With the approach of Summer, the smartwatch market is going to heat up with a huge selection of watches. First, tech giants like Samsung is expected to release its Galaxy Sport this month. And now Google, it seems, is adamant about launching its Pixel watch soon. A report in Nikkei Asian Review says that the tech giant plans to release a watch this year to compete with the Apple Watch. The report also mentions few other products Google is planning to release soon.

Read more Google Agrees to Buy Fossil’s Secret Smartwatch Tech for $40 Million

Other Google products mentioned by Nikkei are Google’s Pixel 3 Lite smartphone, which is expected to be priced lower than Apple’s $750 iPhone XR. Along with the Pixel 3 Lite, Nikkei also notes that Google “plans to launch a new premium phone in its Pixel range” – what we’re anticipating to the Pixel 4, reports Android Central.

“The company will also roll out an updated version of its signature smart speaker Google Home this year, as well as a new smartwatch to compete with the Apple Watch, the person familiar with the plan said,” reported Nikkei.

“One person with direct knowledge of the matter told Nikkei that Google plans to release a new security camera later this year after it integrated the team from Nest Labs, the tech startup it acquired in 2014,” the report added.

It should be noted that the Pixel Watch had been rumored for October of 2018, but Google shot those rumors down in an interview with Tom’s Guide.

Read more Google Wins FCC Approval for its ‘Project Soli’ Radar-Based Motion Sensor

Google will also reportedly roll out an updated version of its signature smart speaker Google Home this year.

It’s not clear about the release date of these products, but most of them are believed to be announced and launched around October of this year. Previous rumors have indicated that the Pixel 3 Lite will launch a bit sooner, but it couldn’t be confirmed as of yet.

New York City-based Woo Audio has been producing some of the most eye-catching, coolest-looking products available since it was founded in 2004. However, their latest product is somewhat unlike anything they’ve produced so far. While their previous DAC/AMP products used vacuum tube circuitry, making it a signature item for them, their new product, the WA11 Passport, is their first truly portable solid-state headphone amp.

Read more Nuheara Building Ecosystem for Hearables with its IQStream TV

“It all started when we were developing the WA8 Eclipse. We learned that in order to reduce the size greatly, it needs to be with transistors. Introducing the WA11, an ultra-compact high-performance headphone amplifier and DAC. Over the course of 3-years of intensive research and 9 working prototypes deployed in real-world applications,” says Woo Audio.

WA11 delivers an audiophile sound quality that rivals many desktop systems and with the features users dream of. Weighing at 413g and 24mm thick, the WA11 Topaz is a battery-powered, fully-balanced headphone amplifier and DAC running in a Class-A topology. It is capable of driving the most demanding full-size headphones while maintaining an ultra-low noise floor for reference in-ear monitors. There is also a 4.4mm balanced input for use with balanced sources such as a modern digital-audio-player (DAP), home CD player or DAC.

For charging and data, WA11 Topaz has two USB Type-C ports. Separating the two allows the user to listen and recharge the internal battery simultaneously. This feature extends the industry leading 7 hrs. of playtime immensely.

Read more Jabra Elite Active 65t: Amazing Fit with Great Sweat-Proof Sound

“Even without the aid of tubes the WA11 ($1,400) sounds velvety-rich, powerful and refined. Instruments and vocals surely have a lot more body and substance than what I hear from my iPhone 6S’ headphone jack,” writes CNET’s Steve Guttenberg, who tried out the headphone amplifier.

“The Woo Audio WA11 Topaz demonstrates extreme high-end sound in a portable size is possible. At least for audiophiles who’ve already invested in top-quality headphones they would like to enjoy on-the-go, at home or office. Wherever you go, the WA11 will bring out the best in your headphones.”

Samsung has inadvertently revealed its own lineup of wearable devices that are presumably set to be unveiled alongside the Galaxy S10 next week. First spotted by Twitter account SamCentralTech, the leak was revealed in an update to its Galaxy Wearable app.

Read more Samsung Might Launch a Sensor-Covered Smart Shirt that Detects Breathing Problem and Lung Disease

The update to the Android version of the Galaxy Wearables app added three currently unannounced products compatible with the app. The products include the Galaxy Watch Active, the Galaxy Fit (and Fit e) fitness bands, and the Galaxy Buds in-ear wireless headphones. While, these products have already been revealed by other means, this was the first time an official app confirmed their existence.

First on the list is the Galaxy Watch Active. It resembles the sports-focused smartwatch that was recently leaked under the name Galaxy Sport. According to the app, the watch has a 40 mm case, and comes in at least 2 colors, reports The Verge.

There will probably be a heart rate monitor, and consumers would like to see some wellness features as well, like yoga, meditation and breathing exercises. More advanced sleep-tracking is also expected from Samsung’s upcoming smartwatch.

An ECG like the one on Apple Watch would be a good addition as well, and that would be high on Samsung’s list of priorities for its next wearable.

