She wore an itty bitty, teeny weeny, smart bikini? That’s not how the song goes — but French designer Marie Spinali of Spinali Design has created just that — a smart bikini.
It’s not like your average wearable device though. Instead of tracking your steps or estimating how many calories you just burned during that boogie board shesh, the bathing suit is equipped with a detachable ultraviolet sensor that can measure the outdoor temperature and work with a smartphone app to help you reach your desired tan level without burning.
The idea for the bikini came to Spinali when she saw someone getting burnt on the beach (as many of us have at one time or another). Spinali realized that there are tons of apps out there that remind you to complete simple tasks like watering your plants — so why not design one that reminds you to reapply sunscreen every so often?
You can program the application based on your skin type and desired tan level, and when the time comes to reapply your sunscreen, you will receive a notification reminding you to do so. If you’ve got milky white skin, you’ll receive a notification much sooner than someone with an olive complexion. The app also comes with a feature to remind your significant other to reapply if you’re not there to help.
The bathing suit will run you almost $170 on the Spinali Design website, which includes the cost of the RFID sensor, UV sensor, and accompanying app. The actual swimsuits are handmade in France with Italian fabric while the sensor technology is made in Alsace, France.
Aside from the high tech-bikini, the company also makes towels equipped with the same technology. There’s currently no men’s version of the swimsuit available, but a children’s version is in the works, according to Motherboard.
Each year in the United States nearly 5 million people are diagnosed with skin caner, and although this is just reminder to your phone, it could potentially help prevent the disease.
