The demand for wearable devices continues to skyrocket. And according to a recent report from the International Data Corporation (IDC), wearable device shipments are projected to hit 76.1 million units in 2015, an increase of 163.6 percent compared to the 28.9 million units shipped in 2014. IDC further projected these shipments to reach 173.4 million units by 2019.

With this growth comes technological advancements in sensor technology aimed at collecting and reporting fitness and health data. One company evolving wearable tech aimed at consumer health tracking is Valencell, Inc., a leader in biometric data sensor technology. The company was granted 12 new patents in 2015 for wearable biometrics technology. Its PerformTek Technology, which has been licensed by brands such as Sony, Intel and LG, among others, continuously measures heart rate, VO₂, calories burned and cadence with what it says is scientifically-validated accuracy.

SiliconANGLE recently spoke to Steven LeBoeuf, Ph.D., cofounder and president of Valencell, about wearables and the Internet of Things (IoT) trends, as well as the future of connected healthcare devices and biometrics and why LeBoeuf thinks 2016-2017 will be the year of the “hearables.”

Accurate data equals more engaged consumers

Q: You predict that data must be more accurate to make it more actionable and engaging for consumers. How can this be achieved?

Dr. LeBoeuf: One of Valencell’s key innovations was take a relatively old technology (optical heart rate sensing) and enable it to be accurate while the user is active and in motion. Before Valencell, the marketplace was able to measure heart rate optically (it’s been used in hospital finger clips to measure pulse rate for years), but not accurately during physical activity. Valencell introduced a new method of tracking heart rate and other biometrics in the midst of high-motion artifacts caused by footsteps and other body motion.

We also created the ability to tell when the wearable device is not measuring biometrics accurately and providing a flag on data integrity. So when app developers use the biometric data for health and fitness assessments, they’ll know when those assessments can truly be trusted, preventing false positives and false negatives in diagnoses.

Q: What’s your mindset and process for filing, managing and monetizing patents?

Dr. LeBoeuf: Valencell has been inventing since 2006. We file patents on these inventions and monetize them through patent licensing. To date, we have licensed our patents to more than 25 different partners for various products and services. We also provide the marketplace with patent-protected reference designs, firmware and software. We also receive requests from companies seeking patent protection alone, and we work with those companies to provide them a patent license.

The future integration of biometrics

Q: With which devices or objects would you like to integrate biometrics that you haven’t yet done?

Dr. LeBoeuf: Though wristbands, smart watches, and earbuds are the most sought after form-factors in the marketplace today, we have received numerous requests for other form-factors: legbands, rings, clothing, headbands, eyewear, earrings, patches and the list goes on. To address these opportunities, our focus is generating very small, extremely power-efficient technologies that can operate accurately within virtually any form-factor.

Q: How do you solve the problem of “disengaging” when it comes to wearables and consumer interactions around trust and value creation?

Dr. LeBoeuf: Disengagement is a warning sign that a device and/or solution is not solving a long-term problem but rather only a short-term interest of consumers. If biometric wearables are to be as big a marketplace as the market analysts are predicting, wearable device and consumer electronics companies will need to develop use cases that are continually compelling over time.

In parallel, designers need to integrate biometrics into a variety of designs that consumers are already wearing and that they like to wear for reasons that are not necessarily related to health and fitness monitoring. Headphones are a great example, as people already use them to listen to music, often during exercise, and they’ll turn around en route to the gym and go back home if they forget their headphones at the house. If you can pick up their biometric vital signs in the background over time, you can analyze this data and reward them over time with insightful guidance to better fitness and health without disrupting existing patterns and habits.

Wearables in 2016 and beyond

Q: What predictions and expectations do you have for wearables in 2016 and beyond?

Dr. LeBoeuf: 2016-2017 will be the “year of the hearables.” You’ll see more biometric earbuds launch in the next year and the introduction of new use cases in 2017. As for wearables on the wrist, it’s important to remember that the global watch industry shipped over 1 billion watches in 2014. Smart watch shipments were a small fraction of that total, so there is a lot of room for growth.

Since not everyone wants to wear a Fitbit or Apple wrist device, be looking out for traditional watch brands launching biometric products to service the broader consumer need.

About Steven LeBoeuf, Ph.D., president of Valencell, Inc.

As cofounder and president of Valencell, Inc., LeBoeuf has developed ongoing strategic partnerships between Valencell and leaders in industry and academia. He has raised more than $10M in funding for Valencell and is the inventor/co-inventor of more than 50 granted patents, including dozens of foundational patents in the field of accurate wearable sensors. Prior to Valencell, LeBoeuf led the optoelectronic biosensor program at GE Global Research, where he managed the development and productization of biosensor systems and developed cutting-edge nanosensor technology.

Photo image courtesy of Valencell