Jobs like car mechanics require workers to lift one of both arms while lifting heavy weight, drilling, driving screws etc. These tasks may lead to a number of injuries. The injury risk greatly increases when the worker works with unstable footing, holds materials above shoulder height, twists their arms in an awkward position, frequently flexing the neck, or performs repetitive movements with force.

Read more Ford Unveils Exoskeleton Vests Worldwide to Help Lessen Worker Fatigue and Injury

To alleviate the burden in this type of work, Hyundai Motor Group has developed a wearable exoskeleton vest called Vest Exoskeleton (VEX). The new vest is up to 42% lighter than similar products in the market, the company said in a press release.

The VEX is targeted at production-line workers whose job is primarily overhead, such as those bolting the underside of vehicles, fitting brake tubes, and attaching exhausts.

The VEX functions without the need for a battery by imitating human shoulder joint and using multilink lift assistant module.

The VEX enhances productivity and reduces fatigue of industrial workers by imitating the movement of human joints to boost load support and mobility. The wearable vest the polycentric axis – combining multiple pivot points with multi-link muscular assistance – to function, eliminating the need for a battery.

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At 2.5kg, VEX weighs 22-42% less than competing products and is worn like a backpack. The user places their arms through the shoulder straps of the vest, then fastens the chest and waist buckles. The back section can adjust in length by up to 18 cm to fit a variety of body sizes, while the degree of force assistance can be adjusted over six levels – up to as much as 5.5 kgf.

Read more Fire Proof Exoskeleton Promises to Reduce Work-Related Injury

"VEX gives workers greater load support, mobility, and adaptability when operating in overhead environments," stated DongJin Hyun, head of Robotics team of Hyundai Motor Group. "Workers will also appreciate how light VEX is to wear and work with."

The Group is considering on implementing the VEX on plants around the world. It is expected to go into commercial production in December by Hyundai Rotem and is projected to cost as much as 30% lower than existing products which usually costs around 5,000 dollars.

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Germany-based healthcare company Medisana will exhibit and present meditemi at the WT | Wearable Technologies Show MEDICA on November 18-21. The company operates in the home health care market and work continues to develop, manufacture and market healthcare products for the end user – so that these products can help ever more people to monitor their own state of health independently and conscientiously, to treat themselves without risk, and to practice beauty care professionally.

Medisana temi is designed to help people live independently within their own four walls until they reach old age. With smart services and artificial intelligence, it makes everyday life easier – and increases safety thanks to various health services and emergency response functions, reports Medisana.

“We are pleased to launch our home care robot in Germany. Thanks to artificial intelligence, it really interacts with humans. At the same time, its mobility, navigation, video and audio integration, as well as its health assistance systems, support independence for users with health challenges,” says Rafael Aviram, CEO of meditemi and Vice President Marketing & Innovation at medisana GmbH. “We are thus offering an entirely new dimension of home care.”

The robot can assist its users in coping with everyday life. As a home health assistant, it can provide comprehensive health monitoring, preventive healthcare and domestic independence. Thanks to its Home Care AI, it constantly learns and navigates autonomously through the home.

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Read more Groundbreaking Wearables That Will Keep You Healthy, Fit and Balanced

In conjunction with the corresponding medisana Connect devices, the integrated VitaDock+ app can be used to record vital signs such as blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, pulse rate or oxygen saturation. If desired, the own health data can be sent to a person of choice, for example to the family physician or to relatives. In the future, it is planned to add a telemedicine function to the home care robot to enable users to contact their physician directly if necessary.

Integration of Amazon Alexa

Video communication brings family and friends to the user’s own living room. Corresponding communication functions can be called up simply by voice control or touchscreen and can also be used with the aid of a hands-free system in the event of restricted mobility.

Price and Launch Date

In Germany, medisana temi will be presented at IFA 2019 in September and is expected to be launched at the end of the year at an expected selling price of EUR 2,999 including 30

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At an event in China, Huami, one of the largest wearable device company in the world, announced three new smartwatches under the Amazfit lineup: the Amazfit GTS, Amazfit Smart Sports Watch 3 and the Amazfit X Concept Watch.

Read more Huami Fitness Tracker Provides Clinical-Grade Accuracy, Says Stanford Sleep Study

The Amazfit GTS, although a stylish smartwatch, looks unmistakably like the Apple Watch. The newly launched watch has a 1.65-inch AMOLED display that operates at 348 x 442 pixels, with Huami also integrating a 220 mAh LiPo battery that it promises will last up to 14 days between charges. The screen supports 100% NTSC high color saturation. It also leverages a real array screen technology. The screen is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 glass.

This device is currently only confirmed to be launching in China, but it is expected to come to other markets around the world soon, reports Tech Radar.

The new Amazfit GTS is 5ATM waterproof and is equipped with 12 mainstream sports modes It also supports NFC access control bus. There is also a built-in GPS+GLONASS dual-star positioning chip, and BioTracker PPG bio-tracking optical sensor for 24-hour heart rate monitoring. According to a source, “the Huami Amazfit GTS smartwatch takes full advantage of the large square display.”

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Read more Huami Partners with McLaren Applied Technologies to Develop Intelligent Wearables

The Amazfit GTR comes in various designs and strives for a great appearance. The smartwatch comes in aluminum alloy, stainless steel, Marvel Iron Man, titanium, and Austrian zircon special edition to cater to the needs of different ages and genders. The straps are made of truly leather and Silicone mixture with premium and professional look.

