The American Medical Association (AMA) has passed a policy addressing Augmented Intelligence – and not Artificial Intelligence – that provides recommendations for stakeholders’ concerns. The AMA also has spurred a range of concerns about the novel challenges in the design, implementation, and use—especially how AI will be incorporated into the practice of medicine and affect patients.

Related How Explainable Artificial Intelligence Could Lower the Effect of Biased Algorithms

“As technology continues to advance and evolve, we have a unique opportunity to ensure that augmented intelligence is used to benefit patients, physicians, and the broad health care community,” said AMA Board Member Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D. M.P.H. “Combining AI methods and systems with an irreplaceable human clinician can advance the delivery of care in a way that outperforms what either can do alone. But we must forthrightly address challenges in the design, evaluation and implementation as this technology is increasingly integrated into physicians’ delivery of care to patients.”

According to the new policy, the AMA will:

• Leverage its ongoing engagement in digital health and other priority areas for improving patient outcomes and physicians’ professional satisfaction to help set priorities for health care AI, reports AMA in a press release.
• Identify opportunities to integrate healthcare AI.
• Promote development of high-quality, thoughtfully designed, clinically validated health care AI that is user-centered, is transparent, conforms to leading standards, identifies bias and safeguards patients’ and others’ interests and preserves security of personal information.
• Encourage education to promote greater understanding of benefits and limitations of healthcare AI.
• Explore the legal implications of healthcare AI.

Related Artificial Intelligence: A Key Topic At Semicon West

“To reap the benefits for patient care, physicians must have the skills to work comfortably with health care AI. Just as working effectively with EHRs is now part of training for medical students and residents, educating physicians to work effectively with AI systems, or more narrowly, the AI algorithms that can inform clinical care decisions, will be critical to the future of AI in health care,” Ehrenfeld said.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

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Smart skin patches are widely used in wearable devices. These patches use laminar batteries, often partially printed, plus printed electrode patterns to deliver drugs, cosmetics, tattoos and potentially performance boosting chemicals such as caffeine through the skin. IDTechEx Research has released a detailed update on their research on wearable skin patches titled “Electronic Skin Patches 2019-2029.” According to the report, $7.5 billion in revenue was made from electronic skin patches in 2018 and a forecast for this to grow to over $20 billion per year by 2029.

Related Smart Health Patches to boost your Running Performance

With extensive research conducted by leading industry experts over more than a decade around areas such as flexible electronics and wearable technology, the report covers 26 application areas and over 100 companies, says a press release.

There’s a diverse range of products and target markets within the wearable skin patches space. In 2019, the two leading market sectors by far are in the area of diabetes management and in cardiovascular monitoring. Each of these spaces has grown over the last decade to generate billions of dollars in revenue per year for the companies involved. However, in each of these spaces, success is not guaranteed; leading players in each space have deployed occasionally contrasting commercial strategies in order to maintain and increase their overall revenue and market share, the report said. The IDTechEx Research report contains detailed, lengthy chapters, including descriptions of the product landscape (including competitive product types, regulatory implications and so on) and technology options, profiles and interviews with leading players, historic market data and market forecasts for each.

The electronic skin patches are employed in a diverse range of products, including medical patient monitoring, motion sensing, temperature sensing, drug and cosmetic delivery patches, smart bandages for wound care and more.

Related FPC Market will Reach $16.6 billion in 2025 with a Growing Demand from Wearables

IDTechEx also organizes leading industry conferences and exhibitions covering flexible and wearable electronics. With a combined total of over 6,000 delegates each year and presentations from all of the leading players in these spaces.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

RealWear, a Vancouver, Washington-based AR startup that develops industrial helmet for workers, closed an $80 million Series B financing round, bringing the company’s total funding to over $100 million. RealWear will use the funds, which are a combination of equity and debt, to continue market expansion and accelerate its platform development.

Related Kopin Unveils World’s First Voice-Controlled AR Headset

RealWear teamed with JPMorgan Chase & Co. to architect an investment syndicate led by Teradyne, Inc. (TER), a global leader in industrial automation, and includes Bose Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures LLC (QCOM), Kopin Corporation (KOPN), and investors from JPMorgan’s (JPM) Private Bank.

From its inception, RealWear has focused on products that are specifically designed for the connected enterprise workforce to improve job satisfaction, productivity and, most importantly, safety. Its industrial hands-free wearable computers enhance, rather than diminish, a worker’s situational awareness while delivering vital information on-demand in the harshest of environments, reports RealWear.

RealWear’s technology is a combination of a small computer running on Android and a camera, speaker, microphones. A tiny screen projects information in front of the wearer’s eye.

