Wearables have become increasingly diverse in shape, form factor, and appearance as health and fitness tracking has proliferated recently. At his 4YFN at the MWC trade show, we discovered something new. It's a stick-on patch that helps athletes track sweat to monitor salt loss and adjust hydration strategies. The Spanish startup developing these (for now) disposable wearables is called Swanty (yes, that's not a typo).
“We create personalized hydration plans for athletes, and these plans are based on sweat analysis,” said co-CEO and founder Laura Ortorega Tanya. He explained that the system is designed to ensure athletes are hydrated with the right amount of electrolytes (or electrolytes). isotonic drink) after each training session. An analysis of the patch wearer's “sweat profile” is sent to a companion app, where they access a customized hydration plan.
This means that athletes must use a new patch every time they train. Or at least check in at key points during the training season (such as when temperatures change). Therefore, the cost of tracking will certainly increase. But professional athletes, whose main job is to improve their own advantage, are used to investing in their performance.
According to Ortorega-Tanya, proper hydration can improve athletes' performance by helping maintain energy levels and endurance, and reducing the risk of cramps. It also helps regulate body temperature.
Sweanty's wearable products are not yet available for purchase by athletes, but the company plans to launch them in Spain by the end of April. The price is also unconfirmed, but she suggests that a box of 3 patches will cost around 120 euros (plus 3 months of access to the subscription tracking service). ).
The wearable version on display here at MWC is designed to be worn on the skin at the base of the back. Although trail runners are the startup's initial focus, the patch could potentially be applied to all types of endurance and performance sports. (Swimming and other sports where users are submerged in water are exceptions; users should stick to manual methods of tracking salt loss, such as weighing before and after sessions.)
The team is also working on an iteration of a patch that retains electronic components after use, allowing only parts of the device to be disposed of after use.
The sweat analysis technology was developed and patented during Ortorega Tanya's doctoral studies. She highlights paper-based salinity measurement methods as a particular novelty here. The device basically wakes up when it comes into contact with the user's sweat.
“The measurements we are doing are paper-based methods. We use a battery with two electrodes placed on the paper inside, which stops working once the paper is completely dry. But sweat “When you absorb it, you get power that is directly related to the amount of salt it contains,” she told TechCrunch.
While the addressable market for athletes is fairly narrow, Ortorega-Tanya suggests the technology could have broader applications, such as active and fitness-conscious consumers who want to monitor their hydration. did. Or it can be used for worker safety use cases, such as construction workers or firefighters, who work in very hot environments where there may be occupational health risks. “The only condition we need is that they sweat,” she added.
Alerting caregivers to the risk of dehydration in older adults who may not be drinking enough is another potential use case she mentioned. But in that scenario, wearables would need to be redesigned to actively stimulate the wearer's sweat reflex and monitor salt loss, she said.