The Amazfit GTS runs on a custom OS and has a 6-axis accelerometer, a geomagnetic air sensor and an ambient light sensor. The Amazfit GTS product page states that the watch runs a version of MIUI, for reference. The watch measures 43.25 x 36.25 x 9.4 mm and weighs 24.8 g without a strap.

The Amazfit GTS will retail for US$126.

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Garmin announced its newest Fenix series watch – the next generation GPS multisport smartwatch Fenix 6. The series is led by a flagship model with solar charging.

The appropriately named Fenix 6X Pro Solar Edition is the company’s first GPS watch to feature solar charging. It uses a transparent solar charging lens called Power Glass™, a transparent solar charging lens that uses the sun’s energy to extend battery life. It can boost battery life up to 24 days in smartwatch mode and 16 hours in GPS mode.

Read more Casio Announces New EDIFICE Watch with Solar Technology and Smartphone Connectivity

“We are thrilled to introduce solar charging into the new fēnix 6X Pro Solar edition, giving users all of the features, they’ve come to expect from the fēnix lineup with increased battery life and larger displays,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “In addition to our brand-new solar technology, we’ve built the fēnix 6 to redefine expectations, with enhanced features and design elements to appeal to adventurers of every kind.”

Both the fēnix 6X, and fēnix 6X Pro Solar feature a rugged, sophisticated design with a large 1.4” sunlight-readable display, which is 36 percent bigger than previous fēnix 5X models. Users can quickly check the latest solar input right on the wrist, so they know in real-time how much solar energy the Power Glass has been exposed to. The battery performance on the fēnix 6X Pro Solar in smartwatch mode is 21 days plus an additional 3 days when utilizing the solar charging capabilities, reports Business Wire.

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Fenix 6 Series – Pro & Sapphire

The fēnix 6 and fēnix 6X multisport GPS watches are constructed for a trimmer, more comfortable fit on the wrist, while increasing the display size to 1.3" and 1.4" respectively from the existing fēnix 5 Plus series. In addition to bigger display sizes, Garmin has introduced new QuickFit™ nylon bands and silicone colors. Sapphire editions add the quality and durability of a scratch-resistant sapphire lens and other high-performance premium materials.

The fēnix 6 series introduces a first-of-its-kind PacePro feature, which keeps a runner’s pacing strategy on track with grade-adjusted guidance as they run a course.

All models include enhanced wrist-based heart rate3 for all-day stress tracking, underwater wrist-based heart rate for swimming and Pulse Ox4 blood oxygen saturation to support advanced sleep monitoring and altitude acclimation. Plus, the innovative Body Battery™ energy monitoring feature lets users see their body’s energy levels at any given moment, which can help with scheduling workouts, rest times and sleep.

Read more Fossil Launches Nextgen Touchscreen Smartwatches with Wear OS and Extended Battery Life

The Fenix series comes with topographic maps for outdoor adventures, ski maps for over 2,000 ski resorts worldwide, and 41,000 golf courses.

The Fenix 6X Pro Solar has a starting price of $1,149.99. The models that exclude solar charging starts at $599.99.

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A brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. The condition can be fatal; it can leak or rupture, causing bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). There are treatments available, but even after treatment, a cerebral aneurysm can continue developing and how it heals cannot be predicted.

Related MIT Researchers Develop MRI Implant that Can Monitor Electronic Signals Inside the Brain

Monitoring the progress of cerebral aneurysms through imaging technique is costly and has potential negative effects. However, a sensor placed in a blood vessel could allow more frequent evaluations without the use of imaging dyes. Now, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a sensor that could help clinicians evaluate the healing of aneurysms. The wireless sensor is small enough to be implanted in the blood vessels of the human brain, reports Georgia Tech.

To reduce costs and accelerate manufacturing, fabrication of the stretchable sensors uses aerosol jet 3D printing to create conductive silver traces on elastomeric substrates. The device is believed to be the first demonstration of aerosol jet 3D printing to produce an implantable, stretchable sensing system for wireless monitoring.

“The beauty of our sensor is that it can be seamlessly integrated onto existing medical stents or flow diverters that clinicians are already using to treat aneurysms,” said Woon-Hong Yeo, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. “We could use it to measure an incoming blood flow to the aneurysm sac to determine how well the aneurysm is healing, and to alert doctors if blood flow changes.”

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The six-layer sensor is fabricated from biocompatible polyimide, two separate layers of a mesh pattern produced from silver nanoparticles, a dielectric and soft polymer-encapsulating material. The sensor would be wrapped around the stent or flow diverter, which must be less than two or three millimeters in diameter to fit into the blood vessels, the report said.

The sensor has a coil to pick up electromagnetic energy transmitted from another coil located outside the body. Blood flowing through the implanted sensor changes its capacitance, which alters the signals passing through the sensor on their way to a third coil located outside the body. In the laboratory, Yeo and his collaborators have measured capacitance changes six centimeters away from a sensor implanted in meat to simulate brain tissue.

Related Georgia Tech Researchers Develop Long-Acting Contraceptive Patch that Gives Women DIY Option for Birth Control

“The flow rate is correlated really well with the capacitance change that we can measure,” Yeo said. “We have made the sensor very thin and deformable so it can respond to small changes in blood flow.”

Because the sensor can be fabricated in a single step without costly cleanroom facilities, it could be manufactured in higher volume at lower cost.

