Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech (UPC), and Vall d'Hebron, have developed a mobile application that could be useful in the assessment of the severity of fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome, especially in women. The technology uses a chest strap that measures heart rate variability.

The results of the study in which this technology has been tested have been published in the journal Sensors.

Read more: Wrist-Based Heart Rate Monitors vs Chest Straps Compared

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a debilitating condition, in which people have great difficulties in carrying out their daily activities. Severe fatigue is the main symptom of CFS/ME, in addition to problems with immediate memory and speed of information processing and concentration, intolerance to physical/mental exercise, pain, and dizziness. Despite its high prevalence, there are still no effective tools for its diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.

In Catalonia, it is estimated that there are currently between 350,000 and 500,000 people affected by chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, and 2 out of 3 affected people are women. Worldwide, a prevalence of between 17 and 25 million people with this affectation is estimated.

The technology developed by the UAB and UPC researchers consists of a chest strap with a sensor capable of measuring certain cardiac hemodynamic variables, connected via Bluetooth to a mobile app. The mobile application allows you to record and monitor heart rate variability and share the analyzed results with the medical staff who supervise patients, reports UAB.

Specifically, this study analyzed the relationship between heart rate variability and severity of symptoms among women and men with CFS/ME. This parameter is closely related to heart rate, that is, the number of beats per minute of the heart. However, the time that passes between two consecutive beats is not always exactly the same, but small differences that fall within normality can be detected: this is what is known as heart rate variability (HRV).

In previous studies, HRV had already been related to the assessment of the severity of fatigue in women with CFS/ME. "Specifically, we had observed that this variability was lower in patients with CFS/ME, especially in the most disabling cases", explains Dr. Jesús Castro, coordinator of the laboratory in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis of the Rheumatology group of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). A priori, it is considered positive to have high variability, as it is an indicator of the proper functioning of the autonomic nervous system. "In this work, we wanted to verify the relationship between HRV and the syndrome in both women and men with CFS/ME compared to healthy controls and its usefulness for monitoring patients", adds Dr. Castro.

Read more: Polar launches Verity Sense, a HR Strap that works without a Connected Device

In line with previous studies, it was found that HRV measurement with mobile app technology could predict the severity of disabling fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. This was especially observed in the case of women, but this relationship was not so clear in the case of men. "We demonstrated that the use of the app would be especially useful for the monitoring of women suffering from this syndrome, which clearly have a lower variability of heart rate compared to healthy women", says Dr. Rosa M Escorihuela, from the Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine of the UAB. Thus, HRV would be a good predictor marker of the severity of fatigue during the clinical course of the disease.

Brilliantly Warm, the first-ever wearable for women who have had breast reconstruction surgery is now available for pre-order. Brilliantly Warm is a discreet, rechargeable, heated bra insert designed for women who have had breast implant reconstruction and, as a result, experience an overwhelming sense of coldness. Brilliantly Warm is iOS app-controlled, allowing users to manage the temperature of their device with ease and in any environment – the office, outdoors, or at a social gathering or event. Having sold out in its first week of sale in July, Brilliantly Warm is now accepting pre-orders. The wearable is priced at $180.

Read more: Companies That Are Fueling the Growth of Femtech Industry

“Mastectomies leave too little fat to insulate an implant and keep it at body temperature. This means in the winter, or in an air-conditioned office, women with implant reconstruction are often uncomfortably cold,” said Kristen Carbone, CEO and Founder of Brilliantly. “My own preventative mastectomy and reconstruction provided me with peace of mind, but it also had an unexpected impact on my life. Today, I am excited to announce a solution to help women like me feel comfortable in any environment.”

Brilliantly Warm is informed by a four-year development cycle that included an examination of a number of fabrics and heating solutions, and user testing and research into how people perceive temperature. Brilliantly Warm’s lab-tested warming technology is designed for safe everyday wear and can be paired with almost any bra, reports BusinessWire.

Carbone is also the founder of Brilliantly, a community-based platform to help women embrace their lives after confronting breast cancer.

“Post-surgery, I couldn’t find the right kind of long-term support for navigating life after a mastectomy or breast cancer. That’s why I started Brilliantly – a community focused on fostering resilience, acceptance, and belonging,” added Carbone. “It not only serves as a resource for women navigating what it means to be whole, it creates opportunities for us to connect and inspire each other.”

Read more: Femtech Startup Lady Technologies Introduces 2-in-1 Device that Combines Fertility Tracking with Pelvic Floor Exercising

About Brilliantly

Brilliantly helps women with the transition from confronting breast cancer to embracing life through innovative products, thoughtful content, and relevant services. So far we’ve started a portrait project, released a corrective exercise video series, hosted events, and featured interviews and blog posts on our online journal.

Digital technology can help people live healthy, independent lives and enable health and social care services to be more effective, personalized and efficient.

Read more: Exoskeletons Are Now Reality – Helping to Combat Worker Fatigue and Injury

Robots that help carers to lift people without extra assistance are among dozens of innovations being highlighted as examples of best practices in adult social care.

The innovative ways of using digital technology were developed by 69 local authorities as part of the Social Care Digital Innovation Program and the Social Care Digital Innovation Accelerators projects, which were run by NHS Digital in collaboration with the Local Government Association, reports NHS.

The computer-controlled robots – known as ‘Cobots’ – were trialed in the Isle of Wight and Hampshire. The robotic devices are worn around the waist and lower back to support carers in lifting, holding, and moving people without assistance.

The Cobots lessen the risk of injury and fatigue among carers, as well as reduce the need for two carers to work together. This cuts the risk of infection caused by involving an extra person, which has been especially important during the pandemic.

The Social Care Digital Innovation Program and the Social Care Digital Innovation Accelerators – both part of NHS Digital’s five-year Social Care Program - supported local authorities across England to develop and share new digital approaches and technologies in adult social care.

Various apps, such as one which monitors the hydration levels of care home residents, another which helps prevent falls, and another to coordinate health, care, transport, and voluntary staff when a patient leaves the hospital, were also among 49 innovative projects trialed as part of the initiative.

More social care organizations are now being encouraged to adopt the technologies, which reduced hospital admissions, increased people’s independence, and saved social care staff time and resources.

James Palmer, Program Head of the Social Care Program at NHS Digital, said: “Digital technology can make a huge difference to people’s lives and the projects funded through these programs have improved social care as well as empowered people by giving them more control over their own wellbeing.”

