Japanese Firm Introduces CALM., An ECG Wearable Monitor For Triathletes To Yogis
By Ben Rains / May 5, 2017
Tokyo-based healthcare consulting firm Eagle Matrix Consulting hopes to bring the first batch of its new electrocardiogram wearable, CALM., to athletes in Japan, the U.S., and Canada by July. The CALM ECG wearable aims to let users better monitor their cardiovascular performance during everything from endurance sports to sleep.
Like all ECG or EKG monitors, CALM. detects the heart's electrical activity levels. Today, ECG monitors have become relatively prevalent in sports, and like many others, CALM tracks, detects and makes the user aware of irregular heart rhythms through heart rate variability analysis. By monitoring an array of cardiovascular metrics, Eagle Matrix's device detects irregularities or warning signs in order to help athletes understand how hard they are working their bodies and if and when they should stop "pushing" too hard.
Two-years in the making, CALM. was born from a tragedy. "Last year a friend of mine had a heart attack during a triathlon event, and it was a wake-up call for us," Eagle Matrix CEO Yoshito Date said in a statement. "This incident motivated me to develop something that can give serious athletes an easy to use tool to analyze their body condition."
The roughly half ounce, sweat resistant monitor lasts up to three days on a full USB-based charge. CALM. can be worn with a tight-fitting chest strap below the breastbone near the bottom of the heart during exercises such as running. The ECG monitor can also be attached with adhesive gel strips placed directly on the skin for activities such as yoga.
CALM.'s accompanying Bluetooth-connected iOS and Android app displays all of the heart-based data collected in real-time graphs and visuals. Users can then save all of their data in the cloud. "For those who want to push their physical and mental abilities to the limits while knowing when to take it easy and recover, CALM. is a true gift," Date said. However, Eagle Matrix states that CALM. should not be used a for "medical treatment or diagnoses."
The Japanese company's new ECG monitor will also track and analyze sleep efficiency, breaths, and recovery, as well as focus, stress, and relaxation. The adhesive gel-version of CALM. enables users to wear the ECG monitor, with minimal discomfort, while sleeping.
Eagle Matrix claims, that unlike wrist-based sleep monitors that often only measure physical movement such as restlessness, CALM. is able to track both heart and lung function. The company hopes a more detailed look into sleep-based body functions will allow users to self-monitor how their different daily routines, such as exercise or diet, might affect their sleep patterns.
CALM. is able to measure heart rate variability and respiration, which both correspond to the autonomic nervous system. This technology allowed Eagle Matrix to develop what it calls its "CALMness" metric. CALMness provides users with scores based on how ECG's core metrics relate to relaxation, focus, and both physical and mental stress.
As of Thursday, the company had raised 469 percent of its $10,000 initial Indiegogo fundraising campaign goal with 24 days left. The crowdfunding price for CALM.'s sensor kit, which includes the ECG sensor, chest strap, and charging cable is set at $99. It is scheduled to retail for $120, while a 10-pack of the disposable gel adhesive pads are set to cost $12.
Beginning the mass production next week. Keep supporting #CALM. https://t.co/WqTO4cNm44 #Wearable #Tech pic.twitter.com/KiSKR1Hq9z
— CALM. (@CALM_health) May 3, 2017
, Health and Fitness, Sports Science, Wearables