Next on the leaked list is the Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Fit e, two fitness trackers with rubber straps. It was last month that we first learned about the Galaxy Fit e. It was through a Bluetooth certification. Now, we are seeing how it looks like in reality.

And finally, on the list are a pair of wireless earbuds, called the Galaxy Buds.

There aren’t any price leaks yet, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch launched for $329 for the 42mm version or $349 for the 46mm model. So we’d expect the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active will cost at least that much or even more.

Location of brain tumors are hard to access and the blood-brain barrier prevents most drugs from reaching their targets, this makes treating brain tumors notoriously difficult. Now, a new device called Tumor Monorail that mimics the physical properties of the brain’s white matter to entice aggressive tumors to migrate toward the exterior of the brain, where the migrating cells can be collected and removed, has received FDA’s “breakthrough” designation, reports Duke University.

Read more Medtronic’s Flex Embolization Device Receives FDA Approval for Brain Aneurysms

“The tumor monorail device is a true game-changer in how we think about treating brain tumors,” said Barun Brahma, a neurosurgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, who has been a member of the research team since the beginning. “There are many tumors that are considered inoperable due to the location of the tumor or the frailty of the patient. This device affords clinicians the ability to surgically treat these tumors with a minimal approach.”

The device is made of polymer nanofibers with thin film and the film is made with a structure that mimics the pathway to the tumor, normally uses to invade to other places of the brain. It is connected to a cartridge containing a toxic hydrogel. This is a pied piper approach, where the tumor comes to the drug rather than the drug going to the tumor.

“This was the first demonstration that you can engineer migration inside the body and move a tumor from point A to point B by design,” said Ravi Bellamkonda, the Vinik Dean of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University, who began the research while at Georgia Tech. “It was also the first demonstration of bringing the tumor to your drug rather than your drug going into the brain and killing valuable cells.”

Read more AI Tool Accurately Detects Cancer Type and Genetic Changes in Patient’s Tumor

With the help of the FDA, the research group now hopes to solidify their experimental plans within the next several weeks so that they can begin their next study as soon as possible. They are working toward gaining FDA approval for human trials by the end of 2019.

The US Homeland Security wants to make sure that the thousands of dogs that work for the agency stay healthy. So, the agency signed a $200,000 contract with HaloLights to prototype a sensor-equipped harness that monitors dogs’ heart rate, body temperature and other vitals. In addition to health data, the harness would also track each dog’s GPS location and monitor environmental factors like air temperature and humidity.

The data would be fed back to support staff in real-time and alert them of any irregularities, reports Nextgov.

K-9 units in Customs and Border Protection often work in tough conditions. They sniff out illegal drugs, firearms, currency and trafficked persons at ports of entry and along the border. HaloLights’ Canine Health Analytics Monitoring Platform (C.H.A.M.P.) can provide a holistic picture of each dog’s health, helping Homeland Security keep its K-9 units safe and strong, according to an official.

Read more Animal Dermatology Group Announces Scientific Publication Validating Wearables for Dogs

“With the potential risks Customs and Border Protection canine agents face in their daily operations, there is an expressed desire for improved health monitoring tools to ensure their safety,” Don Roberts, who manages the office’s Detection Canine program, said in a statement. “In funding this project, [the Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate] is working to ensure that officer safety, human or canine, is a priority.”

Melissa Oh, the SVIP managing director, said:

“Ensuring the proactive detection and intervention of health complications will simplify the work [U.S. Border Patrol] does to keep K-9 agents in top shape.”

As of 2016, Customs and Border Protection had more than 1,400 K-9 units deployed across the country.

Read more These Wearables for Animals Will Keep Your Pets Happy and Engaged in Social Media

Based in Orlando, FL, HaloLights produces LED dog collars. The company mentioned its partnership with the Homeland Security in its facebook page, saying:

“We’re very humbled to be working alongside the Department of Homeland Security SVIP S&T Directorate in developing smart k9 wearables that will aid in the safety and wellbeing of all working K9s.”

Huawei Watch GT will be available in the United States via Amazon starting this week. It’s been a few months since Huawei announced the Watch GT, but it was available in overseas markets. Now, folks in the U.S. can now pick up the Watch GT Sport for $199. The Watch GT Classic retails for $229.99.

Read more Huawei reveals details of its Bluetooth TalkBand B5 After Images Leaked Online

At first glance, the Watch GT will give you an impression of any Wear OS smartwatch, instead, the Watch GT is powered by Huawei’s own LiteOS – a lightweight smartwatch operating system with fitness tracking, notifications and custom watch faces, reports Android Authority.

The Watch GT Sport and Watch GT Classic share the same hardware. That includes a 1.39″ 454×454 AMOLED display, 16MB of RAM and 128MB of storage, and a sizable 420mAh battery.

HUAWEI TruSeen™ 3.0 heartrate monitoring technology provides a more efficient and accurate real-time personal measurement of your heartrate by using a self-learning algorithm and innovative sensors.

Modern GPS supports 3 Satellite Positioning Systems (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO) worldwide to offer more accurate, faster and precise positioning.

