Ball boys at this year’s U.S. Open will have special shirts provided by Ralph Lauren. Maker of the popular polo shirts teamed-up with OMSignal that provided technology for the connected shirt, which can monitor the heart rate, breathing and stress levels, and send that information to a smartphone or computer.

“It’s fascinating to see this guy at the peak of his youth and his health, to watch the stress that he’s under when Roger Federer is handing him a ball,” said David Lauren, the executive vice president for advertising, marketing and corporate communications for the Ralph Lauren company last week. “You can actually see his heart rate spike.”

He is confident that wearable tech is only now hitting its stride. Lauren went on to predict that the tech-infused shirts, produced in collaboration with OMSignal would be a game-changer.

Montreal, Canada-based OMSignal managed to cram all sensors directly into the fabric, requiring no external peripherals to facilitate communication. Moreover, it uses the body’s conductivity as a source of data. The company has raised $11 million, including a recent $10 million Series A funding to further develop and expand its intelligent clothing lineup.

[Via: NYT]