Last week, a team of computer science and engineering researchers from Dartmouth and Clemson University received its first prototype of the Amulet, an electronic bracelet designed to enable efficient health management outside clinical settings and spearhead mobile health technology.

The Amulet project, funded by a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Computer Systems Research program, aims to develop an effective software framework for future wearable mobile health management devices. Known as “computational jewelry,” these bracelet or necklace-like devices will be able to discreetly monitor the body-area network when worn, track health information of the wearer and securely communicate this data to other health devices, health centers or health care professionals.

In addition to being smaller and easier to carry than smartphones, which can run health-related applications, the Amulet will be less susceptible to malware than smartphones because it does not run unrelated applications, said Ryan Halter, Thayer School of Engineering professor and co-principal investigator. The project may help coordinate research and medical care to potentially improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs in the long run.