A patent granted to Apple today shows that the company wants to get into fitness tracking. But it's not going to happen on your wrist. It will be in your ear! The sensor filled earbuds will measure your athletic performance!

The patent proposes using skin-contacting sensors in earbuds or earphones to monitor body temperature, heart rate, and perspiration. The patent doesn't outline the mechanics of how these sensors would work but it suggests using accelerometers.

It also suggests using "psychological" sensors, which the filing doesn't expand on what this would mean or how it could be useful. The system could analyze biometric input to get an impression of the user's mental state.

Will we see this sort of device soon? [US Patent Office via Cnet]