The US Department of Defense cancelled a $96 million contract with Oura, ending plans to supply biometric smart rings for military personnel amid procurement disputes and protests over fair competition.

Oura’s US subsidiary was sole‐sourced a $96M contract by the Defense Health Agency for wearable biometric tracking devices, a move that has drawn protests from competitor WHOOP for purported vendor favoritism. Critics argue that the procurement process, which emphasizes a ring-based biometric solution, sidelines competition and raises concerns about the potential for technology to be used in intrusive monitoring of military personnel.

A research article published on August 19, 2024, presents a detailed assessment of the ethical risks associated with the Oura smart ring. The study highlights concerns that the ring processes vast amounts of sensitive personal data without sufficient privacy safeguards, potentially opening the door for surveillance and other authoritarian abuses.

Oura publicizes its commitment to robust data privacy and security practices by detailing its use of Secure BLE connections, TLS 1.2 encryption, and AES 256 encryption at rest. This initiative underscores the company’s dedication to safeguarding member data, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorized surveillance and aligning with anti-authoritarian principles.