Last week, MLB notified teams that players can wear WHOOP during games starting with the 2017 season, making it the first wearable device of its kind approved for in-game use for MLB players. WHOOP and the MLB recently conducted the largest ever performance study in U.S. professional sports, so the technology announcement is a continuation of that pre-existing relationship.
Still, the approval of the wrist-worn sensor WHOOP isn’t the first time wearables have been approved for in-game use. For the 2016 season, the Motus Baseball Sleeve — which measures stress on elbows — along with the Zephyr Bioharness for heart and breathing rates were approved.