The Smart Ring will Monitor Chronic Illness Soon

The Oura Ring is no longer the only smart ring on the market. Movano, a health tech firm, is launching the Movano Ring at CES 2022, a wearable that seeks to help individuals track Chronic conditions and better comprehend their data on a budget. Heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, respiration, temperature, blood oxygen levels, steps, and calories burned will all be measured by the Movano Ring. Instead of a raw data dump, Movano claims it will clarify how your metrics connect to one another, allowing you to “take a more proactive approach to minimising Chronic illness risks.”

The Movano app, for example, might show you how your exercise habits affect your sleeping patterns or HRV over time. This is unsurprising, given that more wearable manufacturers are moving away from steps and calories in favour of simple ratings and insights. Scores are used by the Oura Ring, Whoop, and Fitbit to contextualise sleep and recovery data, although they are mostly used to tell you whether to push yourself or take it easy on a given day. They’re also accompanied by graphs and long descriptions, which might be overpowering at times. Movano wants its insights to be more actionable, according to the company.

The screenshots Movano gave The Verge thus far don’t show anything remarkable, but the data is presented in a more digestible manner than many other trackers. There are a few other features that distinguish the Movano Ring. To begin with, the device isn’t obnoxious and is extremely compact. According to Movano CEO Dr. John Mastrototaro, the gadget was specifically intended for women of all ages, therefore the emphasis on a slimmer form was a conscious choice. This is significant in two respects. For starters, historically, wearable technology has preferred typically male styles. Smart rings, such as the Oura Ring and the now-defunct Motiv Ring, have a tendency to be chunkier.

This is primarily due to the difficulty of miniaturising sensors with existing technology, but it also has the unintended consequence of making them less suitable for small hands. It would be a first to have a truly slim and streamlined smart ring. Second, just a few wearables firms prioritise women’s needs. Although some have attempted to address the problem, there is still a significant gender disparity in medical statistics. While the first Movano Ring will not have FDA clearances, according to Mastrototaro, the goal is to eventually obtain Class II status and add medical capabilities such as non-invasive glucose monitoring and cuffless blood pressure in a “step-by-step” way over time.