Viz.ai Receives CE Mark

Viz.ai has been awarded a CE Mark for its artificial intelligence (AI) powered stroke care software, affirming its conformity with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area. Viz.ai’s intelligent care coordination system connects multidisciplinary care teams earlier, coordinates care, and puts patients first with the company’s software suite, which has been clinically proven to synchronize stroke care, decrease time to treatment, and greatly improve patient outcomes.

Viz.ai is the most studied stroke workflow software available today. A recent, large, real-world multi-center study using Viz.ai found a median time-to-notification of five minutes and 45 seconds across all of the sites involved when using Viz LVO. In the study, containing the largest health AI data set to date, Viz LVO achieved 96 percent sensitivity and 94 percent specificity in identifying LVOs in 2,544 consecutive patients from 139 hospitals using scanners from multiple manufacturers. Faster triage with Viz LVO enables the identification and treatment of more patients who are eligible for thrombectomy, which improves patient outcomes and reduces the chances of long-term disability.

Read more: SynPhNe Wearable Trains Brain And Muscle As One System, Helps With Stroke Rehabilitation

“Minutes matter when you’re having a stroke, which is why Viz.ai is dedicated to reducing time to treatment and improving patient outcomes through improved care coordination,” said Chris Mansi, co-founder and CEO of Viz.ai. “The CE Mark allows us to bring our leading AI software to the EU, significantly expanding the number of patients we can help get access to life-saving therapy.”

For years, women have been getting help from an app called Natural Cycles to track their ovulation cycles as a form of contraception. Now, the FDA has given clearance to Natural Cycles to integrate third-party thermometers—including consumer wearables into its app to help pinpoint a user's fertility status.

Read more: Garmin Adds Pregnancy Tracking Alongside Health and Wellness for Moms-To-Be

Women’s temperature rises slightly after ovulation. Charting body temperature is not a new birth control method. However, Natural Cycles pairs this traditional method with an algorithm that learns the pattern of your unique cycle and can predict your fertile window.

Previously users were required to manually take their temperature and add it to the app. However, thanks to this FDA revision, Natural Cycles can use its new software to integrate wearable data including a user's temperature and heart rate into the fertility algorithm.

Natural Cycles has now studied the use of the app in combination with Oura Ring. Oura ring is a smart ring that records body temperature and heart rate as part of its overall sleep-tracking functionality. According to the study, the Natural Cycles algorithm was able to predict when a woman was ovulating using the temperature data from the Oura Ring. “This data was measured against at-home ovulation test strips that indicate whether a person’s levels of the luteinizing hormone are surging, which happens ahead of ovulation. Using the Oura Ring, Natural Cycles was able to better predict non-fertile days, as it noted in its application to the FDA,” reports Fast Company.

Read more: Smart Underwear Takes Health Tracking to the Next Level

Elina Berglund, CEO and co-founder of Natural Cycles, told Fast Company that the app’s use of temperature to estimate ovulation is distinct. “Period trackers are very different because they don’t know when you ovulate—they just guess that it’s somewhere in the middle of your cycle,” she says. “We really detect ovulation in your temperature curve and from that calculate when it’s really safe to not use protection.”

VTech, a global leader in children's electronics and a pioneer in the children's wearable technology category, today announced its 2021 Kidi Tech collection. VTech continues to be at the forefront of innovation with its new collection, offering children the on-trend technology features they want in kid-friendly, age-appropriate devices.

Read more: GizmoWatch 2: Kid-Friendly Smartwatch That Fosters Independence While Keeping Children Safe

"Our success lies in taking cues from adult tech trends and developing secure devices that support the way kids play," said Andy Keimach, President, VTech Electronics North America. "Our Kidi Tech line features the coolest, age-appropriate tech toys."

Following the success of its KidiZoom Smartwatch series, the best-selling smartwatch for kids for the past three years, VTech is introducing the KidiZoom Smartwatch DX3 with a new sleek, durable design, two cameras for selfies, photos, and videos and an LED that doubles as a flash and flashlight. Adults can share the photos and videos at their discretion by uploading them to a computer using the included micro-USB cable, according to a press release.

The KidiZoom Smartwatch DX3 is a kid-friendly smartwatch that doesn't compromise on innovative features like the ability to play two-player games and send preset messages to their friends just by scanning a code on their friend's DX3 (sold separately). The watch also comes pre-loaded with tons of apps including 60+ new customizable daily activity reminders from "OK to wake" to "Time for bed" to help keep things on schedule at home and on the go, as well as eight games, motion-tracking activities and a voice recorder.

The KidiZoom PrintCam lets kids create instant black and white printouts of photos taken with this exciting new digital camera. Using cost-effective thermal paper, kids can also print games, and design and print their own greeting cards, play money, comic strips, and more. There is a flip-up lens for selfies and three games to play too. Photos and videos can also be uploaded via the included USB cable.

Read more: Garmin Joins Forces with Children’s Mercy Kansas City to Keep Kids Active During COVID-19 Pandemic

KidiBuzz 3 is a kid-friendly smart device with the adult tech features kids are looking for, offering 3D screen effects, a new magnifying lens for up-close photos, and a new KidiCom Chat messaging app with video sharing. KidiCom Chat lets kids connect with parent-approved contacts to send texts, photos, and video clips over Wi-Fi with other KidiBuzz devices and iPhone or Android smartphones. KidiBuzz 3 also lets kids add live face filters and frames to photos and video clips, play 40+ interactive learning games that teach math, science, and spelling, and explore kid-friendly websites. In addition, they can load and play their favorite music and movies for on-the-go entertainment. With parent controls to set daily time limits, KidiBuzz 3 keeps children engaged and parents at ease.

These innovative new Kidi Tech electronics, for ages 4 and up, will be available this fall.

A new feasibility study through the University of Alberta could help those dealing with long-term, chronic respiratory issues, using Health Care Originals' novel wearable technology and artificial intelligence to monitor symptoms and warn of coming exacerbation episodes.

Read more: Noninvasive Wearable Sensors to Advance Chronic Respiratory Disease Management In Patients Around the World

Dr. Giovanni Ferrara, a professor with the University of Alberta Hospital's Division of Pulmonary Medicine, is currently working on a pilot project to test a new wearable technology, ADAMM-RSM, developed in the U.S. for patients with asthma, with the goal of expanding its use in predicting medical events in other respiratory conditions as well.

