Britvic has announced that it has teamed with tech firm Sixty to develop a first-of-its kind wearable hydration monitor.
The device, which is expected to be available in summer 2020, will check the user’s hydration levels and alert them if they need to drink more liquid, especially while on-the-go. The device uses a technique called optical spectrometry that, when placed on the skin, can tell immediately if the wearer is dehydrated.
The announcement follows a research commissioned by Britvic, which found that 34% of Brits admitted to not drinking any water in a single day. The study found that a stunning 62% did not drink the recommended daily allowance of 2.0L – 2.5L, 20% last drank a glass of water over a week ago, and 4% admitted to not having drunk a glass of water in over a month.
Jo Marshall, marketing controller at Robinsons, said four out of five in the survey responded positively to the idea of a wearable hydration monitor. Marshall noted: “We are committed to helping people understand what healthy hydration is. This includes knowing when they’re dehydrated and may need to take on more fluids either at home or on-the-go, whether that’s water or something with some added flavour, such as Robinsons.”
Paul McAleese, founder of Sixty, added: “I’m hugely excited to be working with Britvic, to bring the issue of hydration to light and to be developing Sixty, which will provide a smart solution to monitoring hydration. As a runner, a I know the importance of staying hydrated, but having Sixty makes it much easier as it tells you how much you need to drink and when.”
NAM Implications:
- A leap forward for consumers where ’feeling thirsty’ fails to produce an instinctive response.
- Seriously, the research appears to indicate a high degree of consumer negligence ref rehydration.
- In which case, this extra reminder may help…
