Samsung Electronics has developed a logic chip that it says allows wearables users to monitor body fat, muscle mass, heart rate/rhythm, skin temperature and stress level.

According to the company, its Bio-Processor chip achieves this by integrating five analog front ends (AFEs): bioelectrical impedance analysis, photoplethysmogram, electrocardiogram, skin temperature, and galvanic skin response.

Combining AFEs with a microcontroller unit, power management integrated circuit, digital signal processor and eFlash memory, the chip is able to process the bio-signals it measures without the need for external processing parts, Samsung says.

Samsung says that it has worked to keep the chip size small, claiming that the Bio-Processor is around one-quarter the combined area of its constituent parts. As a result, the company says, the chip is suitable for a variety of small wearable devices, such as wrist bands and electronic health patches.

The Bio-Processor is currently in mass production and will be available in fitness/health devices in the first half of 2016, according to Samsung.The Bio-Processor is around one-quarter the combined area of its parts. Image credit: Samsung.