When you think of smart wearables, smartwatches, fitness bands, etc., might pop up in your head. However, the wearable market extends beyond these into multiple emerging markets. One such emerging market is smart clothing for healthcare—smart shirts, smart blankets, smart socks and whatnot.
With the smart wearables market seeing an exponential rise, the number of companies and startups in the space are increasing. However, there is a company which started manufacturing smart shirts way back in 2013—Hexoskin. It developed its smart shirts with such precision that now they are being used in space by NASA and SpaceX for research purposes.
Let’s know more about Hexoskin and its offerings.
What is Hexoskin?
Hexoskin is a washable smart shirt with a connected health platform that monitors your heart rate, breathing rate, minute ventilation, blood oxygen levels and other activities like steps, calories burnt, sleep etc. It was the first of its kind wearable launched in 2013. Today, the company’s smart shirts are extensively being used for scientific research.
The Hexoskin shirts are machine washable. All you need to do is remove the connected Hexoskin device, wash it in a delicate cycle in the washing machine and hang it to dry. Then, attach the device again.
Its enhanced version Astroskin, is being used by academic and research organisations, first responders, defence, industrial, space and aerospace organisations. Trusted by NASA, SpaceX, Canadian Space Agency, Astroskin received the 2022 International Space Station Research Innovation Award for Human Health in Space.
Technology behind Hexoskin
Hexoskin shirts are made from Italian e-fabric and have three sensors woven into them—heart sensor, chest and waist breathing sensor. A 3D movement sensor is embedded in a connected device attached to the shirt.
Hexoskin shirt users get access to Hexoskin Connected Health Platform, an end-to-end system. The system collects and transmits health data through a secure network 24/7. Using connected Bluetooth technology, users can view the data in the Hexoskin App on their phones. It comes with 36+ hours of battery life and 100+ days of recording.
Hexoskin History and Growth
To create better wearable health technology, Jean Roy and Pierre Fournier founded Hexoskin in March 2006. It started with the aim of providing better healthcare to chronic heart patients.
With traditional systems, the patients had to wear devices with adhesives and wires to manage their vital signs, which the founders found awkward and less effective. So they set on a journey to create wearable technology with high patient adherence and diagnostic care. Owing to its potential technology, the company became the next big thing in the healthcare industry.
Hexoskin has raised over $4.2M in over six funding rounds. The Canadian space agency also invested in the company looking for innovative space health monitoring alternatives.
Hexoskin and competition
With the Global wearable technology market predicted to surpass $380 Billion by 2028 with an annual growth rate of 18.5%, the potential for Hexoskin technology is huge. However, it has immense competition.
Though Hexoskin started manufacturing smart shirts in 2013 and had a headstart back then, today’s market is filled with wearable devices from smartwatches and fitness bands to smart rings, which provide similar health monitoring data. When a user can purchase a smartwatch at $300 and use it for several years, why would they choose a smart shirt with lesser durability and which requires regular maintenance?
Another drawback for Hexoskin is it doesn’t have FDA clearance. With smartwatches like Apple, Withings etc., having FDA approval, they have an upper hand.
However, Hexoskin is making considerable strides in the smart clothing market and has plans to get FDA approval. While the smart clothing market has immense potential, it may see slow growth for the next three to four years. But beyond that, there is a bright and fast-growing market to tap, according to Aditya Kaul, research director for market research firm Tractica.
Therefore, it may take time for Hexoskin to penetrate the consumer market as deep as smart wearables from the big techs. However, Hexoskin smart garments have been used in over 100 scientific publications and are being used in space by astronauts and space agencies. It’s about time we give some recognition to Hexoskin and its remarkable technology.
What do you think about smart shirts? Let us know in the comments.