The wearer can use the screen to call up information on the fly. Workers use the camera to send an image of what they’re seeing to colleagues elsewhere.

This rugged hardhat is actually a smart headset that functions similarly to the original Google Glass but uses the underlying technology quite differently.

“The augmented reality enterprise market has experienced a great deal of hype, but long-term, real-world solutions have been thin on the ground, said Tom Mainelli, IDCGroup VP of Devices and AR/VR.

“RealWear smartly recognized the need for a no-nonsense head-mounted display and has delivered no-frills products that help frontline workers to get their jobs done more safely and efficiently.”

Related Life-Saving Wearable Devices that Boost Safety for Construction Workers

RealWear Co-Founder and CEO, Andy Lowery, said RealWear used this same pragmatic philosophy in its fund-raising strategy. “Our seed investments came from friends, family, early customers, suppliers and business partners. Their faith carried us to our Series A, led by Columbia Ventures Corporation. CVC’s experience in heavy industry, one of our primary markets, made it a perfect match.”

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

The growth of IoT is prompting researchers to develop wearable sensors that can monitor patients’ vital signs remotely. However, devices for monitoring vital signs currently available in the market tend to be uncomfortable and bulky. They are also expensive and need experts to use them. Scientists at the University of Exeter in UK have now developed sensors that can be integrated directly into textiles themselves, to remove the discomfort of placing hardware directly in contact with human skin.

Related Graphene to Protect Implantable Neurostimulators in People with Neurological Disorders

The new technology integrates the electronic devices into the fabric of the material, by coating electronic fibers with light-weight, durable components that will allow images to be shown directly on the fabric, reports Exeter.

The research team believe that the discovery could revolutionize the creation of wearable electronic devices for use in a range of every day applications, as well as health monitoring, such as heart rates and blood pressure, and medical diagnostics.

The team was led by Professor Monica Craciun from the University of Exeter Engineering department. This international collaborative research included experts from the Centre for Graphene Science at the University of Exeter, the Universities of Aveiro and Lisbon in Portugal, and CenTexBel in Belgium.

“For truly wearable electronic devices to be achieved, it is vital that the components are able to be incorporated within the material, and not simply added to it,” said Professor Craciun.

Graphene is just one atom thick, making it the thinnest substance capable of conducting electricity. It is very flexible and is one of the strongest known materials. In recent years, scientists have been racing to adapt graphene for the use in wearable electronic devices.

Related Graphene – The Magic Ingredient for Advanced Wearables

“This new research opens up the gateway for smart textiles to play a pivotal role in so many fields in the not-too-distant future.  By weaving the graphene fibres into the fabric, we have created a new technique to all the full integration of electronics into textiles. The only limits from now are really within our own imagination,” said Dr Elias Torres Alonso, Research Scientist at Graphenea and former PhD student in Professor Craciun’s team at Exeter.

The study was published in the journal Flexible Electronics.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

The number of different graphene-based wearable prototypes emerging today is growing rapidly. Scientists at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) are currently developing a disposable patch packed with graphene-based sensors that measures vitals like heart rate, oxygen saturation, hydration temperature, UV exposure, temperature, and breath rate. While sensors found in most fitness trackers use LED light, the new graphene-based sensor uses ambient light that passes through the optical sensors, hits the skin, and comes back to read your vitals. People can use the fitness band, for example, when they are doing exercise.

Related Graphene Biosensor Could Provide Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

The new fitness band created by ICFO uses the same core technology as its UV patch. However, this device does much more than simply measure the user’s physical activity.

“Consider the following scenario. A person is trekking in the remote Amazon jungle with limited access to water. By measuring the skin hydration of their body with ICFO’s fitness band, the user can optimize water intake, preventing any sort of dehydration, said a ICFO press release.

“Similarly, an explorer hiking to the peak of Mount Everest could use the band to accurately monitor oxygen saturation in blood. The high altitude can severely affect oxygen saturation in the body. Using the band, the hiker could monitor these levels and emit a warning if oxygen saturation in the blood decreases drastically below a certain level.”

Related Electronic Wool May Soon Find Its Way From Wearable Tech to Your Wardrobe

The graphene-based camera sensor can be built into a smartphone camera where it will allow the phone to see more than what’s visible to the human eye. “Made up of hundreds of thousands of photodetectors, this incredibly small sensor is highly sensitive to UV and infrared light,” said Frank Koppens, group leader at Graphene Flagship partner ICFO.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has partnered up with health tech startup Popit to help people take their rheumatoid arthritis medication on time. Finland-based Popit is a former finalist of the Innovation World Cup®.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimate, around 50% of patients with long-term illnesses adhere to their medication.

