'Smart' sock track baby's health at night

The real anxiety for new parents begins when their baby falls asleep— when worrying whether their child is OK can prompt tossing and turning. But socks that act as a wearable technology may make that all-too-common concern a thing of the past.

Owlet is a “smart” sock that tracks a baby’s vital signs during sleep and is designed to alert parents if the infant stops breathing. The sock monitors the baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels using pulse oximetry, a non-invasive method, and connects via Bluetooth to a base station and app. If the baby is distressed, the lights on the base change color and an alert gets sent to the app.

Owlet received a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for development and research, and was included in an exclusive two-week program with the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Innovation.

The product costs $249 and can be found at Owletcare.com.

Talk to your doctor before using the device to monitor your baby to learn how you can use it best.