If your smartwatch isn’t enough, get ready for smart earrings

Yes, you may someday need to charge your earrings, too

The University of Washington“” data-modal-id=”single-image-modal” data-modal-container-id=”single-image-modal-container” data-img-caption=””””>

First there were smartwatches. Now smart rings are gaining popularity. Smart eyeglasses are starting to feel a little less Spy Kids and a lot more real-life, too. To be decked out in all of this wearable tech means having calls and notifications literally right on hand, having health information like calories burned and heart rate tracked, or even having the world through your eyes streamed live to social media (admittedly, very few of us are interesting enough to justify this).

There could someday be another smart wearable to accessorize with: smart earrings. Developed by the University of Washington, the Thermal Earring reads body temperature continuously via the earlobe. They feature a single stud, which houses the skin temp sensor, and a dangling sensor that monitors ambient temperature. According to the university’s findings published on February 7, this data could be useful for tracking stress, fevers, exercise, eating habits, or feminine health trends.

Related

Smart rings could teach smartwatches a thing or two about charging

Charging smartwatches kind of sucks, but it doesn’t have to

Qiuyue Xue, co-lead author of the project and a doctoral student in computer science and engineering, says that monitoring skin temperature via the earlobe instead of the wrist where the watch would sit is “much more accurate.” The Thermal Earring’s developers tested the smart wearable on six participants, and reportedly found that the earrings consistently outperformed smartwatches in accurately detecting skin temperature.

The Thermal Earring has a maximum battery life of 28 days and uses a form of low-power Bluetooth transmission to send out temperature data and preserve the battery. In the future, the smart earrings have the potential to charge via solar or kinetic energy as the wearer goes about their day with the earrings on. If cyborg-chic isn’t your style, the earrings are customizable with resin charms or gemstones.

The University of Washington“” data-modal-id=”single-image-modal” data-modal-container-id=”single-image-modal-container” data-img-caption=”null”>

Since the Thermal Earring is still in a development-focused prototypal stage, there are a few uncertainties in the specifics of this wearable. How, exactly, do you charge an earring the size of a paperclip? Would there be two identical smart earrings on the left and right ears, both gathering the same temperature data? Would one of the earrings be a non-smart decoy? Or could it someday be an option where one earring reads temperature data, while the other gains a different function? Will they be available in hypoallergenic sterling silver?

There’s some differing information out there on which part of the body temperature readings are the most accurate, with most studies on this matter done through a medical lens meant for short-term fever tracking devices. Apple Watches in the Series 8 family and later, plus any Ultra model, monitor temperature via the wrist, and there’s no shortage of users being impressed with the watch’s accuracy.

But the developers of Thermal Earrings claim that wearables like smartwatches aren’t currently able to read body temperature with the minute accuracy needed for users that track body temp for feminine health reasons. Other studies to refute or support their claims are still quite limited, but if they’re true, the Thermal Earrings are a symbol of hope for users that need smart wearables focused on ovulation and other critical factors of fertility and women’s health.