Related Pilloxa Collaborates with Sandoz Nordics to Improve Medication Adherence

Pfizer will offer its patients Popit’s adherence solution, which monitors pill-taking with a smart device and alerts users via an app if they forget to take their medication, reports MobiHealth News.

Initially, 1,000 people living in Finland, Sweden and Norway will benefit from the new scheme. The company said it’s currently discussing about eventually expanding the system to other countries in central Europe.

Selected patients will be able to pick up the Popit device for free from either their pharmacy or health clinic.

Popit makes pills connected. This smart pill reminder reduces missed pills by over 80%.

Here’s How it Works

• The small device called Popit Sense can be easily attached onto the pill sheet.
• Small metal spikes pierce the pill sheet and offer excellent grip.
• Three sensors work in a sequence to detect pill extraction automatically.
• Popit Sense is also augmented with a manual logging button.

The tiny device weighs only 12 grams. Battery lasts for up to 12 months. Bluetooth range is up to 30m/100ft. The system provides seamless tracking and reminds you only if you have missed your pill.

Why Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients?

Pfizer conducted a ‘deep dive’ into the treatment journey of rheumatoid arthritis patients. The company discovered that the patients weren’t receiving enough support in dealing with their condition.

Related cue-Rx Medication Adherence System to Deliver Prescription in their Original Containers

Pfizer’s partnership with Popit aims to support the proper implementation of these patients’ drug treatment.

“We want to increase the patient’s commitment to their treatment and also improve adherence so that treatment outcomes are better,” explains Popit cofounder, Timo Heikkilä.

“What is really game-changing with Popit’s solution is that it can be easily deployed for masses. There are no special requirements to the packaging and the device and app are very user friendly,” he adds.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

The U.S. is seeing a rise in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’ disease. A common method to treat these diseases is using implantable neurostimulation devices. But platinum electrodes used in these devices are prone to corrosion, which can reduce the functional lifetime of the devices.

Researchers at Purdue University have now developed a novel method to protect against degradation of these neurostimulation devices. In a paper published in the journal 2D Materials, lead author Hyowon “Hugh” Lee, and colleagues present their methods for protecting platinum neurostimulators with a monolayer of graphene.

Read more Innovative Brain Implant Reads and Stimulates Brain to Improve Parkinson’s Treatment

“I know from my industry experience that the reliability of implantable devices is a critical issue for translating technology into clinics,” said Lee, who is an assistant professor in Purdue’s College of Engineering and a researcher at the Birck Nanotechnology Center. “This is part of our research focusing on augmenting and improving implantable devices using nano and microscale technologies for more reliable and advanced treatments. We are the first ones that I know of to address the platinum corrosion issue in neurostimulation microelectrodes.”

Lee said he learned about the advantage of using graphene from his colleague at Birck Nanotechnology Center, Zhihong Chen, who is an expert in graphene technology. The team has shown the graphene monolayer to be an effective diffusion barrier and electrical conductor,” reports Purdue.

Read more Medtronic to Launch Deep Brain Simulation for Medically-Refractory Epilepsy in the U.S.

“If you attempt to deliver more charge than the electrode can handle, it can corrode the electrode and damage the surrounding tissues,” Lee said. He also thinks that microscale electrodes are going to play a key role in the future with more demand for precise and targeted neurostimulation therapy. “We think neurosurgeons, neurologists, and other scientists in neuroengineering field will be able to use this electrode technology to better help patients with implantable devices for restoring eyesight, movement, and other lost functionalities.”

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Currently available “true wireless earbuds” are stored inside a charging case that goes in your pocket. Aipower, a NYC-based innovative smart device maker decided to shake things up with its new Aipower Wearbuds by combining true wireless earbuds with a wrist-based fitness tracker. The company likes to call it “the world’s first wristband-housed true wireless earbuds.”

Related xFyro xS2: True Wireless and Waterproof Earbuds with High Quality Sound

“All wireless earbuds are not truly wireless, because you always have to carry a charging case. Without it, earbuds cannot be powered on or off and will soon run out of power. There is an invisible wire that has long plagued true wireless experience,” said Oliver Sha Fei, co-founder of Aipower. “The innovative patented design of Wearbuds enables the earbuds to be stored and charged in a fitness band, bringing both audio and fitness tracking experience to consumers.”

No Need for a Charging Case

Both earbuds can be placed perfectly in the fitness tracking wristband which can also charge the earbuds with no need for carrying a charging case, the company said in a press release.