The Watch GT provides coaching in introductory to advanced running courses to assist you in real-time while also providing guidance training and giving time-movement effect feedback.

HUAWEI TruSleep™ 2.0, a sleep monitor program for every cycle of sleep, was produced by a joint-study with Harvard Medical School CDB Centre. It identifies usual sleep related issues and provides more than 200 potential suggestions to help you get a peaceful sleep.

Read more Casio Pro Trek WSD F30 Smartwatch: Built for the Great Outdoors, Coming in January

Perfect for counting steps, your sedentary status and monitoring peak intense activities. Notifications of any messages, phone calls, alarms or set reminders are all organized on your wrist.

The biggest attraction in Watch GT is its battery life. According to Huawei, the watch will last up to 22 hours on a single charge with continuous exercise tracking, GPS, heart rate monitoring, and the screen turned on at all times. The battery life jumps to two weeks with heart rate monitoring and 90 minutes of exercise tracking each week. You can extend the battery life even further to 30 days if you turn off heart rate monitoring and only use the Watch GT for notifications and calls.

A female Swedish patient became the first recipient of an osseo-neuromuscular implant to control a dexterous hand prosthesis. In a pioneering surgery, led by Prof. Rickard Brånemark and Dr. Paolo Sassu, surgeons placed titanium implants in the two forearm bones (radius and ulnar), from which electrodes to nerves and muscle were extended to extract signals to control a robotic hand and to provide tactile sensations. The breakthrough is part of the European project DeTOP (Dexterous Transradial Osseointegrated Prosthesis with neural control and sensory feedback) project, which involved the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Italy, and Integrum AB, a Swedish firm.

Related Scientists Use Virtual Reality and Neural Stimulation to Help Amputees Use Their Prostheses

A team led by Dr. Max Ortiz Catalan at Integrum AB and Chalmers University of Technology developed this new technology.

In conventional methods, electrodes are placed over the skin to extract control signals from the underlying stump muscles. But these superficial electrodes deliver limited and unreliable signals that only allow movements like opening and closing the hand. More accurate and reliable information can be obtained by implanting electrodes in all remaining muscle in the stump instead. Therefore, the doctors implanted sixteen electrodes into the Swedish woman’s stump to achieve more dexterous control of a novel prosthetic hand, reports Detop.

One of the most important part of this project is that this technology can be used regularly. Integrum AB and Chalmers University of Technology have previously demonstrated that control of a sentient prosthesis in daily life was possible in above-elbow amputees using similar technology.

“Several advanced prosthetic technologies have been reported in the last decade, but unfortunately they have remained as research concepts used only for short periods of time in controlled environments,” said Dr. Catalan, who also heads the Biomechatronics and Neurorehabilitation Lab at Chalmers University. “The breakthrough of our technology consists of enabling patients to use implanted neuromuscular interfaces to control their prosthesis while perceiving sensations where it matters for them, in their daily life.”

Related Electronic Skin for Prosthetic Hands Lets Amputees Feel Pain

The patient with the new implant is learning how to control it using virtual reality. She will have to spend some time becoming comfortable with controlling the device. Two more patients will be implanted with this new generation of prosthetic hands in the coming months, in Italy and Sweden.

Global consumer electronics company Coolpad announced fulfillment partnership with Quality One Wireless (Q1) for Dyno Smartwatch, a wearable made specifically for children.

Related Children are Becoming Major Driving Force Behind the Wearable Market Growth in China

The secure, sturdy and colorful dyno smartwatch is the first in a series of family-oriented connected products to come from Coolpad. The smartwatch offers 4G LTE connectivity, an intuitive user interface, an SOS button for quickly contacting parents, and kid-proof protection against dust and water. Paired with an easy-to-use companion app, the smartwatch allows parents to quickly locate their children, set “safe zones” with virtual perimeter alerts, and communicate via voice and text messages.

“Coolpad Americas chose Q1 as a fulfillment partner for Q1’s valued e-commerce management and logistical support,” said Casey Ryan, CEO, Coolpad Americas.

Quality One can create a customized website and mobile store (typically in less than 30 days), managing the entire e-commerce ecosystem including inventory, checkout, customer support, forward and reverse logistics, said a press release.

“We are excited to join together with Coolpad Americas for the sale of the Dyno Smartwatch, and we are proud to support its online store and shipment to customers,” said Victor Anez, VP of Operations for Q1.

Related The 5 Best Fitness Trackers for Children

Pricing and Availability

Dyno Smartwatch went on sale on January 28 for $149 through its website.

About Coolpad

Coolpad Americas is a top consumer electronics company that has built strategic partnerships with key wireless carriers and retailers. Headquartered in Frisco, Texas and operating in the U.S. market since 2012, Coolpad has embarked on a bold mission to become the number one provider of family technology. Coolpad develops world-class consumer electronics that are inspired by innovation, purpose, and family.

According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft will be holding a press event at Mobile World Congress on 25th February, and the company hints it could reveal the long-awaited mixed reality HoloLens 2 at the event.

