5G is powering the future of wearables. When most of us think of wearables, we think of smartwatches or fitness trackers. These devices track our health, steps, fitness, and more, and send these data to our mobile phones wirelessly. The main advantage of wearables is that they provide us with freedom of movement.

Read more How 5G and Wearables Are Changing the Lives of People Living with Disabilities

So, how can 5G benefit these wearable devices?

5G’s super-fast mobile broadband can provide speed of up to 20Gbps, which is several dozens of times faster than the current 4G network. 5G networks will allow wearable devices to communicate in less than one millisecond. To put that in perspective, a phone with 4G connectivity can load a web page in about 50 milliseconds.

With 5G implementation on the horizon, experts believe functionality, capacity, and nature of wearables to improve drastically. These devices will not only track our fitness, 5G will open up unprecedented opportunities. In industrial applications, wearables will have new features that were previously never even imagined.

5G will enable wearables to be sleeker and smaller compared to today’s versions.

“What 5G does is make it easy to transport data to the cloud, to make decisions faster,” says Sanyogita Shamsunder, Verizon’s vice president of 5G Labs and Innovation.

“In a few years, you’ll be a walking connected app. When trying to find a friend’s house, you’ll feel a vibration in your right shirt sleeve to indicate that you should turn. A personal digital assistant embedded in your contact lens will show you your appointments on a miniature screen in your eye. Your shoes will measure how far you walk—while they recharge your wearable devices,” writes Jennifer Alsever in Fortune.

While looking at the 5G impact on wearables, we should keep in mind the privacy issues that we have to deal with. Privacy advocates are already worried about the huge amount of personal data being collected from wearables.

Read more With IoT Making an Impact on Healthcare, Hospitals Need to Be Prepared to Utilize 5G Properly

Hearables and smartglasses are becoming popular by the day. Next, smart clothes will be powered by 5G and then we might see 5G-enabled body implants.

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The smart glove market is expected to grow on a large scale during the forecast period, according to the new Allied Market Research report titled, “Smart Glove Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2019-2026”.

Read more Global Motion Sensor Market Size Projected To Reach USD 8.7 Billion By 2025

This market research study determines the increase in changes and the aspects which are likely to have an impact on the growth of the Global Smart Glove Market. Increased demand for technologies is also one of the factors, which are likely to boost the growth of this industry, says a press release.

Smart Glove Market Competitive Analysis

Top 10 Players in this Industry Profiled in the Report Include

• Apple Inc.
• HaptX
• Flint Rehab
• Maze Exclusive
• NEOFECT
• Vandrico Solutions Inc. (Oxstren)
• Workaround GmbH (ProGlove)
• Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Seekas Technology Co. Ltd. and
• Lab Brothers LLC.

These players have adopted various strategies including expansions, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, new product launches, and collaborations to gain a strong position in the industry.

Covid-19 Impact on the Global Smart Glove Market

Smart Glove Market Research Report provides an overview of the industry based on key parameters such as market size, sales, sales analysis and key drivers. The market size of the market is expected to grow on a large scale during the forecast period (2019-2026). This report covers the impact of the latest COVID-19 on the market.

COVID-19 Scenario

• Due to the global pandemic all over the world, the medical devices manufacturers are majorly focusing on research and development of new products.
• However, due to the precautionary measures taken by governments in various regions, the supply chain has been hampered. Which may result in a shortage of products in certain locations.

The report is also used in the analysis of the growth rates and the threats of new entrants, which are used for the determination of the growth of the market for the estimated forecast period.

This report focuses and highlights the strategies and the trends, in which the manufacturer and the company is likely to move. The research study is also provided in-depth analysis of the reports which is one of the key aspects for the growth of the global Smart Glove Market.

The study covers the production, sales, and revenue of various top players in the global Smart Glove Market, therefore enabling customers to achieve thorough information of the competition and henceforth plan accordingly to challenge them head-on and grasp the maximum market share. This report is filled with significant statistics and information for the consumers to attain in-depth data of the Smart Glove Market growth.

The research offers a detailed segmentation of the global Smart Glove Market. Key segments analyzed in the research include Applications, Types, and geography. Extensive analysis of sales, revenue, growth rate, and market share of each segment for the historic period and the forecast period is offered with the help of tables.

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Leading health and fitness technology company FitTrack has launched FitTrack Beebo, the most accurate and reliable smart scale designed for moms-to-be. FitTrack is continuing on its mission to make tracking health and wellness accessible to everyone — with incredibly affordable and easy-to-use products designed for every stage of your life.

Read more Nuvo Awarded FDA Clearance for its Remote Pregnancy Monitoring System INVU

“We are thrilled to offer a unique, accurate and truly reliable smart scale that’s tailored to pregnant women at a time when their health — and that of their baby — is more important than ever,” says Jeffrey Sawyer Lee, founder and CEO of FitTrack. "Beebo is made for moms, by moms, because we want to make sure we’re bringing them smart technology they can rely on, through every step of their pregnancy journey and beyond.”

Understanding that motherhood can be exciting, isolating and confusing all at once, FitTrack Beebo was designed to help women through the journey of motherhood, from pregnancy all the way through postpartum. With FitTrack Beebo, expecting mothers can connect to their bodies — and their baby — in a whole new way. The intelligent maternity smart scale features four modes: Infant, Pregnancy, Athlete and General Mode, allowing future moms to create goals and track their progress through every step of the pregnancy and motherhood process, reports BusinessWire.

