German biomedical company BIOTRONIK has won FDA clearance for the Vital Data Sensor, a body temperature component within the BIOMONITOR IIIm injectable cardiac monitor (ICM).

Read more: BIOTRONIK Receives FDA Approval for Six Tachycardia Devices

Physicians will now have access to daily reports on vital data, including body temperature, and cardiac arrhythmia data to help them monitor patient health and their treatment remotely. BIOMONITOR IIIm contains integrated sensor technologies designed to measure patient activity, heart rate and body temperature. The interrelationship between these vital signs and health conditions is well-documented, particularly fever, which leads to increases in mean and resting heart rates and possible decreases in activity levels, reports Biotronik.

The first US case using BIOMONITOR IIIm was performed by Dr. Luigi Di Biase. “The patient is at high risk for infection during this global pandemic due to underlying conditions. It is comforting for me and my patients knowing that we will be able to monitor for early signs of potential life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and infections for up to 5.5 years. Coupled with the workflow advantages, this device is a step forward for injectable cardiac monitors,” said Di Biase, section head of Electrophysiology, Director of Arrhythmia Services at Montefiore Health System.

This exclusive integrated sensor in BIOMONITOR IIIm enables physicians to stay connected with cardiac patients and proactively monitor them for warning signs at home - preserving capacity in hospitals for the sickest patients. This meaningful digital health innovation can potentially provide earlier detection while helping to streamline remote patient management.

“Vital data trends help support the diagnosis for a range of illnesses and, given the additional impact of the current pandemic on cardiac health, we have worked with urgency to advance BIOMONITOR IIIm’s unique sensor technology,” said Dr. David Hayes, Chief Medical Officer of BIOTRONIK Inc. “Patients with cardiac conditions are at an increased risk for worse outcomes from many systemic illnesses, so closer monitoring of these patients may help manage potential symptoms associated with a febrile response, particularly if it can be done safely and remotely.”

Read more: Abbott’s Confirm Rx Smartphone Compatible ICM Offers More Accurate Detection of Arrhythmia

In addition to these benefits, BIOMONITOR IIIm is the industry leader in battery longevity with 5.5 years of continuous monitoring, providing long-term monitoring of chronic cardiac conditions. BIOMONITOR devices have a unique design that facilitates a one-step injection procedure, delivers class-leading detection performance and signal fidelity comparable to gold-standard 12-lead ECG recordings. In addition, the proven performance of BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring ensures 98 percent daily transmission success for streamlined clinical device management.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a wearable sensor that combines artificial intelligence (AI) software to help recognize what hand gesture a person intends to make based on electrical signal patterns in the forearm. The device could one day be used to control prosthetics or to interact with almost any type of electronic device.

Read more: NUS Scientists Develop Electronic Skin with Exceptional Sense of Touch for Prosthetics

“Prosthetics are one important application of this technology, but besides that, it also offers a very intuitive way of communicating with computers.” said Ali Moin, who helped design the device as a doctoral student in UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. “Reading hand gestures is one way of improving human-computer interaction. And, while there are other ways of doing that, by, for instance, using cameras and computer vision, this is a good solution that also maintains an individual’s privacy.”

Moin is co-first author of a new paper describing the device, which appears online in the journal Nature Electronics.

The research team has demonstrated that the hand gesture recognition system can classify up to 21 different hand signals, including a thumbs-up, a fist, a flat hand, holding up individual fingers and counting numbers, reports Kara Manke in Berkeley News.

To create the hand gesture recognition system, the team collaborated with Ana Arias, a professor of electrical engineering at UC Berkeley, to design a flexible armband that can read the electrical signals at 64 different points on the forearm. The electrical signals are then fed into an electrical chip, which is programmed with an AI algorithm capable of associating these signal patterns in the forearm with specific hand gestures.

The team succeeded in teaching the algorithm to recognize 21 individual hand gestures, including a thumbs-up, a fist, a flat hand, holding up individual fingers and counting numbers.

“When you want your hand muscles to contract, your brain sends electrical signals through neurons in your neck and shoulders to muscle fibers in your arms and hands,” Moin said. “Essentially, what the electrodes in the cuff are sensing is this electrical field. It’s not that precise, in the sense that we can’t pinpoint which exact fibers were triggered, but with the high density of electrodes, it can still learn to recognize certain patterns.”

Like other AI software, the algorithm has to first “learn” how electrical signals in the arm correspond with individual hand gestures. To do this, each user has to wear the cuff while making the hand gestures one by one.

However, the new device uses a type of advanced AI called a hyperdimensional computing algorithm, which is capable of updating itself with new information.

For instance, if the electrical signals associated with a specific hand gesture change because a user’s arm gets sweaty, or they raise their arm above their head, the algorithm can incorporate this new information into its model.

Another advantage of the new device is that all of the computing occurs locally on the chip: No personal data are transmitted to a nearby computer or device. Not only does this speed up the computing time, but it also ensures that personal biological data remain private, UC Berkeley reported.

The device is not ready to be a commercial product yet. But it could likely get there with a few tweaks, according to Jan Rabaey, the Donald O. Pedersen Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley and senior author of the paper.

Read more: Electronic Skin for Prosthetic Hands Lets Amputees Feel Pain

“Most of these technologies already exist elsewhere, but what’s unique about this device is that it integrates the biosensing, signal processing and interpretation, and artificial intelligence into one system that is relatively small and flexible and has a low power budget,” Rabaey said.

