Spire

Wearable activity trackers have quickly become common place and it is easy to understand why. The devices are so effective at monitoring steps taken, calories burnt, and sleep patterns that they have proven effective in motivating healthy changes. Your future wearable device might provide an even more important metric though, mental wellness. New devices are coming to market that monitor your stress levels or that can help energize / calm you. A recent report by U.S. News And World Report takes a look at several devices they believe have the potential to improve our mindfulness and usher in a new era of wearable technology. Among these is the stunningly designed Spire, a small “river stone” that clips to your clothing and houses sensors to monitor your breaths and breathing patterns. Based on that information, Spire can sense when you are stressed and send you notifications to guide you to greater calm. Being is a mindfulness tracker that is worn on the wrist and tracks your mood via heart rate variability. Microsoft even has items in development that physically react to your stress; MoodWings is a butterfly pin that flutters when you are stressed. These devices are designed around the goal of increasing mindfulness and creating healthier habits when we are not moving.

Stress is continuing to be a large issue for Americans; the APA’s yearly Stress In America survey found that