U.S. Open Ball Boys Will Be Connected By Ralph Lauren Smart Shirts

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What spectators will see are ball boys in a good looking nylon T-shirt emblazoned with Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE:RL)’s iconic polo pony. What won’t be visible is the silver-coated threat that is woven into the nylon fibers of the the shirt that will be used to monitor a number of bodily functions including stress level, heart rate, and respiration.

In addition to the selected group of ball boys, Marcos Giron, the No. 1 singles player in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association will be donning the shirt in practice as he participates in his first Grand Slam event.

“Our goal is to create and reflect the ultimate lifestyle, and we believe that a healthy and active life is an essential part of that,” David Lauren, Ralph Lauren’s senior vice president of advertising, marketing, and public relations, said in a statement. “Ralph Lauren is excited to help lead the industry in wearable technology in this ever-evolving, modern world.”

Ralph Lauren shirts made in partnership with OMsignal

The shirt will be made by Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE:RL) in conjunction with technology from Canadian-based OMsignal.

“Our vision is that this will transcend sports to help us at every age and in every aspect of life,” Lauren said. “Reaching far beyond just the needs of elite athletes, Polo Tech will offer innovative technology for all ages and lifestyles to promote general wellness and quality of life.”

The shirt along with others will be debuted to the public in 2015 and won’t be limited to athletic wear but will see the technology woven into Lauren’s classic dress shirts as well.

“We live in our clothes”

“Everyone is exploring wearable tech watches and headbands and looking at cool sneakers,” Mr. Lauren said explaining the company’s aims. “We skipped to what we thought was new, which is apparel. We live in our clothes.”

“So many people think of Ralph Lauren as a preppy New England brand, but we love playing with the stereotype,” said Lauren. “We’re not all mahogany and vintage chandeliers.”

They clearly are not as they enter into this potential multi-billion dollar industry this week.

While the shirt won’t answer your emails, it will offer quite a bit of information to share with your doctor.

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