Oscar Health, a New York City-based health insurance technology company, has raised $140 million in a funding round announced just six months after its last $225 million raise. The round was led by Tiger Global Management, LLC, with participation from Dragoneer, Baillie Gifford, Coatue, Founders Fund, Khosla, Lakestar and Reinvent. The financing comes as Oscar continues to experience significant growth, seeing a 74% increase in direct policy premiums over the past three years.

Read more: Cardiogram Signs Deal with Oscar Health to Allow Members Free Wearable-Based Monitoring

“Since 2017, Oscar has seen annualized membership growth of more than 70%,” said Mario Schlosser, Co-Founder, and CEO of Oscar. “As we continue to rapidly scale our business, this capital will help us deliver on our commitment to bring accessible and affordable care to even more Oscar members across the country.”

The announcement takes place as Open Enrollment for 2021 closes for much of the U.S. Heading into the new year, Oscar will be available in 18 states and 286 counties across its Individual and Family Plans, Medicare Advantage and Small group products. As of September 30, 2020, Oscar had approximately 420,000 members across 15 states, Oscar Health said in a press release.

Oscar launched in 2012 with the intention of transforming how people interact with their health insurance company. Since then, the company has seen significant growth driven by its industry-leading levels of member engagement. Oscar members have mobile app downloads that are approximately nine times the average of other insurers. 88% of subscribing members have interacted with Oscar digitally. This engagement allows Oscar to get to know its members better and intervene to shift behavior in the direction of healthier and more affordable options.

The combination of Oscar's member engagement engine and full-stack technology platform allows the insurer to help its members find high-quality care. 48% of first-time PCP visits for Oscar members are with an Oscar recommended doctor. Additionally, since 2014, all of its members have had 24/7 access to Oscar's virtual care offerings, in nearly all cases at no additional cost. Of the subscribing members who have had one or more medical visits, 38% have used Oscar's virtual care offering.

Oscar's member engagement model results in high levels of member trust and satisfaction, too, with 68% of surveyed members stating that they trust Oscar to give them advice on how and where to get the care they need. Oscar's Net Promoter Score is 30, compared with the average negative 4 among other health insurers.

Read more: Biofourmis Raises $100 Million In Series C Funding To Accelerate Global Expansion

Oscar is the first health insurance company built around a full-stack technology platform and a relentless focus on serving its members. The company's member-first philosophy and innovative approach to care has earned us the trust of more than 420,000 Americans across 211 counties.

London-based digital health company Bold Health is developing digital therapeutics for gastrointestinal conditions. The company is backing a new University of Pennsylvania-led study that will directly compare the company’s cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) app for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to Headspace’s consumer mindfulness and meditation app, reports MobiHealthNews.

Researchers will be randomly assigning 300 participants with IBS to receive either Bold Health’s Zemedy app or the Headspace mindfulness app for free. Each group will have the app for eight weeks, after which those who received the Headspace app will also be given access to Zemedy.

Read more Sanofi and Babylon Team Up to Tackle Digestive Health Issues

Chronic digestive problems are common and often connected to poor mental wellbeing. Through Bold Health’s digital applications, patients get access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs designed for their specific condition.

Zemedy’s 6-week program is designed around core cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles. IBS symptoms are often exacerbated due to stress and anxiety.

The aim of the Zemedy program is to help users target symptoms and difficult emotions by changing the surrounding thoughts and behaviors. Users can practice these techniques in their own safe spaces and learn how to manage their symptoms in the long term.

After eight weeks of the trial, the researchers will administer a battery of questionnaires, and those who switched from Headspace to Zemedy will receive a third slew of questions after an additional eight weeks with Bold Health’s app, the MobiHealthNews report said.

Through these surveys, the researchers will be comparing responses regarding the study’s primary outcomes: IBS quality of life, and the severity of their gastrointestinal symptoms. Secondary outcomes include respondents’ scores on various gastrointestinal-related measurements, including their anxiety regarding visceral gut sensations, fear of food or eating, and impairments to their work due to health conditions.

Read more Oshi Health Launches First All-in-One Mobile App to Allow IBD Patients Manage Their Conditions

With this new trial, Bold Health is making the case that Zemedy, which is branded as a digital therapeutic, will be demonstrably more effective than a corresponding consumer wellness app.

Healthcare data company Diameter Health has raised $18M in Series B funding. The funding round was led by managed care organization Centene Corporation, with participation from existing investors Optum Ventures, LRVHealth, Connecticut Innovations and Activate Venture Partners. This brings Diameter Health’s total funding to $30 million.

Read more Digital Health Funding: Strava Raises $110M, AliveCor and Solv Closes $65M and $27M Respectively

“We are thrilled to have Centene Corporation join the Diameter Health investor syndicate in this round,” said Eric Rosow, CEO and co-founder of Diameter Health. “This new financing validates that our technology is a valuable component to solving today’s challenges of health data interoperability across an enterprise. Normalizing, enriching and integrating data across sources is time-consuming and expensive. Organizations are using our API to accelerate their own data enterprise strategy and are driving real cost efficiencies and value in closing care gaps, more accurately assessing risk, strengthening underwriting, and ultimately improving patient care and outcomes.”

Diameter synthesizes clinical data, turning it into a valuable asset for health information exchanges. Its leading FHIR-enabled integration engine, Fusion, parses, normalizes and enriches over 225 million clinical documents on behalf of health information exchanges, the Veterans Administration, state governments, large health plans, health IT vendors as well as life insurance companies, Diameter Health said in a press release.

