Real-Time Sweat Analysis: Improving Workouts and More

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a wearable device designed to analyze sweat in real time, with potential applications for athletes and medical diagnostics. Participants explore the implications of such technology, including its effects on workouts, hydration monitoring, and broader societal impacts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants highlight the potential for the device to analyze metabolites and electrolytes in sweat, which could inform users about muscle fatigue and hydration levels.
  • There are humorous speculations about the device's future capabilities, such as providing dietary advice based on sweat analysis.
  • Concerns are raised about the practicality and implications of having such devices in everyday life, including the potential for false alarms and privacy issues.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the feasibility of integrating such technology into personal health monitoring, referencing past medical technologies like pillcams.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a mix of curiosity and skepticism about the technology, with humorous takes on its potential applications. However, there is no consensus on the practicality or desirability of such devices in daily life.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about the technology's capabilities and societal implications, but these remain unresolved and speculative.

alw34
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This headband analyzes your sweat to improve your workout
They have "...developed a wearable device that can analyze multiple components of sweat in real time, according tohttp://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nature16521 published in Nature today. That may have implications for doctors as well as athletes, because the metabolites and electrolytes that the human body secretes in sweat can be used to determine muscle fatigue as well as hydration levels."

http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/27/10840680/sweat-wearable-analysis-real-time-berkeley

What a way to sell sports drinks! Can you imagine what's going to happen when they discover girls are NOT all 'sugar and spice and everything nice'?

Next these devices will be in my toilet and I'll have to listen to announcements: "ALW we are concerned about all that wine you just drank...What vintage is it?? Stop drinking Italian and drink French" or " "That was not an 'organic' asparagus you just ate."

One wonders what other diagnostics must be under investigation. This device could connect to your ipad and cell phone and contact your doctor.,,,output charts plotting your electrolyte losses...alarms going off when they drop too rapidly? Cold virus detection from that guy who just sneezed next to you? A friend touches your arm and you find, ughhhh, her hand is loaded with germs? You find the US government admonition to sneeze into you curled arm leaves your blouse drenched in crud? What a way to sell detergent!

It's not enough we have people getting run down by cars, drivers getting into accidents, and people falling off cliffs while texting? Add google type heads up displays... and somebody thought electrical engineering employment might be waning.
 
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alw34 said:
Next these devices will be in my toilet and I'll have to listen to announcements: "ALW we are concerned about all that wine you just drank...What vintage is it?? Stop drinking Italian and drink French" or " "That was not an 'organic' asparagus you just ate."
:DD
 
Dave, this is not funny.

A toilet alarm suddenly blaring at me and I might fall in.
 
It could be expanded to also act as a coach.

"Breeeeeathe... OK now PUUUUUSHHH!"
and
"You missed a spot."
 
DaveC426913 said:
It could be expanded to also act as a coach.

For an instant I thought that was 'couch'...And all of a sudden I had visions of a monitor used to detect any anti government dreams, ala '1984' but more like '2084'.

We already get fined for false house alarms...burglaries, etc; can you imagine all the chaos via false body monitor alarms?? Let's hope we can just stick with Life Alert [the button thingy advertised here in the US].

And I am reminded also of colonoscopys, which at least are properly scheduled events... and what are those 'pillcams' one swallows? Pretty soon "they" will have them miniaturized and in our Cheerios to see if anyone has consumed banned meats. Or has eaten too much in violation of soon to come Obamacare dietary restrictions.

[Actually, my father in law had a 'pillcam' inspection recently and by gosh it detected a perforated something or other and he got promptly rolled into surgery...all is well there...so I have to admit, there ARE benefits.]