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Experimental sensors aim to detect early signs of heatstroke and warn farmworkers

NBC News
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Researchers are experimenting with wearable biopatches that monitor workers' vital signs.

Biopatches measure vital signs and skin hydration, and include a gyroscope to monitor continuous movement.

Scientists from Emory University and Georgia Tech are collecting the data, which is then fed into an artificial intelligence algorithm.

An average of 34 workers died of heat exposure annually from 1992 to 2022 , according to the EPA .

The system would send notifications directly to a worker, rather than within a larger system controlled by an employer.

They are still finishing collecting data from farmworkers.

The next step will be for the algorithm to identify patterns that indicate a risk of heat illness.

“They need to have something to better protect them as the threat of climate change increases," Chicas said.