Hi-Fi Sound

Wearbuds feature flawless audio streaming with an advanced Qualcomm chipset and Bluetooth 5.0 technology, reproducing booming bass and crisp highs through fine-tuned graphene-augmented drivers.

Call Freely with Either Earbud

Wearbuds support Mono Mode, a feature comes from the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology, allowing fast and easy hands-free phone calls with one or both earbuds.

Fitness Tracker on Your Wrist

The fitness band automatically counts your steps and calories burned and monitor heart rate and sleep pattern. A built-in touchscreen on the fitness band allows for instant access to all fitness data and notifications (including sedentary reminder) on the wrist. All fitness reports will be saved in the Aipower app. The band features on-wrist smartphone notifications which are customizable for calls, texts, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

Related ORII Smart Ring Turns Your Finger into Earbuds

Features & Specs

• Ture wireless and Bluetooth 5.0
• Qualcomm smart audio chipset
• Instant pairing
• Earbuds playtime: 5.5h (12h with the band)
• Fitness band battery life: up to 7 days
• Earbuds: IPX6 waterproof
• On-wrist fitness data: heart rate, steps, sleep patterns, etc.
• On-wrist notifications for call, message, apps (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)

Wearbuds™ are now available for preorder on Kickstarter.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

It’s important to monitor newborn’s breathing. The CDC reported 3,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths in 2017. It’s helpful to learn about newborn breathing to keep you informed and take the best care of your little one. There are several types of baby monitors currently available in the market. But most of these have sensors or other electronics embedded in the baby’s clothing, causing concern for parents.

Related Wireless, Soft, Flexible Sensors Show Promise in Monitoring Premature Babies

Nanit, an American tech start-up that develops baby monitor devices connected through its mobile app, released new infant clothing that do not need sensors or other forms of embedded electronics. Dubbed Breathing Wear, the infant outfit works with Nanit’s smart camera to monitor baby’s breathing.

The system provides insights to baby’s breathing by allowing the camera to read the clothing’s patterns, reports MobiHealthNews.

Nanit Plus is a small, square camera that’s made to be placed above a crib, aiming directly down for an overhead view. It’s well designed and unobtrusive, mounting as simply as a shelf.

When the camera is placed above the baby’s crib it interprets the customized pattern on the baby’s clothing item, and translate that into a breathing pattern. This information is then sent to the parents’ smartphone or tablet.

Related Special Pacifier Plays Songs to help Premature Babies Develop Skills to Suck for Milk

“Many of the parents in our Nanit community have requested the ability to track their baby’s breathing motion,” said Dr. Assaf Glazer, Nanit co-founder and CEO. “And since every parent and every baby is unique, we wanted to give customers an easy, natural and customizable way to add this feature into their existing Nanit sleep solution.”

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Eccrine Systems, a pioneer in the field of wearable sweat sensors, is expanding its Research and Development capabilities in Cincinnati. The expansion will speed up development of Eccrine’s groundbreaking technology for use in medicine, industry and sport. The company, with 50 employees, expects to add 50 more over the next 3 years.

Related Swedish Scientists Develop Multi-Purpose Sensors for Measuring Biochemical Compounds in Blood and Sweat

“It’s an exciting time to be at Eccrine as we innovate, grow and prepare to launch our first product.  We continue to hire engineers, scientists, and clinical researchers for our lab as well as sales, marketing and product development professionals to support our commercial launch and expansion of our pipeline.  Southwest Ohio is uniquely positioned to support our growth. This infusion of non-dilutive capital from REDI Cincinnati and JobsOhio accelerates our progress,” said Eccrine Systems CEO, Dr. Gavi Begtrup.

Eccrine was founded in 2013 by UC professor Jason Heikenfeld with assistance and financing from seed investor CincyTech. Since then, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based company has steadily expanded its world class IP portfolio focused on sweat and biosensor innovation, says a press release. Eccrine Systems develops a non-invasive, electronic wearable systems that measure and transmit real-time data about human sweat.

“Eccrine Systems is an Ohio success story, and we are excited to see it continue to grow and add 50 jobs in Cincinnati,” said Aaron Pitts, JobsOhio senior managing director for healthcare. “This expansion will further advance Eccrine’s cutting-edge sweat analysis technology that promotes health and provides safer work environments for its customers.”

