In this era affected by the pandemic, personal health is everyone's mind. Many people care about disease prevention, while others seek ways to maintain their health. Regardless of intention, each of us wants to lead a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, the rise of wearable devices allows us to monitor our health as never before.

By using accurate wearable biometric sensor systems, today's wearable devices can collect and analyze real-time personal data, such as heart rate and sleep patterns. Among technology and sports consumers, wearable devices are becoming more and more popular. In the United States, two-thirds of people use wearable devices.
Many current biometric sensors on the market have proven to be accurate, flexible, and can be expanded to a variety of sizes, such as smart watches, earplugs and armbands. Thanks to technological innovations in microcontrollers (MCU) and systems on a chip (SoC), new wearable devices can now measure more than just basic biometric data. Functions such as continuous blood glucose monitoring, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring, and mood and stress monitoring are becoming more and more popular and are expected to be widely adopted by the general public.

Overall, biometric solutions are rapidly gaining popularity because they are ideal choices for a variety of different IoT products and applications. This article will explore some of the continuing development trends in biometric technology and how our health can benefit from these developments.

1.Continuous blood oxygen saturation monitoring

Many wearable devices, such as smart watches and fitness trackers, are already measuring basic health information, such as heart rate and steps taken. However, advances in sensor technology enable wearable devices to provide more continuous and comprehensive monitoring.
American circuit designer and manufacturer Maxim recently released a new wrist-based system designed to continuously monitor blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels and heart rate variability. SpO2 can measure the oxygen content in the blood and can gain insights into sleep patterns, heart health and respiratory function. It can even help detect COVID-19.

As biometric measurements become an indispensable part of our lives, how to perform these measurements is evolving rapidly. For example, Apple’s AirPods are expected to integrate ambient light sensors (ALS) in its next-generation devices, which will provide a less intrusive way to monitor user health.

2. Improve mental health monitoring

In addition to basic biometric data, wearable devices are also beginning to collect more complex information, such as anxiety and stress, to improve our mental health. Some next-generation products even promise to measure the emotional state and stress level of their users.

Wearable devices in the future will be able to provide more insights into our physical and mental health. These wearable devices are becoming more and more common, and even doctors and mental health professionals all over the world are using these technologies.

3. Real-time blood pressure monitoring

It is no secret that high blood pressure is harmful to your health. However, monitoring blood pressure is not easy. The blood pressure cuff is difficult to put on correctly and needs to be calibrated regularly. The result is usually an inaccurate measurement.

Due to the advancement of biometric sensors, blood pressure technology has made a huge leap. This year, biometric technology company Valencell launched the world's first calibration-free and cuffless blood pressure technology.

By integrating this technology into consumer wearables and audible devices, you can get accurate blood pressure readings using the devices you already use every day. You can measure your blood pressure while listening to music or watching a performance, but the people around you don’t know.