Why the Waist

In this webinar, Vire’s Co-Founder Saku Levikari and Oura’s former Chief Scientific Officer Hannu Kinnunen explore how moving back to the waist with the Vire Clip has a profound impact on how we can read the rhythms and see the cycles of our body – to truly measure from the core.

The Next Wave of Wearable Tech: Moving Back to the Core

The wearable technology industry has seen a massive evolution over the last few decades. We started with waist-worn pedometers in the 1960s to track movement, and chest straps to monitor heart rate. 

By the early 2000s, the industry had gradually moved these sensors to the wrist and, finally, the hand. While this drastically increased user comfort, it came with a trade-off in signal accuracy.

Today, while industry pioneers recognize that the wrist and hands have become the status quo for wearables, it remains at our far physiological periphery when it comes to measurements.

According to wearable technology pioneer Hannu Kinnunen, while the first wave made activity and heart rate visible "the next wave will be defined by deeper, more reliable physiological signals".

The Waist Is a Reliable Source of Information for Wearables

To achieve this deeper level of reliability, devices like the Vire Clip are returning to the waistline. Here is why the core is the future:

• Center of Mass: The waist is naturally close to the body's center of mass.
• Optimal Signal Quality: It provides an optimal location for detecting movement, posture, and core body-related physiological signals.
• Balancing Quality and Comfort: The location determines both signal quality and wearing comfort, allowing users to effortlessly wear the device 24/7.

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From Raw Data to Real Health Transformation

With improved signal quality, it’s easy to believe that core=more. That’s not the full picture.

‍In a world where we fixate on numbers, having more data doesn't automatically equate to better health. As Hannu Kinnunen notes, "technology does not create health, but behavior can transform us". 

We believe that the goal of the Vire Clip shouldn't just be to churn out more numbers, but to provide physiologically valuable data so you can better listen, learn, and lead your own health journey. 

By moving from ‘how’ to ‘when’ we can then start to piece together the larger patterns that define our day to day, to aid us read our rhythms, see our cycles, and unlock a new level of contextual awareness of our body: timing.

When biological information is presented as part of your daily routine, health behavior becomes a conscious choice. The key is consistency.

Measuring from the Waist Creates Awareness 

To build a bridge between yourself and your physiology, you need reliable data that tracks your day and night seamlessly. The waist provides a unique advantage for this behavioral transformation:

• Deeper Insights: It unlocks second-generation metrics like continuous core temperature, heat flux, and respiratory mechanics.
• Unobtrusive Tracking: Because it is designed to be worn close to the core and under clothing, it becomes highly convenient. You simply forget about it, ensuring continuous data coverage.
• Contextual Awareness: The steady location allows the device to recognize exactly when you are standing, sitting, or shifting in bed, providing vital context to inform your choices to improve your daily habits.

Widening the Base: The Sensor Fusion Revolution

For over a decade, the cornerstones of smartwatch and smart ring measurements have been optical heart rate sensors and motion trackers. While these have stood the test of time, they have limitations on how much high-level insight they can provide.

As Saku Levikari, co-founder of Vire, explains, "the next logical step is to start widening the base" of the measurement stack. By introducing new physical measurements, developers can create a stronger foundation to build more valuable insights.

The Waist Is the Next Logical Evolution for Wearables

Moving the measurement back to the waistline allows the Vire Clip to monitor physical phenomena that are incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to measure reliably at the extremities. 

The waist unlocks three new categories of sensing modalities:

• Thermodynamics: It allows for the measurement of temperature and heat transfer, monitoring the heat produced by your metabolism around the clock.
• Kinematics: Because the core provides a stable base, the device can accurately define your 3D body orientation and posture.
• Mass Transfer: Situated underneath clothing, the waist is isolated from fast environmental fluctuations. This enables the measurement of skin humidity and water vapor transfer to estimate fluid loss through perspiration.

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