"You can fine-tune the intensity of treatment based on the intensity of symptoms depending on the phase of the pulmonary disease," Dr. Ferrara explained. "This device is able to track clinical signs and symptoms in an objective way, helping to inform treatment decisions tailored to patient's needs, thus providing a more precise control of their disease."

Currently, such conditions require patients to visit their physicians on a three- to six-month basis, but the wearable technology offers the opportunity for ongoing monitoring that would detect worsening symptoms, or anticipate respiratory events, on a more consistent and proactive level, according to a press release.

"ADAMM-RSM is able to collect the respiratory rate, heart rate, temperature, coughing, wheezing, and level of activity for at least eight hours per day," Dr.  Ferrara outlined. "This is important because we want to detect any variations as they occur before the patient needs to go to the ER."

"The study will explore the possibility to predict when it's the right time to see your physician based on the data collected by the device and artificial intelligence algorithms before you get in trouble. That's what we really want to see in health care today. We don't want a different way to look at the same thing — we want new tools."

Health Care Originals initially developed this technology to assist asthmatics in living a better life, with early studies conducted out of Rochester, N.Y. The technology is currently available for research, chronic respiratory disease monitoring, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring. The new Edmonton-based feasibility study expands upon the science and works conducted in the U.S., tailoring it to be suitable for numerous respiratory conditions including cystic fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, recent lung transplants, and tuberculosis, among others.

"The beauty of the technology is that Dr. Ferrara is looking at a lot of conditions using the same platform," said Jared Dwarika, Co-Founder of Health Care Originals, the New York-based company behind the ADAMM-RSM monitoring technology that is now supporting Dr. Ferrara's project.

"This could include conditions that he might not be considering now. ADAMM-RSM can collect a vast amount of data, and he can retroactively and review the data to apply this technology to other diseases."

Should the pilot project prove successful, the next steps will include running a second and third trial that target specific populations and larger sample sizes, with the initial feasibility study focusing on 40 patients. Further work would include analyzing and finding algorithms that will enable the prediction of major respiratory events such as admissions or ER visits.

"If everything works, it could easily be done within two to three years," Dr. Ferrara said.

In total, the study will include three phases, with the technology being narrowed for use with specific respiratory conditions over time.

"This is the future of healthcare," Dwarika said, "feedback on your treatment is going to be tailored to you, rather than using a generic set of parameters."

The device is worn on the torso, under the clothes, and is placed on the chest, side, or back, to suit patient comfort.

Read more: StethoMe At-Home Stethoscope for Detecting Respiratory Problems in Kids Gets CE Mark

"It was designed with privacy in mind," said Sharon Samjitsingh, Co-Founder of Health Care Originals. "A common problem with these types of devices is that you don't want to advertise that you're monitoring a medical condition — you don't have to broadcast it."

Currently, chronic respiratory diseases are among the most common cause of admission to the University of Alberta Hospital's Emergency Department.

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new material that prevents infections in wounds. The new material, a specially designed hydrogel, works against all types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant ones. This innovation offers great hope for combating a growing global problem.

Read more: New Wearable Device Treats Antibiotic-Resistant Infections And Wounds

​The World Health Organization describes antibiotic-resistant bacteria as one of the greatest threats to global health. To deal with the problem, there needs to be a shift in the way we use antibiotics, and new, sustainable medical technologies must be developed.

“After testing our new hydrogel on different types of bacteria, we observed a high level of effectiveness, including against those which have become resistant to antibiotics,” says Martin Andersson, research leader for the study and Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the Chalmers University of Technology, reports the Chalmers University of Technology.

Research and development of the material have been ongoing for many years at Martin Andersson’s group at Chalmers, growing in scope along the way, with a particular focus on the possibilities for wound care. The results have been published in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering.

The main purpose of the studies so far has been to explore new medical technology solutions to help reduce the use of systemic antibiotics. Hospital-acquired infection is a life-threatening condition that is increasing in incidence worldwide.

Mimicking the natural immune system

The active substance in the new bactericidal material consists of antimicrobial peptides, small proteins which are found naturally in our immune system.

“With these types of peptides, there is a very low risk for bacteria to develop resistance against them since they only affect the outermost membrane of the bacteria. That is perhaps the foremost reason why they are so interesting to work with,” says Martin Andersson.

Researchers have long tried to find ways to use these peptides in medical applications, but so far without much success. The problem is that they break down quickly when they come into contact with bodily fluids such as blood. The current study describes how the researchers managed to overcome the problem through the development of a nanostructured hydrogel, into which the peptides are permanently bound, creating a protective environment.

“The material is very promising. It is harmless to the body’s own cells and gentle on the skin. In our measurements, the protective effect of the hydrogel on the antimicrobial peptides is clear– the peptides degrade much slower when they are bound to it,” says Edvin Blomstrand, a doctoral student at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers, and one of the main authors of the article.

“We expected good results, but we were really positively surprised at quite how effective the material has proven,” adds Martin Andersson.

According to the researchers, this new material is the first medical device to make successful use of antimicrobial peptides in a clinically and commercially viable manner. There are many varied and promising opportunities for clinical application.

Read more: Swedish Woman Receives First Dexterous and Sentient Prosthetic Hand

A spinoff company called Amferia AB, developed by researchers, is working on commercializing the technology.

“Amferia has recently entered into a strategic partnership with Sweden’s largest distributor of premium medical & diagnostic devices to jointly launch these wound care products for the Swedish veterinary market during 2021,” says Martin Andersson.

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Neurolutions, Inc., a MedTech company with offices in Santa Cruz, California, and St. Louis, Missouri, announced that the U.S. FDA granted De Novo market authorization for its groundbreaking IpsiHand Upper Extremity Rehabilitation System.

Read more: Connextyle Smart Shirt Provides Multi-Sensory Healing For Stroke Patients

“The approval of the IpsiHand System represents an important step forward in the care and rehabilitation of stroke patients,” said Leo Petrossian, Ph.D., CEO of Neurolutions. “For the first time, we are able to combine advanced robotics with brain-computer interface technology to augment traditional stroke rehabilitation, allowing patients to improve upper extremity function after stroke.”

There are approximately 6 million stroke survivors living in the United States. Approximately 800,000 American adults experience a stroke each year, of which approximately 300,000 are left with upper extremity movement dysfunction. Muscular weakness or partial paralysis frequently persists into the chronic stage of stroke with 65% of chronic stroke patients reporting reduced motor function six months after stroke.