The actual invite provides little detail, but The Verge notes that CEO Satya Nadella, CVP Julia White and technical fellow Alex Kipman will be hosts at the event. Given the names involved, it seems Microsoft has some significant news to release. Kipman is the creator of HoloLens, so his presence suggests Microsoft will have at least some news on the latest version of HoloLens.

Related HoloLens Will Help Surgeons in UK Hospital by Providing Important 3D Visualizations During Surgeries

Rumors surfacing last year suggested the software giant would unveil HoloLens 2 late last year or early 2019, so the February event fits that timeline. Microsoft will reportedly use Qualcomm’s 850 or XR1 chip to power the system – Qualcomm designed the latter especially for virtual reality and augmented reality headsets. It supports 4K video at 60 frames per second, along with 3D overlays and directional audio.

Microsoft has confirmed that HoloLens 2 will include a custom AI chip, and according to reports, the new headset will be more comfortable than its predecessor.

Microsoft’s first HoloLens went on sale in 2016 for $3,000, while the commercial suite was priced at $5,000.

HoloLens, the standalone AR headset, was positioned for developers and enterprise. However, Microsoft has long envisioned the devices will become part of consumer’s lives too. To that end, its’ not clear if HoloLens 2 will be aimed at consumers.

Related Microsoft HoloLens 2: What We Know So Far About the Next-Gen Headset

“We’re not trying to sell hundreds of thousands or millions or anything, it’s expensive, and it’s not in huge numbers. So we’re happy with the level of sales that we’ve got – I can’t tell you anything about the numbers, but it’s in thousands, not hundreds of thousands, and that’s fine. That’s all we need,” Roger Walkden, Microsoft’s HoloLens commercial lead told The Inquirer back in 2016.

SOLOS Smartglasses and CTS are teaming up to provide CTS coaches, athletes, and training camp participants access to innovative, high-performance SOLOS Smart Glasses. Kopin Corporation, which owns the Solos wearable technology company, announced the news in a press release.

Related DigiLens Announces AR Waveguide Displays for Smart Motorcycle Helmets

The SOLOS Augmented Reality (AR) smartglasses provide athletes with critical in-workout performance data in its high-resolution heads-up display and integrated stereo speakers, allowing athletes to focus on the road or trail ahead, rather than looking down at their bike computer, GPS watch, or smart phone. Athletes can choose to display metrics such as heart rate, speed, power, pace, cadence, distance, and other ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible data. SOLOS’ latest app update also gives athletes the option to import TrainingPeaks structured workouts and be coached through the workout specifics with visual and audio cues, directly through the headset, said the press release.

“We are very excited to announce our strategic partnership with CTS, and look forward to working together with one of the most successful endurance sport coaching companies in the world,” said SOLOS General Director Ernesto Martinez. “Starting from our initial co-development with USA Cycling and Team USA athletes for the 2016 Rio Olympics, to our technology integration with TrainingPeaks, SOLOS remain committed to bringing the most advanced performance enhancing experience to the athletic community.”

Related Ellcie’s Smartglasses Prevent Car Crashes by Detecting if You’re Falling Asleep

CTS Founder and CEO Chris Carmichael said this partnership will not only help athletes improve their training and push the boundaries of their performance, but it will also help athletes stay safe on the road. “Now with the integrated capability of having all the important real-time metrics and audio features in a heads-up solution, athletes can keep their eyes off their bike computer and focus on the road. This is game-changing technology that is going to have a large positive impact on athletes’ training and safety,” he said.

The iQ Group Global, an Australian consortium of life science and financial services companies, developed a biosensor capable of accurately measuring glucose in a person’s saliva.

This groundbreaking technology is the world’s first non-invasive, saliva-based glucose test for diabetes management that measures glucose in saliva rather than blood. The saliva-based glucose test is being developed to improve the quality of life for over 425 million people living with diabetes globally.

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

The technology, invented by Professor Paul Dastoor and his team at the Centre of Organic Electronics at the University of Newcastle in Australia, comprises the Glucose Biosensor Unit and a digital healthcare app. The iQ Group Global acquired the biosensor technology in 2016 and has accelerated its development for diagnostic applications. The Glucose Biosensor Unit is a small, disposable strip, which when exposed to an individual’s saliva instantly provides a glucose measurement. The glucose measurement will be presented in real-time, via a proprietary digital app on a patient’s smart device, said a press release.

“Diabetes is a global epidemic, with 1 in 11 adults living with the disease. Achieving normoglycemia is one of the main targets for diabetes patients. However, finger prick testing is a painful and frustrating process, with many citing the pain as the main reason for poor adherence to testing protocols. By eradicating the need for finger prick blood tests, the saliva-based test will lead to increased glucose monitoring and better healthcare outcomes among these patients,” says Dr. George Syrmalis, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of The iQ Group Global.

