After a successful crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo, a smart ring is about to be launched that provides the wearer with a picture of their health and wellness.

The kickstarter campaign ended in March and raised over £700,000, more than six times its target and pre-orders for the Iris smart ring already top 4000.

The Iris ring uses PPG sensors that meet healthcare technology standards. A photoplethysmography (PPG) module is made up of an LED that shines light into the skin and a photodetector that collects that light from the tissue. The company says its PPG module is significantly smaller than those used by other wearable devices.

Also, competitors’ rings commonly have two photodetectors and four LEDs whereas the Iris ring comes with six photodetectors and 18 LEDs.

“This is a game-changing paradigm,” says a company statement. “After years of dedicated research, we developed a wearable technology like no other thanks to a unique spatial constellation of optoelectronic components that creates a device that is truly personalised, tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual.”

The Iris ring has been designed with style in mind as the company wanted it to look elegant and be comfortable to wear.

The company says it has taken a unique approach to the design of the ring, starting with its PPG technology and building the ring around it.

Iris prototypes include one that is a transparent so the wearer can see the spatial constellation of PPG modules inside. The second prototype is the Black Edition.

The technology not only results in a smaller size, but is said to reduces power consumption. This means that the rings require smaller batteries.

Features include personalised optical feedback, breathing rate monitoring, sleep tracking, blood oxygen levels (SpO₂), body temperature measurement, stress-related information, heart rate variability and heart rate monitoring, calories burned tracking, distance travelled while walking, and step counting.

These features will be accessible through a companion smartphone app, allowing users to track their progress and make informed decisions about their health and wellness.

Compatible with Android and iOS, the app lets users log their data into Apple Health and Google Fit, providing an overview of health and wellness. Plus, with the ability to export data in a table in CSV format, users can analyse their progress and make informed decisions about their lifestyle.

With Iris, users can monitor their heart rate variability and display the data directly on the app. They can see minimum and maximum HR in beats per minute, mean and maximum HRV in ms, and the temporal evolution of HR and HRV within a chosen time window. Users can also can track their heart performance continuously throughout the day.

The algorithm uses the PPG signals captured by the ring along with motion data and body temperature to provide an accurate and detailed analysis of sleep patterns. It also tracks heart rate and heart rate variability throughout the night. This information is then used to calculate sleep quality and provide insights into any disruptions in sleep.

Automatic workout detection lets users seamlessly track physical activity.

The LED lights can be customised to shine in different colours depending on needs. For instance, if out for a run and heart rate goes above threshold, it can be programmed to shine in red. It will give a visual cue that it’s time to slow down and take a break. Similarly, if the user has been sitting at a desk for too long, it can be programmed to shine in green, reminding the wearer to take a walk and stretch their legs.

Next year, the plan is to add an over-the-air update to track blood pressure. Also next year, an over-the-air update will add the capability of tracking fertility, combining heart rate, heart rate variability and medical grade body temperature.

The charger is a docking station designed to keep the ring charged and protected. It can charge a ring in 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the state of charge. Once fully charged, the ring can last for up to three days. Firmware updates are planned to prolong the battery lifespan.

First shipments of the ring are expected in September with mass production starting in November.