Smartwatches and Cool Roofs Combat Deadly Heat in Indian Neighborhoods

As temperatures in Ahmedabad soar above 40°C (104°F), residents of the low-income Vanzara Vas neighborhood are participating in a groundbreaking study using smartwatches and reflective paint to combat extreme heat, Daily Climate reported.

Over 200 participants wear devices tracking heart rate, sleep patterns, and vital signs, providing researchers with real-time health data during heatwaves.

The year-long project, led by environmental health researcher Aditi Bunker, also tests “cool roofs” painted with reflective coatings. Early data suggests these roofs lower indoor temperatures compared to untreated homes—a critical finding for communities where poverty limits access to air conditioning.

This initiative is part of a global effort examining heat impacts in vulnerable regions, including Burkina Faso, Niue, and Mexico. “Climate change is ravaging populations,” Bunker notes, emphasizing the urgent need for adaptive solutions.

With heat-related deaths rising globally, the study highlights a growing “heat divide”: wealthier groups can afford cooling technologies, while the poor endure dangerous indoor and outdoor conditions. Researchers hope the data will inform policies to protect at-risk communities through affordable interventions like reflective paint and health monitoring. However, scientists stress that systemic emission reductions remain essential to address the root causes of extreme heat.