The IpsiHand system takes advantage of the uninjured side of the brain to trigger the opening and closing of a robotic exoskeleton placed over the affected arm. The system also includes a tablet computer and an EEG-based biometric headset. The system translates brain signals from the uninjured, or ipsilateral, a hemisphere of the brain, into a movement of the exoskeleton. As a result, when the patient thinks about opening their hand, the device physically opens the patient’s impaired hand. This ability to physically open and close the patient’s hand based on the patient’s thoughts facilitates muscle reeducation, improving upper extremity rehabilitation. Developed by a team of innovators in Silicon Valley and neuroscientists from Washington University in St. Louis. the neuro-prosthetic and robotic capabilities of the IpsiHand System have been shown in clinical trials to provide both statistically and clinically significant outcomes for chronic stroke patients, reports GlobeNewsWire.

“The IpsiHand System represents the cutting-edge of medical technology and is the first FDA-authorized brain-computer interface for robotic rehabilitation,” said Kern Bhugra, Chief Operating Officer of Neurolutions. “This milestone would never have been possible without the partnership with the FDA, who diligently worked with us to ensure we brought this benefit to patients.”

“Progress in improving rehabilitation outcomes for stroke patients has historically been challenging, but the market authorization of the IpsiHand System promises to usher in a bright future for our stroke patients and allows us to support their recovery throughout the rehabilitation process,” said Eric Leuthardt, MD, Chief Scientific Officer of Neurolutions and Chief of Division of Neurotechnology and Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience at Washington University.

Read more: SynPhNe Wearable Trains Brain And Muscle As One System, Helps With Stroke Rehabilitation

IpsiHand is indicated for use in patients 18 and older undergoing stroke rehabilitation to facilitate muscle re-education and for maintaining or increasing range of motion. All participants in an unblinded 40-patient study over 12 weeks demonstrated motor function improvement with the device over the trial. Adverse events reported included minor fatigue and discomfort and temporary skin redness.

Neurolutions intends to begin commercialization of the IpsiHand Upper Extremity Rehabilitation System in the U.S. later this year.

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Lymphedema happens when your body’s lymph system is damaged or blocked due to protein-rich fluid. This can lead to feelings of pain as well as heaviness, and interfere with your daily activities if left untreated. An estimated 20 million Americans live with this progressive and incurable condition.

Read more: Henkel’s Printed Electronics Solutions Are Propelling Smart Living, Mobility and Hygiene

California-based MedTech company Koya Medical has developed an active compression therapy system Dayspring for the treatment of lymphedema and venous diseases that impact lymphatic flow in lower extremities.

The Dayspring system is the first wearable and mobility-enabled compression system designed with real life in mind. It is the first and only compression therapy option designed to enable movement, mobility, and personalized care that is unavailable with traditional compression therapy. The Dayspring system includes a low-profile active garment made of a soft, breathable mesh using Koya’s proprietary Flexframe technology; a smart, rechargeable, hand-held controller that can be worn on a lanyard; and a mobile app that allows users or their clinicians to program custom treatment options.

Patients treated with Dayspring, the prescription-only medical device, receive standard of care active compression therapy with a mobility-enabling wearable device designed with real-life demands in mind. The Dayspring system includes a low-profile active garment made of a soft, breathable mesh using Koya’s proprietary Flexframe technology; a smart, rechargeable, hand-held controller that can be worn on a lanyard; and a mobile app that allows users or their clinicians to program custom treatment options. Koya previously received FDA clearance for Dayspring for upper extremities in June 2020, according to a press release.

“Lymphedema can be physically and emotionally debilitating for patients, so a daily treatment option that enables mobility and allows them to receive treatment while continuing their daily life activities is a significant breakthrough,” said Andy Doraiswamy, Ph.D., Koya founder, President, and CEO. “We are excited about this new indication and milestone, as well as the addition of three new esteemed executive leaders. Rick, Liesl, and Damian bring a wealth of highly relevant experience building successful medical technology companies and will be invaluable in supporting Koya as it transforms lymphatic and vein care by providing access to our innovative products to patients all over the world.”

Read more: KOB Manufactures Medical Textiles for Smart Applications in Patient Monitoring and Therapy

About Koya Medical

Koya Medical is developing breakthrough treatments for lymphedema and venous diseases to increase movement, mobility, and personalized care that is unavailable with traditional compression therapy. The privately held company was founded in 2018 with the mission to transform lymphatic and vein care through innovative patient-centric platforms.

Purdue engineers have developed a new spray/sewing method to transform any conventional cloth items into battery-free wearables that can be cleaned in the washing machine. The researchers published their innovation in Nano Energy.

Read more: Purdue Researchers Develop Wearable That May Help Prevent Sudden Death From Epilepsy

"By spray-coating smart clothes with highly hydrophobic molecules, we are able to render them repellent to water, oil, and mud," said Ramses Martinez, an assistant professor in Purdue's School of Industrial Engineering and in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering in Purdue's College of Engineering. "These smart clothes are almost impossible to stain and can be used underwater and washed in conventional washing machines without damaging the electronic components sewn on their surface."

The rigidity of typical waterproof garments and their reduced breathability make them feel uncomfortable after being worn for a few hours, reports Purdue University.

"Thanks to their ultrathin coating, our smart clothes remain as flexible, stretchable, and breathable as conventional cotton T-shirts," Martinez said.

Unlike common wearables, Purdue smart clothes do not require batteries for powering. By simply harvesting energy from Wi-Fi or radio waves in the environment, the clothes are capable of powering the circuitry sewn on the textile.

One example is a battery-free glove that illuminates its fingertips every time the user is near a live cable to warn about the possibility of an electric shock. Another is a miniaturized cardiac monitoring system sewn on a washable sweatband capable of monitoring the health status of the wearer.

"Such wearable devices, powered by ubiquitous Wi-Fi signals, will make us not only think of clothing as just a garment that keeps us warm but also as wearable tools designed to help us in our daily life, monitor our health, and protect us from accidents," Martinez said.

"I envision smart clothes will be able to transmit information about the posture and motion of the wearer to mobile apps, allowing machines to understand human intent without the need for other interfaces, expanding the way we communicate, interact with devices, and play video games."