The Glucose Biosensor Unit

The patent protected modified organic thin film transistors work in combination with Glucose Oxidase (GOX) to initiate an electrochemical reaction that produces an electrical signal. This signal can be displayed on the patient’s smart device in real time. Due to its high sensitivity the biosensor can detect glucose levels at considerably lower levels than in blood. It has a linear glucose sensing capability at concentrations of 100 times lower than current blood measuring methodologies.

Read more VitalConnect’s VitalPatch Biosensor and VistaTablet Provides Continuous Patient Monitoring Anywhere

Future Medical Applications

The iQ Group Global is currently working on a pilot research and development program with the University of Newcastle to expand beyond the saliva glucose diagnostic test and develop the platform of Point of Care Diagnostic Tests beginning with tumor markers, hormones, and communicable diseases.

As smart rings are gaining popularity, there’s a race happening on crowdfunding sites as entrepreneurs compete to see who can make the best smart ring there is. Smart rings make a great wearable device because of their smaller size and the way they fit around your finger. Some experts believe smart rings might replace smartwatches in the future. Smart rings can collect valuable health data because your fingers have easy-to-sense arteries. Some smart rings can even track your sleep or send SOS alert in case of an emergency. Here I have made a list of some of the most popular smart rings in the market.

Read more Dutch Bank ABN Amro Introduces Wearable Payments on Smartwatches, Rings, and Bracelets

Oura

Developed by Finnish sleep improvement platform Oura Health, Oura ring helps you pinpoint what’s going on in your body throughout the day, so you can tweak your inputs in response to your measures.  With daily feedback to improve your health, Oura helps you better understand your body and reach your goals. You’ll be guided through an intelligent, data-driven plan to help you improve across the most important aspects of your well-being. The sleep tracker automatically collects the wearer’s data and synchronizes it to the Oura app to a smartphone running Android or iOS. Just wear the ring around your finger, and it’ll measure your physiological signals, with no switches or flashing lights. The Oura ring registers your body temperature reading every minute while you sleep. By comparing that value to values from earlier nights, it indicates your body temperature baseline and any variations from it.

Ringly

Ringly is an activity tracker that also sends notifications and alerts. Ringly founder Christina D’Avignon believes “Women deserve technology that helps them live healthy, balanced lives without sacrificing style or comfort. The days of clunky fitness trackers are behind us.” Besides basics like email, text and calls, you can also get messages from social media sites including Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter plus other apps like Viber and MyFitnessPal. A small light on the side of the ring flashes different colors depending on alerts you want. You can also program the device to vibrate.

Motiv

Motiv Ring is a basic tracker that tells you how many calories you’ve burned, how many steps you’ve taken and how your overall sleep quality is. For a basic tracker, Motiv is a great option. On top of that this stylish tracker comes in the form of a ring and it’s so light and comfortable that you’d forget you’re wearing it. The band fits like a wedding ring, but despite its tiny size, it packs an optical heart-rate monitor, Bluetooth, three-axis accelerometer, and LED. The ring features WalkID – a new biometric authentication system based on gait analysis. WalkID can run as long as the user is wearing it and walking, which allows for continuous, passive authentication. The company said fingerprint and facial recognition through a paired smartphone will further extend the biometric authentication security of the ring. The ring is water resistant up to 50m, connects via Bluetooth and supports a host of Android devices. The battery lasts for three days.

Read more Chinese Company Totwoo Unveils Love Bloom Smart Necklace in the U.S. Market

ORII

ORII is a sleek smart ring that lets you talk via your mobile phone while holding just your finger near your mouth, emulating a scene from of a James Bond movie. The ring gives you clear and crisp audio while listening to text messages through your finger without the need of a screen, making communications more stylish and efficient. The ring is created by Hong Kong startup Origami Labs, who last year raised $500,000 in crowdfunding and closed at a substantial total funding of $2.5 million. It received over 4000 pre-orders from 3000 plus backers in 60 plus countries. ORII is very lightweight and comfortable to wear. It’s splash-proof and even features anodized aluminum.

A recent Ernst & Young study explored how large number of available data on human body is helping the healthcare industry to provide more effective and personalized patient care. According to the study, technology is changing the operating model and practices of existing industry players, creating new opportunities for non-traditional players, and redefining the role of the patient.

Read more The Quantum Group Establishes BlueBox.Care to Revolutionize the Use of Wearables and AI in Healthcare

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a big role in healthcare as well. AI is speeding up the process of diagnosis and cure of illnesses and improving the pharmaceutical industry’s failing rate in research and development, reports EY.

“I have spent the bulk of my career in the pharmaceutical industry, and when I left the company I work for, I realized that actually we had to do things differently, Professor Jackie Hunter, Director, BenevolentAI, which pioneers the use of artificial intelligence to research new medicines and develop blueprints to cure sicknesses, said in a podcast. “The pharmaceutical industry is actually failing to innovate consistently and the exciting thing for me about joining BenevolentAI is that we had a real opportunity to do things differently, be totally disruptive and just reengineer the whole model.”

To create value in the industry, organizations really need to focus on unlocking the power of data to fuel innovation. So, looking at how you can connect data, combine data and share data better to fuel innovation, to deliver better health outcome, but in a very personalized way, according to the study.

