New smart bikini warns when you're burning

The swimming costumes cost from €150 -200. Photo / Spinali Design

A "wired" bikini that warns bathers of too much UV exposure via their smartphones could consign sunburn to history, its French makers claim.

In what is said to be a world first, a tiny sensor is attached to the fabric of women's one or two-piece swimsuits and tells users when they are about to burn "depending on their skin type".

The technology will advise women on when to move into the shade or apply more sunscreen. The alerts are sent to a user's smartphone or, in a "Valentines" version, to a partner so he or she can apply sun cream. The swimming costumes cost €150-200 (NZ$200-$320).

"The project came from an off-the-cuff remark after seeing people looking like lobsters still in the sun," said Marie Spinali, head of Spinali Design in Mulhouse, eastern France.

A beach towel variant is also on offer, and a children's version is being developed, complete with GPS alert to warn parents if their son or daughter wanders off the beach.

Sunny countries such as Australia and Brazil were prime target markets, Ms Spinali told La Tribune, the economic daily.

The intelligent bikini is one of a string of similar products that have sprung up in recent months. In 2014, the Paris-based company Netatmo released June, a bracelet that monitors sun exposure, observes users' habits and offers protection tips. A British company recently also developed a new SunFriend, a watch-like gadget measuring UV exposure.

The idea behind the products is that users no longer apply cream before it is needed, and therefore do not miss out on Vitamin D.