Fitness band to track sun exposure

A rendering of the Eclipse Rx, a solar-powered sun exposure monitoring device. [Photo/Agencies]

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - Brian Matthys honed his internal instincts for when he had got too much sun during his years as a teenage lifeguard.

Now, after a couple of decades as a dermatologist, Matthys is trying to use technology to give people a more scientific measurement.

Matthys is working with several local companies to develop a fitness wristband that will not only track steps, but also track sun exposure and tell the wearer when it's time to put on more sunscreen or find some shade.

"After 20 years of watching people get skin cancer and not knowing what they need to do to prevent it, I just felt like, enough is enough," says Matthys, who practices in Riverside, Missouri.

Matthys says the goal of the Eclipse Rx wristband is to allow people to be active and outside while at the same time making sure their skin is taken care of. Kind of like an electronic mom, telling you when it's time to apply another layer of sunblock.

There are a few similar products on the market, but Matthys says his would be the first that's solar powered. It would also be more personalized than most, with the ability to customize its alerts to the wearer's skin tone on a 1-through-6 scale and it would be the first wearable sun monitor that syncs with the Apple Health app.