measures the humidity, temperature, and pressure of the ambient environment. It is sensitive to bio-signals that can be detected through the skin including heart rate, respiration, and electrical signals generated by the sympathetic nervous system as a person reacts to stimuli.
The team is seeking approval for the device as a tracker during combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. It could save money by detecting early signs of injury so that soldiers in training can pause their regime before a condition persists. For example, resting for 72 hours after a concussion could save a soldier from having to leave training all together.
For patients with dementia, the watch includes a GPS and communicates with nearby Bluetooth beacons for various location contexts.
The device uses machine learning-based analytics to recognize motions by the wearer.