Massachusetts-based Lumia has launched smart earrings that continuously track real-time blood flow to the head.

The Lumia 2 give instant insight into how blood flow affects energy, focus and mental clarity.

Originally developed with Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Harvard researchers to help patients with chronic blood flow disorders such as pots (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and long covid, Lumia is now available to everyone for the first time.

Indistinguishable from fine jewellery, Lumia 2 can be worn as huggie hoops, cuffs and studs offered in gold, silver and clear finishes, and also attaches to any push-back earring using patent-pending SwitchBack technology. The cuff does not require a pierced ear.

Lumia 2 packs nearly six years of engineering breakthroughs and clinical research all into one tiny smart earring back. It is said to be the world’s smallest wearable, weighing less than 1g and five times smaller than AirPods, made possible through the team’s experience pioneering small wearables, from Bose sleepbuds to Lumia 1.

Beyond blood-flow tracking, Lumia 2 adds basic wearable features such as sleep, temperature, menstrual cycle and readiness tracking, all with improved accuracy and continuity thanks to the sensing location in the ear. It does everything standard wearables can do, while freeing users to wear their favourite watches and rings.

“This is what comes after smart rings,” said Daniel Lee, CEO of Lumia. “Just as Ōura made rings smart, we’ve made earrings smart. Smart earrings are the ultimate wearable form factor with new capabilities possible only in the ear, unlocking meaningful medical use case potential in a consumer-first form factor.”

The company also announced $7m in additional investment funding from J2 Ventures, BonAngels Venture Partners and prominent angel investors, as well as $5.1m in government contracts and grants. Funding to date now totals $17.2m.

The Lumia Core smart earring back houses the firm’s second-generation PreciseLight sensor along with processors, battery and more health sensors. Sitting close to the heart and brain, it captures health signals impossible to measure at the wrist or finger.

In addition, the earrings are low-profile, sleep-friendly and made with non-allergenic materials such as platinum and titanium. An earring back locking system prevents accidental loss, and a swappable battery pack means they don’t have to be taken off to charge. The result is earrings that can stay on round the clock, designed for sleeping in any position, showering, dressing up or exercising.

Each pack supports five to eight days of battery life. The Core is worn only on the left ear, while Lumia earrings are sold in pairs.

Everyone feels lightheaded, brain fog or drained at times, but most have no idea why. Heart rate is normal. Blood pressure is normal. Everything looks objectively normal even if the person feels awful. Lumia changes that.

Clinically demonstrated at Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Harvard, Lumia’s continuous blood flow tracking shows what’s really going on in a body throughout the day. Blood flow changes with almost every lifestyle factor, from hydration and diet to posture, movement and sleep. The earring illuminates those changes, connecting the dots between what’s happening to the body and how the person feels, so they can optimise more days to feel their best.

“While we’ve been building for people with chronic blood flow disorders, our team members without blood flow disorders have discovered fascinating blood flow patterns that have changed how we live for the better,” Lee said. “From seeing how the way you sit affects your blood flow and cognitive performance, to visualising the consequences of your carb-heavy lunch choice in your post-lunch dip, to seeing how morning exercise can boost your circulation for the rest of the day, the transformative personal revelations have been endless.”

Lumia 2 (lumia2.lumiahealth.com) will be supported on iOS and Android, and will be available in the USA and Canada to start, with more countries to follow. Lumia 1 is now also open to orders to the general public, however certain features such as sleep tracking will only be available starting in Lumia 2. All Lumia 1 members are eligible for free upgrades to Lumia 2 as part of the Edge Access Membership.

Founded in early 2020 by ex-Bose engineers and serial entrepreneurs, Lumia (lumiahealth.com) has grown into a 35-person team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Advised by a Scientific Advisory Board, a Patient Advisory Council and more than ten research collaborations, Lumia aims to transform care for underserved patient populations, selling earrings along the way to fund this research.

Lumia 2 is not an FDA-cleared medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. It is designed to help users understand their bodies and make informed lifestyle choices. Diagnostic features are under investigation for a future FDA filing.