A Japanese apparel group best known for specialist inner-down clothing is seeking to enter the digital health market with what it says is the world’s first belt-type health-sensing wearable, as technology companies race to develop less intrusive ways of monitoring ageing populations.
D.O.N Co. Ltd., the Nagoya-based owner of the TAION brand, said it would unveil the device, known as Vital Belt, at the CES technology show in Las Vegas later this month. The product uses millimetre-wave sensing technology embedded in a belt buckle to monitor breathing, pulse, and body movement without requiring direct contact with the skin.
The company is positioning the device as a response to rising healthcare costs and growing demand for preventive care in ageing societies, particularly in Japan. Unlike smartwatches and rings, which rely on optical or electrical sensors in constant contact with the body, the belt can be worn over clothing and is designed for continuous, passive monitoring.
Vital Belt measures subtle abdominal movements, an area the company says is well suited to detecting changes in respiration and posture. Data collected from the belt can be combined with information from wrist- or finger-based wearables to produce a more detailed picture of a user’s physical condition, according to the company.
Executives at D.O.N said the device could eventually be used to identify early signs of stress, sleep disruption, or postural imbalance. Longer-term applications under development include wellness and medical uses linked to the so-called brain–gut connection, as well as safety monitoring for older users, such as detecting stair use or falls.
The belt consists of a removable sensing buckle attached magnetically to a standard belt strap, allowing users to detach the electronics for charging while continuing to wear the belt. The company said the strap could be customised in different materials and colours, reflecting its roots in fashion and apparel design.
An accompanying smartphone application requires users to complete an initial calibration, after which it provides breathing-based guidance for activities such as meditation, yoga, and stress management. Corporate versions of the software are being developed for use in employee health monitoring programmes, the company added.
Prototype versions of the device have already been shown to corporate customers in Japan, generating interest from companies in healthcare, wellness, and workplace safety, according to D.O.N. The group said further testing was under way to improve signal processing and communications reliability, ahead of planned test sales to original equipment manufacturing partners.
D.O.N said it held multiple patents covering belt-mounted sensing technology and that, as of December 2025, it had found no comparable commercial products or patent filings globally. The company declined to disclose pricing or a commercial launch date but said it aimed to create a new category of wearable technology that blends clothing and health monitoring.
There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by visiting our LinkedIn page.