With 17 comprehensive health metrics and four modes, FitTrack Beebo is a one-stop-shop for mothers to track numerous details about the health of their bodies, and babies, including:

• Baby’s Growth: Track baby or infant’s progress by stepping on the scale holding the baby, while Beebo automatically deducts the user’s weight to confirm the baby’s growth
• Mother’s Progress: Measuring only their weight and BMI with fat measures turned off, to allow for more accurate baby growth tracking
• More Accurate Insights: Understanding more about their bodies than ever, with deeper insights and more precise activity reports analyzing progress
• Deeper Analysis: Comprehensive reports to encourage them on their journeys to stay motivated and mindful

Since FitTrack’s launch in late 2018, the company’s focus remains on specializing in technology dedicated to users’ wellness, originally with the most accurate Wi-Fi smart scale Dara and fitness smartwatch Atria. At FitTrack, your health means more than just a number on the scale, and FitTrack Beebo rounds out the company’s suite of offerings to ensure anyone, anywhere can have access to the tools they need to monitor their health and wellbeing.

Read more How Health Technology Is Transforming The Lives Of Women Across The Globe

The FitTrack Beebo maternity scale is available for purchase starting today on the company’s website for $129. Users can easily connect with Bluetooth, track goals against 17 health metrics, enable multiple users at once and stay connected as it syncs with Fitbit, Apple Health and Google Fit.

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A team of researchers at the University of St Andrews in the UK developed a non-invasive wearable device that allows them to monitor what happens inside diving animals in unprecedented detail. Their device uses near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor blood volume and oxygenation of the animals.

“It’s effectively like a Fitbit,” says lead researcher Chris McKnight. “It does not penetrate the skin.”

Read more Scientists Develop Marine Skin Wearable to Track Underwater Creatures

McKnight and his team decided to study harbor seals. They found that seals have conscious control of their dive reflex, pre-tuning their bodies both before dives and subsequent surfacing.

Nearly every mammal, including us, has a dive reflex. This reflex triggers various changes in the body that aids in swimming underwater, including the reduction of blood flow to the skin and a reduction in heart rate which lowers the rate of oxygen consumption.

Scientists previously believed this dive reflex was an automatic response, one which is triggered in humans, for example, by the holding of the breath and the sensation of cold water hitting the face.

Recently, however, studies have begun to show that some diving mammals have degrees of control over this process.

When the team attached their device to the harbor seals, they found that the peripheral blood vessels of seals started to contract well before they dived – typically around 15 seconds before and sometimes as much as 45 seconds, reports New Scientist.

McKnight believes seals must do it under control. “There’s no other stimulus,” he says.

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

The seals also restored normal blood flow to the blubber several seconds before surfacing, again showing conscious control.

The team also discovered that when seals are feeding, they don’t bother to stay at the surface long enough to restore normal blood oxygen levels.

Researchers are now planning to study other mammals, including humans.

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When wearable devices first emerged, it came in the form of smartwatches and fitness bands, helping people to increase their fitness level, drink more water, and get more sleep. But new and emerging wearables can do a lot more than monitor your heart rate or count steps. They can detect arrhythmias, warn before a seizure, and even detect the presence of cancer cells inside your body. Additionally, these devices send data directly to providers for remote monitoring.

Read more Breathable, Stretchable Electronics Pave the Way for New Medical Wearables

Designing a wearable that provides people with accurate health data is easier said than done. Here, we take a look at the benefits patients expect from their wearables.

Comfortable Feel

Patients expect their wearables to be comfortable when worn on their bodies. A user may refuse to wear the device if it’s not comfortable. The longer the device needs to stay adhered to, the more important comfort can become. Stretchy, breathable materials should be used so that it reduces moisture build-up. The device’s size is also important. As a medical wearable is intended to be worn for an extended period of time, it should not be big or bulky, reports MedTech Intelligence.

Durability

Patients expect their wearables to integrate into their lives with ease. For durability, it’s important to select a material that stops dampen and absorbs energy. The device should also be water-resistant.

Personalization

Some patients want their wearable to be discreet, while others may want to show off their device proudly. Therefore, it’s important to design in a way that satisfies both groups.

Long-Lasting Power

Wearable devices, especially medical wearables must have power that lasts a long time. A wearable that requires constant charging isn’t only frustrating, it poses serious safety risks. Energy harvesting is a new trend. Researchers are inventing various ways to power wearables, some even found ways to use sweat to recharge them.

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

Ease of Use

Wearables, no matter how advanced, aren’t valuable to the patient if they are not user-friendly. If a device has too many buttons or notifications, it can be confusing to operate. A medical wearable should provide instructions that are easy to follow and should have a simple design.

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Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer a range of benefits.  There are nutrition-tracking apps that help us count calories, sleep apps are meant to track our sleep patterns, and stress-management apps help us calm our mind. These apps make suggestions for us to follow. However, in these apps, reinforcement learning algorithms that adapt to one's context without learning personalized policies might fail to distinguish between the needs of individuals. Therefore, the effectiveness of any type of health app requires delivering recommendations at useful times, and at the same time avoid overtreatment.

Read more Soom Launches Mobile App That Alerts Patients, Providers of Medical Device Recalls

Researchers at three major U.S. universities – Harvard, Stanford and the University of Michigan – proposed an artificial intelligence (AI) framework they claim could deliver recommendations via smartphone that encourage healthier lifestyles. They named their new system IntelligentPooling, reports Kyle Wiggers on VentureBeat.

“We present IntelligentPooling, which learns personalized policies via an adaptive, principled use of other users' data,” the researchers wrote.

To bolster training, the recommendations can be personalized and data on other users made available. Researchers claim this approach reduces regret – i.e., the number of actions taken when there was a better choice in hindsight — by 26%.

“We show that IntelligentPooling achieves an average of 26% lower regret than state-of-the-art across all generative models. Additionally, we inspect the behavior of this approach in a live clinical trial, demonstrating its ability to learn from even a small group of users,” the researchers wrote.

