【Watch Kalakal Online】

Researchers at North Carolina State University have Watch Kalakal Onlinedeveloped an ideal wearable to pair with a fitness tracker for those extra sweaty workouts: a tiny Bluetooth-sensor that tracks skin hydration.

The sensors have much more potential than just reminding runners to drink up after a 5K — according to the research team, the hydration-tracking tech could be a valuable tool for monitoring vulnerable people working in stressful, hot conditions.

"It’s difficult to measure a person’s hydration quantitatively, which is relevant for everyone from military personnel to athletes to firefighters, who are at risk of health problems related to heat stress when training or in the field,” John Muth, a co-author of a paper describing the work, said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: These power suits could make your grandma's life much better

The researchers also believe the sensors can be applied in medicine as an unobtrusive method to track hydration data and even cosmetics as a means to determine the effectiveness of moisturizers.

Mashable Trend Report Decode what’s viral, what’s next, and what it all means. Sign up for Mashable’s weekly Trend Report newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

The flexible sensors consist of two electrodes that monitor the "electrical properties of the skin," which are made of an elastic polymer composite that contains conductive silver nanowires. They can be worn on an adhesive chest patch (as seen below) or on a wristband.

The wristband and chest patch both include a full suite of monitoring tech and Bluetooth capabilities. That way, the data it collects can be wirelessly transmitted to other devices for monitoring.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Existing tech for monitoring body hydration is typically expensive, and it involves rigid probe-like devices, whereas these sensors could cost as little as one dollar to produce, with total manufacturing costs of the patch and wrist wearables in line with those of comparable tracking devices, like the Fitbit. For comparison, the researchers claim the monitor they measured their sensor against in tests costs $8,000.

With other hydration monitoring wearables primed to hit the market later this year, this type of tech could soon become another standard measure in our increasingly trackable lives. Just be sure to get your own water bottle when it comes time to fuel up.

---

Featured Video For You

---

This simple device creates clean water for those who need it

---

• Games
• Science
• Deals
• Life
• Social Good
• Digital Culture
• Entertainment
• Tech

• Google 'Ask for me:' AI that calls businesses on your behalf for pricing and availability
• The Weeknd, Belly pull out of Kimmel performance over Trump
• Kia's giant hamsters are back, and this time they're culturally sensitive
• Neymar gives us the 2018 World Cup flop we truly deserve
• CES 2025: 7 AI
• Adele forgets her own lyrics, handles it like a true Adele
• Leaked Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 image hints at new feature
• Shocking photos show the extent of second wildfire in the north of England
• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for December 25
• Michelle Wolf throws down her best 'life

• The Best Video Game Handguns
• Google Workspace gets a major AI overhaul: All the Google I/O updates
• How to Reboot and Reset Android Devices
• Kansas mom sues adult sites after teen accessed content
• One of Android's Easter Eggs is a Flappy Bird
• Stablecoin bill advances in U.S. Senate as Trump critics call to end his crypto dealings
• Useful or Little Known Android Features
• 10 Free Steam Games Worth Playing
• RAM Matters: How Much Do You Need for Gaming? 4GB, 8GB, 16GB or 32GB
• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 21, 2025

• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids: $139.99 at Amazon
• Instagram is reportedly testing a 'questions' feature for Stories
• Somebody bought $1 million worth of toys for local kids as Toys 'R' Us closed for good
• Neymar gives us the 2018 World Cup flop we truly deserve
• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for December 15: Tips to solve Connections #83
• Why California's County Fire has rapidly spread through wine country
• Nothing to see here, just the Queen with a lizard tongue
• Drake's 'Scorpion' broke some serious streaming records in 24 hours
• Albania announces one
• Someone put glasses on the floor of a museum and people thought it was art

• They met on Tumblr, and their relationship outlasted their accounts
• 'The Crew 2' wants to be good but feels so empty
• A man helped his friend clear out her attic and ended up discovering a trove of LGBTQ history
• HTC lays off nearly a quarter of its entire workforce
• Then and Now: 5 Generations of GeForce Graphics Compared
• ADcase is a high
• Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi looks to launch in the U.S.
• 'Spider
• Dating app happn launches AI
• Planet formation around distant star captured by astronomers