At this week’s CES in Las Vegas, Japanese firm Don is demonstrating a belt for monitoring daily health.

Called Vital Belt, the abdominal belt-type sensing wearable device combines concepts cultivated through years of apparel development with millimetre-wave sensing technology. It introduces an approach to daily health monitoring that is non-invasive.

For the past decade, Don’s Taion brand has grown by adding value to clothing through innovations such as heating modules. As it developed more gadgets, it became increasingly aware of pressing social challenges including the growing medical burden the advancement of an aging society and the rising awareness of self-care. Against this backdrop it recognised the need for a wearable device that enables people to monitor their physical condition daily with a focus on preventive care and everyday safety management.

Focusing on the waist as a location where subtle changes in physical condition can be easily detected, this led us to the development of a belt-type wearable.

Vital Belt performs mm-wave sensing around the waist. Unlike conventional smartwatches or ring-type devices, the belt does not require direct contact with the skin. It enables the measurement of respiration, pulse and body movement even when worn over clothing. This approach enables the visualisation of physiological data that have traditionally been difficult to capture. Multiple patents have been obtained for vital sensor attachment methods at the belt position.

Cross-analysing data from wrist- or finger-based wearables with breathing and motion data captured by the belt shows potential to achieve significantly more precise health management. The device aims to detect subtle changes in breathing patterns to show early signs of stress and postural imbalance. Looking ahead the abdominal sensing position opens possibilities for future applications including observations related to foetal activity and gut conditions, as well as cellular activation through frequency-based approaches that raise deep body temperature. There could also be conditioning applications based on the brain-gut connection.

It has an intuitive user interface and a naturally fitting attachment system using neodymium magnets. The structure separates the buckle unit (sensing device) from the belt section (base plate). The buckle can be removed independently for charging while the belt itself can continue to be worn as a regular belt. In addition, the belt section can be customised by changing its design material and colour.

Upon accessing the app, users complete authentication and calibration to enable data collection optimised for each individual. In addition to health management, breathing pulse and sleep accumulated data can provide recommendations and behavioural insights.

Examples of breathing-based applications include yoga, beauty and meditation breathing, as well as focus-enhancing and stress-reduction breathing. The system can also detect environmental conditions and body movement enabling real-time safety support for example detecting stair use by elderly users and issuing alerts when necessary.

In Japan, the firm has unveiled prototype samples. While challenges remain – such as communication methods and noise processing – developments are underway to address these issues. Moving forward, it plans to enhance accuracy and usability through user testing followed by test sales for OEM partners. For corporate clients, it is also developing applications that enable employee health monitoring through centralised management systems.

The Vital Belt (vital-belt.com) on show at CES is a prototype. The company hopes for a general release in 2027. Details of its stand at CES can be found at exhibitors.ces.tech/8_0/exhibitor/exhibitor-details.cfm?exhid=001Pp000010OC7fIAG.