Ralph Lauren has licensed technology developed by OMsignal and debuted the results at the US Open. The shirt relays biometric information to an app on the wearer’s smartphone via Bluetooth LE. From the press release:

“It was clear from our very first meeting that Ralph Lauren had clarity of mind about the future of fashion tech,” said Stéphane Marceau, CEO of OMsignal. “Its legendary Polo brand and unparalleled design and merchandising capabilities make Ralph Lauren a natural partner to bring smart clothing technology into everyday lives.”

With OMsignal, the data collected by the shirt is stored by a “black box,” which includes an accelerometer and gyroscope, which capture movement and direction. That ”black box” transmits the data into the cloud, where it is plugged into a number of algorithms that gauge important performance-oriented biometrics, including heartbeat and respiration, as well as some psychometrics, such as stress level and energy output.

This is big, visible move for the venerable fashion brand, and is a fascinating model for other tech startups who are looking to find brand partnerships.

via Mashable

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