Related Gatorade’s GX Sweat Patch Helps Athletes Keep Track of Hydration and Lost Nutrients

Kimm Lauterbach, President/CEO of REDI Cincinnati describes Eccrine as the real-life story of collaboration in the Greater Cincinnati region. “REDI Cincinnati and our partners have watched Eccrine Systems grow from seed-stage to a job creator and market leader in an emerging and innovative space. It’s rewarding to help fuel this economic growth in our region,” he said.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Patients suffering from chronic diseases must follow complicated dosing regimens when taking their medications. People taking drugs for arthritis, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease find it difficult to keep track of when it is time to take the next pill. Researchers at Houston Methodist hospital have now developed an implantable device that can deliver a drug on its own, precisely when needed, and at the accurate dosage.

Related Tiny Cell-sized Microbots Could Help in Drug Delivery

The nanochannel delivery system (nDS) device provides controlled release of drugs without the use of pumps, valves or a power supply for possibly up to year without a refill for some patients, reports Houston Methodist.

“We see this universal drug implant as part of the future of health care innovation. Some chronic disease drugs have the greatest benefit of delivery during overnight hours when it’s inconvenient for patients to take oral medication. This device could vastly improve their disease management and prevent them from missing doses, simply with a medical professional overseeing their treatment remotely,” said Alessandro Grattoni, Ph.D., corresponding author and chair of the department of nanomedicine at Houston Methodist Research Institute.

As basic research progresses with the remote-controlled device, the Houston Methodist technology is planned for extreme remote communication testing on the International Space Station in 2020.

Current drug delivery systems rely on pumping mechanisms or external ports and typically need refills every couple of months. The Houston Methodist device is implanted under the skin and uses a nanofluidic membrane made with similar technology used in the silicon semiconductor industry. The drug dosage and schedule can be tailored to each patient, and the implant delivers the drugs for many months, even a year, before refills are needed.

Related How Microneedle Systems Could Provide Safe, Effective and Painless Drug Delivery

The implant runs on battery and contains a Bluetooth-enabled microchip. The system relies on wireless communication.

To test this new technology, the researchers programmed the microchip for three different drug release settings—standard, decreased and increased. With each setting, a specific voltage was applied to a silicon nanochannel within the implant to control drug release.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Innovega Inc., a Bellevue, Washington-based systems engineering and lens development company, has created eMacula, a new generation of eyewear that combines smart contact lenses and stylish, lightweight glasses. eMacula relieve eyes of having to focus too hardly.

Related NuEyes, Pico Interactive Partner Up for Next Gen Wearables for the Visually Impaired

This new technology was developed for managing vergence-accommodation conflict that causes discomfort and visual fatigue when using near-eye displays. This conflict, as reported in the Journal of Vision in 2008, occurs when three-dimensional (3D) depth cues presented by a stereo 3D display, or the real world, stimulate the eyes to focus at distances that are different from the fixed distance at which the static display panel is focused, says a press release.

“Resolving the vergence-accommodation conflict is known to reduce the time required to identify 3D stimuli, improve stereoacuity with fast frame rates, reduce distortions in perceived depth, and reduce viewer fatigue and discomfort,” said Jerome Legerton, Innovega Co-founder, Chief Clinical and Regulatory Officer and technology co-inventor. “We are pleased to reach the stage where we can describe and demonstrate the continuous depth of field of our iOptik® contact lens-enabled wearable display optics.”

VR/AR headsets have physical limitations. AR/VR headsets currently available are bulky, need latency every moment and has issue of vengeance accommodation.

“AR glasses have failed to meet even the most basic needs of the human wearer which include: normal, stylish appearance; lightweight and comfortable; useful and compelling AR display performance that includes panoramic overlay, high-resolution media, unobstructed view of one’s surroundings; and in-focus simultaneous view of both real-world and digital media,” says Steve Wiley, CEO of Innovega. “No less important is the fact that more than 60% of wearers will also need a means of vision correction and will not wear AR glasses if they experience symptoms of eye-strain. This list of expectations and needs holds true for all wearers, irrespective of whether they are consumers, workers, or patients.”

Related Augmented Reality Smartglasses Deliver True Visual Independence for People with Severe Vision Loss

eMacula system will be tailored to the needs of vision impaired people who will benefit from both lens-based vision correction and from magnification and digital enhancement of the view of their surroundings, reported MedGadget.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

The global wearable medical devices market was valued at approximately US$ 6.8 Bn in 2017, and it is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 17.0% from 2018 to 2026, according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled ‘Wearable Medical Devices Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2018–2026’.

Related Healthcare Wearables Market to Reach $60 Billion by 2023

According to the report, the market will be driven by a rise in prevalence of chronic diseases, increase in the number of diabetes patients, and a surge in wearable technology usage, reports Transparency Market Research.

North America and Europe are likely to account for a dominant share of the global wearable medical devices market, owing to the presence of key players in these developed regions as well as high rate of adoption of technologically advanced wearable medical devices in these regions, the report said.

