F1 drivers are getting biometric gloves that monitor the stress of racing
Pit crews will be able to keep a watchful eye on drivers thanks to new sensors at their fingertips.
The idea: F1 drivers are put through huge stresses during a race. Being able to monitor their vitals remotely will allow teams to keep a careful eye on them, say, or know what's happened to them following a crash.
The gloves: From this year, drivers will wear gloves that include a pulse oximetry sensor to measure heart rate and blood oxygen. The sensor is powered by a small battery that charges wirelessly and beams encrypted data up to 500 meters via Bluetooth. The gloves were in testing during 2017 but are now required. Temperature and breathing rate monitoring will be added in the future.
Why it matters: Staff from F1’s governing body established a startup, Signal Biometrics, to develop the sensors, which are thin, flexible, and fire-resistant. Like other advances first developed for F1, the technology could appear in consumer products before long.
Deep Dive
Humans and technology
Design thinking was supposed to fix the world. Where did it go wrong?
An approach that promised to democratize design may have done the opposite.
People are already using ChatGPT to create workout plans
Fitness advice from OpenAI’s large language model is impressively presented—but don’t take it too seriously.
These prosthetics break the mold with third thumbs, spikes, and superhero skins
Prosthetics designers are coming up with new ways to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin.
Mass-market military drones have changed the way wars are fought
The war in Ukraine has exposed that widely available, inexpensive drones are being used not just for targeted killings but for wholesale slaughter.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.