This Temperature Patch Will Notify Your iPhone When You Have A Fever

There are few things more anxiety-inducing than watching a loved one deal with a climbing fever—and few things more annoying for said loved one than having his temperature taken constantly. There has to be some sort of wearable that deals with that, right? Indeed there is.

The STEMP Smart Temperature Patch is a tiny thermometer that can be attached to the skin with a special adhesive. STEMP is Bluetooth-connected, so parents and patients can monitor their temperature with an accompanying iPhone app. If a fever spikes, the app will send a notification.

“We call this a situational wearable. We’re not trying to be Fitbit, wearing it 24/7, 365. You put it on when you need it,” says STEMP cofounder David Whelan, who is now raising funds on Indiegogo to produce the patch.

You could technically keep wearing the thermometer, which is designed to be placed under the arm, until the charge runs out after 30 days. But the adhesive would stop working after seven to ten days—and, in any case, your skin might get a little raw.

Whelan suggests that people might wear STEMP for shorter durations when they’re feeling sick. But there are long-term use cases, like for women trying to get pregnant who are tracking their basal body temperature (there is a slight rise in temperature during ovulation). Whelan is also talking to organizations like USAID about using the thermometer in Ebola-like quarantine situations.

Worried parents will shell out a lot of money for peace of mind, but convincing adults that they need this for themselves may prove difficult. STEMP’s creators are already thinking about how to integrate the device into other existing wearables, including clothing.

STEMP is available here for a pre-order price of $40.