The goal of IntelligentPooling is to learn an optimal policy for when and how to intrude for every individual and context. Over time, the system develops personalized treatment policies for each user, algorithmically learning from data pooled from the users’ devices.

Read more Cellnovo Launches New Mobile App that Connects Directly to CGM Data via HealthKit

The researchers conducted a study on 10 people with Stage 1 hypertension. Each individual was equipped with a Fitbit Versa smartwatch. Results showed that IntelligentPooling was able to determine whether to make an activity suggestion based on 107 data points from all users; autonomously, it could decide to send (or not send) a notification with a suggestion, the VentureBeat report said.

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Solos Health Analytics, an innovator in health and wellness, introduced FeverGuard — an intelligent wearable that gives users an early warning of a potential fever and provides opt-in contact tracing.

Read more Vitls Wins FDA Clearance For Its Remote Patient Monitoring Platform

“FeverGuard harnesses the ease and power of wearable technology to win the fight against COVID-19," says Mark Lewis, founder and CEO, Solos Health Analytics. "Our new wearable is a simple, low-cost solution to get people safely and quickly back to work, help government officials carefully reopen their economies, and stop the spread of an infectious virus. Early fever detection stops the spread, helps save lives and avoids business disruptions.”

"FeverGuard is the first solution of its kind that can learn a person's unique temperature pattern and recognize any irregularity from each person's baseline. No other method offers continuous monitoring and instant alerts. By giving immediate, continuous feedback on health status, FeverGuard is a game-changer," continues Lewis.

Each year, even with targeted vaccines, thousands of people still suffer from viral infections such as the seasonal flu — as well as ordinary colds. Fever is the most common early symptom of a virus or infection, says a press release.

“FeverGuard monitors temperature continuously, and through patent-pending machine learning technology and predictive analytics, alerts at the first sign of a fever, enabling employers, individuals, and other authorized entities, such as caregivers and healthcare professionals, to take immediate action to contain the spread of infectious viruses like COVID-19,” states Lewis.

The wearable health aid is an ideal solution for essential workers, U.S. military, healthcare and educational institutions, sports and entertainment venues, first responders, food service, hospitality and travel industries, retail settings, warehouse workers and delivery drivers, and quarantined groups.

Jim Martin, Fire Captain/Paramedic at San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, Alamo, California, said: “I’m excited about FeverGuard and its potential to save lives. As a participant in the initial research study I saw first-hand how early fever detection works, enabling people to act at the first sign of illness. The widespread use of FeverGuard, especially for those of us on the front lines of this pandemic, will help save lives,” states Martin.

Read more TempTraq Single-Use Disposable Patch Ideal for Remote Monitoring of Coronavirus Patients

Explaining the significance of temperature data, Lewis says, “People are different; body temperature is not fixed as it rises and falls throughout the day, and not everyone has a "normal" temperature of 98.6 °F. FeverGuard's continuous monitoring technology learns each person's unique temperature pattern without the need for manual readings. FeverGuard issues an alert when an abnormal temperature is detected, indicating the onset of a fever, despite the medical standard of 98.6 °F and before most people develop symptoms.”

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As the world is trying to reopen after a lengthy lockdown due to COVID-19, tech companies are using gadgets and apps to make the process smooth.

Temperature screening

British telecommunications firm Vodafone is deploying heat detection cameras at entrance or reception area of workplaces. The cameras are made by surveillance tech maker Digital Barriers, reports CNBC.

“The device uses both thermal and HD cameras to deliver reliable, real-time body temperature screening accurate to within +/- 0.3 degrees Celsius and can screen up to 100 people every minute,” said Anne Sheehan, director of Vodafone Business U.K.

Read more Thinklabs One Electronic Stethoscope Keeping Healthcare Professionals Safe During COVID-19 Pandemic

Responding to concerns over whether the cameras could infringe workers’ privacy, Vodafone said its cameras are a “temperature screening solution only.”

“The data it gathers is only relevant at that particular point in time,” said Sheehan. “The device doesn’t include technologies such as facial recognition and it cannot be used as a tracking device.”

Social Distancing

Tharsus. UK-based robotics group Tharsus developed wearables for workers to wear around their necks to help with distancing themselves from colleagues. The wearable smart necklace sends out alerts to wearers every time they come into close proximity with another worker. Tharsus is looking to roll the technology out in a number of workplace environments, including offices, warehouses and canteens.

Proxxi, a Vancouver, Canada-based safety technology company for industrial workforces, announced the launch of Halo, a wearable band to help employees maintain social distancing at work. Halo notifies wearers that another band is within 6 feet (2 meters), reminding them of the need to maintain social distance.

Safe Spacer. Modena, Italy-based technology company IK Multimedia has developed a wearable device that will do just that. Safe Spacer is a lightweight wearable device that helps workers and visitors to maintain safe social distancing, enabling workplaces and public spaces to re-open and operate with peace of mind.

Read more Healthcare Organizations Using Technology To Address Health Disparities During COVID-19 Pandemic

Social Distancing While Commuting

Besides social distancing at work, employees need to keep social distance while commuting to work as well. New York City has approved the private use of e-scooters and bikes, and will allow e-scooter operators to apply for permits in the city, with the exception of Manhattan. It is hoped the devices will offer a safer and more environmentally-friendly alternative for people commuting to the office. “This is about getting the public back to work moving again in a safe way,” Richard Corbett, the U.K. general manager at Swedish e-scooter firm Voi, told CNBC.

Electronic textiles, or Smart textiles are fabrics that enable digital components such as a battery and a light (including small computers), and electronics to be embedded in them. Clothes made from smart textiles provide added value to the wearer.

