Wearable tech, like a phone charging jacket, keeps you connected 24/7. It's cool and convenient and all, since a constant state of being plugged in is something we agree to because our lifestyles dictate it. Digital connectivity is not really life or death... as much as we'd like to think it is. But Cityzen Smoozi D-Shirt is wearable tech measuring important stuff, like heart rate and body temperature via sensors embedded in the fabric, and they can save your life. Now that's innovative and worthwhile wearable tech, like the Stiletto jewelry charms that alert 911 when you are in danger.
Smart shirts are the enterprise of Jean-Luc Errant, a French entrepreneur whose Cityzen company invented t-shirts, known as "D-shirts," as in "digital shirts," that allowed joggers to measure bodily functions. They've signed a deal with Asics.
He noted that he forgets essentials like keys or his cell, but he never, you know, forgets to get dressed. "Why force people to wear another object if we can fit sensors into the clothes on their backs?," he said. An excellent point, Mr. Errant.
The idea was born when a fellow mountain hiker had heart problems. "It's great knowing how many steps you’ve walked today and how fast your heart is beating, but really — who cares. The key is having products that will analyze what it all means and warn you that you may be at risk of having a heart attack or getting dehydrated," he said.
So it's more than a shirt. It's a pre-emptive move, one that gets you in touch with body processes.
Ultimately, for Errant, his wearable tech items are not really about fashion and function, but better living.
Here's what else we know about the D-shirt.
