You might not realize this, but slouching over a smartphone or tablet all day isn't exactly doing wonders for your posture.  But thanks to researchers, a new wearable device called the Sense-U could help alert you about your slouching ways.

3020878_inline_sense_u03notext.jpg

Shaped like a clip, the device can keep tabs on the wearer's health by tracking daily steps, caloric intake, and sleep patterns. It can also send text alerts to family members or a third-party if it detects a fall from an elderly parent or extended idleness.

The device was designed by a team of Silicon Valley-based Yale graduates and a former Frog Design employee. Founder and CEO Bryan Huan developed the product while studying RFID and wireless communication, and says the idea behind Sense-U was to find a way to stay connected with his parents who live near Shanghai.
“For many young people, the only way we can communicate or show care for them is to call them or visit a few times a year,” he said. “We can learn more about our family members, and we can do more.”
The device is set to launch by December 2013. Huang reveals that no information collected will be shared with advertisers or third-party trackers without permission. Sense-U will also encrypt all the data traveling between its website and its Amazon cloud servers, but will still require collecting some information, like your IP address, using cookies.

[Fast Co.]