Taking Self-Tracking to the Next Level

The era of self-assessment and self-tracking has made another leap forward with the introduction of the Hexoskin.  In short, it is a sports-style undergarment (that fits snugly and is ready for moisture like any good athletic undergarment) with built in sensors that can track what is going on inside your body.

The Hexoskin measures, among other things:

• Heart rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
• Breathing rate and volume
• Step count and cadence (if you are willing to wear a snug undergarment at night)
• Activity intensity and calories burned

Not surprisingly, the information captured by the Hexoskin syncs wirelessly with computers and hand-held devices with apps waiting to collect, interpret, graph and compare your results.

Perhaps what is most amazing about the Hexoskin is that it is not all that surprising.  This all seems doable and of course someone would come up with it.  Right now, the Canadian company behind Hexoskin, Carre’ Technologies, is focused on premier athletes and their trainers.  They are fully aware, however, that the applications for their product extend from home health monitoring to space exploration.

It is exciting to see products like this coming to market.  Of course, I want one, but I will wait for the $700+ price to come (way) down—and you have to assume it will.  I would also like to make use of such a product for rehabilitation.  I want to work on my own (ongoing) rehab to understand blood flow to muscle groups, firing of certain muscles—I want the full body Hexoskin that can help me understand which muscles I am working and stretching and where I am weak.  Where are my blockages, etc?

Perhaps by monitoring pulse and temperature, the Hexoskin can give additional insight that will open up a whole new set of capabilities.

Bottom line it is very exciting.  Check out Hexoskin and share with us what you would want out of it.  We will compile the insights and get it on Carre’ Technologies’ “To Do” list!!