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Evomo, a Dresden, Germany-based startup has developed a technology that can evaluate human movements with a single Movesense sensor. Movesense will exhibit at the WT | Wearable Technologies Show at MEDICA on Nov 18-21, 2019 in Hall 13 Booth D46.

The company provides their solution as an SDK to other companies like software providers and mobile app developers to give them new opportunities for interacting with users. This enables Evomo’s customers to develop new innovative features for market advantages.

Read more Movesense Motion Sensors Helping Companies Build Wearables for Various Fields

Evomo’s vision is to push the digitization of the fitness industry and to set new standards in movement tracking.

Today, wearable technology occupies a big part of our daily life. From healthcare to sports and fashion, wearable tech is everywhere. Runners are measuring speed, distance and heart rate, cyclists monitor power and cadence, but there are still no easy solutions for individual sports participants to track their strength training, reports Movesense.

Evomo decided to do something about it. The company wants to make strength training trackers available to every participant with the lowest possible entry hurdle. The company’s unique machine learning system detects and classifies strength exercises with a single Movesense sensor. The device can be worn around the chest, on the wrist, or upper arm. The sensor evaluates the acceleration data of the movements in real time and can provide feedback.

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The user’s mobile app gives feedbacks like “Your squat becomes unclean,” “Three more push-ups to your personal best,” or “23 burpees in 1 min”.

Jakob Wowy, CTO of Evomo, named the most important point to create user acceptance for such an innovative new technology. “The key is accuracy. To achieve an accuracy of more than 95%, we had to record hundreds of thousands of repetitions with hundreds of subjects and train our algorithm with it. Technology today simply has to work flawlessly. It must feel like magic and the user should not notice the complex AI processes in the background.”

Read more Google Fit Adds New Breathing Exercise and a Widget Among Other New Features

Next, Evomo intends to enter the healthcare market and further develop the technology to support digital rehabilitation and prevention programs with apps. Their aim is to create a tool that relieves the workload of fully loaded therapists and increases patient compliance with the help of a digital support tool.

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The worldwide market for smart glasses hasn’t taken off despite a few years of pilots, implementations, and a lot of hype, according to market intelligence firm Tractica. Many are frustrated because the technology has not met end-user expectations. The market experienced a roller coaster ride as pioneers exited and newcomers and a wide array of platform and software providers expanded their offerings. However, the for AR glasses is still growing at a slow but steady pace as it inches away from being a niche product to becoming an industrial and enterprise problem solver. The market is building its ecosystem, refining hardware, and taking a more realistic approach for the long-run ramp-up of smart AR glasses, reports Tractica.

Augmented reality glasses enable information about the user’s environment displayed in front of their eyes on their glasses. Additionally, AR glasses effectively superimposes the virtual objects on to the real world. Smart augmented reality glasses enable efficient interactions with holographic objects, as well, because of the presence of sensors and position trackers.

Read more Snap to Release Spectacles 3 AR Glasses with 3D Video Camera

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Innovations in augmented reality glasses has led to the introduction of mixed reality glasses comprising of enhanced functions. Mixed reality continues to demonstrate a more immersive experience for users.

Tractica expects an inflection point to hit for both assisted and mixed reality glasses in the 2021-2022 timeframe. The supporting ecosystem will be at a more mature level, which will boost production and making the price cheaper, according to the Tractica report. Mixed Reality will be the main driver for smart AR glasses in the longer term. Large market players, including Apple, are expected to introduce offerings that will spur consumer adoption.

Read more Cognoa Licenses Google Glass-based AI Technology for Children with Autism

This Tractica report covers the various types of smart AR glasses, from simple assisted reality glasses to mixed reality holographic displays. The different application markets for smart AR glasses that are covered in depth include consumer, enterprise, industrial, public safety, sports, and healthcare. More than 20 profiles of hardware and software vendors are provided, with an additional 50-plus companies included in extended lists of industry participants. This report also provides market forecasts from 2018 to 2025 for smart AR glasses with data segmented by region, application market, and connectivity technology.

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An in-home cardiac rehabilitation program developed in collaboration between Samsung and Kaiser Permanente achieved substantial lower rehospitalization rates according to a study in NEJM Catalyst.

Read more Johnson & Johnson Collaborates with Apple to Use its App with Apple Watch in AFib Study

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Cardiac rehabilitation programs including exercise and diet, as well as health education and counseling, can significantly reduce the risks related to cardiovascular disease. However, few cardiac patients enroll in rehabilitation programs, and even fewer complete them, reports Kaiser Permanente.

“This program took a fresh, digital-first approach to cardiac rehabilitation and put control in patients’ hands,” said Peter Koo, Corporate SVP and Head of the Health Service Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “It produced higher program completion rates than programs requiring excessive trips to the doctor’s office.

A total of 2,300 patients were recruited for the study. More than 80% of the patients completed it, compared to the national average of less than 50%. Kaiser Permanente is now evaluating expansion of the program beyond Southern California.

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"Knowing that lifestyle change plays such a critical role in the long-term health of cardiac patients, we set out to find a way to make the rehabilitation program as easy and seamless as possible for our members," said Tad Funahashi, MD, who leads clinical innovation at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. "By working closely with patients, care providers, and case managers we were able to do just that. Our virtual cardiac rehabilitation program is proving to keep patients engaged and reduce readmissions."

