Summer is upon us, which means beach trips, pool days, and sunbathing. But don’t get too excited—as you probably know, all that time outside could increase your risk of skin cancer and premature aging. What’s the solution? You could always slather your skin with every gallon of sunscreen you can find, but that’s so old school. One company, The90, claims to have a more futuristic option.
The90 Gem, launched earlier this month, is a pendant necklace that monitors your sun exposure in real time. Specifically, it measures UV exposure across the UVA and UVB spectrums. Longer-wavelength UVA rays can penetrate glass and reach deeper layers of the skin, contributing to premature aging and cancer risk; shorter-wavelength UVB rays are the main culprit behind sunburns and are also linked to skin cancer. According to its manufacturer, The90 Gem cobbles together its insights by combining data from the pendant’s sensor with user input. In The90’s app, you can create a “skin profile” and enter details about your sunscreen use, as well as whether you wear UV-resistant clothing and sun hats. The device, for its part, tracks your sun exposure. The app leverages all that data to produce time-to-burn estimates, monitor cumulative exposure, and provide personalized advice on when to reapply sunscreen or just get the heck inside.
