5 Powerful tech gadgets and apps tailor-made for women

This one’s #forthegirls. As we revel in the joy of womanhood this March, we wanted to highlight all the tech developments and inventions that have been brought to life for the sole purpose of enhancing life for women. While there are a million items on the tech consumer market geared towards women, a large chunk of them simply tick the superficial boxes…think pink tablets or bedazzled headphones. Yet, there are still a plethora of gadgets on the market that go beyond the realm of beauty devices and aim to make life a little more comfortable for her. Here are five of our favourite ones that embody girl power—literally. 

EMBR WAVE 2

For women going through menopause, hot flashes can be one of the most uncomfortable daily experiences. They occur due to decreasing estrogen levels that can make women’s bodies more sensitive to temperature changes. Enter the Embr Wave 2 by Embr Labs. This bracelet was developed with the aim of providing relief to women (though anyone who experiences difficulty regulating their body temperature can use it) who experience menopause-related discomforts—think of it as your own personal thermostat. 

This device uses a battery-powered thermoelectric heat pump that can send cool or warm waves onto the temperature-sensitive skin on your inner wrist. This helps your hypothalamus rebalance its perception of your body’s temperature without actually changing it, so you can feel more comfortable no matter what surroundings you’re in. Its effects are similar to when you feel colder after just dipping your toes in freezing water or warmer from holding a hot cup of coffee on a chilly day. The device is said to also help improve sleep, regulate stress levels, and manage disruptions in your day due to temperature changes. 

Find out more about the Embr Wave 2 here. 

TERRA

Also on the temperature regulation train is Terra by Amira Health. Though only available for pre-orders with first shipments set to go out in April 2024, Terra is set to change the game with its bracelet and cooling mattress pad. Aimed at women who experience intense hot flashes during their sleep cycles, the Terra system—comprising the Terra Sensor Bracelet and the Terra Smart Cooling Mattress Pad—hopes to ease the discomforts and ensure less disruptive sleep. 

The bracelet can sense incoming hot flashes by tracking skin characteristics on your inner wrist. It also uses its machine learning technology to predict future heat flashes before they wake you up. Seconds after detecting a hot flash, the bracelet alerts the mattress pad to cool you down almost instantly, providing relief for your body until the surge is over. As a result, you’ll get a more restful night’s sleep and don’t have to ride the uncomfortable wave of heat in bed. On top of detecting heat flashes, the bracelet can also measure sleep quality and presents a report that you can review in the morning. 

Get more information about the Terra system here. 

BIRDIE

Birdie is a personal safety device that fits in the palm of your hand. Small enough to be a keychain and compact enough to be carried around everywhere, the Birdie works as both an alarm and a flash system that can alert everyone around you when in danger. All you have to do is yank the device from its top so the alarm will sound and the light will activate. To stop the alarm and light, simply put the top pin back into the device’s body. The Birdie is also safe to bring on flights and comes with 40 minutes worth of alarms with each battery change. 

Don’t underestimate its power because of its petite size. The alarm is piercingly loud and the lights are bright enough to disorient any attacker. With a volume of 130 decibels, Birdie’s alarm is comparable to the sound of a plane flying just 100 feet above you. The Birdie+ is the more advanced version of the alarm, which comes with Bluetooth compatibility, app connectivity, and extra safety features such as automatic text alerts to emergency contacts. With the Birdie+, you also have 24/7 access to a live Support Rep for emergencies,  and can receive fake calls to get yourself out of uncomfortable situations.

For more information, visit Birdie’s official website. 

NATURAL CYCLES APP

On the app side of things, we’re fond of Natural Cycles, which takes a less conventional approach to family planning and birth control. By using just your body temperature, the app can pinpoint the current status of your ovulation cycle. During ovulation periods, women’s hormones can cause a slight rise in body temperature, so the app uses this data to determine whether or not you’re ovulating and predict your cycles based on past information. 

All you have to do is take your temperature in the morning or overnight, let the app do its algorithm thing, and voila, you’ve got your fertility status. When compared to other birth control methods such as the copper IUD (99 per cent) or contraceptive pills (93 per cent), the Natural Cycles app is also up there in terms of efficacy at around 93 per cent. On top of determining your fertility status, you can also get to know your physical and emotional symptoms during different parts of your cycle and compare your current one to that of previous months. The app works for women in any part of their family planning journey, from those looking to prevent pregnancy to mothers-to-be who want to monitor their current pregnancy. 

Get more information on the Natural Cycles app on its official website. 

CLEMENTINE APP

If you’re ever in need of some affirmations, therapeutic words, or even hypnotic sleep audios, Clementine is a wellness app that will fit right into your phone. Developed for women by women, Clementine aims to ease stress, anxiety, and sleep issues—all of which we are disproportionately more prone to. After going through her own trials and tribulations, founder Kim Palmer developed the app with the aim of equipping women with the tools and confidence to tackle life’s hurdles while taking care of their mental well-being. 

The app offers audio therapy sessions of various lengths, daily affirmations, and access to professional support in hopes of promoting the overall well-being of its users. Its audio sessions and therapeutic material cover a wide range of topics including self-esteem, menopause, and productivity. From digestible three-minute audio clips to start your day with to heftier 45-minute hypnosis sessions for sleep aid, the app is designed to fit into your lifestyle so your journey to feeling better doesn’t end up being a burden. Plus, its interface is easy to use and well-designed, which makes the user experience all that much better. 

Learn more about Clementine on its official website. 

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