“We invested in Diameter Health because their ability to automatically integrate and normalize clinical data will play an important role as we look to accelerate innovation and digitization across our company,” said Centene Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Mark Brooks.

The investment comes at a key time of growth for Diameter Health and the U.S. healthcare market as a whole, as recent legislation outlined in the 21st Century Cures Act will accelerate increased collaboration and data sharing across the industry. The recent funding round positions the company to build on its significant momentum in the health plan and life insurance space and to advance its mission to enable data interoperability and optimization across an enterprise.

Mike Cunningham, Principal with Optum Ventures and Diameter Health board member said, “Diameter Health’s growth is accelerating in the health plan markets at impressive rates. We see the company as being fundamental in supporting the use of data across digital health transactions for healthcare organizations in the future.”

Read more From Voice-Integrated Toothbrush to Wearable Halo, 2020 Was Amazon’s Year to Explore Healthcare Space

Diameter Health plans to use the new funding to expand Fusion’s ingestion capabilities to accept all health messages, standards and data sources as well as to further enhance Fusion’s real-time enrichment and analytics with machine learning capabilities like natural language processing. Diameter Health also plans to expand its large network of direct connections between Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and other healthcare data sources to enable more widespread, seamless and secure data exchange.

Healthcare data company Diameter Health has raised $18M in Series B funding. The funding round was led by managed care organization Centene Corporation, with participation from existing investors Optum Ventures, LRVHealth, Connecticut Innovations and Activate Venture Partners. This brings Diameter Health's total funding to $30 million.

Read more: Digital Health Funding: Strava Raises $110M, AliveCor and Solv Closes $65M and $27M Respectively

“We are thrilled to have Centene Corporation join the Diameter Health investor syndicate in this round,” said Eric Rosow, CEO and co-founder of Diameter Health. “This new financing validates that our technology is a valuable component to solving today's challenges of health data interoperability across an enterprise. Normalizing, enriching and integrating data across sources is time-consuming and expensive. Organizations are using our API to accelerate their own data enterprise strategy and are driving real cost efficiencies and value in closing care gaps, more accurately assessing risk, strengthening underwriting, and ultimately improving patient care and outcomes.”

Diameter synthesizes clinical data, turning it into a valuable asset for health information exchanges. Its leading FHIR-enabled integration engine, Fusion, parses, normalizes and enriches over 225 million clinical documents on behalf of health information exchanges, the Veterans Administration, state governments, large health plans, health IT vendors as well as life insurance companies, Diameter Health said in a press release.

“We invested in Diameter Health because their ability to automatically integrate and normalize clinical data will play an important role as we look to accelerate innovation and digitization across our company,” said Centene Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Mark Brooks.

The investment comes at a key time of growth for Diameter Health and the U.S. healthcare market as a whole, as recent legislation outlined in the 21st Century Cures Act will accelerate increased collaboration and data sharing across the industry. The recent funding round positions the company to build on its significant momentum in the health plan and life insurance space and to advance its mission to enable data interoperability and optimization across an enterprise.

Mike Cunningham, Principal with Optum Ventures and Diameter Health board member said, “Diameter Health's growth is accelerating in the health plan markets at impressive rates. We see the company as being fundamental in supporting the use of data across digital health transactions for healthcare organizations in the future.”

Read more: From Voice-Integrated Toothbrush to Wearable Halo, 2020 Was Amazon’s Year to Explore Healthcare Space

Diameter Health plans to use the new funding to expand Fusion's ingestion capabilities to accept all health messages, standards and data sources as well as to further enhance Fusion's real-time enrichment and analytics with machine learning capabilities like natural language processing. Diameter Health also plans to expand its large network of direct connections between Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and other healthcare data sources to enable more widespread, seamless and secure data exchange.

London-based digital health company Bold Health is developing digital therapeutics for gastrointestinal conditions. The company is backing a new University of Pennsylvania-led study that will directly compare the company's cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) app for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to Headspace's consumer mindfulness and meditation app, reports MobiHealthNews.

Researchers will be randomly assigning 300 participants with IBS to receive either Bold Health's Zemedy app or the Headspace mindfulness app for free. Each group will have the app for eight weeks, after which those who received the Headspace app will also be given access to Zemedy.

Read more: Sanofi and Babylon Team Up to Tackle Digestive Health Issues

Chronic digestive problems are common and often connected to poor mental wellbeing. Through Bold Health’s digital applications, patients get access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs designed for their specific condition.

Zemedy’s 6-week program is designed around core cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles. IBS symptoms are often exacerbated due to stress and anxiety.

The aim of the Zemedy program is to help users target symptoms and difficult emotions by changing the surrounding thoughts and behaviors. Users can practice these techniques in their own safe spaces and learn how to manage their symptoms in the long term.

After eight weeks of the trial, the researchers will administer a battery of questionnaires, and those who switched from Headspace to Zemedy will receive a third slew of questions after an additional eight weeks with Bold Health's app, the MobiHealthNews report said.

Through these surveys, the researchers will be comparing responses regarding the study's primary outcomes: IBS quality of life, and the severity of their gastrointestinal symptoms. Secondary outcomes include respondents' scores on various gastrointestinal-related measurements, including their anxiety regarding visceral gut sensations, fear of food or eating, and impairments to their work due to health conditions.