Read more Smart Clothes to Contribute Over $11 Bn to Fitness Wearable Revenue by 2025, Says Juniper Research

With so many nations vying to develop smart clothes, Japan is forging ahead in the race. Some of the products emerging in Japan's fast-growing market for smart clothing are a virtual-reality jacket that replicates the sense of touch, a belt that predicts when a pregnant mother will go into labor, and a vest that monitors the health of your pet, reports Nikkei Asian Review.

Smart Jacket

A smart jacket, developed by Teijin, can simulate the sense of touch in virtual reality. Its Synesthesia Wear tracks a user's movements, and attached modules vibrate in different ways depending on how the user interacts with the VR space, adding another layer of realism to the experience. The technology can be used not only in gaming but also for physical therapy, where the jacket could collect data on the user while stimulating motor function, according to Teijin.

Smart Belt

Nisshinbo Textile, a subsidiary of Nisshinbo Holdings, is working on a smart belt for pregnant mothers. The belt has a small microphone, which can monitor the baby’s heartbeat and predict a few days in advance when the mother is likely to go into labor. This belt will encourage the user to seek medical care if any abnormalities are detected. The company plans to sell the belt as regular apparel rather than a medical equipment.

Read more Smart Textiles Boost Wearable Tech Connectivity by 1,000 Times

Smart Clothing for Pets

Toyobo, one of Japan's top makers of fibers and textiles, has developed a stretchable conductive film for smart clothing. Dubbed Cocomi, the smart fabric can be used for humans and animals alike. Toyobo has already used the smart fabric to develop a product that can measure the heartbeat of racehorses. The company plans to offer similar wearables for pets and farm animals.

"Animals don't communicate with words, so bioinformation will be useful in deducing health and emotions," said a Toyobo manager.

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Wearables have been around for a few years but their popularity, especially in the form of smartwatches and fitness trackers, has taken off. For health and fitness tracking, these devices are becoming increasingly valuable. However, there’s one drawback; as wearables need battery to operate, they need regular recharging. Now, scientists are looking for natural ways to recharge these devices and they found one – sweat. Devices powered this way could be so small that you’ll forget they are there.

Several research facilities around the world have dedicated their time in developing new ways to use sweat as an energy source for wearable devices. UC-San Diego and Glasgow University are two such institutions.

Read more Wearable Device Gathers Large Samples From Sweat For Monitoring Health

UC San Diego

UC San Diego’s The Center for Wearable Sensors has world-renowned faculty and top students working in the key areas that converge to invent and test the sensing platforms and technologies that fuel the future of sensor systems. Certain chemicals found in human sweat can be used as fuel in wearable-size fuel cells. “A fuel cell consists of two electrodes—an anode and a cathode—with an electrolyte between them. The fuel goes into the anode, where a catalyst separates its molecules into electrons and protons. Sweat isn’t just water. It contains trace amounts of a wide variety of minerals and other substances like glucose and lactate. These substances, called metabolites, are by-products of the chemical processes that constantly go on inside living beings, and they make attractive biofuels,” reports IEEE Spectrum.

University of Glasgow

Researchers at the University of Glasgow have developed a new type of flexible supercapacitor which replaces the electrolytes found in conventional batteries with sweat. It can be fully charged with as little as 20 microliters of fluid and is robust enough to survive 4,000 cycles of the types of flexes and bends it might encounter in real-world use, University of Glasgow reported in May. The system works by coating polyester cellulose cloth in a thin layer of a polymer known as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate – or PEDOT: PSS. The team chose the polyester cellulose cloth because it is particularly absorbent, and PEDOT: PSS because it offers a useful combination of flexibility, high conductivity and environmental friendliness. The PEDOT: PSS acts as the supercapacitor’s electrode. As the cloth absorbs its wearer’s sweat, the positive and negative ions in the sweat interact with the polymer’s surface, creating an electrochemical reaction which generates energy.

Read more Energy Harvesting Nanogenerators Offer New Option For Monitoring Health

Conclusion

Our body produces sweat when we exert energy. Hence, it’s an excellent choice for powering wearable fitness trackers. But there are other ways sweat can be used in wearables. Wearable sweat sensors for monitoring biomarkers for chronic health conditions are of significant commercial interest. UC San Diego researchers have developed flexible sensors that can be worn on the skin to sensitively track vitamin C levels in sweat. The device could be useful for people to track their daily nutritional intake and dietary adherence.

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The global software-defined perimeter market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% over the forecast period 2020 to 2025, according to a new report by ResearchAndMarkets.com. Wikipedia defines Software Defined Perimeter as: “Software Defined Perimeter (SDP), also called a "Black Cloud", is an approach to computer security which evolved from the work done at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) under the Global Information Grid (GIG) Black Core Network initiative around 2007. Software-defined perimeter (SDP) framework was developed by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) to control access to resources based on identity.”

Read more Global Blockchain IoT Market Expected To Grow At A CAGR of 44.83% To $2,389 Million By 2025

The ResearchAndMarkets report titled “Global Software-Defined Perimeter Market: Growth, Trends and Forecast (2020-2025),” states:

“Cloud services are the primary drivers for the digital transformation with ubiquitous adoption in various industries. It has brought different security challenges for the business that is the crucial reason promoting the growth of the global software-defined perimeter market during the projected period.”

Cloud services provide significant opportunities to accelerate the business through rapid scalability and the flexibility of resource utilization. It also reduces operational costs as well as control financial spending on large scale upgrades as cloud computing facilitates seamless scaling at reasonable costs, reports BusinessWire.

