Slim for the Win: Hera Leto Slim in a World of Existing Health Monitors

Amidst the rising scorching weather patterns in Hong Kong, tracking individual health has become more pertinent than ever. In 2023-2024, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a total of 106 Very Hot Weather Warning Days, a vastly higher number compared to just 69 issued 5 years prior from 2018-2019. This rapid rise in the number of annual Hot Weather days has undoubtedly led to increased heat stress during outdoor pursuits in recent years. 

Despite Hong Kong Authorities’ recently-developed heat-warning measures, reports released by the South China Morning Post in September 2024 revealed that 86% of outdoor workers have suffered heat exhaustion. The heat strikes more than just workers on their own, because in 2022, the Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department reported 122 cases of heatstroke linked to outdoor activities within July alone, primarily being hikers. Where workplaces and outdoor spaces lack proper prevention measures, it is fundamental to enhance methods to detect signs of heat stress.

The Hero’s Letter: the Hera Leto Slim

Soundness, safety, and sociality all at once—the Hera Leto Slim proves itself as a powerful all-in-one device, tailored specifically for occupational safety. With these earbuds, the HLS displays an innovative adaptation of a daily device, servicing 3 different areas of focus: communication, health measurement, and danger detection. Let’s gather some specific insights into what the HLS offers:

• Communication

Like any everyday earbud, the HLS provides powerful Wireless Connection signals, allowing for hands-free communication wherever one goes. This enhances its two-way interaction features, allowing for audio calls and auditory entertainment without compromising on quality. 

• Health Measurement

When high heat makes heart rates and body temperature rise, these earbuds also act as regulators. As a monitoring device, the HLS is exceptionally able to analyze heart rate variability and core body temperature, ensuring these indicators are kept at optimal levels.

• Danger Detection

Alas, the primary focus of the HLS. When heat stress imposes great risk on its users, these earbuds intervene with voice warnings to regulate signs of physiological stress. The innovation furthermore employs head injury detection and accelerometers to detect falls, pairing with its GPS tracking features to automatically dial rescue teams and alert users’ emergency contacts to enable immediate medical attention in the case of crisis. 

“Wait – What about Wearables?”

With rising public needs for individual health consciousness, wearable devices are indubitably not new to the market: at the forefront have been smartwatches and wristbands alike, with some including similar two-way-communication functionalities, and many sports enthusiasts may already be familiar with heart-rate-detecting chest straps and vests. However, with so many available products on the market, they may sometimes fall short on accuracy, accessibilities, and can often be hard to integrate into everyday lifestyles. Therefore, it is crucial to understand their reliability, especially in a wider application setting.

Rest assured, this understanding doesn’t need to come so complexly: the Hera Leto Slim is the easiest answer. Living up to its name, these earbuds are a slim mechanism that proves health-consciousness can come at convenience: implemented into headphones, users can deploy health-monitoring measures into this powerful everyday device. Below, we’ll explore the enrichments of our earbud with simply three E’s.

Hear Us Out: Why Hera Leto Slim? 

Emplacement

With traditional monitors being placed around the wrist, arm, and chest, the ear seems less conventional—Yet, there is a particular reason the Hera Leto Slim makes such a bold choice: the ears possess large blood vessels, granting direct access to heart rate and blood pressure analysis, and studies have shown that as the body gets warmer, so precisely do the ears; a reliable means to measure core body temperature. In fact, tympanic thermometers, otherwise in-ear temperature scanners, are already devices that the general public is quite fond of—the HLS does exactly that, with additional benefits!

When placing devices around the arms and chest, signal detection may be limited to higher muscle mass limiting access to the arteries. As the ear has less muscles, this enables clearer and cleaner signals with minimal external interference.

Traditional heart rate monitors involve wearable elements such as straps, vests, and armbands. Vests and other strapped devices require specific adjustments, with complex & differentiating ways to be worn. This leaves them more likely to be worn incorrectly or slip into erroneous positions upon movement and impact, which may tamper with accurate detection of heart rate and blood pressure. Furthermore, most smartwatches are not designed for activities involving vigorous hand movement and muscle flexing near the sensors.

Earbuds, meanwhile, have one universal way to be worn—insertion into the ear canal—making application convenient for new adapters. This straightforward wear provides a more stable point of signal reference, as its consistent wearing position strengthens the accuracy of bio-signal detection. 

Effectiveness

Similar to other wearables on the market, HLS employs photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensors that measure reflected light from the skin to determine vital signals. However, while Hera Leto uses medical infrared, competitors use green LEDs. This limits diverse usage, as skin pigment (melanin) absorbs coloured LEDs, distorting signals in darker and tattooed skin. The HLS’ infrared light is invisible, allowing for accurate reflection without absorption–making it suitable for all skin tones. 

Particularly for heart rate detection, many common monitors employ electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, measuring conductivity between skin and electrodes. However, studies have shown these are not suitable for continuous, long-term monitoring, especially when users move, resulting in inaccurate readings during fitness activities and physical labour. Our PPG sensors are much stronger in dealing with motion artefacts, granting precise detection with 95% confidence.

Efficiency

Amidst tedious labour and tiresome leisure, the most important factor is user adaptability. While officers and outdoor workers already wear plenty layers of thick, heat-inducing clothing, many wearables like the chest strap are attached using a textile strap; however, excessive wear of these tight-fit fabrics can cause discomfort, skin irritation, and chafing from constant friction – not so friendly to those with sensitive skin & associated allergies. Furthermore, straps require frequent washing to maintain their functionality, which sequentially wears them down over time. 

With little time on their hands, the HLS’ automated technology facilitates real-time health monitoring without needing manual checkups. Busy workers moreover will not need to worry about adjustment and maintenance with the Hera Leto Slim: its straightforward application entrusts secure fitting into the ear every time, and furthermore enables hands-free communication, optimal for physically-intensive roles. 

Partners and Possibilities

Proving their adaptable application, the Hong Kong Police Force currently deploys the HLS within their Search & Rescue teams, providing effective protection from outdoor hazards. Looking ahead, we work towards extending support to infrastructural and management industries alike, ensuring safety regulations for all.

Stay connected with Hera Leto as we shape health accessibility for the greater good!

Editor: Charis Brown