Asia Pacific Market

Development of health care infrastructure and high medical expenditure by governments in emerging economies, such as China and India, are likely to boost the wearable medical devices market in Asia Pacific at a CAGR of 18.8% from 2018 to 2026.

Related Rising Popularity of Female Health Tech Will Take A Big Bite Out of Wearables Market

People in Asia are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to major studies. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than 382 million people across the globe, currently, suffer from diabetes. Thus, the high prevalence of diabetes and improvement in economic conditions are anticipated to propel the wearable devices market in Asia Pacific.

Apple, Xiaomi and Fitbit to Lead Wearables Market

According to the report, leading players in the wearable devices market will include Xiaomi Technology Co., Ltd, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Fitbit, Inc., Garmin Corporation, Apple Inc., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Polar Electro, OMRON Corporation, Activinsights Ltd., and VitalConnect.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) is an innovative technology that combines performance of semiconductor devices with the flexibility and low cost of printed plastic film substrates. FHE allows manufacturers to develop a new category of electronics, such as sensors that are lighter in weight, conform to the curves of a human body or stretch across the shape of an object or structure – all while preserving the full operational integrity of traditional electronic architectures.

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The FHE market was valued at USD 82 million in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 198.9 million by 2024, registering a CAGR of 16.2% over the forecast period of (2019-2024). Automotive, electronics, the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables, and other emerging chip markets are expected to provide growth opportunities for flexible hybrid electronics market, which often share manufacturing processes and materials with semiconductors, according to ReportLinker.

In 2019, Nextflex had 90 corporate members and 28 Educational Institutes. Nextflex facilitated about 62 million of investments from 2015 to 2019, making it the biggest agency to invest in this technology.

FHE is making a significant impact in various markets, with the automotive sector providing substantial opportunities. Whether it is sensors, OLED displays, and lighting, in-mold electronics, printed heaters or other applications, hence the market is expected to witness massive opportunities for flexible electronics in the automotive industry.

Asia is emerging as a vital and essential region for the development of FHE, particularly in the manufacturing of advanced semiconductor products. Most countries in Asia have a steady growth of the market, in particular, ones in East Asia (China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore).

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Asia-pacific region has the most advanced and proficient technical approach to design and manufacture devices for fast-growing markets including IoT, environmental sensing, wearable applications, flexible displays, and others.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. To prevent or treat heart disease, regular monitoring of heart is important for people patients suffering from or at risk of heart disease. However, current procedures to monitor heart disease means the patient needs to go to the doctor’s office simply to get an ECG. Moreover, electrocardiograph (ECG) readings alone aren’t accurate enough for determining heart health, but they provide additional information when combined with Seismocardiography (SCG) signal recordings.

Related Scientists Create New Stretchable, Wearable Sensor from Chewing Gum

To solve this problem, scientists have been developing wearable sensors that patients can use to keep track of their heart health over time. But many of these devices have been cumbersome or uncomfortable. Now, researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have designed a lightweight wearable material that could make heart health monitoring easier and more accurate than the existing ECG machines. The research team was led by Nanshu Lu in the Cockrell School of Engineering, reports UT News.

The new electronic tattoo (e-tattoo) is a graphene-based wearable device that can be placed on the skin to measure a variety of body responses, from electrical to biomechanical signals.

The device is so lightweight and stretchable that it can be placed over the heart for extended periods with little or no discomfort. It also measures cardiac health in two ways, taking electrocardiograph and seismocardiograph readings simultaneously. SCG is a measurement technique using chest vibrations associated with heartbeats. Powered remotely by a smartphone, the e-tattoo is the first ultrathin and stretchable technology to measure both ECG and SCG, said UT News report.

“We can get much greater insight into heart health by the synchronous collection of data from both sources,” said Lu, an associate professor in the departments of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering.

Related UC-Berkeley Researchers Develop Flexible Sensor to Map Blood-Oxygen Levels Across the Body

Lu and her team are already working on improvements to data collection and storage for the device, as well as ways to power the e-tattoo wirelessly for longer periods. They recently developed a smartphone app that not only stores the data safely but can also show a heart beating on the screen in real time.

The research team reported on their newest e-tattoo in a recent issue of Advanced Science.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Scientists often take inspiration from nature when developing new materials. For example, octopus and mollusks can be excellent specimens of adhesive technology because their technique beats human scientists. Now, a team of scientists from South Korea’s Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) have developed a new waterproof, wearable biosensor that can stick to the skin in a unique way.

