Ukrainians Release “Smart Shirts” to Monitor Vitals During Exercise

Ukrainian businessman Oleksiy Vynohradov and his partner, cardiologist Dmytro Fedkiv, have created a "smart shirt" called "HeartIn" that does an electrocardiogram in real time. They launched it on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and collected $18,000 of the $15,000 needed 19 days before the end of the campaign.

Video credit: Kickstarter

Ain.ua reported that the t-shirt is paired with a mobile app that enables more efficient exercise and can track heart abnormalities.

According to the creators of the "smart shirt", their ultimate goal is to ensure the early detection of heart problems.

"People don't want to buy a t-shirt just for a diagnosis. Thus the idea to combine the processes was born," said Vynohradov. "To give a better measurement of heart rate and heart rate variability, add reports on the results of training, wrap it up in one handy application and make the diagnosis in the process."

The "HeartIn" product consists of two components–shirts with electrodes that read the heart and a device with a Bluetooth-module.

Its battery lasts up to 24 hours. The creators promise that the shirt is strong enough to withstand an active workout and the washing machine.

All the data is transmitted in real time to a mobile app that gives advice on exercise intensity or the need to relax.

Prices for "HeartIn" on Kickstarter start at $179 for a t-shirt, which is 40% lower than the future retail price.

The manufacture date on Kickstarter is scheduled for September 2017, but Vynohradov said mass production will begin this week.