Key Market Trends

BFSI Sector Will Experience Significant Growth

• Wide-scale adoption of digitalization in every sector has also touched the financial sector, and most of the banks are migrating their data, process, and infrastructure to hybrid cloud to benefit from both, on-premises, and off-premise cloud implementation.
• The rapid adoption of electronic devices and high penetration of the internet has also fueled the growth of digital services and increased the customers' expectations for ease of payment, 24x7 uptime, secure storage, and interoperability. It has created an opportunity to maintain a multi-channel relationship with customers at a much-reduced cost. Cloud computing has also shortened the development cycles for new products and supports a faster and more efficient response to the needs of the customers.
• However, it had led to the emergence of cybertheft across the globe and challenges customers financial security and personal privacy. For instance, over 1.4 billion records were lost to data breaches in March 2017 alone, and many of them involved cloud servers. As well as cyber hackers via the SWIFT network had illegally transferred close to USD 1 billion from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York account belonging to Bangladesh Bank.
• Many financial institutions are collaborating with technology solution vendors to advance their cyber security solutions and protect sensitive data. For instance, SBI, most significant and most prominent public sector bank in India, has partnered with Trend Micro to secure its endpoints VMs and digital infrastructure, including cloud and mobility assets. The company has deployed its endpoint and server security solutions across more than 26000 branches of SBI in and outside India, covering over 275,000 endpoints along with securing 29,000 VMs (virtual machines).

North America to Hold a Significant Market Share

• The healthcare industry is experiencing a transformation with new tools and technologies to reconstruct the delivery of health services in order to improve efficiency with better patient care.
• Digital healthcare services provide personalized patient care at reduced costs. According to a recent HIMSS Analytics survey, over 83% of healthcare organizations are already using cloud services.
• Moreover, major players in the retail sector are embracing hybrid cloud solutions with various applications in their own data center and others in the public cloud, in order to benefit from both on-premise and off-premise cloud implementation and to create a great shopping experience. For instance, Amazon Go stores utilize a combination of computer vision, deep learning, and sensor fusion technology to automate the payment and checkout process. So that customer can directly enter the store, pick-up items and leave without queuing while the payment is made automatically through the Amazon Go app.
• The recent outbreak of COVID-19 across the globe is expected to have a short-term increase in demand of security software owing to the increased usage of API and other services from distributed infrastructure. This is expected to influence a significant growth in demand over the next few years as the number of enterprises adopting digital infrastructure is expected to increase.

Competitive Landscape

The global software-defined perimeter market is moderately concentrated and is dominated by a few significant players like Perimeter 81, ZScaler, Cisco Systems, Inc, Okta Inc., APPGate, and Check Point. These major players, with a prominent share in the market, are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries.

Read more Worldwide Wearable Display Market Is Forecasted To Grow At A CAGR Of 20%

Recent Developments

• April 2020 - Okta, Inc. entered strategic partnerships with leading endpoint protection and management providers VMware Carbon Black, CrowdStrike, and Tanium. The new integration partnerships provide a broad set of device risk signals to the Okta Identity Cloud, enabling enterprises to combine endpoint risk detection with user identity to deliver unparalleled access security.
• March 2020 - AppGate, the cybersecurity company signed a distribution agreement with Promark, a premier, the U.S focused value-added distributor. It will distribute AppGate SDP, a unique and robust software-defined perimeter solution, among its growing base of U.S. channel partners.

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Los Angeles-based Sensoria Health announced that it finished the development of the first-ever IoT connected, AI-enabled and comfortable cushion and software system designed for wheelchair users to reduce risk of ulceration, reports MedGadget.

If you spend significant time in a wheelchair you are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. About 3 million people suffer from pressure sores and 60,000 patients lose their lives due to complications related to pressure ulcers each year in the US. The best way to prevent ulcers is to change position and perform pressure relief exercises, Sensoria said on its website.

Read more Sensoria Announces Total End-to-End Knee Replacement Surgery

In the US, there are over 2.7 million wheelchair users and about 3 million people who suffer from pressure ulcers. Our body is not designed to sit for long hours every day without regular movement. Once a patient develops a pressure injury, the healing process is long and painful and may include prolonged bed rest, intensive wound care, and reconstructive surgery.

Wheelchair seat cushions are designed for comfort, pressure management, posture improvement, and increased stability. However, it’s hard to tell if they actually reduce the risk of ulceration.

Each Sensoria® Mat is hand-made. The mat has two parts. The first part has a carefully crafted cushion with skin refreshing gel and comfortable memory foam paired with a proprietary mat insert that is infused with soft textile pressure sensors. The second part is the Sensoria Core – a Bluetooth Smart rechargeable, miniaturized IoT hub device that snaps into the insert to collect pressure relief data and helps wheelchair users maintain their daily rehab, stay healthy and reduce risk of ulceration, the MedGadget report said.

Read more Sensoria Partners with MJFF for Clinical Trial to Investigate Benefits of Smart Socks for Parkinson’s Disease Patients

“The new Sensoria Mat is easy to use and it can help people get started and stay healthy by weight shifting and lifting part of their own weight on a wheelchair a few times a day, coached by a simple and elegant mobile app in their own wellness and fitness journey,” said Garrison Redd, team USA top powerlifter athlete, professional football coach and disabled rights activist in New York.

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Lithuania based smart medical company Zive received medical CE clearance for its ECG recorder.

World Health Organization (WHO) statistics show that cardiovascular diseases are on the rise. Many people suffering from cardiac arrhythmia are unable to find a solution. Existing Holter monitors are expensive, complex and uncomfortable to use, reports MedGadget.

