Fatigue Science's wearable helps workers, pro athletes track sleep

By Aditi Pai
10:09 am
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ReadibandVancouver, British Columbia-based Fatigue Science has developed a wristworn wearable that tracks a user's sleep, called the FS Readiband. The device is designed for professional sports and heavy industries, like construction and mining, according to TechCrunch.

FS Readiband is waterproof up to 33 feet and offers 60-day battery life.

The device, which was FDA cleared in 2011, is currently being used by the Seattle Seahawks, the Seattle Mariners, the New York Giants, Vancouver Canucks, and the Dallas Mavericks. It was also used by the US Men’s National Soccer team before the World Cup to assess which players had good sleeping habits. At least 25 pro sports teams use Fatigue Science's offering. Industry clients include Rio Tinto, Goldcorp, and NASA. 

Fatigue Science also has a distribution partnership with Caterpillar Safety Services, which has developed the Cat Smartband, powered by Fatigue Science, a device that makes the connection between sleep, fatigue, and accident risk on and off the job site.

The data from FS Readiband is displayed on a desktop or tablet and shows how sleep is affecting the user's performance. From the data, professional sports teams can screen athletes for abnormal sleep patterns, focus resources on athletes that need the most attention, show players how better sleep can help them perform well, and monitor sleep debt levels. Teams can also group the data so that they can see separate reports for rookies, offensive players, and injured players.

Fatigue Science received $3 million in funding last fall. The company first launched in 2006, but changed management in 2012. Its current CEO Sean Kerklaan explained on his LinkedIn page that when he first joined the company he had to "eliminate millions of dollars in debt and become cashflow positive" because it wasn't when he was hired.

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