Researchers at the University of Washington have unveiled the Thermal Earring, a wireless wearable that has the potential to revolutionize personal health monitoring. This innovative device continuously monitors a user’s earlobe temperature, offering a range of potential applications including tracking signs of ovulation, stress, eating, and exercise.

The smart earring prototype, about the size and weight of a small paperclip, boasts an impressive 28-day battery life. It features a magnetic clip that attaches one temperature sensor to the wearer’s ear, while another sensor dangles approximately an inch below to estimate room temperature. Remarkably, the earring can be personalized with fashion designs made of resin or gemstones without compromising its accuracy.

Co-lead author Qiuyue (Shirley) Xue, a doctoral student at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, explained the motivation behind the project, stating, “I wear a smartwatch to track my personal health, but I’ve found that a lot of people think smartwatches are unfashionable or bulky and uncomfortable. I also like to wear earrings, so we started thinking about what unique things we can get from the earlobe.”

The team overcame significant engineering challenges to create a wearable small enough to fit as an earring, while still