Read more Isansys ‘Smart Patch’ Wireless Monitoring Platform Very Effective in Monitoring Patients with Advanced Liver Disease: Study

The eight-week long Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Program combines wearable technology with Kaiser Permanente's existing digital platform. Once enrolled, patients meet with their care team to create a rehabilitation program specific to their needs. The participants use a Samsung smartwatch (Gear S3 or Galaxy Watch) that pairs via Bluetooth with an Apple or Android smartphone. Samsung’s HeartWise application tracks each patient’s daily heart rate and activities. The watch sends reminders to the patient to exercise, collects patient activity data and continuously displays the patient heart rate during exercise. This data is automatically uploaded via the smartphone into the patient's chart so that clinicians, case managers and physical therapists can track patient progress and engage with them accordingly.

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American fashion designer Fossil has launched proprietary nextgen touchscreen smartwatch and its newest hybrid smartwatches. The watches run on Wear OS and are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, Fossil said in a press release.

“We've made multi-day battery life for touchscreen smartwatches possible with one touch – a disruptor for smartwatches on the Wear OS by Google platform. And, we're leading the industry on Wear OS by Google by enabling tethered phone calls for iPhone users,” said Fossil Group Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Greg McKelvey. “Both advancements are the result of our unrelenting focus on advancing wearable technology. We'll continue to integrate the latest tech features our customers need with the styles they love.”

Read more BMW to Launch Smartwatch Collection in Partnership with Fossil in 2019

According Fossil, these new watches will be the company’s most advanced smartwatches ever, thanks to new features including:

• Extended Battery Life. Extended battery mode unlocks multi-day usage by keeping on essential features such as notifications and heart rate on a single, one-hour charge
• Voice Calling that iPhone users to make and receive calls while tethered to their phones
• Microphone and Swimproof Speaker. Users can get things done with help from Google Assistant and hear responses back, take phone calls, get audible alerts, play music and more
• Increased Storage. 8GB storage and up to 16GB Memory
• Cardiogram, Spotify and Noonlight
• The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform

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“We're closely aligned with our partners at Google to ensure we're constantly iterating within the Wear OS by Google platform to deliver the most desired smartwatch features and benefits,” said McKelvey. “We listened to our customers and knew that longer battery life and tethered iPhone calls were essential in our nextgen products.”

In addition to the new touchscreen smartwatches, Fossil will introduce a new category of hybrid smartwatches this fall/holiday seasons. This new category of hybrid smartwatches has functionality similar to a touchscreen smartwatch with the look and feel of a classic watch, while still offering long battery life.

Read more Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 Rumors: Release Date, Price and Features

Fossil Group, with over $400 million in wearable device sales in 2018, will launch more than 100 new smartwatch styles across 10 brands this 2019 fall/holiday retail season. The company will reveal the brands and specific styles throughout the season.

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IFA is the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. Held each year in Germany, the event gives companies opportunity to showcase their products. Last year’s event was attended by over 250,000 people. A bigger crowd is expected at this year’s IFA which takes place from 6 September to 11 September, in Berlin. Like previous years, wearables will occupy a big part of the show.

Read more Best of IFA 2018: All the Major Launches, New Wearables, Smart Appliances and More

We’ll be there to bring you the latest news and highlights of the event. Here’s a preview of what to expect at the IFA 2019.

Garmin

Garmin has regularly introduced several wearables at the event So it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them presenting a wearable or two at this year’s show. After successful launch of Forerunner 45/45S, Forerunner 245/245 Music and Forerunner 945 and Fenix 5, the next one to arrive may be the Fenix 6. The smartwatch is expected to hit the market towards the end of August and it’ll reportedly come in several variants including 6, 6 Pro, 6s, 6s Pro, 6x Pro and 6x Pro Solar, reports Gadgets and Wearables.

Fossil

Fossil’s first 5th generation smartwatches – Carlyle HR and Julianna HR – are expected to be launched at the event. The watches come with a built-in speaker, longer battery life via smart battery modes, increased storage capacity and the Snapdragon 3100 processor.

Samsung

This year, Samsung launched Galaxy Watch Active 2, 6 months after the first one. The smartwatch features ECG, a touch-sensitive bezel, as well as an LTE variant. To coincide with the IFA event, fans can preorder the smartwatches starting 6th of September.

Read more Sleep Trackers Took the Center Stage at the IFA 2018 in Berlin

Huami

Huami has launched a boatload of devices in recent months. This includes the Amazfit Bip Lite, Amazfit Verge Lite, Amazfit Health Watch, Amazfit Smart Watch 2 and Amazfit GTR.

According to Gadgets and Wearables, the company is planning to unveil five new products at the IFA 2019. These new products will probably include most of the above, as they have only made their debut in China. Among these, the one that would really generate lots of interest would be an updated version of the Amazfit Bip.

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Following its financial results for the second quarter of 2019, NeuroMetrix has asked investors for help to restructure its business and is moving away from a direct-to-consumer business model for its wearable pain relief platform, Quell.

The company has also laid off more than half of its workforce since the beginning of 2019.

Read more Neurometrix introduces its latest innovation Quell 2.0: A Wearable Pain Relief Technology

"We have brought in external expertise to optimize the value of our company. The reorganization we initiated in June was a difficult but necessary step to better align our operating structure with current revenues," said Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NeuroMetrix. "We are pleased with DPNCheck's performance, particularly in our domestic market, which has offset fluctuating sales abroad, especially in Mexico. With Quell, we are working to find the optimal commercial approach to generate profitable sales with a modest investment in digital advertising. We remain convinced of the effectiveness and unique benefits of Quell technology. Finally, we continue to seek a resolution in the previously announced Federal Trade Commission (FTC) matter related to Quell advertising."

