14 DAY TRIAL // Swimming is an activity that many people indulge in, but despite that, the waters of the world have claimed many lives over the centuries. Now, a wearable electronic device will make sure parents don't need to go frantic with worry when their children go out of their sight to swim.
Right now, most news about wearable electronics revolves around smartwatches and other things that can enhance one's life, or at least make it more fun than it already is.
Actually preserving that life and saving it haven't been the focus. That's usually what common sense and doctors are for.
Now, though, a new device has appeared that will actively ensure that the odds of you suffering a certain kind of death are as low as they can get.
Or, if you're already an adult and a family person, it will ensure that your children or other younger relatives will not drown on your watch. Or even when you're not keeping watch, like when you go to the restroom or answer the door.
Called the iSwimband, the device is quite versatile in how it can be worn. It can be a wristband, an armband, and even a headband. Indeed, the headband mode seems to be the preferred option.
Bluetooth technology is used to maintain a link to an iOS device, yours or that of your babysitter. It means that the range isn't quite the best, but then again that's a good thing. If you go beyond a certain range of the child, chances are you couldn't get back in time to pull them up if they spent too much time underwater.
You can even set the sensor in the iSwimband to send an alert whenever the child actually dives in a body of water (ergo, if they aren't allowed to go swimming). The rest of the time, the device will keep track of how long the child stays submerged and send out alerts when they take too long to surface.
All in all, this can be a very useful item for people who work full days and want some extra piece of mind when leaving their children in the care of a family friend or hired babysitter. It will also let parents lounge on the beach while their kids play, instead of forcing themselves to stay awake and focused on their offspring.
Finally, the associated iOS app can keep track of either of the sensors. The only thing it doesn't do is provide a homing beacon, but then again the iSwimband is not supposed to be a substitute for vigilance, only an extra layer of safety. $99 / €73 will net you the device and several bands it can strap to. Not sure when an Android app will be released.