Read more: Purdue University Researchers Develop Cheap, Biocompatible and Breathable Smart Stickers

This technology can be fabricated in conventional, large-scale sewing facilities, which are expected to accelerate the development and commercialization of future smart clothes.

Martinez and his team have worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization to protect intellectual property. The innovations are patent pending.

Wise Therapeutics, a developer of game-based digital therapeutics including Personal Zen, and Soterix Medical, a leading manufacturer of wearable tDCS medical devices, jointly announced the results of their collaborative study, published in Frontiers in Neuroergonomics.

Read more: NeoRhythm – Neurostimulation Headband that Hacks Your Brain to Remove Stress and Fatigue

The study demonstrates how neurostimulation can enhance the therapeutic impact of Wise's gamified therapies and serve as an at-home, non-pharmaceutical treatment for stress and anxiety. Wise and Soterix Medical intend to explore how their combination products could be applied to a variety of mental health issues related to areas such as PTSD, multiple sclerosis, eating disorders, and addiction.

Topline results show that, when used in combination with the neuromodulation technique tDCS, Wise's app-based approach to gamified attention bias modification training (ABMT) reduced self-reported anxiety by 41.6%. Additionally, the combination treatment reduced a key cognitive cause of anxiety, negative attention bias, by 256.95% and significantly increased biological stress resilience, says a press release.

"We are encouraged by these findings and are actively exploring further investigation of our products alongside tDCS interventions," said Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Wise Therapeutics. "We are seeing a renaissance in wearable devices for behavioral health, across neurostimulation, biosensors, and virtual reality. Wise's proprietary application of ABMT could perfectly complement these emerging modalities, and this study is a great first step toward that goal."

"Soterix Medical is committed to the development of evidence-based neuromodulation treatments," said Dr. Abhishek Datta, Co-founder and CEO of Soterix Medical, "This trial is centered on a clinically validated ABMT therapy from Wise. Over a decade of studies also show tDCS can enhance cognitive training. This recent trial, therefore, builds on an established scientific basis, using Soterix Medical's unique tDCS platform to enhance Wise's specialized ABMT digital therapy".

About Wise Therapeutics

Wise Therapeutics combines cognitive therapy with clinical neuroscience to develop gamified, clinically validated digital therapeutics that address pervasive behavioral health challenges. Their mission is to have a powerful, positive impact on the global mental health crisis through the translation of clinical neuroscience into digital therapies that lower barriers to access and are as engaging as they are clinically effective.

Read more: MindMotion Go Gamified Neurorehabilitation Platform Receives FDA Clearance

About Soterix Medical

Soterix Medical was formed to develop and deploy innovative medical treatments focused on neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders and rehabilitation. Founded in 2008, SMI is the world leader in clinical trials for non-invasive neuromodulation working with over 450 medical centers in the US and worldwide.

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Google might one day take on Oura and deliver a fitness ring to consumers. According to Wareable, Fitbit has officially applied for a patent on a smart ring that would track the user's blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and blood pressure levels using clinical-grade sensor technology.

Traditional wearable devices use reflected light to measure the user's blood oxygen. But Fitbit’s ring would work like a clinical pulse oximeter, passing light through the skin to a photodetector.

Read more: Fitbit Wearables Will Soon Detect Your Snoring At Night

As stated in the patent, the smart ring would transfer the data it collects to your phone or Fitbit wearable via Bluetooth or NFC. The ring could contain a motion tracker, which instead of counting steps, would make sure that the wearer isn’t moving around, Fitbit said. For accurate results, it is necessary for the user to stay in one place while taking blood pressure readings.

“The motion sensor can be used to remove noise from the data caused by motion,” the patent reads while adding that it can also include “power saving measures to extend the battery life”.

On April 7, Fitbit in a blog post reported about a study to look at how Fitbit devices can potentially measure something called Pulse Arrival Time (PAT), which is the time it takes for a pulse of blood to reach your wrist after your heart beats, and explore the potential link to tracking blood pressure.

While the ability to easily measure and monitor blood pressure in a wearable, the non-cuff application has been of great interest, it has been rather elusive to date, and the ability to capture blood pressure readings in a non-cuff wrist-wearable has not yet been achieved, Fitbit said.

Read more: LUBA Workers’ Comp Using Oura Ring To Explore The Use of Wearables in Workplace

Oura is a $300 smart ring that measures sleep, steps, heart rate and body temperature deviation. NBA recently bolstered its health credentials by buying 2,000 Oura rings for its players and staff to keep track of metrics in the fight against Covid-19.

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When someone bumps their elbow against a wall, they not only feel pain but also might experience bruising. Robots and prosthetic limbs don’t have these warning signs, which could lead to further injury. Now, researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have developed artificial skin that can effectively indicate if damage has occurred, in the same way, that our skin bruises naturally. The researchers reported their invention in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Read more: Artificial Skin Could Enhance Sense of Touch and Provide Real-Time Haptic Feedback

Scientists have developed many different types of electronic skins, or e-skins, that can sense stimuli through electron transmission. However, these electrical conductors are not always biocompatible, which could limit their use in some types of prosthetics. In contrast, ionic skins, or I-skins, use ions as charge carriers, similar to human skin. These ionically conductive hydrogels have superior transparency, stretchability, and biocompatibility compared with e-skins. Qi Zhang, Shiping Zhu, and colleagues wanted to develop an I-skin that, in addition to registering changes in electrical signal with an applied force, could also change color to mimic human bruising, reports ACS.

The researchers made an ionic organohydrogel that contained a molecule, called spiropyran, which changes color from pale yellow to bluish-purple under mechanical stress. In testing, the gel showed changes in color and electrical conductivity when stretched or compressed, and the purple color remained for 2–5 hours before fading back to yellow.

Then, the team taped the I-skin to different body parts of volunteers, such as the finger, hand, and knee. Bending or stretching caused a change in the electrical signal but not bruising, just like human skin. However, forceful and repeated pressing, hitting, and pinching produced a color change. The I-skin, which responds like human skin in terms of electrical and optical signaling, opens up new opportunities for detecting damage in prosthetic devices and robotics, the researchers say.

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Program for Guangdong Introducing Innovative and Entrepreneurial Teams, Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, 2019 Special Program for Central Government Guiding Local Science and Technology Development: Environmental Purification Functional Materials Research Platform, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Product Engineering and the CUHK-Shenzhen Presidential Fund.

Read more: Artificial Electronic Skin Senses Pain, Temperature As Fast As Human Skin

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people.