Zive ECG provides long-term ECG monitoring with ease. Simply put your Zive ECG strap on, connect optional electrodes for 3 lead ECG monitoring, launch Zive app and follow an instant analysis of your heart in real-time

Read more Eko’s AI-Powered AFib and Heart Murmur Detection Algorithms Get FDA Clearance

You can connect it via Bluetooth or store Your data device memory for long term (up to 48h without recharge).

The Zive app puts your data in one place, accessible with a tap, giving you a clear and current overview of your heart status during day & night. Zive app keeps track of full 3 lead ECG, identifies extra or missed beats. Know instantly if your heart rhythm is normal. With Zive app track your palpitations, symptoms and risk factors over time.

Charge your device with the supplied docking station in less an hour and restart Your heart monitoring for another 48 hours. Easily access Your ECG data and send it to Your physician or use 3rd party software for additional analysis.

Read more Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance and Fitbit Collaborate on AFib Diagnosis

Thanks to Zive ECG, you can now have a cost-effective tool providing peace of mind for you and your family. ZIVE ECG monitor targets home users with simple interface and usage. Unique features of the Zive ECG:

• Chest Strap
• Take ECG recordings anytime anywhere
• Instant heart rate analysis
• Detect normal heart rhythm or AFib
• Unlimited cloud storage and history
• Tracking weight and medication
• Smart monitoring and notifications for smartphone
• Let's you monitor your heart 24/7
• Easy to use
• Simple setup
• Portable
• Unisex
• Battery lifetime up to 50 days

Facedrive, a leading tech developer, based in Canada, announced that its COVID-19 contact tracing wearable solution TraceSCAN is launching a pilot project in partnership with the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) in early August.

Related VOS Systems Launches Contact Tracing Platform AlertTrace To Provide Precise COVID-19 Tracing For Employees

“The safety and well-being of LiUNA members remain our highest priority. We are pleased to have TraceSCAN wearables available to the membership of LiUNA working together to ensure heightened protection at the workplace amid COVID-19,” said Joseph Mancinelli, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager of Central and Eastern Canada. “We will continue to ensure that the health and safety of all members remains at the centre of all decision making, including the pilot of this innovative safety measure, as we continue building stronger communities across Canada,” added Mancinelli.

The pilot project will take place at a worksite in Hamilton, ON, where every employee is assigned a dedicated wearable device for COVID-19 contact tracing. TraceSCAN has developed a custom deployment process to ensure that contact tracing is done completely independent of phone use. As part of the pilot setup, there is a designated station for employees to upload contact history through Bluetooth at the end of each workday. Facedrive Health will provide support in deploying the contact tracing solution, training staff, and close monitoring to ensure successful adoption, reports BusinessWire.
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“We are excited to be piloting the TraceSCAN Wearables in partnership with LiUNA. We believe that the learnings from this pilot will inform our national and international deployment strategy,” said Facedrive Chairman and CEO Sayan Navaratnam. “As businesses begin to reopen and people return to work, TraceSCAN Wearables presents a viable alternative to other contact tracing applications to enhance our COVID-19 containment efforts in the workplace. As an ESG-focused “people-and-planet-first” platform, we are committed to having a meaningful positive impact on the lives and the health of our community,” added Navaratnam.

Related COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps In Bahrain, Kuwait and Norway Among Most Dangerous for Privacy

Facedrive is a multi-faceted “people-and-planet first” platform offering socially-responsible services to local communities with a strong commitment to doing business fairly, equitably and sustainably. Facedrive Health develops innovative technological solutions to the most acute health challenges of the day. Facedrive Rideshare was the first to offer green transportation solutions in the TaaS space, planting thousands of trees and giving users a choice between electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and conventional vehicles. Facedrive Marketplace offers curated merchandise created from sustainably sourced materials. Facedrive Foods offers contactless deliveries of healthy foods right to consumers’ doorsteps.

When a soldier is wounded in the battlefield, it becomes very difficult to give them proper care, because operating rooms are too far from the battlefield. Generally, the Wounded in Action are far more numerous than those killed.

A team of researchers from Purdue University and the Indiana University School of Medicine has developed an augmented reality (AR) telemedicine system that can be successfully used in very difficult and stressful situations. The researchers named their system ‘STAR’ (System for Telementoring with Augmented Reality), reports Purdue University.

Their study shows medics successfully performing surgery in life-like simulations of these war zones by receiving guidance from surgeons through an augmented reality headset. The work is joint with Purdue’s School of Industrial Engineering and the Department of Computer Science.

Read more COVID-19 Pandemic Will Propel US Telehealth Market To Grow At A CAGR of Over 29% During 2019-25

The headset transmits a recorded view of the operating site to the surgeon, who can then use a large display touch screen to mark up the recording with drawings of how to complete the surgical procedure. Augmented reality helps the first responder see the surgeon’s annotated instructions directly on their view of the operating field.

Operating rooms across the U.S. have already started using AR telementoring to virtually bring in the expertise of other surgeons on how to use a new instrument or better perform a particular procedure.

But this technology hasn’t made it to “austere” settings, such as a battlefield or forest thousands of miles away from a hospital, where a first responder could be treating injuries far too complex for their level of expertise, said Juan Wachs, Purdue University’s James A. and Sharon M. Tompkins Rising Star Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering.

“Augmented reality telementoring doesn’t usually operate well in extreme scenarios. Too much smoke can prevent visual sensors from working, for example,” Wachs said.

The study evaluated first responders using STAR to perform on a patient simulator a common procedure that opens up a blocked airway, called a cricothyroidotomy. Even the responders with no or little experience performing this procedure prior to the study successfully operated after receiving instructions from surgeons through STAR.