In Q2 2019, NeuroMetrix’s total revenues were $2.4 million versus $3.8 million in the prior year period, a decrease of 37%.

Gross margin was a negative $0.8 million after recording an inventory charge of $1.9 million. Excluding the inventory charge, gross margin of $1.1 million represented a gross margin rate of 47.0% in comparison with the gross margin rate of 48.0% in Q2 2018.

Read more Tech Companies Trying to Prevent Opioid Addiction with Pain Relief Wearables

A crucial element in this decrease was declining consumer interest in the Quell product, which dipped to $0.8 million in the quarter after recording $1.6 million in Q1 2019 and $2.1 million in Q2 2018. According to Gozani and Chief Financial Officer Thomas Higgins, much of the drop is attributed to NeuroMetrix scaling back its advertising efforts since last year’s major push. However, the company is also contending with excess stock of Quell 2.0 parts that racked up $1.9 million in inventory costs during the quarter, reports MobiHealthNews.

“It is a process that will take time, and ultimately some financial resources,” Gozani said. “Consistent with our commitment to evaluate all options for the business, in parallel, we are exploring options to sell some or all of the Quell business and intellectual property.”

IFA is the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. Held each year in Germany, the event gives companies opportunity to showcase their products. Last year’s event was attended by over 250,000 people. A bigger crowd is expected at this year’s IFA which takes place from 6 September to 11 September, in Berlin. Like previous years, wearables will occupy a big part of the show.

Read more Best of IFA 2018: All the Major Launches, New Wearables, Smart Appliances and More

We’ll be there to bring you the latest news and highlights of the event. Here’s a preview of what to expect at the IFA 2019.

Garmin

Garmin has regularly introduced several wearables at the event So it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them presenting a wearable or two at this year’s show. After successful launch of Forerunner 45/45S, Forerunner 245/245 Music and Forerunner 945 and Fenix 5, the next one to arrive may be the Fenix 6. The smartwatch is expected to hit the market towards the end of August and it’ll reportedly come in several variants including 6, 6 Pro, 6s, 6s Pro, 6x Pro and 6x Pro Solar, reports Gadgets and Wearables.

Fossil

Fossil’s first 5th generation smartwatches – Carlyle HR and Julianna HR – are expected to be launched at the event. The watches come with a built-in speaker, longer battery life via smart battery modes, increased storage capacity and the Snapdragon 3100 processor.

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Samsung

This year, Samsung launched Galaxy Watch Active 2, 6 months after the first one. The smartwatch features ECG, a touch-sensitive bezel, as well as an LTE variant. To coincide with the IFA event, fans can preorder the smartwatches starting 6th of September.

Read more Sleep Trackers Took the Center Stage at the IFA 2018 in Berlin

Huami

Huami has launched a boatload of devices in recent months. This includes the Amazfit Bip Lite, Amazfit Verge Lite, Amazfit Health Watch, Amazfit Smart Watch 2 and Amazfit GTR.

According to Gadgets and Wearables, the company is planning to unveil five new products at the IFA 2019. These new products will probably include most of the above, as they have only made their debut in China. Among these, the one that would really generate lots of interest would be an updated version of the Amazfit Bip.

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Following Q2 2019 financial results, NeuroMetrix has sought help from investors in an effort to restructure its business and is turning away from a direct-to-consumer business model for its wearable pain relief platform, Quell.

The company also laid off more than half of its staff since the beginning of 2019.

Read more Neurometrix Unveils Its Latest Innovation Quell 2.0: A Wearable Pain Relief Technology

"We have engaged outside expertise to help optimize the value of our business. The restructuring that we initiated in June was a difficult but essential step to better align our operating structure with current revenues,” said Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NeuroMetrix. “We are pleased with the DPNCheck performance, particularly in our domestic market, which offset variable timing of international sales, particularly in Mexico. With Quell, we are working to find the optimal commercial approach to deliver profitable sales with a modest investment in digital advertising. We continue to believe in the effectiveness and unique benefits of the Quell technology. Finally, we continue to seek resolution of the previously disclosed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) matter which is centered on Quell advertising.”

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In Q2 2019, NeuroMetrix’s total revenues were $2.4 million versus $3.8 million in the prior year period, a decrease of 37%.

Gross margin was a negative $0.8 million after recording an inventory charge of $1.9 million. Excluding the inventory charge, gross margin of $1.1 million represented a gross margin rate of 47.0% in comparison with the gross margin rate of 48.0% in Q2 2018.

Read more Tech Companies Trying to Prevent Opioid Addiction with Pain Relief Wearables

A crucial element in this decrease was declining consumer interest in the Quell product, which dipped to $0.8 million in the quarter after recording $1.6 million in Q1 2019 and $2.1 million in Q2 2018. According to Gozani and Chief Financial Officer Thomas Higgins, much of the drop is attributed to NeuroMetrix scaling back its advertising efforts since last year’s major push. However, the company is also contending with excess stock of Quell 2.0 parts that racked up $1.9 million in inventory costs during the quarter, reports MobiHealthNews.

“It is a process that will take time, and ultimately some financial resources,” Gozani said. “Consistent with our commitment to evaluate all options for the business, in parallel, we are exploring options to sell some or all of the Quell business and intellectual property.”