Imec, a Belgium-based R&D and innovation hub, active in the fields of nanoelectronics and digital technologies, has presented a proof-of-concept for determining arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is a risk marker for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart failure and monitoring blood pressure.

Read more: imec Spin-Off And Ghent University Present Lopos SafeDistance, A Wearable For Maintaining Social Distance

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number 1 cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions. Four out of 5CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and one-third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age.

The sooner you detect cardiovascular disease, the easier it is to treat. Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of CVDs and a marker for developing hypertension. Arterial stiffness is usually determined by measuring the arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV).

Because PWV measures often require invasive or less accessible imaging methods, clinicians prefer cuff-based blood pressure measurements to assess CVD risk.

Imec is convinced that a more central pulse wave velocity approach would add value over traditional cuff-measured blood pressure to determine CVD risk.

“We have developed a promising method to determine PWV using an ultrasound sensor and a novel data analysis approach. The ultrasound sensor captures the heartbeat of the patient in the neck and the algorithms subsequently extract the features necessary to calculate PWV. PWV can then be used to determine cardiovascular function indicators, such as arterial stiffness and blood pressure,” said Fabian Beutel, Biomedical R&D Engineer and PhD candidate at KU Leuven.

Moreover, the researchers showed that a central PWV (closer to the heart) correlates more reliably with blood pressure than a peripheral measurement, reports imec.

A small-scale cohort involving 10 people featuring a wide range of blood pressure values from normal to elevated demonstrated the proof-of-concept of this novel method to measure central PWV and estimate blood pressure. The test confirmed that measuring PWV centrally correlated better with arterial stiffness and blood pressure than the traditional peripheral method using an ECG and an optical measurement at a distance from the heart. Unlike with conventional methods, the new blood pressure estimates are within the accuracy limits used in the IEEE blood pressure validation standard.

Read more: Imec, TNO Unveil Disposable Health Patch with Non-Toxic Battery that Runs for Over a Week

“This technology and algorithm can be scaled to any device that fits the application: portable, wearable and even ingestible devices. We’re looking for companies to join us in the research and development of this technology and unlock new medical applications,” Carlos Agell, Health Solutions Program Manager.

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Thanks to the work of Assistant Professor Rabia Yazicigil (ECE) and her colleagues at MIT, a swallowable sensor could someday replace endoscopy and colonoscopy. The pill-sized device would literally shed light on what’s going on inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of Crohn’s and other bowel disease sufferers.

Read more: This Smart Pill Stays Inside Your Stomach and Monitors Digestion Up to a Month

MIT researchers previously developed a 1.5-inch capsule that contained a computer chip, a wireless transmitter, and genetically engineered bacteria that light up when they come in contact with blood. The capsule could detect bleeding in the GI tract and send an alert to a smartphone, reports Patrick L. Kennedy in BU College of Engineering.

Yazicigil and her students at Boston University’s Wireless Integrated Systems and Extreme Circuits (WISE-Circuits) Laboratory, in collaboration with MIT, have decreased the capsule’s size to about that of a chickpea by designing an ultra-sensitive, nanowatt-level power, integrated photodetector and readout system on a chip. This transformative size reduction makes this smart pill much safer as it passes through the digestive system.

The proof of concept was presented at the Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Custom Integrated Circuits Conference this past spring. The principal investigators of the project are Yazicigil and MIT researchers Timothy Lu and Giovanni Traverso. Yazicigil’s Ph.D. student Qijun Liu presented the paper at the IEEE event.

In the United States, about 3 million adults suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. These conditions can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition, and they increase the risk of colon cancer.

The traditional method of searching the GI tract for warning signs is colonoscopy, but that only happens every year or two, and the preparation is not pleasant. Moreover, says Yazicigil, “an endoscopy is an image-based system—it doesn’t really measure the molecular disease biomarkers.”

A stool sample does measure biomarkers, but by the time they exit the system, the most important biomarkers degrade. The newly designed ingestible sensors are noninvasive and it’s as simple as swallowing a pill. Also, they monitor the gut in real-time.

The bacterial sensors light up when they sense their target biomarkers; a chip converts this bioluminescence into electrical signals, and the data is sent to a nearby smartphone or tablet. “Think of this gadget as a wearable, but for inside the body,” says Yazicigil.

The main challenge faced by the researchers was the device’s power consumption. To conserve power, they designed a chip that switches on every 10 minutes for 16 seconds to take measurements, and for a mere 12 milliseconds to transmit the data, according to the BU College of Engineering.

“That discrete time approach rather than a continuous time approach saves us some power,” says Liu, the ENG Ph.D. student.

Read more: New Smart Pill Releases Insulin in the Stomach, Could Replace Injections for People with Type 1 Diabetes

The WISE-Circuits Lab team, working with the group at MIT who originated the capsule, has done in vitro testing of the streamlined version and is planning in vivo testing in animal models. “In vivo testing is critical for safety, and previous attempts with off-the-shelf components and large batteries made devices too large to be safe,” says Miguel Jimenez, a research scientist at MIT. “The Yazicigil group’s custom, low-power design is an elegant solution to this challenge.”

“I think that’s very powerful,” says Yazicigil. “By collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds, we might actually contribute to society and help people better manage their conditions.”

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Integrating synthetic biology into wearables could expand opportunities for noninvasive monitoring of physiological status, disease states, and exposure to pathogens or toxins. However, the operation of synthetic circuits generally requires the presence of a living, engineered bacteria, which has limited their application in wearables.

Read more: LG Launches PuriCare, A Rechargeable Wearable Air Purifier Mask

An international team of researchers from Wyss Institute, Harvard, MIT, and DREAMLUX, Samsara S.r.l., Italy, have developed a face mask with a lyophilized CRISPR sensor for wearable, noninvasive detection of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) at room temperature within 90 min. The technology requires no user intervention other than the press of a button.

The researchers used lightweight, flexible substrates and textiles functionalized with freeze-dried, cell-free synthetic circuits, including CRISPR-based tools, that detect metabolites, chemicals, and pathogen nucleic acid signatures. The wearable devices are activated upon rehydration from aqueous exposure events and report the presence of specific molecular targets by colorimetric changes or via an optical fiber network that detects fluorescent and luminescent outputs. “The detection limits for nucleic acids rival current laboratory methods such as quantitative PCR. We demonstrate the development of a face mask with a lyophilized CRISPR sensor for wearable, noninvasive detection of Coronavirus at room temperature within 90 min, requiring no user intervention other than the press of a button,” the researchers wrote.

