Santa Clara, California-based VivaLnk is officially selling Fever Scout, its FDA-cleared, smartphone-connected wearable thermometer patch for children. The soft, peel-and-stick patch is now available for $59.99 in-store at Best Buy locations across the country as well as online at Amazon, Target and the company’s own website.
The flexible, adhesive Fever Scout patch is designed to be worn under an infant or child’s arm (but can also be used for adults, the company told MobiHealthNews), and it continuously monitors temperature and sends results via Bluetooth to a parent’s smartphone. The patch, which is reusable and works with replacement adhesives, has a range of a 131 feet and a rechargeable battery than can be used for a week straight before needing to be charged.
“We put a lot of thought into this as far as the low power design and the connectivity,” VivaLnk CEO and cofounder Jiang Li told MobiHealthNews. “It’s easy for parents and children, it can be worn when they are sleeping, it feels more like a sticker than a medical device. And it passed the chew test.”
Originally announced at CES 2015, Fever Scout was slated for an earlier release but delayed their launch a few times in order to stay in accordance with a change in FDA guidelines mid-2015. The company received clearance of the device in January of this year.
While it’s mainly intended for children, Li said Fever Scout could also be used to remotely monitor other patients, such as those who are elderly, post-operative or dealing with a complex condition like cancer. With the ease of use and the company’s trademarked eSkin technology, Li said they are looking at many next generation uses for the patch as well as exploring partnerships with hospitals and healthcare systems to build an entire remote monitoring system.
“We are examining ways we could incorporate more functionality in the patch, adding sensors for other vital signs or EKG monitoring,” Li said. “Eventually, we want to create an entire platform to work with an entire kit of our sensor technology. “
