Even though you think you are being careful, it’s sometimes hard to know whether you are taking the right steps to protect yourself from the negative effects of the sun.

Scientists in the UK have developed a new wearable device that monitors the correct amount of sun exposure for a person’s skin type in order to stay healthy.

Small enough to fit into a tie clip or a hair slide, the Solitair device consists of a tiny sensor that measures how much sunlight the user is exposed to. The information is synchronized to a smartphone app that offers real time recommendations on when it is time to seek out shade.

The user starts by taking a skin pigment reading via the smartphone app. This is then synchronised with the weather forecast and the user’s planned movements using geolocation, which adjusts exposure levels.

People in Scotland, for example, can cope with more time in the sun than those in Egypt. Throughout the day, real-time updates are sent to the user’s smartphone.

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