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Colorimetric wFDCF wearables

For their first wearable freeze-dried cell-free (wFDCF) demonstration, the team embedded colorimetric genetic circuits into cellulose substrates surrounded by a fluid wicking and containment assembly made of flexible elastomers. These prototypes were assembled layer-by-layer to form reaction chambers fluidically connected to top sample portals. The devices are flexible, elastic and can rapidly wick in splashed fluids through capillary action.

The fluorescent wFDCF platform allows for continuous monitoring of all reaction chambers through the fiber optic network at user-defined sampling intervals for the automated detection of rehydration events and fluorescent outputs from target-activated circuits.

The researchers used Cas13a and Cas12a for the detection of RNA and DNA, respectively.

For real-time monitoring of environmental exposure and biohazard detection, the team designed a jacket containing a distributed arrangement of wFDCF multi-sensor arrays. The various optical fibers carrying the output emission signals from different sensors can be routed into a single bundle for centralized imaging analysis, which we demonstrate using a wFDCF CRISPR–Cas12a-based MRSA-sensing array, containing spa, ermA, and mecA sensors, that was activated in the wearable prototype with a fluid splash containing 100 fM of spa DNA trigger.

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A face-mask-integrated sensor for SARS-CoV-2 detection in exhaled aerosols

Finally, the researchers explored whether their wFDCF system could be adapted to create face masks capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2, as a complementary approach to diagnosis based on nasopharyngeal sampling. Respiratory droplets and aerosols are the transmission routes for respiratory infectious diseases but have been underutilized historically for diagnosis. Work on breath-based sensing has focused on the detection of volatile organic compound biomarkers in infected patients using electrochemical sensors or downstream mass spectrometry analysis, which may be challenging to implement on a wide scale. The National Institutes of Health Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Initiative has identified SARS-CoV-2 detection from breath sampling technologies as an active area of interest for alleviating testing bottlenecks.

The virus accumulates on the inside of masks as a result of coughing, talking, or normal respiration. The researchers designed a face-mask sensor containing four modular components: a reservoir for hydration, a large surface area collection sample pad, a wax-patterned µPAD (microfluidic paper-based analytical device), and a lateral flow assay (LFA) strip.

From activation of the face-mask sensor to a final readout only takes about 90 minutes. The limit of detection observed for these sensors is 500 copies (17 aM) of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro transcribed (IVT) RNA, which matches that of World Health Organization-endorsed standard laboratory-based RT–PCR assays.

The researchers say that potential applications for their wFDCF sensors include warfighters and first responders operating in environments where a specific chemical or biological threat is suspected, and clinicians, health workers, and researchers working in high-risk areas. For example, wFDCF-enabled coats and gowns in hospitals could provide alerts to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections. An additional promising application is patient-worn, sensor-enabled personal protective equipment, such as the SARS-CoV-2 face mask.

Read more Graphene Facemask Kills Bacteria and Showed Potential In Deactivating Coronavirus

Researchers involved in this study were Peter Q. Nguyen, Luis R. Soenksen, Nina M. Donghia, Nicolaas M. Angenent-Mari, Helena de Puig, Ally Huang, Rose Lee, Shimyn Slomovic, Tommaso Galbersanini, Geoffrey Lansberry, Hani M. Sallum, Evan M. Zhao, James B. Niemi & James J. Collins

The study was published in Nature Biotechnology.

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Skullcandy, a maker of stereo headphones and earbuds, has partnered with Bragi to incorporate advanced features, including a voice interface and artificial intelligence, into its products. Through this partnership, Skullcandy will create truly smart, future-proof audio products, infused with easy-to-use, transformative technology incorporating Bragi's software platform featuring embedded AI.

Read more: TWS Hearables Held The Biggest Share of Wearables Market in 2020: Counterpoint Research

"Skullcandy has earned our market-leading position due to a keen obsession with our consumer's adventurous uses," said Jason Hodell, CEO of Skullcandy. "Giving our fans the freedom to enjoy their content, control their earbuds and enable communications all without taking off their gloves or letting go of the handlebars is an exciting advancement for our brand."

The hallmark feature of the platform is the ability to go completely hands-free. With a simple voice command, users will be able to start and control their media player, even without internet connectivity, as well as accept or reject incoming calls. Skullcandy also offers direct access to any native voice assistant on a smartphone. This broad range compatibility ensures seamless functionality for all users, regardless of their phone operating system, according to a press release.

"Skullcandy owns the sub-$100 segment in the U.S., commanding huge volumes and enabling us to deliver millions of Bragi-enabled earbuds to the market," said Nikolaj Hviid, Founder and CEO at Bragi. "The partnership with Skullcandy is transformational to Bragi becoming a platform for headphones, just as Android and iOS are for smartphones," said Hviid.

Made up of co-developed, system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology, the all-new Skullcandy platform was engineered with updatable firmware. This enables Skullcandy earbuds to receive over-the-air updates as new features become available. Users will be able to update their audio products via the Skullcandy App to add new features, not only enhancing functionality to make them smarter over time but further adding value by extending product lifespan.

“Through a massively scaled design and integration effort with our strategic partners, Skullcandy has developed a scalable, cost-effective, advanced technology platform for software-defined audio products,” said Jeff Hutchings, Chief Product Officer at Skullcandy. “The new platform utilizes best-in-class, customized BT SoC functionality along with the Bragi OS to support advanced features like hands-free voice control, customizable button interfaces, and more.”

Read more: Huawei Launches Freebuds 4i True Wireless Earbuds, Band 6, and Fit Elegant Smartwatch

The Skullcandy technology platform – which will launch across three new true wireless products later this year – will also allow users to share audio with others nearby via compatible Skullcandy audio products, take a photo with a button press on the earbud, and even end battery anxiety with a verbal update on remaining capacity each time earbuds are activated.

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Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. According to the CDC, in 2015, 1.2% of the US population had active epilepsy. This is about 3.4 million people with epilepsy nationwide: 3 million adults and 470,000 children.

Read more: Purdue Researchers Develop Wearable That May Help Prevent Sudden Death From Epilepsy

ULTEEM is a sensor solution that transforms ordinary glasses into smart glasses. It allows non-invasively record the electric brain activity generated by the temporal lobes. Developed in collaboration with the Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) and sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), the ULTEEM has been successfully tested at NeuroTec.

