Engineering the Next Generation of Wearable Health Devices

Engineering the Next Generation of Wearable Health Devices

As expectations grow for what wearable devices can do, so too do market demands. Precise health insights delivered from a fashionable, comfortable device that integrates seamlessly into daily life is what delivers tangible user value and adoption. Achieving this requires overcoming significant engineering and design challenges. This means developing solutions that push beyond existing technologies and address key problems head-on. 

The Engineering Process: Turning Vision Into Reality

For engineers and product teams, building the next generation of wearables isn’t just about creating functional prototypes—it’s about solving integration challenges under pressure. How do you embed advanced sensors while managing power constraints? How do you ensure reliable performance when environmental conditions vary?

True innovation comes from relentlessly testing for real-world unpredictability, not just lab perfection. Teams are refining precision algorithms, material durability, and sensor scalability to meet market demands without trade-offs. Success comes from tackling edge cases early—because real users don’t live in controlled environments.

Overcoming the Accuracy vs. Usability Trade-Off

One of the fundamental challenges companies face is the trade-off between accuracy and usability. High-precision health sensors often require bulkier designs, which compromise the wearability and comfort that users expect.

To solve this, companies are leveraging modern innovations like ultrasound sensors, which can deliver precise data without increasing device size. Unlike traditional optical sensors, ultrasound technology can measure blood flow and pressure, hydration, and tissue characteristics non-invasively with exceptional accuracy. These sensors enable the development of lightweight, compact devices that don’t sacrifice performance.

Materials Innovation: Building for Durability and Comfort

Health wearables are worn for extended periods, so they must be both durable and comfortable. Companies face the challenge of developing materials that are lightweight, flexible, and biocompatible, while also ensuring long-term durability under daily use.

Advances in thin-film technologies and smart materials are transforming how wearables are designed. Thin films allow sensors and electronics to be seamlessly integrated into flexible substrates, enabling devices to conform to the body’s natural contours. Smart textiles, for instance, can embed sensors directly into fabrics, creating health-monitoring garments that feel like regular clothing.

Materials science also plays a crucial role in ensuring these devices perform reliably in diverse conditions. Companies are developing water-resistant, breathable, and skin-safe materials that provide stable sensor contact without causing discomfort or irritation.

Engineering for Integration: Ecosystems and Data Flow

Health wearables don’t exist in isolation. Modern devices must integrate seamlessly with cloud platforms, healthcare systems, and third-party applications to deliver meaningful value. This creates significant technical challenges, particularly in terms of data flow, connectivity, and security.

Companies must optimise data transmission to ensure low-latency, real-time updates without compromising user experience. Edge processing—where data is processed locally on the device—is one solution, as it reduces reliance on cloud connectivity while enabling faster insights.

Security is another critical consideration. Companies are implementing advanced encryption protocols and secure data architectures to protect sensitive health information from breaches while maintaining seamless communication. Optimising connectivity, edge processing, and secure data integration ensures that wearable devices deliver real-time health insights while maintaining user trust.

Real-World Testing: Engineering Beyond the Lab

Lab performance is just the beginning; health wearables must deliver consistent, reliable results in real-world conditions. Companies must account for variability in placement, motion, user habits, and environmental factors that can impact sensor performance.

To address this, companies conduct rigorous real-world testing. Simulating everyday scenarios, such as exercise, sleep, and changing weather conditions, helps identify and resolve issues that don’t appear in controlled lab environments. This data-driven approach allows companies to refine sensor algorithms, improve signal processing, and enhance device reliability.

Real-world testing also helps companies understand how devices interact with diverse users, ensuring they perform consistently across skin tones, body types, and lifestyles, helping to bridge the gap between lab results and user experiences.

Engineering the Future of Health Wearables

The next generation of wearable health devices is being shaped by innovative solutions that address accuracy, usability, material design, integration, and real-world performance. By solving these challenges, companies are creating devices that deliver precise health insights while integrating seamlessly into users’ lives.

Innovative processes—from prototyping and material innovation to real-world testing and data integration—are key to overcoming these hurdles. Devices like Novosound’s Slanj sensor exemplify how bold engineering can push the boundaries of what health wearables can achieve.

Discover how Novosound is driving innovation in wearable health technology:

• Schedule a CES demo to see Slanj in action.
• Register for our live webinar, “How to Close the Innovation Gap in Health Tech.”