“As we discover more and more about human body, there are so many data processes that lie within it that we have yet to understand fully. So, if you link that with the pace of change and the technology development, the data collection through sensors that we’re beginning to see emerge, said Pamela Spence, who leads EY’s Global Health Sciences and Wellness practice. “I do believe that human body is going to be one of the biggest sources of data in the future, so understanding the data within the platform of the human body will really bring great dividends to the wider healthcare industry in the future.”

Read more WTEU19: These Companies are Revolutionizing Healthcare with Innovative Wearables

Spence believes small innovations, like wearable devices can pay massive dividends to the healthcare industry. Vital signs that are normally measured in the primary care or the secondary care environment, now can be done by the patients themselves. “And I do believe, you know, we’ll be able to have blood tests at home. So, then we’ve got full vital sign capture, we’ve got full blood capture and we don’t need to go to the actual facility for our health care per se. And I think that makes us more empowered because we get access to more and we become more responsible, linked with all the behavioral nudges. I think it’s a tremendous opportunity for us to have better access to health care because the health care industry starts to revolve around us as patients, rather than we having to, at some personal cost to ourselves, try to fit into a clunky and very antiquated system,” she said.

When it comes to psychiatric illness in children, it is extremely difficult to monitor or diagnose the condition early. Children’s internalizing disorders are not well understood and many cases remain undiagnosed. If left untreated, children with internalizing disorders are at greater risk of substance abuse and suicide later in life. Can wearable tech help?

Related FDA Approves Seizure-Detecting Smartband Embrace 2 for Use by Children

University of Vermont (UVM) researchers have developed a movement sensor that can identify children with internalizing disorders – including anxiety and depression – with 81% accuracy, according to a research published in PLoS One.

Ryan McGinnis, PhD, a biomedical engineer and assistant professor of biomedical engineering teamed up with Ellen McGinnis, a clinical psychologist at UVM and colleagues, to develop a tool that could help screen children for internalizing disorders to catch them early enough to be treated, reports University of Vermont.

“This is the first study [on wearable technologies] that targets internalizing disorders like anxiety and depression in young kids and also the first to use this type of approach for identifying individuals likely to have a diagnosis.” McGinnis told Infectious Diseases in Children. “We are excited about this result because it points toward the future use of these technologies for screening children with otherwise hidden problems.”

The researchers used a common research method designed to elicit specific behaviors and feelings such as anxiety. They used “mood induction task” to test 63 children, some of whom were known to have internalizing disorders.

Children were led into a dimly lit room, while the facilitator gave scripted statements to build anticipation, such as “I have something to show you” and “Let’s be quiet so it doesn’t wake up.” At the back of the room was a covered terrarium, which the facilitator quickly uncovered, then pulled out a fake snake. The children were then reassured by the facilitator and allowed to play with the snake.

Related This Therapy Robot Helps Children with Autism by Teaching Them Social Skills

During this task, children wore a commercially available sensor on their waist that tracked their motion. Researchers used a machine-learning algorithm to compare the movements of children with internalizing disorders with the movements of those without the disorders. Diagnoses were confirmed by a parental questionnaire and a diagnostic interview conducted by the researchers.

The system was able to differentiate the children with 81% accuracy (67% sensitivity, 88% specificity).

With the Honor Watch Magic Huawei has showed just how thin the line is between what makes a smartwatch stunning and useful, and what doesn’t. The Honor Watch Magic is actually a smaller version of its Watch GT, but it’s less fancy and even more affordable.

Read more Huawei’s Latest Smartwatch Watch GT Uses its Own LiteOS Instead of Google’s WearOS

The watch has been carefully crafted using 316L stainless steel that is both lightweight and comfortable, and it is one of the slimmest smart watches on the market. Polished to perfection, HONOR Watch adopts CNC machining and the latest laser engraving to boost durability for daily use. As a finishing touch, the shell of the watch is made of biodegradable nylon plastic.

The 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen boasts a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels at 326 PPI to offer a superior, brand new visual experience. The battery is smaller as well, 178mAh, down from 420mAh. And according to honor, this is enough for a week of typical operation.

The Honor Watch Magic comes with 5ATM water resistance certification which means it can survive submersion of up to 50 meters. The smartwatch is also thinner, just 11mm thin.

Read more Huami and Timex Group Announce Partnership to Develop Innovative Wearables

Features

Features include continuous real-time heart rate monitoring, sleep mode, swim stroke recognition, altitude barometer, pressure monitor, call reminders, various sports modes like smart running, and customizable watch faces. The Honor Watch Magic comes with barometer, and NFC support.

The Honor Watch Magic boasts a built-in GPS that supports 3 Satellite Positioning Systems (GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO) worldwide.

Cycling

Track recording, real-time display of distance, heart rate, speed, altitude.

Mountaineering

3D Distance, Vertical Velocity, Altitude and Pressure Measurement.