Related Wearable Biosensors Help Wound Healing Process by Mimicking Skin

For a wearable sensor to be truly effective, it must adhere fully to the skin. This means being flexible, staying attached when the skin is wet or dry, and working well even if there’s a lot of hair growing. Thus, the choice of substrate, the material that the sensing compounds rest upon, is crucial. Woven yarn is a popular substrate, but it sometimes doesn’t fully contact the skin, especially if that skin is hairy. Typical yarns and threads are also vulnerable to wet environments. Adhesives can lose their grip underwater, and in dry environments they can be so sticky that they can be painful when peeled off. To overcome these challenges, Changhyun Pang, Changsoon Choi and colleagues worked to develop a low-cost, graphene-based sensor with a yarn-like substrate that uses octopus-like suckers to adhere to skin, reports American Chemical Society.

An elastic polyurethane and polyester fabric was coated with graphene oxide and then soaked in L-ascorbic acid to aid in conductivity while still retaining its strength and stretch. Next, the scientists added a coating of a graphene and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film to form a conductive path from the fabric to the skin. Finally, they etched tiny, octopus-like patterns on the film. The sensor could detect a wide range of pressures and motions in both wet and dry environments. The device also could monitor an array of human activities, including electrocardiogram signals, pulse and speech patterns, demonstrating its potential use in medical applications, the researchers say.

Related Maxim MAX86150: The First Ever Integrated PPG and ECG Biosensor Module for Wearables

The team is eyeing the sensor’s use for not only personal health monitoring but also for potential new and innovative medical applications both externally and internally.

“Our approach has opened up a new possibility for wearable and skin-adherent electronic fabric sensors working even in wet environments for health-care monitoring and medical applications in vitro and in vivo,” the researchers wrote.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

A growing demand for Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) products from wearables, intelligent cars and drones, will push the FPC market to hit $16.642 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 5.5% between 2018 and 2025, according to Global and China Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) Industry Report, 2019-2025. FPC products are used in smartphones and tablet PC for display, touch control, fingerprint recognition, etc.

Read more Body- Hugging Elastic Printed Circuit Board Allows Measurement of Heart and Lung Function Directly on the Skin

In 2018, smartphone, tablet PC and ordinary computers accounted for around 39.8%, 15.8% and 9.1% of FPC market, separately, while communications and automotive electronics took a combined 14.6% or so. New energy vehicles will be a new hotspot on FPC industry chain, and the demand from emerging markets like automotive electronics will be conducive to the growth of the FPC industry. It is predicted that automobile will command 17.8% of FPC market in 2025, says a press release.

China still leads the world in FPC output value in spite of small scale of its FPC vendors.

By and large, Nippon Mektron as the largest flexible board vendor in the world performed poorly in 2016 due to the downturn in smartphone market before vigorously developing technologies and flexible substrates for manufacturing automotive FPC in 2017.

Read more Researchers Create 3-D Printed Glucose Biosensor for Wearable Monitors

Inter Flex that supplies the most FPCs for iPhone, produced flexible copper clad laminates (FCCL) using the technology of Cu sputtering deposition on PI films, and FPCs with I-Soft substrates manufactured by semi-additive process (SAP) over the past few years.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

Telit, a global enabler of the IoT, announced that its ME910C1-WW is the first module certified by AT&T for its recently launched Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) network. NB-IoT is a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) radio technology standard developed by 3GPP to enable a wide range of cellular devices and services. The ME910C1-WW also operates on the carrier’s complementary LTE-M Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) network for the Internet of Things.

Related IBM Watson IoT Speeds Up Business Transformation in Europe

The ME910C1-WW has a wide range of usage such as smart meters, point-of-sale terminals, industrial sensors, asset management, healthcare monitors and home automation systems. ME910C1-WW is an ideal candidate for IoT applications that require low power, long battery life, reports Embedded Computing Design.

The ME910C1-WW provides reliable connections even when IoT devices are in hard-to-reach locations. The radio frequency front-end (RFFE) engineering provides the module with superior performance across the entire industrial-grade operating temperature range from -40°C to +85°C.

“The Telit ME910C1-WW is already certified for use on AT&T’s LTE-M IoT network, and now it’s the first module certified for its new NB-IoT network,” said Manish Watwani, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, Telit. “These firsts highlight our commitment to enabling IoT device designers, manufacturers and their customers to take advantage of AT&T’s latest and greatest network technologies.”

The ME910C1-WW supports global LTE bands as well as 2G fallback and is available for use with carriers in North America, Europe, Japan, China, Australia and other geographies.

