Do you know your 'sweat score'? The rise of hydration tech

Do you know your 'sweat score'? The rise of hydration techJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleChris BaraniukTechnology ReporterGetty ImagesThe 2026 World Cup is the first to have mandatory hydration breaks in every gameBooing fans and disgruntled pundits. One of the biggest controversies of the 2026 World Cup so far has been the hydration breaks, which – while not entirely new – are for the first time occurring twice during every match in the tournament.The breaks aren't really about hydration, some spectators say. They're just an opportunity for certain broadcasters to show more ads, they break up the natural flow of games, and are unnecessary in air conditioned stadiums.Whether or not you agree with these complaints, there's no doubt that hydration itself is an increasingly prominent point of discussion worldwide."Hydration is a key issue," says Andreas Flouris at the University of Thessaly in Greece. "We definitely see it, from a scientific point of view, gaining more and more attention."Climate change is intensifying heatwaves, and in response public health campaigns are encouraging people to drink more fluids.It is in this context that hydration-focused gadgets have flooded the consumer electronics market in recent years. They range from sweat monitors to toilet bowl urine-analysers. But do they work?Andreas FlourisThe lab of Andreas Flouris at the University of Thessaly researches hydrationNot drinking sufficient water is a common problem. A 2023 study suggested that one in four UK adults aged 65 or older were dehydrated, due to not drinking sufficient fluids.And a 2018 study by Flouris and colleagues assessed hydration levels in 139 workers around Europe. They found that 70% were dehydrated to a level that could negatively affect their thinking and control of their movements.Purveyors of hydration tech say their products can help. Years ago, gadgets such as the Apple Watch and Fitbit made step-counting popul...