The Evie ring and its companion app can measure multiple key health metrics: activity level and calories burned, heart rate and variability, blood oxygen levels (sometimes called SpO2), sleep cycles and quality, and body temperature. The app also lets users track their menstrual cycle and ovulation, and over time can help predict how users will feel depending on the time of the month. The ring is water-resistant, so you can wear it even while swimming or showering. A single charge will last about three to four days, and charging takes about an hour. Similar to wireless earbuds, the ring charges via a case, which itself can hold 10 charges.
What Makes the Evie Ring Different From Other Wellness Wearables?
The Evie ring joins a growing list of wellness wearables that can track sleep and activity levels. Unlike most activity trackers, though, such as the Fitbit or Apple Watch (which recently introduced its own menstrual tracker function), the Evie is worn on the finger instead of the wrist. In contrast to its most direct competitor, the Oura Ring, the Evie has a so-called open design. “It’s slightly flexible. It actually flexes about 2 millimeters, so it’s really comfortable to put on and off,” says Stacy Salvi, the chief of product and strategy of Movano Health, the ring’s developer. That’s important, she says, because “we know that women’s knuckles can get a little larger [due to hormonal fluctuation during perimenopause and menopause], and we want to ensure that she has a really good fit.” In addition, for both women and men, finger size can fluctuate with the seasons, hydration levels, and salt intake.
FDA Approval Would Separate the Evie Ring From Its Competitors
Movano is seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to classify the ring as a medical device. No other similar wearable currently on the market has obtained this classification, which would mean the device meets the same standards for accuracy set for devices used in doctors’ offices and hospitals. Problems with inaccurate readings for skin of color is a known issue for some medical grade pulse oximeters, and the discrepancy extends to consumer wellness wearables, according to an article in the October 2020 issue of Sleep. If FDA approval is granted, that would also mean the device has to meet HIPAA standards for data privacy. “In a post-Roe world,” Salvi says, “we’re hypervigilant in how that data is going to be used, who it’s going to be shared with, and obviously, [data will be] only shared with the user’s consent in every single case.”
How Much Will the Evie Ring Cost?
The company hasn’t set a final price for the ring yet, but Salvi says it will cost less than $300. “That doesn’t mean $299,” she says. There will be no subscription fee. The Evie ring will be available in three colors: Gold, Silver, and Rose Gold, all for the same price. The ring has a finish of anodized aluminum and doesn’t actually contain any precious metals. At least to start, the rings will come only in whole sizes. Movano Health hopes to release the Evie ring in summer 2023. Editor’s note: Nan Forte, the executive vice president and general manager of Everyday Health Group, is a board member of Movano Health.
