Elliptic Labs brings its virtual sensor technology to wearables for the first time

Norwegian software company Elliptic Labs has signed its first commercial agreement in the smart-wearables market, expanding technology that has already been deployed across smartphones and laptops. The company creates AI-powered virtual sensors that use existing hardware and software signals to detect user intent without necessarily requiring another dedicated physical sensor. Its new agreement is with a major original-design manufacturer, although the final consumer brand has not been disclosed.

The move is potentially significant because space and power consumption are particularly constrained in watches, bands and other wearable devices. Replacing certain dedicated components with software can reduce cost, thickness and battery requirements if accuracy remains acceptable. Elliptic Labs has spent more than a decade building its smartphone presence, so the wearable contract represents a meaningful expansion rather than a completely new technology direction.

The broader mobile ecosystem is increasingly shifting intelligence from individual sensors toward algorithms that combine multiple signals. Wearables provide a logical next step because they need to understand whether a device is being worn, approached or intentionally interacted with while using as little energy as possible.