Read more: Oshi Health Launches First All-in-One Mobile App to Allow IBD Patients Manage Their Conditions

With this new trial, Bold Health is making the case that Zemedy, which is branded as a digital therapeutic, will be demonstrably more effective than a corresponding consumer wellness app.

For Amazon, the year 2020 was a very busy year. The company expanded its employee health offerings and launched its first wearable device.

Read more Amazon Reportedly Working on an Emotion Tracking Wearable

Amazon’s third-quarter 2020 fiscal results show that the e-commerce giant was able to increase its sales and cash flow, despite disruption due to the pandemic.

Amazon started the year by launching Amazon Care, virtual primacy care for its employees and their families living in Seattle. Amazon Care enabled patients to access care through multiple channels including texting, video chat and a mobile care clinic, where a nurse will come to the patient’s home or office. The patients are also able to get their medications to deliver via a “Care Courier” at their home or office.

2020 was also the year when the world was devastated by Coronavirus. There were several outbreaks at Amazon warehouses. In June, the company announced that it was ramping up plans to test its fulfillment center workers for coronavirus, reports MobiHealthNews.

In August, Amazon entered the wearables space by launching Amazon Halo, an on-wrist health tracker with an accompanying app. The device has a fabric band and doesn’t have a screen. The sensors track activity, temperature, and heart rate.

Amazon inked a deal with Oral-B to launch a voice-integrated toothbrush system that gives users tips on their brushing habits. The joint system includes an Oral-B electric toothbrush, an Alexa built-in smart charger base, an Oral-B brush head, and a Quick-Start guide. Besides the health focus, the Amazon built-in can play music, listen to the news and let users order more brush heads, MobiHealthNews reported.

Read more Amazon’s Halo Fitness Tracker Can Detect Your Body Fat and Tone of Voice

In November, launched a digital pharmacy, called Amazon Pharmacy, that lets customers order and manage their prescription medications online and get them delivered at home.

Novartis is partnering with German digital health company smartpatient to launch a new app feature on the MyTherapy app for patients with wet macular degeneration (AMD). Called “See What’s Next,” the new feature is designed to encourage people living with this condition to improve their treatment adherence, which is crucial to reducing the risk of vision loss.

Read more Comcast Partners with NuEyes to Help Customers with Visual Disabilities Watch TV

“Non-adherence is a challenge in most health conditions, but in few are consequences as direct and severe as in wet AMD,” says Sebastian Gaede, chief executive officer of smartpatient. “I was truly impressed seeing Novartis and us working as one team, with every single team member highly motivated by our shared goal of supporting patients in avoiding complications and reducing the risk of vision loss,” he added.

Patients are able to tap into a personalized app that will show them the tools most applicable to their needs. Ophthalmologists can provide patients with access to the system, reports MobiHealthNews.

Novartis initially reached out to smartpatient when it noticed a pattern of patients who would come in for one or two injections of its anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy treatment Beovu, but not return.

Wet AMD affects more than 20 million people worldwide, and is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65 in the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia. It develops when abnormal blood vessels grow into the macula of the eye. These vessels leak blood or fluid which leads to scarring of the macula and rapid loss of central vision.

Early symptoms include distorted vision and as the disease progresses, cell damage increases, resulting in a further reduction in vision quality.

Read more Pfizer Teams Up with Popit to Improve Medication Adherence

Big pharma companies like Novartis are increasingly turning towards the digital health space to support adherence measures, drug discovery and digital therapeutics.

“See What’s Next” is currently available in Italy and Spain, with other markets to follow.

Novartis is partnering with German digital health company smartpatient to launch a new app feature on the MyTherapy app for patients with wet macular degeneration (AMD). Called "See What’s Next," the new feature is designed to encourage people living with this condition to improve their treatment adherence, which is crucial to reducing the risk of vision loss.

Read more: Comcast Partners with NuEyes to Help Customers with Visual Disabilities Watch TV

“Non-adherence is a challenge in most health conditions, but in few are consequences as direct and severe as in wet AMD,” says Sebastian Gaede, chief executive officer of smartpatient. “I was truly impressed seeing Novartis and us working as one team, with every single team member highly motivated by our shared goal of supporting patients in avoiding complications and reducing the risk of vision loss,” he added.

Patients are able to tap into a personalized app that will show them the tools most applicable to their needs. Ophthalmologists can provide patients with access to the system, reports MobiHealthNews.

Novartis initially reached out to smartpatient when it noticed a pattern of patients who would come in for one or two injections of its anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy treatment Beovu, but not return.

Wet AMD affects more than 20 million people worldwide, and is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 65 in the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia. It develops when abnormal blood vessels grow into the macula of the eye. These vessels leak blood or fluid which leads to scarring of the macula and rapid loss of central vision.

Early symptoms include distorted vision and as the disease progresses, cell damage increases, resulting in a further reduction in vision quality.

Read more: Pfizer Teams Up with Popit to Improve Medication Adherence

Big pharma companies like Novartis are increasingly turning towards the digital health space to support adherence measures, drug discovery and digital therapeutics.

“See What’s Next” is currently available in Italy and Spain, with other markets to follow.

For Amazon, the year 2020 was a very busy year. The company expanded its employee health offerings and launched its first wearable device.

Read more: Amazon Reportedly Working on an Emotion Tracking Wearable

Amazon’s third-quarter 2020 fiscal results show that the e-commerce giant was able to increase its sales and cash flow, despite disruption due to the pandemic.

