BSX is a wearable sensor company with an integrated optical sensor that simultaneously measures the body’s most critical biosignals, including hydration, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen and more. The BSX LVL is a wearable hydration monitor that gives you the complete picture of your health by also tracking activity, sleep, mood and HR.
Unlike traditional fitness devices on the market that use green light sensing technology called photoplethysmography (PPG), the LVL uses visible red light sensing near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The red light technology measures ten times deeper into the skin and body to provide better signal strength and significantly improve accuracy. In 2014, BSX developed and shipped the first ever wearable lactate threshold sensor, the BSXinsight.
LVL will interface with head units from Garmin, Wahoo, Stages and others meaning riders will have access to alerts on the state of their hydration while on the bike.
The LVL will show your current hydration state using a set of simple colors and graphical levels and letters ( vl, l, m, h) on its OLED touch screen.
Questions that can’t be answered yet are its accuracy in measuring hydration or how useful will it be for activities, training, and everyday use? I think it sounds extremely promising for sports and outdoor activities in the heat, especially for people that work outside, including the military in remote desert locations. Do you need to have proper hydration for optimal performance? There has always been some controversy surrounding overhydration, and there is an interesting scientific and in-depth book called Waterlogged by Tim Noakes MD on the topic.
Check out the LVL Band wearable hydration sensor Kickstarter campaign.
[youtube width=”853″ height=”480″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5-psMKP-kM[/youtube]
Press Release
LVL: Because Proper Hydration Can Account For A 6% Gain In Performance
Start-up introduces world’s first wearable that measures hydration in real-time
Austin, Texas (September 14, 2016) – Fitness tech company BSX Technologies announced today that it is taking on the wearables industry and tackling America’s most underestimated health problem – chronic dehydration – with a wrist-based fitness tracker that accurately measures the body’s real-time hydration levels. LVL (pronounced “Level”) is the first ever wearable fitness device to accurately measure hydration, as well as heart rate, sleep quality, activity, calories, and mood, in real time using a smart sensor with patented red light technology.
75 percent of the American population is in a chronic state of dehydration, which Freckleton learned the hard way during his first year of medical school when, at age 24, he suffered a stroke caused by dehydration. After spending three months recovering from its devastating effects, Freckleton dedicated himself to developing smarter sensing technology for real-time action. The goal was both to prevent others from suffering a similar fate and to help people enjoy the full benefits of staying properly hydrated, including better sleep, clearer thinking, improved exercise ability, healthier skin, weight reduction and much more.
“One of the major problems with hydration is that we’ve been taught our thirst drive is sufficient,” said Dustin Freckleton MD, Founder, and CEO of BSX Technologies. “In reality, our body’s natural signals only keep us from running empty. From our work and other peer reviewed studies, we know that an athlete who is just 1 to 2 percent below the ideal hydration level will suffer from a nearly 6 percent drop in performance. And athletes aren’t the only ones who suffer from dehydration – it can have serious impacts on anyone.”
Freckleton founded BSX in 2012, and the company’s team of medical doctors, sports scientists, and medical device engineers has spent more than four years studying hydration while developing and perfecting the technology that became LVL. Unlike wearables currently on the market, which use green light technology, LVL’s red light (or near-infrared light, aka NIRS) can look ten times deeper into the body and measure ten times as many physiologic signals simultaneously, all with industry-leading accuracy. In fact, red light is traditionally used in hospitals for its accuracy and breadth of measurement capabilities.
LVL is capable of tracking a person’s current hydration state as well as measuring the exact volume needed to achieve optimal hydration. It then integrates these recommendations with sleep and activity tracking to precisely show the immediate benefits for smarter hydration and the trended improvements that a person has experienced over time.
“BSX has a proven track record of developing innovative fitness technologies,” said Ethan Imboden, VP and Head of Venture Design at frog, the global design, and strategy firm that worked with BSX to develop LVL. “Our collaboration leverages their medical-grade NIRS technology into a nuanced and valuable product experience that makes new levels of performance and well-being available to both athletes and anyone interested in the significant benefits of proper hydration.”
With customizable straps, available in a variety of materials, LVL stands out in a sea of sameness amongst other fitness wearables. It displays its findings on a full-color touch screen as well as on a complimentary smartphone app connected via BLE. Now available for up to 50% off through a pre-order Kickstarter campaign (limited quantities), which launched today, LVL will hit retail shelves in early summer 2017 for $199.00.
About BSX
BSX Technologies is a wearable sensor company with an integrated optical sensor that simultaneously measures the body’s most critical bio signals – including hydration, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen and more. BSX is dedicated to using self-learning, sensor-driven technology to revolutionize the quantified-self experience and is focused on leveraging cutting-edge science to further our understanding of the human body. BSX is based in Austin, Texas and was founded in 2012.
For more information, please visit onelvl.com.
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