The 2014 FIFA World Cup is in full swing right now, and if matches like the United States’ late victory over Ghana continue to happen, you’ll probably have a few more gray hairs and require bottled oxygen by the time competition ends. Thankfully, there’s a new wearable that was announced yesterday for pre-order that can warn you when a stressful work day (or a nail-biter of a soccer match) is taking a toll on your respiration.
Called the Spire, this petite activity tracker is the first to monitor breathing patterns. Why are breathing patterns important to track? Breathing patterns, as you can guess, can be a good indicator of your mental state. Moreover, according to Spire, the average person is physically active and moving only about 14% of the day, but because breathing happens 100% of the day, Spire works the other 86% of the time where fitness trackers don’t. Spire can still track your steps and even your sleep like the other trackers do; in fact, it uses your breathing patterns to help gauge the intensity of your exercise.
Breathing patterns and measured activity are synced via Bluetooth Low Energy to an iOS app (Android app currently in development), which can be programmed to remind you to occasionally take deep breaths and perform other breathing exercises. Battery life is about a week, and the Spire charges wirelessly with a Qi compatible wireless charger. You can pre-order Spire now for $119 and it’ll start shipping in September.
And for your own health’s sake, please don’t forget to breathe as you cheer on your nation.
Pre-order here: Spire: Respiration and daily activity tracker for healthy body and mind…