Nearly 80% of the battery power in smartwatches is used up by the heart-rate monitor. But a new generation of sensors developed by EPFL startup ActLight consumes five times less energy. They have been tested and calibrated, and are now ready to be mass-produced for use in new models. The smartwatch market is booming. According to the International Data Corporation,* nearly 50 million smartwatches were sold worldwide in 2016, and this number is expected to grow to 150 million by 2021. The ever-growing range of features - such as a step counter, altimeter and GPS - requires sensors with varying energy needs. The most power-hungry function - the heart-rate monitor - devours almost 80% of battery power.
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