Challenge
Wearable tech for staying safe in the sun
Being out in the sun can do wonders for your health and mood. For some of us it can also result in a good-looking tan. However, sun exposure also comes with some health risks. There’s a balance to be struck, and technology may hold the answer. Wearable tech that monitors Vitamin D intake, UV exposure, time in sun and sunscreen reminding alarms could help promote healthy sun exposure while limiting the negative side effects.
Advertising guru Karin Edgett and NASA scientist Shahid Aslam started SunFriend in 2011 to combat the scourge of skin cancer in the US. They’ve designed a wrist-wearable device that measures direct sunlight using the UV index (UVI). The UVI is an internationally recognised standard of measuring radiation in clear skies or through clouds, and SunFriend reads this data to report back through LED lights on how much exposure the wearer is getting. Of course, we all have different UVA and UVB tolerances. The only input to SunFriend is your skin sensitivity – on a scale of 1 to 11. This is down to personal experience, and can be adapted as you measure your own exposure and preference. In all cases, SunFriend will alert you when it’s time to apply sunscreen, go inside, and when you’ve absorbed your optimal amount of daily Vitamin D.