Mastering thermal management to ensure comfort and safety in wearable devices

The smartwatch is one of the most popular consumer electronics devices. Leading tech companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google continually introduce new models with enhanced health monitoring, water resistance, crash detection, and more. The global smartwatch industry is projected to be 33.6 billion USD in 2024 and growing to 104 billion USD in 2032.

Thermal management is a critical factor in ensuring the design and safety of wearable devices. Wearables, including smartwatches, must effectively handle heat dissipation to function optimally. Since smartwatches come into direct contact with the skin, careful temperature control is essential. Improper management of power dissipation in a smartwatch can lead to discomfort or even harm for the wearer.

Large companies struggle to address the thermal design requirements of these wearables successfully. On March 2, 2022, Fitbit announced a recall of its Ionic smartwatches. Their recall notice cautioned that the battery within the watch was prone to overheating and could cause burns to its users. In September of the same year, some users reported that their Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 gave them third-degree burns while they were sleeping.

Key Takeaways

• See the teardown results of two leading technology companies' latest and most advanced designs.
• Learn about common thermal design practices used in wearables.
• Understand the unique cooling challenges that arise from skin contact.
• Combine simulation and test to improve your design process, enhance accuracy, and gain deeper insight into the interaction between the wearable and the wearer.