Physiology, with individual context.

What VITAL is being designed to explore

The proposed physiological core brings together single-lead ECG, movement, skin temperature, contact quality and respiration derived from chest-wall motion. Electrodermal activity would be interpreted in context as a proxy for sympathetic activity, rather than a direct measure of stress.

These signals would contribute to research into individual baselines, meaningful changes and confidence in the underlying data. A change in a measurement is not automatically a change in health or performance.

A reusable core with modular mounts

Different activities place different demands on a wearable. VITAL’s architecture explores one reusable sensing core with mounts suited to the intended setting. Placement, attachment and contact quality would need to be assessed alongside the sensing hardware.

Our design work considers how to keep the source and quality of each measurement visible. The ambition is to interpret measurements in their context, while identifying gaps and uncertainty.

Begin with human performance research

Elite sport and human performance research are the proposed initial applications. We are interested in how researchers and practitioners could investigate responses to training, workload and recovery over time.

Broader applications would depend on evidence from the initial programme. Optical pulse and oxygen-saturation sensing remain under evaluation; they are not committed capabilities.

An example future workflow

Illustrative scenario: a practitioner reviewing an athlete’s response across comparable training sessions.

1. Define the question. Agree the activity, measurements, recording conditions and responsible reviewer.
2. Establish a baseline. Collect suitable comparison sessions and check contact quality.
3. Record in context. Bring physiology together with workload, environment and the athlete’s reported experience.
4. Review a change. Inspect the underlying measurements, quality and missing data before deciding what to investigate.
5. Follow the response. Record the practitioner’s decision and compare subsequent suitable sessions.

This is an intended research workflow. It does not establish injury prediction, altitude-sickness prediction or clearance to continue an activity.

Its place in Phanes

Sentinel focuses on clinical EEG and the brain. VITAL explores whole-body physiology through a separate sensing platform. Connecting their insights is a longer-term ambition, rather than a capability currently offered by the products.

Daughter could support authorised records and follow-up. These software connections remain proposed.

Research and development conversations

We welcome enquiries about physiological sensing, wearable contact quality and research workflows. Tell us your intended setting, the measurements you need and the decisions those measurements should inform.