Epicore Biosystems and REUS Cares Partner to Combat Heat Stress in Agritech Workers
Epicore Biosystems (Epicore), a leading innovator in wearable hydration and sweat-sensing solutions, announced the launch of its Connected Hydration Armband (CH Armband) and a landmark partnership with REUS Cares (REUS), a leader in workforce wellness. REUS is among the first enterprises to deploy the CH Armband accessory, a lightweight, reusable wearable that continuously monitors sweat, electrolyte, and fluid losses, delivering real-time, personalized rehydration guidance to help reduce heat stress among agricultural workers in Latin America.
The International Labour Organization reports that 70% of workers globally are exposed to excessive heat each year. Agricultural workers in Latin America face even greater risks due to the region's climate and the physically demanding nature of their work. Prolonged heat exposure can lead to health issues such as dehydration, chronic kidney disease, and heat exhaustion.
Epicore's Connected Hydration solution addresses these climate-related health challenges by measuring the wearer's sweat composition and fluid losses, as well as skin temperature, motion, and thermal flux to monitor fluid losses and dehydration. Based on the individual's biometrics, Connected Hydration will provide personalized rehydration alerts in real-time, better informing the wearer's hydration needs ahead of adverse heat-related events.
"Worker safety is our top priority, and extreme heat is now one of the greatest threats to well-being and performance in the field," said Juan Florido, General Manager of REUS Cares. "Epicore's Connected Hydration platform and new armband technology are true game-changers in our mission to bring next-generation wellness tools to the agricultural workforce. Since implementation, we have seen heightened awareness about hydration with revamped work-hydrate-rest schedules, based on biometric data in place of one-size-fits-all weather patterns, to mitigate risks of extreme heat."
The Connected Hydration solution is the first sweat-sensing wearable to capture hydration data streams using interchangeable accessories. It provides workers and athletes the flexibility to choose between a reusable armband for continuous daily wear or an adhesive patch, more suitable for use on various locations on the body. CH Armband is now being deployed across dozens of industrial sites in North America as part of an early adopter program.
"This partnership is a significant milestone in support of frontline workers against the invisible dangers of extreme heat," said Dr. Roozbeh Ghaffari, Founder and CEO of Epicore Biosystems. "Together with REUS, we're enabling low-cost, science-backed hydration awareness that not only prevents issues but also enhances safety and productivity measures in one of the world's most vital labor sectors."
REUS has begun integrating the Armband into its occupational health programs in Guatemala, with initial deployments at large sugarcane, banana, and palm oil plantations. The partnership is expected to expand to tens of thousands of agritech workers across the region in 2025–2026.
The CH Armband builds on Epicore's suite of intrinsically safe solutions designed for rugged field environments. The device connects seamlessly to secure mobile and cloud dashboards and is SOC 2 Type 2-certified, enabling proactive hydration interventions used by REUS' field teams. Epicore's flagship Connected Hydration product was featured at Super Bowl LIX and recently published in Nature Digital Medicine in collaboration with leading hydration researchers from the University of Connecticut, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Northwestern University, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
To learn more about Epicore Biosystems and its suite of wearable technology, visit www.epicorebiosystems.com. For more on REUS CARES, visit https://reuscares.com/.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
