The new product is a little different from tracking the number of steps that a person takes. According to Mashable, a new wearable device called Ava is designed to help couples assess data and to time the most appropriate moment to conceive.
The device assesses such factors as pulse rate, breathing rate, skin temperature, movement and heat loss, and uses the information to interpret when a woman is most likely to become pregnant (as with most of fertility-led research, the focus is on the woman). The aim is to announce five days each month when a woman is at her most fertile.
In trials the Ava device, manufactured in Switzerland, has offered equivalent accuracy to other methods to assess fertility, such as taking a temperature or carrying out ovulation tests. A first generation device was launched in July 2016. Recently a new wave of funding has been targeted for work to begin on a second generation version of the bracelet-style device.
The fertility wearable recently raised $9.7 million through external funding. The biggest investment came from a venture capital company called Polytech Ventures. Investments have flowed in once the Ava device gained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA.) Most of the funding will go towards product development and further trials.
The device has an estimated retail price of $199. The key selling point is with avoiding the need to undertake other, more intrusive, tests. Further developments with the device could aid other aspects of female health, such as collecting information about menopause.
In related news, industry experts from Transparency Market Research have undertaken an evaluation of the global wearable medical technologies market and are predicting significant growth in the sector. The biggest growth is with wristband devices and new products in the pipeline include wrist band types to allow a patient to assess their pulse; review their sleep patterns, or send out signals should a person fall over.