Professional Fitness Mentor

The HONOR Watch provides you with customized running courses and professional guide from introductory to advanced level, as well as real-time workout tracking and overall evaluation for a more fruitful workout.

Heart rate monitoring

HUAWEI TruSeen™ 3.0 is essential to safeguarding your health and fitness levels.

TruSleep

TruSleep™ provides sleep quality scores based on analysis of your sleeping habits and breathing patterns to help improve the quality of your sleep.

Athletes and sports enthusiasts are increasingly relying on smart wearables to monitor or enhance their performances. Wearables and hearables are now routinely used as practical training aids for many different sports. Reliable batteries are essential for wearable devices that produce precise and continuous records of vital data.

Read more Fraunhofer IZM Researchers Develop New Bendable Micro-Batteries for Wearable Devices

At the ISPO Munich, the world’s largest trade fair for sports articles and sports fashion, VARTA Microbattery will demonstrate what is currently possible in this field by launching three new lithium-ion cells at the shared WT | Wearable Technologies Pavilion in Hall C6, Stand 706, from 3 to 6 February 2019. VARTA Microbattery will present its CoinPower series at the trade fair in Munich.

While the performance level of wearable devices is increasing, they are becoming smaller and lighter. Therefore, the amount of energy provided by batteries has to be adapted accordingly.

VARTA Microbattery will present its CoinPower series at the trade fair in Munich. This includes three new flat Lithium-I on cell types: the CP 0854, CP9440 and CP7840. Their cylindrical shape and high energy density make them an ideal energy source for wearables and hearables.

“The new cells are the result of our ongoing drive to improve miniaturization. This is of benefit to manufacturers, since they can make their devices increasingly smaller and flatter,” Matthias Dorsch, Product Manager at VARTA Microbattery GmbH, explains.

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The coin cells with high capacity and fast charging capability are easy to install in end devices. The strong steel housing of the cells ensures high tolerance against impact and vibration. The CoinPower series has produced several patents, including the i-Lock system, which together with the circular form enables up to 30 percent higher energy density than comparable batteries on the market.

About VARTA AG

As the parent company of the Group, VARTA AG is active in the business segments Microbatteries and Power & Energy through its operating subsidiaries VARTA Microbattery GmbH and VARTA Storage GmbH. Already an innovation leader in the microbattery sector and a market leader for hearing-aid microbatteries, VARTA Microbattery GmbH also aspires to market leadership for lithium-ion batteries. The Group’s operating subsidiaries are currently active in more than 75 countries around the world, with four production and assembly facilities in Europe and Asia as well as distribution centers in Asia, Europe and the United States.

Thin cell batteries are among some of the smallest batteries around. Although very tiny in size, these batteries are capable of providing a stable voltage to power electronic devices and outperform coin cells at higher discharge rates.

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The technology behind thin cell batteries originated over twenty years ago when Ultralife developed the 9-volt battery. Over the years of successful development Ultralife’s engineers changed the cell layout to maximize the space used.

The original cylindrical shape of batteries waster wasted space so Ultralife’s engineers changed the cell layout; they developed the thin cell battery as a pouch with square cells and also sealed the cell with a bespoke mixture of materials to keep moisture out and ensure battery longevity, reports Ultralife.

These thin cell batteries have many use cases such as:

Theft Prevention

Using thin cell batteries in small trackers attached to the valuable materials is a much more efficient way than using RFID tags, which have to be manually scanned. Because the batteries are small, the tracker can be fitted discreetly to deter thieves from breaking off the tag.

Medtech

When developing new technologies to better care for the ageing population, many medtech companies are also following the industrial trend of the Internet of Things, with a multitude of connected devices feeding information back to a central point. Wearable devices and sensors are seen as a way to keep a constant monitor on vitals, in a hospital and outside of a healthcare environment. In a hospital, doctors can use wearables that measure vitals, without the patient being restricted to a bed, but can also use items such as the SensiVest.

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Smart Security

Smart security systems are increasingly becoming prevalent in homes to protect against intruders, monitor entrances and detect floods. The worldwide smart home security market is expected to reach $18 billion in 2020.

Most smart security services can be controlled by a smartphone app, showing live cameras and allowing homeowners to view alerts. As more parts of the home are being monitored by smart security sensors, the power requirements for the devices have changed. Sometimes, they cannot all be powered by the central mains supply, as wires are not practical or are too obvious. Ultralife’s Thin Cell technology, are essential in these applications. As home automation is intensifying, battery manufacturers should reflect on how to best power the multitude of sensors and devices which form the web of smart security systems. If home automation equipment manufacturers fail to use innovative battery technology to ensure long lasting and reliable batteries, end users will soon become frustrated and therefore unlikely to invest in further technology.

Going through physical pain can sometimes be unbearable. The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries. This type of pain is usually localized, affecting just a few muscles or a small part of your body. To ease pain, many people turn to chiropractors, but unfortunately, chiropractic alone sometimes isn’t enough to reduce pain and improve lifestyle.

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Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) uses electrical pulses to improve physical fitness. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) relieves pain, but you need to buy several units to work on various areas simultaneously.