Amazon started the year by launching Amazon Care, virtual primacy care for its employees and their families living in Seattle. Amazon Care enabled patients to access care through multiple channels including texting, video chat and a mobile care clinic, where a nurse will come to the patient’s home or office. The patients are also able to get their medications to deliver via a “Care Courier” at their home or office.

2020 was also the year when the world was devastated by Coronavirus. There were several outbreaks at Amazon warehouses. In June, the company announced that it was ramping up plans to test its fulfillment center workers for coronavirus, reports MobiHealthNews.

In August, Amazon entered the wearables space by launching Amazon Halo, an on-wrist health tracker with an accompanying app. The device has a fabric band and doesn’t have a screen. The sensors track activity, temperature, and heart rate.

Amazon inked a deal with Oral-B to launch a voice-integrated toothbrush system that gives users tips on their brushing habits. The joint system includes an Oral-B electric toothbrush, an Alexa built-in smart charger base, an Oral-B brush head, and a Quick-Start guide. Besides the health focus, the Amazon built-in can play music, listen to the news and let users order more brush heads, MobiHealthNews reported.

Read more: Amazon’s Halo Fitness Tracker Can Detect Your Body Fat and Tone of Voice

In November, launched a digital pharmacy, called Amazon Pharmacy, that lets customers order and manage their prescription medications online and get them delivered at home.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent for a future Apple Watch band with embedded batteries.

Read more Patent Reveals Future Apple Watches with Dazzling Designs, New Health Features and More

The new patent is named Battery Watch Band. It describes how the Apple Watch could get more battery capacity without having to increase the size of the Watch casing or find a more efficient power cell. The battery cells are sealed with the strap in order to prevent them from coming into contact with the metal casing of the watch.

“Apple’s invention covers a watch band for a future Apple Watch that houses a series of embedded batteries in order to provide additional battery life.  This can provide an additional power source for Apple Watch without increasing the size of the Apple Watch body,” reports PatentlyApple.

The watch band will be connected to the watch via pins. The watch will get recharged wirelessly through induction coils, wrapped around one of the battery elements.

Apple Watches have fairly short battery life. For example, Apple Watch Series 6 is rated for 18 hours of use, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 gets a rating for 2 days of battery life. The battery on the Fitbit Sense can last up to six days.

The future Apple Watches need longer battery life as they will be loaded with health features. The updated watchOS 7.2 will bring a new cardio fitness score that uses your VO2 max to measure your cardiorespiratory health or aerobic endurance.

Read more Apple’s Patent Suggests Smart Ring That Could Let You Control Other Devices

It may take a while for Apple to turn this new patent into reality, but some major changes on the Apple Watch 7 are on the card. It should also be noted that Apple has previously played with the idea for the band, suggesting that various sensors and batteries could be put inside each element in its Link band but Apple didn’t show us a final product.

A new feature on Apple Watch will give you a review on your fitness levels. When you update your watch’s software to watchOS 7.2, it will bring a new cardio fitness score that uses your VO2 max to measure your cardiorespiratory health, or aerobic endurance. Cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by VO2 max, is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise, and it can be increased through physical activity. Apple Watch already estimates average and higher levels of VO2 max during vigorous outdoor walks, runs, or hikes, which many runners and other athletes monitor to improve performance.

Read more Apple Gets FDA Clearance for its Updated Version of ECG to Detect AFib

Now, with watchOS 7, Apple Watch uses multiple sensors, including the optical heart sensor, GPS, and the accelerometer, to estimate lower levels, too. This is significant because direct measurement of VO2 max typically requires a rigorous clinical test with specialized equipment that is not readily accessible to most people. watchOS 7 also allows Apple Watch to take cardio fitness measurements as users walk throughout the day, whether or not they are tracking a workout. With this innovation, Apple Watch is better able to measure VO2 max for users with low cardio fitness, who may not complete high-intensity workouts, reports Apple.

“Cardio fitness is increasingly recognized as a powerful predictor of overall health, and with today’s update to watchOS 7, we are making it even more accessible to more people,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Using its advanced sensors, Apple Watch now brings estimation of low cardio fitness levels from clinics directly to a user’s wrist, so people have more insight into how they can improve their long-term health through daily activity.”

iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2 enable Apple Watch users to visit the Cardio Fitness category in the Health app on iPhone to review whether their cardio fitness level is classified as high, above average, below average, or low, relative to people in their same age group and of the same sex, according to data from the Fitness Registry and Importance of Exercise National Database (FRIEND).

Read more Apple Joins Forces with Researchers to Conduct Health Studies Using Apple Watch

Here’s How to Set Up Cardio Fitness

1. From the Health app on your iPhone, tap the Summary tab.
2. Tap Set Up under Cardio Fitness, then tap Next.
3. Confirm your details. Any changes you make here will be saved to your Health Details in Settings.
4. Tap Next.
5. Follow the onscreen prompts to learn about other factors that can lower your cardio fitness, as well as the cardio fitness levels for your age and sex.
6. Tap Next.
7. Tap Turn on Notifications to receive a notification if your Apple Watch detects that your cardio fitness level is low. You must be at least 20 years old to turn on notifications.
8. Tap Done.

A new feature on Apple Watch will give you a review on your fitness levels. When you update your watch’s software to watchOS 7.2, it will bring a new cardio fitness score that uses your VO2 max to measure your cardiorespiratory health, or aerobic endurance. Cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by VO2 max, is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise, and it can be increased through physical activity. Apple Watch already estimates average and higher levels of VO2 max during vigorous outdoor walks, runs, or hikes, which many runners and other athletes monitor to improve performance.