Read more Philips Healthcare Signs Deal with US Air Force for Remote Patient Monitoring

The simulations took place both indoors and outdoors, including smoke and sounds of gunshots, explosions and helicopters. The researchers found that first responders more successfully performed the cricothyroidotomies with STAR than with just hearing a surgeon’s voice for each of these scenarios. If smoke made the visualization too unreliable, the responders could still do the operation when STAR automatically switched to audio-only telementoring.

Medicsen developed a needle-free smart patch for painless drug delivery through the skin, based on ultrasound waves that safely increase the permeability of the skin. The device can be standardised to multiple drugs (insulin, heparin, antibodies), is controllable with electronic means, and they have validated the approach in vivo with pigs.

The Medicsen Smartpatch:

• Harmless waves increase the size of natural skin pores.
• Macromolecules up to 2000KDa enter through skin (heparin, insulin ...).
• Is built in a wearable, comfortable device (4x2x1 cm).
• Is painless and safe (pores close when device stops).

The founders – two medical doctors and two telecom engineers – created Medicsen in 2015. Their focus have always been to create a wearable and comfortable injector for patients with chronic daily injections. This innovative healthcare start-up from Spain excited over 8.500 audiences of the 6th Medica Connected Healthcare Forum in 2018 and won the 11th Healthcare Innovation World Cup®.Read more about the success story of Medicsen here.

Feelmore Labs, an innovative wellness technology company driven by neuroscience, unveiled its inaugural product, Cove, a wearable device that effortlessly reduces stress and improves sleep. Using cutting-edge, patented neuroscience technology, the device silently applies gentle vibrations behind the ears that initiate a natural biological pathway between the skin and the brain. By harnessing this connection, Cove is able to activate the part of the brain that regulates anxiety, leading to a profound and durable sense of calm.

Related Interview with NeoRhythm: Next-gen brain stimulation headband to sleep better, relieve stress and boost your energy

Scientific studies have shown that consistent daily use of the device in 20-minute increments results in reduced stress and enhanced sleep, ultimately improving resilience to stress. Poised to be the future of self-care, Cove may be worn at any time to reduce stress -- during the course of the day while doing other things, like working, or at night before bed to help the user fall asleep faster and sleep longer, says a press release.

"Particularly during these challenging times, many of us are facing stress, uncertainty, fear, and doubt. The traditional ways to overcome and manage these feelings have yet to naturally activate resilience, which is where Feelmore Labs and Cove comes in," said Francois Kress, Co-Founder and CEO of Feelmore Labs. "Cove was created as a simple tool to effortlessly build resilience to stress, better equipping you to deal with it as it arises, while also improving sleep. As Cove doesn't require dedicated time or effort, our goal is for users to seamlessly incorporate it into their daily routines, using it as a resource to find a healthy balance between stress and relaxation. Cove helps you put on peace of mind."

Over a four-year span, clinical studies found that more than 90% of participants who used Cove for 30 days experienced a stress reduction of 41% and a sleep quality improvement of nearly 50%. These results show Cove's promise versus other solutions like meditation, which according to a 2014 Johns Hopkins Medicine study, only improved anxiety symptoms by 5-10%.

The Cove device comes with a companion app (available on iPhone and Android) that can be used to view session history, check stats and streaks, and keep a progress journal. In the near future, heart rate and motion data collected during each session will be used to report stress measurements of the user. With the comfort of the user in mind, the app does not need to be used during Cove sessions; however, it is recommended to check it between sessions for a more complete experience and to support consistent daily use of the device.

Related This Wearable Sensor Monitors Stress by Detecting Cortisol Level

Feelmore Labs is backed by major venture capital firms including True Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners, and M13, and is led by a diverse team of scientists, medical professionals, and business and technology executives. Its scientific advisory board is made up of experts in neuromodulation, mood disorders, and sleep science from top institutions including Brown University and Harvard Medical School.

Cove will be available to consumers starting Fall 2020, and can be purchased online through the company’s website.

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Dawson Racing announced its association with Atlanta, Georgia-based Square 1 Flex for its new custom Visa payment-enabled e-wallet and Dawson Racing themed wearable device. As consumers increasingly look for touchless payment opportunities, the new offerings will allow fans to complete transactions more safely on or off the track, while earning points through the new loyalty rewards program.

Read more Visa and Planeta Informatica Launch New Technology to Bring Speed and Security of Contactless Payment to Transit Operators Worldwide

The SQ1 Mobile Companion Application is a true all-in-one (AIO) eWallet. It introduces a solution that encompasses the latest in contactless payment capabilities on wearables devices, physical companion cards, and mobile phone payments with a complete management eWallet for the user. SQ1 Flex enables members via ACH, debit and credit card, or direct deposit to securely load and manage their account, make purchases, gain rewards, and redeem points globally all from their Dawson Racing app, says a press release.

SQ1 Flex is an industry disruptor in payments, security, and user applications, providing a comprehensive experience and powerful hosted analytics platform. The SQ1 Flex solution connects Dawson Racing directly to its fans and members like never before -- 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year anywhere in the world. SQ1 Flex leverages next generation encryption that includes biometric security features, ID validation, and geolocation with a curated customer marketplace and loyalty rewards program. Square 1 Flex enables Dawson Racing to engage with its fans and members like never before.

The alliance with SQ1 Flex will provide custom insights and value-added benefits for Dawson Racing's professional racing and esports teams and athletes, particularly in motorsports, and other businesses, as it advances the platforms available to fans and members.

Through Dawson Racing's loyalty and rewards programs, fans and members can accrue points for purchases by using the wearable band, the mobile app or accompanying physical companion card anywhere Visa contactless payments are accepted. The Dawson Racing Mobile app is available now for download from Google Play and iOS App Stores.