ElectroFit is an all-in-one smart device that uses EMS and TENS-based technology to transmit micro-electrical pulses through specific areas of the body. By exercising muscle while keeping nerves active, ElectroFit is capable of deliver the kind of full-body results that other devices in the market are too limited to achieve. Electrofit is a home therapy program aimed at those who want to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

In TENS therapy, the device uses electrical pulses to fight pain by stimulating the sensory nerves to produce mood-enhancing endorphins and prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. For EMS therapy, the device sends an electrical pulse to motor nerves causing the targeted muscles to contract. These muscle contractions can be used to warm up muscles before a workout or, as ElectroFit advertises, enhance the contraction of muscles during a workout, reports Digital Trends.

The device comes with an app which connects via Bluetooth to the controller and the accessories. You can adjust the intensity and the type of workout by using the app.

The controller connects to several attachments. The basic set comes with two electropads, which can be used anywhere in the body.

The ElectroFit controller also works with the Electro Abs attachment, which can be used to tone your six-pack or strengthen thighs while you relax.

The Dual Electro attachment helps to tone and strengthen glutes, arms and lower back.

ElectroFit can be used for years as an effective fitness and pain relief aid, and has no known side-effects, says the company.

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The ElectroFit controller is very small, measuring about 2 inches wide. Every unit comes with integrated rechargeable lithium battery, Micro-USB charging port and medical grade adhesive electro gel pads.

This can be a great device for athletes, helping to build-up maximum strength and increase power.

ElectroFit wants your support to back the project on Indiegogo. The unit is available at an early bird price of $99 for the base unit which ships with the controller unit and a set of ElectroPads that can be used on any part of the body.

Discover cardmembers can now make payments using Garmin Pay, a contactless payment solution for people on the move, said a press release.

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Garmin Pay is available on Garmin’s latest active lifestyle smartwatches, the vívoactive® 3 series, and new GPS running watches, the Forerunner® 645, Forerunner 645 Music and fēnix® 5 Plus series, as well as the D2™ Delta aviator watch series. Adding Discover card to Garmin’s virtual wallet will allow users to make quick and easy purchases using just their watch.

“Consumers are constantly on the go and our goal is to make it as simple and seamless as possible for our cardmembers to pay with their Discover card, including on IoT and wearable devices,” said Shaida Lynch, vice president of e-business at Discover. “Now someone can be out on a jog or running errands and the ability to pay with Discover from their Garmin watch is just a quick tap away.”

Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales said his company is excited to provide their customers as well as Discover cardmembers another option of payment while they’re on the move. “Having the ability to easily pay for purchases, without the need for a phone or wallet, is a feature that we are happy to bring to users who live an active lifestyle,” he said.

With the Garmin Connect™ mobile app, users can add payment card to Garmin’s virtual wallet and start to use tap and pay with just a few quick touches. Discover cardmembers can use Garmin Pay at any merchant retail location that accepts both Discover and contactless Near Field Communication (NFC) transactions.

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“We are very pleased to have partnered with Discover and Garmin to bring additional payment capabilities to Discover cardholders,” said Michael Orlando, chief operating officer of NXT-ID and president of Fit Pay, Inc. “Discover cardholders will now be able to experience a truly frictionless payment experience through Garmin’s amazing line-up of smartwatches.”

Discover cardmembers who use Garmin Pay to make purchases will continue to receive all the convenience and benefits of their Discover card, including rewards, fraud protection and U.S.-based customer service.

San Francisco, California-based Fitbit has quietly launched two new fitness trackers, the Fitbit Inspire and Fitbit Inspire HR, designed specifically for health plans, employers and health systems.

Both models are made available through Fitbit Health Solutions for corporate customers who want to provide them to their employees as part of a wellness program. Both models offer fitness tracking capabilities, including heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring, and a waterproof design.

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The Fitbit Health Solution website says, “Please note these devices are designed for our customers who are members of participating health plans and wellness programs. We suggest checking with your employer or health plan to learn more.”

Last year, Fitbit launched Fitbit Care as part of an effort to shore up the company’s enterprise business as a platform that wraps in health coaching and virtual care, along with the company’s existing activity tracking services, reports MedCity News.

The Fitbit Inspire tracks your activity, sleep as well as the number of calories burnt. It reminds you about your goals and moves with features like goal celebrations and moves reminders. The tracker can show notifications for calls, texts and calendar alerts and offers five days of battery backup.

The Inspire HR includes an interesting feature – a heart rate monitor, which can also be used for heart rate zone-based training. It has more than 15 goal-based exercise modes, same as the Charge 3. The GPS reads your real-time pace and distance data.

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Though the Inspire supports sleep tracking, the Inspire HR can track sleep modes, such as light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Both sets of features are remarkable for a fitness tracker, and performs better than other Fitbit models.

As these two new trackers aren’t available for everyone, Fitbit hasn’t provided any details on their pricing. Also, the company didn’t say when these devices will be available for everyone.