Read more: Apple Gets FDA Clearance for its Updated Version of ECG to Detect AFib

Now, with watchOS 7, Apple Watch uses multiple sensors, including the optical heart sensor, GPS, and the accelerometer, to estimate lower levels, too. This is significant because direct measurement of VO2 max typically requires a rigorous clinical test with specialized equipment that is not readily accessible to most people. watchOS 7 also allows Apple Watch to take cardio fitness measurements as users walk throughout the day, whether or not they are tracking a workout. With this innovation, Apple Watch is better able to measure VO2 max for users with low cardio fitness, who may not complete high-intensity workouts, reports Apple.

“Cardio fitness is increasingly recognized as a powerful predictor of overall health, and with today’s update to watchOS 7, we are making it even more accessible to more people,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Using its advanced sensors, Apple Watch now brings estimation of low cardio fitness levels from clinics directly to a user’s wrist, so people have more insight into how they can improve their long-term health through daily activity.”

iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2 enable Apple Watch users to visit the Cardio Fitness category in the Health app on iPhone to review whether their cardio fitness level is classified as high, above average, below average, or low, relative to people in their same age group and of the same sex, according to data from the Fitness Registry and Importance of Exercise National Database (FRIEND).

Read more: Apple Joins Forces with Researchers to Conduct Health Studies Using Apple Watch

Here's How to Set Up Cardio Fitness

1. From the Health app on your iPhone, tap the Summary tab.
2. Tap Set Up under Cardio Fitness, then tap Next.
3. Confirm your details. Any changes you make here will be saved to your Health Details in Settings.
4. Tap Next.
5. Follow the onscreen prompts to learn about other factors that can lower your cardio fitness, as well as the cardio fitness levels for your age and sex.
6. Tap Next.
7. Tap Turn on Notifications to receive a notification if your Apple Watch detects that your cardio fitness level is low. You must be at least 20 years old to turn on notifications.
8. Tap Done.

‍

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent for a future Apple Watch band with embedded batteries.

Read more: Patent Reveals Future Apple Watches with Dazzling Designs, New Health Features and More

The new patent is named Battery Watch Band. It describes how the Apple Watch could get more battery capacity without having to increase the size of the Watch casing or find a more efficient power cell. The battery cells are sealed with the strap in order to prevent them from coming into contact with the metal casing of the watch.

“Apple's invention covers a watch band for a future Apple Watch that houses a series of embedded batteries in order to provide additional battery life.  This can provide an additional power source for Apple Watch without increasing the size of the Apple Watch body,” reports PatentlyApple.

The watch band will be connected to the watch via pins. The watch will get recharged wirelessly through induction coils, wrapped around one of the battery elements.

Apple Watches have fairly short battery life. For example, Apple Watch Series 6 is rated for 18 hours of use, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 gets a rating for 2 days of battery life. The battery on the Fitbit Sense can last up to six days.

The future Apple Watches need longer battery life as they will be loaded with health features. The updated watchOS 7.2 will bring a new cardio fitness score that uses your VO2 max to measure your cardiorespiratory health or aerobic endurance.

Read more: Apple’s Patent Suggests Smart Ring That Could Let You Control Other Devices

It may take a while for Apple to turn this new patent into reality, but some major changes on the Apple Watch 7 are on the card. It should also be noted that Apple has previously played with the idea for the band, suggesting that various sensors and batteries could be put inside each element in its Link band but Apple didn’t show us a final product.

Wearing Fitbit devices with Health2Sync, the number one diabetes management app in Taiwan has been clinically proven to help both users and healthcare providers to control and better manage the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, according to a study was conducted with four of Taiwan’s leading diabetes clinics.

Related Fitbit and Solera Health Expand Collaboration to Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Results from the study in Taiwan revealed an improvement in patients’ health conditions, with participants recording higher levels of physical activity, reduced HbA1C, fasting blood glucose and LDL-C, and higher blood glucose measurement frequency, Fitbit said in a press release.

“We are thrilled to see such optimistic results in the clinical study. We believe that innovations in Fitbit wearable devices and Fitbit health solutions have a major role to play in the global effort against diabetes – whether it is in reducing the onset of diabetes, or helping patients to better manage their condition – and we look forward to further expanding on our partnership with Fitbit,” said Ed Deng, CEO at Health2Sync.

The Health2Sync Patient Management Platform allows healthcare providers to seamlessly monitor patients’ information and provide remote consultative advice where necessary.

The study found:

• Average glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) decreased 0.33%, while patients who did moderate to high-intensity activity duration of at least 150 mins per week, saw their average HbA1C decreased 0.66%
• Average fasting blood glucose (BG) decreased 10.92 mg/dL
• Average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased 11.55 mg/dL
• Weight reduction of up to 2 kilograms among some patients
• Increased frequency in moderate to high-intensity activity to 7.03 times a week among some patients

Conducted over a three-month period ending in July 2020 in conjunction with the Neng-Chun Diabetes Clinic, Da-Ya Chang-An Clinic, Yier Clinic and Banqiao Da-Jun Clinic, the study, with patient consent, lets the patients’ doctors track the progress and lifestyle changes of 95 participants with T2DM. Prior to the commencement of the study, doctors at the four clinics established benchmarks for all participating patients based on blood glucose tests at the start of the trial, then on a self-monitored weekly basis throughout the study period.