“We are truly excited about our association with Square 1 Flex as our wearable technology partners," said Simon Dawson, VP Marketing, Dawson Racing. “Square 1 Flex's secure payment technology is the best and most innovative on the planet. The combined solution of the branded secure wearable wristband, SQ1 Flex mobile app, ID validation, loyalty rewards program capabilities and more are what make SQ1 the perfect partner as we expand our team and offerings. We couldn't be prouder to have them as part of our team.”

Read more HID Global and Fidesmo Partner Up To Add Contactless Access Control To Smartwatches and Other Wearables

“We are all fans at heart and want to belong. These are the core principals our offering is built on; Breaking down barriers to provide true value to fans and members globally with a revolutionary and socially responsible financial solution to bring people together as a community. We are the new norm and disruptive in nature," said Kenneth Boyle, Principal Partner at Square 1 Flex. “We see the value of Dawson Racing and the motorsports community and immediately saw that this was a company we wanted to be aligned with and help grow. With Simon and his team's vision, the value-added possibilities of this technology are limitless and we're very excited to be involved in providing state-of-the-art payment technology to their programs.”

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Guide dogs help blind people by leading them to their desired destination. However, only a small proportion of blind people use a guide dog to get around, and for others, it is not even an option due to prohibiting lifestyle reasons – such as allergies, expenses or house size.

Anthony Camu, a final year Industrial Design and Technology student at Loughborough University in England, designed a digital guide dog for visually impaired people that fall into the latter category.

Read more Wearable Device Uses Ultrasound to Detect Obstacles for Blind People

Inspired by virtual reality gaming consoles, he has conceptualized and started to prototype ‘Theia’, a portable and concealable handheld device that guides users through outdoor environments and large indoor spaces with very little user input, reports Loughborough University.

Using Theia

Anthony says much like a self-driving car, Theia – which is aptly named after the titan goddess of sight – will program routes to reach destinations and avoids accidents along the way.

To use Theia, a user would simply say: “Hey Theia, take me to (for example) Cabot Circus”.

As an internet of things (IOT) device, Theia will then process real-time data available online, such as traffic density (pedestrians and cars) and weather, to guide users accurately and safely to their destinations.

While guiding a user from A to B, Anthony envisages it will also assist with tackling specific interactions such as elevators, stairs, entrances, shops, and pedestrian crossings, to name a few.

Theia will also have a fail-safe procedure for high-risk scenarios, such as crossing busy intersections.

When a user is close to a crossing, Theia will push them back and enter ‘manual mode’, which is a bit like using a cane.

The technology

Anthony aims to combine Lidar [a remote sensing method that uses light] and cameras so Theia can capture a three-dimensional image of the users’ surroundings.

Powerful onboard processors will then determine the best path to take and separate routes into individual commands – for example, bear left at 1.4 m/s.

The problem from here is communicating this information to the visually impaired person, and Theia aims to tackle this by physically ‘leading’ users.

Theia will communicate complex walking maneuvers and actually move users’ hands in open space using a novel form of force feedback that involves a control moment gyroscope (CMG) – tech found in satellites and space vehicles, including the international space station.

Read more These New Generation of Wearables are Empowering Blind and the Visually Impaired

Following user testing, a unique system of force and resistance was found, which can communicate complex walking maneuvers in real-time.

“Theia has the capacity to expand a blind person’s comfort zones and possibilities, broaden their horizons and allow them to think less about walking and more about what’s waiting for them at the end of the route,” said Anthony.

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Wearable medical devices offer a convenient means of monitoring many physiological features of our body. These devices, which include insulin pumps, continuous heart rate monitors, and neural stimulators, need an electric power source to function. Now, a team of scientists at Purdue University has developed self-powered wearable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based contact layers for monitoring cardiovascular health. TENGs help conserve mechanical energy and turn it into power, reports Purdue University.

The researchers published their work in the journal Advanced Materials.

Read more Renesas Launches RE Family – Energy Harvesting Embedded Controllers

“The PVA-based TENGs show great potential for self-powered biomedical devices and open doors to new technologies that use widely deployed biocompatible materials for economically feasible and ecologically friendly production of functional devices in energy, electronics and sensor applications,” said Wenzhuo Wu, the Ravi and Eleanor Talwar Rising Star Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering in Purdue’s College of Engineering, who led the development team. “We transform PVA, one of the most widely used polymers for biomedical applications, into wearable, self-powered triboelectric devices which can detect the imperceptible degree of skin deformation induced by human pulse and capture the cardiovascular information encoded in the pulse signals with high fidelity.”

Cardiovascular health is typically measured by echocardiogram to measure electrical activity in the heart or photoplethysmography that measures changes in blood volume in the peripheral microvasculature.

“These technologies can often be invasive to patients and have not yet been adapted into wearables for personalized on-demand monitoring,” Wu said. “TENGs with PVA blend contact layers produce fast readout with distinct peaks for blood ejection, blood reflection in the lower body, and blood rejection from the closed aortic valve, which may enable detection of common cardiovascular diseases such as cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease.”

Wu said PVA offers a valuable opportunity as potential constituents in future wearable self-powered devices. The PVA-based triboelectric devices can harvest the mechanical energy from the human body and use such electric power to support the operations of other biomedical devices.

Read more Researchers Develop Stretchable Thermoelectric Coils for Energy Harvesting in Flexible Wearable Devices

According to Wu, the PVA-based triboelectric devices can function as self-powered sensors to detect and monitor the mechanical activities from the human body in applications such as health monitoring, human-machine interface, teleoperated robotics, consumer electronics and virtual and augmented technologies.

The creators are looking for partners to commercialize their technology.

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