Richmond-based tech startup SMRT Mouth "makes mouthguards that collect data that get transmitted to mobile devices" in an effort to "read an athlete’s biometric signs to tell whether they are overheating," according to Benny Evangelista of the S.F. CHRONICLE. The company name "is an acronym for Sports Monitoring Responsive Technology." SMRT Mouth is now "in the middle of a larger trend toward activity monitors like Fitbits, Jawbones and smartwatches that are already on the market, collecting personal data to help people improve their workouts and, ultimately, their health." The company’s wireless mouthguard prototype "has embedded sensors that collect data on an athlete’s hydration, respiration, circulation and exertion." The data is then "transmitted to tablet computers, which, in the case of team sports, would be monitored by coaches or medical staff. " SMRT Mouth Founder & CEO Dana Hawes said that the company is "working with researchers from the University of Florida on the device and plans to start selling it for $159 in a crowdfunding campaign starting July 14 on Indiegogo." The company "aims to ship the device in January." While former NFLer Michael Robinson, who serves as company President, "is not an investor in the company," he is "helping with the mouthguard's design" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/1).