Each participant was given a Fitbit Inspire HR and the participants voluntarily agreed to connect their Fitbit wearable data with the Health2Sync diabetes management app to track their progress throughout the program. Physical activity data generated from each person’s Fitbit device was integrated into the Health2Sync app, which housed other health metrics such as patients’ HbA1c, BG and cholesterol levels. This let doctors seamlessly monitor patients’ information on the Health2Sync Patient Management Platform and provide remote consultative advice where necessary.

“The results speak for themselves. We saw a reduction in some of our patients’ weight by an average of two kilograms and fasting BG levels of study participants from Da-Ya Chang-An clinic decreased 11.10 mg/dL within 3 months, leading to significant health improvements, said Dr. Kuo-Liang Lu of Da-Ya Chang-An Clinic in Taiwan.

Related UnitedHealth Group Launches New Digital Therapy To Improve Lives Of People With Type 2 Diabetes

Dr. Neng-Chu Yu of Neng-Chun Diabetes Clinic said: “Type 2 diabetes, with the right lifestyle changes – medication adherence, increased activity, and better diet – can lead to major improvements in control of blood glucose levels. The integration of Fitbit data with Health2Sync let me easily view my patients’ activities and self-monitored data, enabling me to make necessary suggestions and give guidance to help patients for further improvement.”

A new study published in The Lancet found that using heart rate variability (HRV), wrist-worn health trackers can provide a range of predictive cardiovascular health metrics.

Researchers gathered data from over eight million users of smartwatches made by Fitbit, the company that funded the study. Over 70 countries were represented in this user group, though nearly half were based in the United States.

Read more Combining Fitbit Wearables With Health2Sync Glucose Control App Improves Diabetes Management

Data collected were from several Fitbit device models, but primarily from Charge 2, Alta HR, Blaze, Versa, and Ionic.

Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the variation in time between successive heartbeats and represents a non-invasive index of the autonomic nervous system. Because the autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate during sinus rhythm, HRV summarizes complex non-linear cardiovascular accommodative responses, which are dictated by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, to dynamic physiological variations.

Researchers analyzed HRV metrics across the time (measured via the root mean square of successive RR interval differences and SD of the RR interval, frequency (measured by high-frequency and low-frequency power), and graphical (measured by Poincare plots) domains.

Findings show that HRV metrics decrease with age across each type of measurement used in the study, reports MobiHealthNews.

This finding suggests a more rapid decline of parasympathetic function with increasing age than of sympathetic activity, the study said.

HRV metrics varied throughout the day, reaching peak values in the early morning hours. Several authors have discussed the effect of physical activity on HRV, and studies have shown beneficial results. According to a study by one group, the correlation between the number of steps measured by Fitbit devices compared with steps counted by researchers is variable during walking and jogging, but this variation is within 7%.

“We aimed to characterize HRV metrics to understand variations by age, sex, time of day, and physical activity level, and to provide benchmarks for HRV metrics among users of Fitbit,” the authors wrote.

The study also found a correlation between physical activity and HRV, such that increased activity could optimize HRV metrics.

Read more Fitbit CEO Reveals He’s Planning to Transform Fitbit To A Digital Healthcare Company

“Our results might have important implications for the remote monitoring of human health given the widespread availability of wrist-worn trackers,” said researchers. “Although HRV metrics have been previously correlated with cardiovascular health and mortality, our technical advance in the analysis of wearable data at large scale and descriptions of the data now permit its potential use for health promotion through tens of millions of currently available wrist-worn commercial trackers.”

A new study published in The Lancet found that using heart rate variability (HRV), wrist-worn health trackers can provide a range of predictive cardiovascular health metrics.

Researchers gathered data from over eight million users of smartwatches made by Fitbit, the company that funded the study. Over 70 countries were represented in this user group, though nearly half were based in the United States.

Read more: Combining Fitbit Wearables With Health2Sync Glucose Control App Improves Diabetes Management

Data collected were from several Fitbit device models, but primarily from Charge 2, Alta HR, Blaze, Versa, and Ionic.

Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the variation in time between successive heartbeats and represents a non-invasive index of the autonomic nervous system. Because the autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate during sinus rhythm, HRV summarizes complex non-linear cardiovascular accommodative responses, which are dictated by the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, to dynamic physiological variations.

Researchers analyzed HRV metrics across the time (measured via the root mean square of successive RR interval differences and SD of the RR interval, frequency (measured by high-frequency and low-frequency power), and graphical (measured by Poincare plots) domains.

Findings show that HRV metrics decrease with age across each type of measurement used in the study, reports MobiHealthNews.

This finding suggests a more rapid decline of parasympathetic function with increasing age than of sympathetic activity, the study said.

HRV metrics varied throughout the day, reaching peak values in the early morning hours. Several authors have discussed the effect of physical activity on HRV, and studies have shown beneficial results. According to a study by one group, the correlation between the number of steps measured by Fitbit devices compared with steps counted by researchers is variable during walking and jogging, but this variation is within 7%.

“We aimed to characterize HRV metrics to understand variations by age, sex, time of day, and physical activity level, and to provide benchmarks for HRV metrics among users of Fitbit,” the authors wrote.

The study also found a correlation between physical activity and HRV, such that increased activity could optimize HRV metrics.

