BOSTON – Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Embr Labs (a spinoff of MIT) are using artificial intelligence to predict hot flashes.

They hope to combine this approach with the Embr Wave, a watch-like device that can emit coolness to the inside of the wrist to chill the entire body. The device alone is already being marketed as a way to manage hot flashes. But they said once the AI technology is added, the device will be able to constantly collect data on skin temperature, heart rate, sweating, and other body signals that can predict when a hot flash is coming, and in less than a second, trigger the cooling mechanism.

Some experts say the AI-assisted device should eventually be tested in clinical trials to determine whether it actually works.