Writing for tech site Engadget, reviewer Mat Smith tried out a smart shirt made by U.K. company Prevayl, which hopes to sell in the U.S. soon. His tightly-fitting shirt claimed to contain an electrocardiogram with four times the accuracy of a heart rate monitor, in addition to tracking body temperature, breathing, recovery rate, caloric burn, and more. It sent his data to a smartphone app (of course!) where it color-coded the effort he put into his workout, and even displayed his cardiogram!
It certainly sounds pretty cool, and like a great gift for the tech nerd in your life. But is smart activewear truly cost effective? Smith reported that the Prevayl system (which includes the app, a community forum, and the technology) costs a minimum of £120 ($160 USD), at the time of writing, for both the Smart Tank and the sensor. Meanwhile, the Smart Sports Bra is £65 ($82 USD), and the Smart Shirt is £70 ($89 USD).
While tech-enthusiasts and gym junkies may want to splurge on smart activewear, not every critic is convinced that the high price tag is worth it.