Read more: Fitbit CEO Reveals He’s Planning to Transform Fitbit To A Digital Healthcare Company

“Our results might have important implications for the remote monitoring of human health given the widespread availability of wrist-worn trackers,” said researchers. “Although HRV metrics have been previously correlated with cardiovascular health and mortality, our technical advance in the analysis of wearable data at large scale and descriptions of the data now permit its potential use for health promotion through tens of millions of currently available wrist-worn commercial trackers.”

Wearing Fitbit devices with Health2Sync, the number one diabetes management app in Taiwan has been clinically proven to help both users and healthcare providers to control and better manage the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, according to a study was conducted with four of Taiwan’s leading diabetes clinics.

Related: Fitbit and Solera Health Expand Collaboration to Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Results from the study in Taiwan revealed an improvement in patients’ health conditions, with participants recording higher levels of physical activity, reduced HbA1C, fasting blood glucose and LDL-C, and higher blood glucose measurement frequency, Fitbit said in a press release.

“We are thrilled to see such optimistic results in the clinical study. We believe that innovations in Fitbit wearable devices and Fitbit health solutions have a major role to play in the global effort against diabetes – whether it is in reducing the onset of diabetes, or helping patients to better manage their condition – and we look forward to further expanding on our partnership with Fitbit,” said Ed Deng, CEO at Health2Sync.

The Health2Sync Patient Management Platform allows healthcare providers to seamlessly monitor patients’ information and provide remote consultative advice where necessary.

The study found:

• Average glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) decreased 0.33%, while patients who did moderate to high-intensity activity duration of at least 150 mins per week, saw their average HbA1C decreased 0.66%
• Average fasting blood glucose (BG) decreased 10.92 mg/dL
• Average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased 11.55 mg/dL
• Weight reduction of up to 2 kilograms among some patients
• Increased frequency in moderate to high-intensity activity to 7.03 times a week among some patients

Conducted over a three-month period ending in July 2020 in conjunction with the Neng-Chun Diabetes Clinic, Da-Ya Chang-An Clinic, Yier Clinic and Banqiao Da-Jun Clinic, the study, with patient consent, lets the patients’ doctors track the progress and lifestyle changes of 95 participants with T2DM. Prior to the commencement of the study, doctors at the four clinics established benchmarks for all participating patients based on blood glucose tests at the start of the trial, then on a self-monitored weekly basis throughout the study period.

Each participant was given a Fitbit Inspire HR and the participants voluntarily agreed to connect their Fitbit wearable data with the Health2Sync diabetes management app to track their progress throughout the program. Physical activity data generated from each person’s Fitbit device was integrated into the Health2Sync app, which housed other health metrics such as patients’ HbA1c, BG and cholesterol levels. This let doctors seamlessly monitor patients’ information on the Health2Sync Patient Management Platform and provide remote consultative advice where necessary.

“The results speak for themselves. We saw a reduction in some of our patients' weight by an average of two kilograms and fasting BG levels of study participants from Da-Ya Chang-An clinic decreased 11.10 mg/dL within 3 months, leading to significant health improvements, said Dr. Kuo-Liang Lu of Da-Ya Chang-An Clinic in Taiwan.

Related: UnitedHealth Group Launches New Digital Therapy To Improve Lives Of People With Type 2 Diabetes

Dr. Neng-Chu Yu of Neng-Chun Diabetes Clinic said: "Type 2 diabetes, with the right lifestyle changes – medication adherence, increased activity, and better diet – can lead to major improvements in control of blood glucose levels. The integration of Fitbit data with Health2Sync let me easily view my patients’ activities and self-monitored data, enabling me to make necessary suggestions and give guidance to help patients for further improvement."

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are transforming global socioeconomic structures. Experts are expecting an impact that is astronomical in terms of the number of lives lost and jobs disappeared. As the whole world is taking measures to contain the pandemic, digital technology is helping in the fight.

Read more Oura Ring Detects Fever, A Common Symptom of COVID-19, Before It Occurs

Scientists are making efforts to develop diagnostic tests to detect the virus in order to correctly diagnose patients, enact measures such as isolation and quarantine, and manage their treatment accordingly. Companies are developing artificial intelligence solutions for the detection of respiratory diseases quickly tailored their software to differentiate COVID-19 from other respiratory infections, decreasing image analysis time to a matter of seconds.

According to Ahmad AbuSalah, health informatics and intelligence officer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, the pandemic is highlighting the need to drive digital maturity with investment, while addressing data sharing models, reports MobiHealthNews. “One of the challenges that we face here in the Middle East are data collaboration and data sharing. As you know, data is the backbone of digital transformation. Using data discovery tools, I can tell in a secure way how many patients are available in the hospital in that region,” Mr. AbuSalah said.

Wearables have also been explored by countries as a means of contact tracing and safe reopening. British telecommunications firm Vodafone is deploying heat detection cameras at the entrance or reception area of workplaces. The cameras are made by surveillance tech maker Digital Barriers.

Canadian technology company Proxxi launched Halo, a wearable band to help employees maintain social distancing at work. Halo notifies wearers that another band is within 6 feet (2 meters), reminding them of the need to maintain social distance.

Read more BlueCats Launches Fully Configurable Wearable Contact Tracing Solution

Rapid innovation and implementation of digital technology has allowed healthcare firms to navigate the challenges from the covid-19 pandemic and safely care for their patients. Willingness to rapidly adopt technology has truly helped healthcare professionals during this time of fear and uncertainty.