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Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have developed smart wearable patch that can be worn like a band-aid. Their innovation, called ElectroDermis, represents new advances in electronic skin patches that are stretchy and conform to the body. The device can be used for a variety of medical, fitness, or lifestyle purposes.

“We envision a future where electronics can be temporarily attached to the body, but in functional and aesthetically pleasing way,” wrote the researchers.

Related KIST Researchers Develop Hydrogel-Based High-Performance Sensors for Wearables

The project is a combined effort from engineers at Carnegie Mellon’s Soft Machines Lab and Morphing Matter Lab.

For the developers of wearable devices, the challenge has been finding a way to make these devices flexible. But the research team led by Eric Markvicka and Guanyun Wang, wanted to make a more complicated device, which involves components for signal processing, wireless communication and power. The CMU researchers made the wiring from copper sheets cut in a wavy form to make them bend more easily.

“Specifically, we achieve high functionality by discretizing rigid print circuit boards into individual islands,” the researchers explained. “The islands are then assembled on a spandex-blend fabric to increase robustness and reusability.”

They also concocted a multilayered fabrication method by putting fabric over TPU film, copper trace, z-tape, electrical components, and skin adhesive. This gives the wearer full mobility and makes it possible for the piece to be reusable, as the adhesive layer can simply be replaced.

Related Carnegie Mellon Researchers Develop Ultra-Thin Electronic Tattoos that Can Power Wearables

ElectroDermis patches can be made in less than an hour and last on the body for hours or days.

The scientists say their new device could be applied to monitor vital signs, track fitness markers, measure food consumption or make a smart wound healing bandage.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch was launched in August 2018. So, as August 2019 begins it’s already time to start thinking about its successor. There’s a strong possibility that Samsung’s newest smartwatch – likely called the Galaxy Watch 2 – will land in August 2019.

Read more Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 Will Come in 3 Models and ECG

Previously, many thought that Samsung would release Galaxy Watch 2 alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 on August 7. But since it didn’t happen, it could be months before we see Galaxy Watch 2 hitting the market.

“The only release date rumor takes the form of leaked timeline documents which suggest the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2 will land in quarter 3 of 2019, meaning any time between now and the end of September. However, there’s a high chance that if accurate these were actually referring to the Galaxy Watch Active 2,” reports James Rogerson in Tech Radar.

There isn’t much information about the design of Galaxy Watch 2 but it’s been reported that Samsung made fairly major improvements to the new watch. The original Galaxy Watch was actually fairly bulky, heavy, and wasn’t nearly as lightweight as, say, the Apple Watch.

According to rumors, Samsung may give the Galaxy Watch 2 a sleek new design to match the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active.

There is likely to be a round face and a rotating bezel for navigating Tizen, but the folks would greatly appreciate a slimmer and more premium-looking case.

Samsung may make a big change in the software by switching from its own Tizen software to Google’s Wear OS. This move by Samsung was widely rumored in 2018, but in the end the Korean tech giant stuck with Tizen for the Galaxy Watch. If Samsung makes this change for the Galaxy Watch 2, then rotating bezel will also be changed.

Read more Marvell, Samsung Extend Long-Term Partnership for 5G Wireless Networks

Whichever OS Samsung chooses, we can be sure that the Galaxy Watch 2 will pack a wide range of health and fitness tracking features – either through Samsung Health app, or with Google Fit.

As for price, there aren’t any rumors yet, but the original Galaxy Watch started at $329 (for the smaller 42mm version), so the Galaxy Watch 2 will probably cost at least that much.

PlayerMaker is a performance insight product for football teams. It’s a complete coaching tool which tracks and analyses metrics for physical, technical, tactical and biomechanical data as well auto-tagging video for fast and easy analysis.

The PlayerMaker strap houses a 6-axis motion sensor with accelerometer and gyro units that measure acceleration and radial velocity at 1000 times per second. Unique motion sensors on a player’s boot provide a significantly larger dataset than any other product. They detect every ball touch and build accurate gait profiles – without affecting performance.

The machine learning algorithms determine between different movements. Data is instantly sent to the analysis platform on the iPad Using BluetoothTM. Encased in unique durable silicon, the sensor is safe under impact in all playing conditions, and its position does not impact player performance.

Related New York City FC Partners with PLAYR Soccer GPS Tracking System

The company said it built the world’s largest football database over four years and used it to ‘teach’ their advanced machine learning algorithms to play football. They can determine football movements and handle unpredictable situations. The technology has been tested by top universities and proven to be very accurate.

Case Studies

Millwall Football Club

Dan Mlinar, lead Youth Development Phase Coach at Millwall Football Club in London, has been coaching youth football teams for 9 years. He was introduced to PlayerMaker in January 2018.

“Quite simply, the players put the sensors on their boots before entering the field; we deliver the session and 5 minutes after training finishes, we already have the data on the team’s profile page within the PlayerMaker dashboard,” Milnar said.

“PlayerMaker allows me to analyze the technical and physical abilities of my players and trialists. I use PlayerMaker to analyze my sessions; ensuring we achieved the outcome we wanted for the players.”

A few months later, Millwall FC Academy implemented the PlayerMaker smart footwear for the U16s team.

“The amount of data collected means we get a holistic understanding of what’s happening every time the player is out in the field,” said Jim Summersby, the Sports Scientist for the U16 players.

