These Stickers Display Sun Damage and Air Pollution in Real Time

From
coast-to-coast smoke to record-breaking heat waves, going outside can be pretty scary, especially this past summer.

That’s why San Francisco-based startup LogicInk is creating simple, stick-on sensors that give you live feedback about some of the nastier elements in the environment.

Their first product, LogicInk UV, can detect harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can increase your risk of skin cancer. Like a mood ring, the two circles on the sticker change color based on your UV exposure at the moment and your cumulative exposure over the course of a day, factoring in your sunblock. That way, you know when to re-apply sunscreen, go inside, seek shade or cover up. The waterproof stickers are already on the market and can be worn all day and discarded after use.

LogicInk recently launched a
Kickstarter to raise funds for its other wearables in the pipeline. The developers are creating ones that display your levels of hydration, blood alcohol concentration and temperature. They also have a prototype that can indicate harmful air pollutants.

LogicInk

“We started LogicInk with the realization that we could use programmable materials—the ink—instead of electronics to take wearables to the next level of adoption,” Carlos Olguin, the co-founder and CEO of LogicInk, told EcoWatch.

Olguin said he wanted to create an alternative to electronic wearables, which can be cumbersome, unaffordable or too complicated to use, and “yet many people still want to learn more about what’s going on in their body or environment.”

Another plus with their patch is you don’t have to hook it up to another electronic device, like a smartphone, to read your stats. Although, if you like that option, the company is working on a mobile app that allows you to scan the sticker to track your exposure history.

Olguin added that he wants to give people more options to live “a healthier and longer life.”

At a E14
presentation in May, Olguin said the company has already raised $1 million in pre-seed funding and is looking for more investment.

Watch their Kickstarter video here:

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/286385306 expand=1]