Related Telit Simplifies IoT Deployment with New Smaller Form Factor Module Family

AT&T’s NB-IoT and LTE-M networks deliver advanced services and capabilities for the IoT that include coverage extension, improved battery life and lower module and service costs,” according to Chris Penrose, President, IoT Solutions at AT&T. “With the recent launch of our NB-IoT network, we’re moving rapidly to make these advantages a reality for our business customers. Telit’s multi-mode module will play a critical role,” Penrose said.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

June is National Safety Month. MobileHelp, a Florida-based leading provider of M-PERS (Mobile-Personal Emergency Response Systems) and personal health management technology, revealed the results of a new customer survey which focused on highly-athletic customers, representing a broader use case for its MobileHelp Smart, a wearable medical alert product. MobileHelp Smart is a smartwatch-like wearable.

Related Heatstroke Prevention Project with Smart Helmet Decreases Heatstroke Accidents at Construction Sites

The survey responders identified MobileHelp Smart wearable as a necessary product to have, with 48 percent saying they “definitely need” it and another 32 percent saying they “probably need” it.

Although the majority of the customers of MobileHelp are older people, the company’s robust wearable MobileHelp Smart is geared towards extreme athletes, people who work in harsh or dangerous conditions, or patients managing chronic illnesses, the company said in a press release.

The new survey therefore profiled highly-athletic customers with chronic conditions, to gauge the product’s ability to handle strenuous conditions.

“Since introducing this new wearable solution in early 2018, we’ve found it represents an emergency response option for a much wider range of people,” said Rob Flippo, CEO of MobileHelp. “We will continue bringing products to market which allow people feel safer while out on the road – or wherever their lives take them.”

The company’s customized user interface makes it easy for anyone to use the MobileHelp Smart to get help in an emergency. It also allows the user to take advantage of fitness-monitoring features, such as heart rate tracker, sleep tracker and more.

Related Cerna Home Care Releases “OnHand Assistance”, a Smartwatch for Seniors’ Safety

The combination of emergency response and health benefits fits into an all-embracing trend around the consumerization of health. MedPanel Research Manager Amy Zalatan says:

“[Wireless] health devices and apps are increasingly seen as an essential tool to empower patients to manage their health.”

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19

After a successful launch of Virtual Reality headset VR-1, Finnish startup Varjo has announced its new mixed reality headset called Varjo XR-1.

Related Nreal’s Mixed Reality Glasses are Compact but Project High-Quality Visuals

Unlike virtual reality headsets, where digital content replaces the physical world, the Varjo XR-1 mixed reality headset lets virtual content coexist and interact with the real world around you. The XR-1 uses dual 12-megapixel outer cameras to pass video of the outside world into VR.

XR-1 is the only device that can track users’ eye movements across photorealistic mixed reality scenarios with sub-degree accuracy.

“The XR-1 can show mixed reality with true-to-life fidelity you can only achieve using video-pass-through. Lifelike mixed reality is quite literally impossible to achieve with optical-see-through systems like HoloLens,” Varjo co-founder Urho Konttori said in a statement.

The XR-1 is more of a developer’s kit, according to Varjo’s Finnish founders. Carmaker Volvo, is an investor in Varjo through its Volvo Cars Tech Fund. It is the first company that’s designed for the XR-1, and Volvo is using it to test interfaces for future cars, reports Cnet.

“Instead of the usual static way of evaluating new products and ideas, we can test concepts on the road immediately,” said Henrik Green, CTO of Volvo.

Volvo Cars has been using XR-1 prototypes in their workflow since the summer of 2018. By adding photorealistic virtual elements to the interior of the car, Volvo Cars designers are able to perform design-studies of future cars before they are even built, according to Varjo.

Related AIStorm Introduces Real-Time AI-in-Sensor Solutions for IoT, Mobile Handsets and Driverless Cars

“When you’re driving with XR-1, you actually forget you’re looking through a headset. People using XR-1 break when they see a virtual moose crossing the road. Or when a virtual car overtakes our test car, test drivers have asked ‘Is that car real or not?’” said Casper Wickman, Volvo’s Technical Leader.

WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in San Francisco on July 9-10

The most innovative wearables event will be back on July 9-10 in beautiful San Francisco at SEMICON West to celebrate the 34th edition of the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Series. Topics include data analytics in professional sports, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation with wearables, the future of digital health, medication and adherence, smart patches, workflow optimization and workforce safety and much more – featuring international leaders and experts of the wearables industry´s biggest names including Abbott, Autodesk, Datwyler, Kopin, Maxim Integrated, Multek, NFLPA, Omron, SharkDreams, Qualcomm, and many more. Register now to be part of #WTUS19