Related How Wearables Could Help Gloomy US Soccer Get Back on Track

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv is another football team that benefited from the Playermaker.

Ilan Richardson, Head of Sports Science at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Using a mix of PlayerMaker’s own software and its integration capabilities with other systems, Ilan is able to see how players are progressing over time as well as a get a more complete understanding about whether teams are hitting their goals for training sessions.

Playermaker helps provide coaches at Maccavi Tel Aviv a holistic view about how the academy is performing, allowing them to make sure that the footballing philosophy of the team is being embraced by the entire staff.

Nowadays, no-one needs a key to open or start a modern car. That’s the task of miniature computers, which are designed by car manufacturers to perform an increasing number of functions. These smart keys can do quite a lot more. For example, they provide information about the oil level, the distance that can still be travelled, the filling level of the petrol tank, the status of the doors and windows and the control of the fully automated parking and manoeuvring. In order to be able to complete all of these tasks smoothly, rechargeable lithium ion batteries with a high energy density and capacity are required, which also need to be very robust and reliable at the same time.

The provision of energy in a tiny space is playing a growing role in an increasing number of aspects of modern mobility and health. As well as cars, this is also the case with hearables, which are worn on or in the ear. They not only facilitate hearing, but also offer a wide range of other functions, such as listening to music, hands-free telephony, voice amplification or simultaneous translation. As well as classic hearing aids, hearables include over-ear headphones and wireless telephony earbuds.

From hearables and step counters in shoes to fitness trackers with vital data measurements, these devices are always only as good as their energy supply. Standards are high, as they need to be reliable and durable. This is where the CoinPower button cells from VARTA Microbattery often come in use for wearables, with their small size, high energy density and extraordinary mechanical stability. Short charging times, a high degree of reliability and a robust structure round off their profile. The smallest models, the CP 7840 and CP 9440, are just four millimetres thick and have been developed with headphones, fitness wristbands and smart keys in mind. However, they are also being increasingly used in medical equipment.

The form and high energy density of the CoinPower series makes these microbatteries the ideal solution for wearables and medical devices. They have an energy density that is up to 30 percent higher than comparable batteries available on the market. Miniaturisation is making constant progress, as Philipp Miehlich, General Manager OEM at VARTA Microbattery GmbH, explains: “In this segment, we have developed unique competitive advantages and are benefiting from the shift in technology away from cylindrical battery cells to coin format batteries. We have been supporting this change in technology for wireless headphones with our leading technology, and are setting the standards in the industry in this area with our stream of new innovations.” The CoinPower series will be produced using fully automated processes in one of the most state of the art European production sites in Ellwangen.

A video just recently produced by VARTA Microbattery tells you all you need to know about the wide range of uses of the CoinPower series.

About VARTA AG
VARTA AG, as the parent company of the Group, is active in the Microbatteries and Power&Energy business segments through its subsidiaries VARTA Microbattery GmbH and VARTA Storage GmbH. Today, VARTA Microbattery GmbH is already an innovation leader in the field of microbatteries, one of the market leaders for hearing aid batteries and is also striving for market leadership for lithium-ion batteries in the wearables sector, especially for hearables. Power&Energy focuses on intelligent energy solutions for tailor-made battery storage systems for OEM customers as well as on the design, system integration and assembly of stationary lithium-ion energy storage systems. With five production and manufacturing facilities in Europe and Asia as well as sales centers in Asia, Europe and the USA, the operating subsidiaries of the VARTA AG Group are currently active in over 75 countries worldwide.

Fitbit’s earnings call for Q2 2019 show that the company’s revenue and device sales were up but the average price of the devices was down. This has led to Fitbit to lower its revenue guidance by $95 million.

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

The company reported revenue of $314 million, GAAP net loss per share of $(0.27), non-GAAP net loss per share of $(0.14), GAAP net loss of $(69) million, non-GAAP net loss of $(36) million, cash used in operations of $(76) million and free cash flow of $(81) million for its second quarter of 2019.

“While we are disappointed to lower guidance for the year, we remain confident in our long-term transformation strategy and have demonstrated good results across key areas of the business. We saw growth in devices sold, increased active users and continued growth in our Fitbit Health Solutions channel, up 42% in the first half of 2019,” said James Park, co-founder and CEO. “In addition, we have made progress in diversifying our revenue towards building more predictable, recurring revenue streams with the launch of our premium services in two test markets. We are pleased with the initial results and expect a full launch this fall. Coupled with innovative hardware and software offerings, we believe we’re well positioned to bring more users to the Fitbit platform and continue to grow our business.”

The wearable giant also experienced poor sales on its Versa Lite, which was released in Q1. CFO Ronald Kisling said these sales were $150 million below the initial expectation, reports MobiHealthNews.

“We subsequently reduced our Versa Lite sales expectations for the remainder of the year and are lowering our full-year 2019 revenue gross margin guidance,” James Park, CEO of Fitbit, said during the earnings call. “We attribute the Versa weakness to our pricing go-to-market strategy.”

Fitibit is seeing growth in its Fitbit Health Services (FHS), which increased to 16% to $24 million, bringing the company’s total revenue in 2019 to $54 million. According to Park, part of the success is due to partnerships with payers.