Use cases

Temporal electroencephalogram (EEG) provides valuable information for long-term generalized epilepsy monitoring and electrooculogram (EOG) signals are widely used in vigilance monitoring, reports CSEM.

Features

• Equipped with dry electrodes, ULTEEM achieves a signal quality equivalent to clinical-grade EEG systems
• CSEM’s patented technology enables connecting sensors with a simple wire not necessarily shielded nor insulated
• Autonomy more than 16 hours thanks to years of low-power design experience in wearables
• Bluetooth Low Energy for data streaming and on-board memory for long-term recordings
• Design and verification according to the latest IEC 60601-1 and IEC 80601-2-26 standards

Benefits

The device is minimally obtrusive and is so small that it may be attached to the frame of the glasses.

CSEM’s technology allows simple integration of the sensors into eyeglass frames avoiding complex production and assembly methods. Stigmatization is a major obstacle to the long-term monitoring of patients with neurological diseases. ULTEEM provides a unique opportunity by allowing them to use their own eyeglasses and remove the clip-on sensors whenever felt uneasy.

Read more: BioSerenity Helping Epilepsy Patients by Diagnosing the Condition Earlier

Clinical partners

A pilot study was conducted for clinical assessment of the ULTEEM device with Neuro-Tec.

What’s next?

The developers are working on a device for nighttime monitoring of epilepsy – the ULTEEMNite for sleep monitoring and 24/7 epilepsy monitoring.

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WellsCare, a member of Born2Global Centre, became the first Korean medical device company to launch a product, the IASO, on major American electronics distributor Best Buy.

Read more Korean Digital Healthcare Company Wins CES 2020 Innovation Award for its Smart Belt

The IASO has been sold through Bestbuy.com's Health & Wellness category since June 2021. The device was featured in the Top Deal list, Best Buy's main promotional event, immediately upon its launch and sold in record numbers after 10 days in the Top Deal promotion.

The IASO is a hands-free, wearable cold laser pain relief device that enables the self-treatment of various pain types. It provides users with hands-free immediate, pain relief through cold laser technology, which is frequently used by hospitals to treat sports injuries.

WellsCare signed a vendor master agreement with Best Buy on September 27, 2020, and confirmed the supply of IASO by finalizing a vendor program agreement (equivalent to a supply contract) the following November 12. This process had begun in 2019, when Wellscare participated in TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco when a Best Buy representative noticed the IASO and recommended that IASO be sold through the retail chain, the company said in a press release.

WellsCare CEO Lee Sung-won said, "I was told by a spokesperson for Best Buy's healthcare department that the sale of IASO is the first time that a product from both a Korean startup and a Korean medical device manufacturer has been sold at Best Buy. For now, our goal is to send shipments every two weeks to BestBuy.com online site and over 800 offline locations in the U.S. and to achieve sales of at least USD 53 million through the steady demand for the IASO."

WellsCare has recently completed the IASO Ultra upgrade, which adds a back pain function to the device. The IASO Ultra will be released soon, and plans are underway for its sale via Best Buy as part of the IASO series. WellsCare is also developing a B2B product for chiropractors and other rehabilitative care providers in the U.S. who specialize in pain management and is in collaboration to develop a digital healthcare pain diagnostic device that can quantify pain based on a machine learning algorithm analysis of bio-signal data.

About WellsCare

WellsCare was founded in 2016 by a team of highly proficient and experienced engineers who aimed to introduce innovation in the field of pain management. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, WellsCare aims to lead the smart health device market with its advanced technology and innovation.

Read more JDRF Partners with Korean Company to Develop Wearable Insulin Pump

About Born2Global Centre

Born2Global Centre is a full-cycle service platform for global expansion. Since its inception in 2013, Born2Global has been setting the standard for a successful startup ecosystem as the main Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Born2Global has expanded and transformed startups to be engaged, equipped, and connected with the global market.

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Humm, a neurotech company focused on helping people learn, launched a public beta for the world's first consumer wearable to improve learning ability. Backed by BlueYard Capital, CRCM Ventures, and founded out of UC-Berkeley's SkyDeck Accelerator, humm is a noninvasive forehead patch that uses electrical brain stimulation to enhance the ability to learn.

Read more: HUMM’s Edge Headset Stimulates Brain to Boost Memory and Kicks Your Learning Speed into Overdrive

Based on research by the brightest minds in neuroscience, humm safely tunes the signals in your brain that impact working memory in minutes, helping to boost focus, multitask better and retain more information for up to two hours. Never before has this clinical and scientific research been designed into a consumer-friendly product for daily use.

"At this tipping point in our global economy, learning and adapting quickly has become essential in both our work and personal lives," said Iain McIntyre, CEO and co-founder of humm. "Our goal at humm is to apply decades of neuroscience research and translate it into consumer products that are safe, affordable, and easy to use, so more people can take on new challenges and unlock their highest potential. We are encouraged by our early feedback and are excited to roll out this next phase of testing so we can get humm into the hands of everyone who needs it."

The new design of the learnable is sleek and simple to use. One 15-minute session with humm costs the same as a cup of coffee, without the addictive stimulants. The connected app will allow users to gain insights into performance over time and help users maximize every future opportunity to learn and grow, according to a press release.

humm uses transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to gently boost the power of theta waves - a type of brain wave that working memory depends upon. These brainwave patterns establish communication between different parts of the brain, restoring the flow of information and improving our ability to recall our experiences. In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, humm observed a 20% increase in maximum working memory capacity. humm has also been tested by prestigious organizations such as the U.S. Air Force and is currently in use for research at UCSF's Neuroscape lab.

Read more: OmniPEMF Announces Worldwide Availability Of Its NeoRhythm Neurostimulation Headband

"Brain stimulation technology has been around for a long time in the clinical world, but historically it has been far too expensive and clunky to use outside of the lab," said Dr. Vivienne Ming, Ph.D., founder and executive chair of Socos Labs. "humm has reimagined what neurotech can look and feel like for everyday use and has collected overwhelmingly positive feedback on the experience in early consumer testing. We are excited to incorporate humm into our own research to better understand how the brain works and how we can improve it in the not-too-distant future."

The beta program will run for about four months, and humm is anticipated to launch in early 2022. To be one of the first users, apply for the beta here, or sign up for the waitlist for more launch updates.