Related Fitbit Pay Will Now Work with NYC Subway or Bus Fares

“So one of the factors in our growth and the increased performance of FHS is our Fitbit Care business and the pipeline, and Fitbit Care again is our health coaching offering that allows health plans and employees and their employers and members to manage chronic disease conditions like diabetes,” Park said. “So that pipeline is continuing to grow, and we've already started the rollout of bundled offerings, where our devices are actually coupled with Fitbit Care and its associated digital interventions along with a coach.”

Fitbit’s earnings call for Q2 2019 show that the company’s revenue and device sales were up but the average price of the devices was down. This has led to Fitbit to lower its revenue guidance by $95 million.

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

The company reported revenue of $314 million, GAAP net loss per share of $(0.27), non-GAAP net loss per share of $(0.14), GAAP net loss of $(69) million, non-GAAP net loss of $(36) million, cash used in operations of $(76) million and free cash flow of $(81) million for its second quarter of 2019.

“While we are disappointed to lower guidance for the year, we remain confident in our long-term transformation strategy and have demonstrated good results across key areas of the business. We saw growth in devices sold, increased active users and continued growth in our Fitbit Health Solutions channel, up 42% in the first half of 2019,” said James Park, co-founder and CEO. “In addition, we have made progress in diversifying our revenue towards building more predictable, recurring revenue streams with the launch of our premium services in two test markets. We are pleased with the initial results and expect a full launch this fall. Coupled with innovative hardware and software offerings, we believe we’re well positioned to bring more users to the Fitbit platform and continue to grow our business.”

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The wearable giant also experienced poor sales on its Versa Lite, which was released in Q1. CFO Ronald Kisling said these sales were $150 million below the initial expectation, reports MobiHealthNews.

“We subsequently reduced our Versa Lite sales expectations for the remainder of the year and are lowering our full-year 2019 revenue gross margin guidance,” James Park, CEO of Fitbit, said during the earnings call. “We attribute the Versa weakness to our pricing go-to-market strategy.”

Fitibit is seeing growth in its Fitbit Health Services (FHS), which increased to 16% to $24 million, bringing the company’s total revenue in 2019 to $54 million. According to Park, part of the success is due to partnerships with payers.

Related Fitbit Pay Will Now Work with NYC Subway or Bus Fares

“So one of the factors in our growth and the increased performance of FHS is our Fitbit Care business and the pipeline, and Fitbit Care again is our health coaching offering that allows health plans and employees and their employers and members to manage chronic disease conditions like diabetes,” Park said. “So that pipeline is continuing to grow, and we've already started the rollout of bundled offerings, where our devices are actually coupled with Fitbit Care and its associated digital interventions along with a coach.”

‍

Nowadays, no-one needs a key to open or start a modern car. That’s the task of miniature computers, which are designed by car manufacturers to perform an increasing number of functions. These smart keys can do quite a lot more. For example, they provide information about the oil level, the distance that can still be travelled, the filling level of the petrol tank, the status of the doors and windows and the control of the fully automated parking and manoeuvring. In order to be able to complete all of these tasks smoothly, rechargeable lithium ion batteries with a high energy density and capacity are required, which also need to be very robust and reliable at the same time.

The provision of energy in a tiny space is playing a growing role in an increasing number of aspects of modern mobility and health. As well as cars, this is also the case with hearables, which are worn on or in the ear. They not only facilitate hearing, but also offer a wide range of other functions, such as listening to music, hands-free telephony, voice amplification or simultaneous translation. As well as classic hearing aids, hearables include over-ear headphones and wireless telephony earbuds.

From hearables and step counters in shoes to fitness trackers with vital data measurements, these devices are always only as good as their energy supply. Standards are high, as they need to be reliable and durable. This is where the CoinPower button cells from VARTA Microbattery often come in use for wearables, with their small size, high energy density and extraordinary mechanical stability. Short charging times, a high degree of reliability and a robust structure round off their profile. The smallest models, the CP 7840 and CP 9440, are just four millimetres thick and have been developed with headphones, fitness wristbands and smart keys in mind. However, they are also being increasingly used in medical equipment.

The form and high energy density of the CoinPower series makes these microbatteries the ideal solution for wearables and medical devices. They have an energy density that is up to 30 percent higher than comparable batteries available on the market. Miniaturisation is making constant progress, as Philipp Miehlich, General Manager OEM at VARTA Microbattery GmbH, explains: “In this segment, we have developed unique competitive advantages and are benefiting from the shift in technology away from cylindrical battery cells to coin format batteries. We have been supporting this change in technology for wireless headphones with our leading technology, and are setting the standards in the industry in this area with our stream of new innovations.” The CoinPower series will be produced using fully automated processes in one of the most state of the art European production sites in Ellwangen.

A video just recently produced by VARTA Microbattery tells you all you need to know about the wide range of uses of the CoinPower series.

‍

‍

About VARTA AGVARTA AG, as the parent company of the Group, is active in the Microbatteries and Power&Energy business segments through its subsidiaries VARTA Microbattery GmbH and VARTA Storage GmbH. Today, VARTA Microbattery GmbH is already an innovation leader in the field of microbatteries, one of the market leaders for hearing aid batteries and is also striving for market leadership for lithium-ion batteries in the wearables sector, especially for hearables. Power&Energy focuses on intelligent energy solutions for tailor-made battery storage systems for OEM customers as well as on the design, system integration and assembly of stationary lithium-ion energy storage systems. With five production and manufacturing facilities in Europe and Asia as well as sales centers in Asia, Europe and the USA, the operating subsidiaries of the VARTA AG Group are currently active in over 75 countries worldwide.