The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan's largest and one of the world's leading high-tech applied research institutions, announced it will introduce sports and fitness technologies at its CES 2023. ITRI also will exhibit its innovations in sports and fitness at CES Unveiled Las Vegas.

ITRI's sports and fitness highlight technologies include iSportWeaR, a wearable device that monitors physiological data and provides health analysis and management during exercise; and the Digital Twin for Sport Guidance with Vital Sign Sensing, the world's first virtual coach for indoor bike and flywheel training using contactless detection technology to provide advice on breathing, biomechanics, and coordination.

ITRI's CES 2023 highlight technologies in AI, robotics, and ICT include AI Aquarium, a CES 2023 Innovation Awards honoree, the world's first smart aquarium that helps identify marine life in real time; Cubot ONE: Indoor/Outdoor AMR, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) integrating AI, IoT and 5G technologies, that can operate indoors and outdoors, take elevators and travel on the rugged ground; and RobotSmith, an AI and robotic system for metal workpiece grinding and polishing.

iSportWeaR is a smart personal health management solution for fitness and sporting enthusiasts. Featuring non-contact low-power radar technology, it can be integrated into accessories such as sunglasses and bike handle grips to provide real-time detection and continuous monitoring of physiological parameters. It accurately measures heart rate, breathing rate, and activity behavior such as cycling posture and resting status. This helps athletes better understand their health status and optimize training across various exercises such as running and cycling. Long-term usage history is logged in a personal database, which users can check anytime.

iSportWeaR also provides data for sports injury prevention. When detecting abnormal physiological conditions, it sends out alerts via the smartphone to users, helping to prevent injuries such as heat exhaustion.

The application in bike handle grips is the first of its kind in the current bike accessory market, marking a breakthrough in health-monitoring cycling solutions. ITRI worked with a leading bicycle brand to develop iSportWeaR and is introducing this technology to various pioneering product designs for additional cycling applications.

The iSportWeaR miniature module enables seamless integration into different sporting accessories, and it eliminates the need for sensors that have direct contact with the user's skin. The sensing device even works with sweat interference and through gloves, and it works indoors or outdoors, rain or shine, in temperatures ranging from 41 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (5 to 50 degrees Celsius) and with a relative humidity of 10 to 90%. iSportWeaR uses Bluetooth Low Energy communication to receive and transmit signals, with measurement range for heartbeat rates of 48 to 240 beats per minute (bpm) and respiration rates of 6 to 60 bpm.

The Digital Twin for Sport Guidance with Vital Sign Sensing is the world's first virtual coach for indoor bike and flywheel training using contactless detection technology and big data analytics to provide advice on breathing, biomechanics, and coordination. The system measures respiratory rate via thermal sensing and includes a depth camera for skeletal imaging and motion tracking. It analyzes the user's back, shoulders, elbows, arms, hips, and knees through image-based skeletal movements. It compares collected data with the statistics of world-class cyclists and offers real-time professional-level suggestions on breathing adjustment, motion strength, and body coordination, improving users' training experience and progress. With no monitoring wearables, users can focus more on realistic road condition simulations and enhance training effectiveness. ITRI has cooperated with world-renowned bicycle manufacturers to create powerful solutions for training athletes with the Digital Twin for Sport Guidance with Vital Sign Sensing.

Additional sports and fitness technologies that ITRI will showcase include:

iMetaWeaR is a smart clothing technology enabling haptic feedback via multi-position electrical stimulation to create an enhanced Metaverse experience for users playing virtual sports such as boxing and fencing. Dry, washable fabric-based electrodes are screen-printed into somatosensory garments, eliminating the need for adhesive electrodes. The elastic feature and customized design offer high comfort, and the robust control mode allows for stimulation variations in an immersive environment.

The Athletic Armband for Contactless EMG Detection is a capacitive electromyography (EMG) athletic armband for continuous real-time measurement of electric signals from muscles without direct skin contact. This sports armband can measure muscle strength in professional training, providing information including the order of muscle activation, the level of fatigue, and injury alerts through an app. The wearable design includes flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) and redistribution layer(RDL) technologies, and the sensing distance is up to 0.3 mm.

mSafety is a development platform with a connected wearable that allows you to design value-adding health and safety applications. With mSafety, your health business can unlock the possibilities of real-time monitoring of digital biomarkers. You will have complete control over the solution design and the health data you collect. Choose to develop your unique mSafety solution in-house, or make use of our development service and have Sony do it for you.

There are already products available that rely on the expertise of Sony's mHealth Platform in the healthcare market, elderly care market, or in the field of clinical trials and sports.

Sony's mHealth Platform allows Service providers a:

• Fully scalable and quick to implement
• Easy fleet management
• Reliable connectivity
• Bi-directional communication

And enables end users with:

• Bi-directional communication
• Easy to use
• Data subscription plan and global roaming profile
• Single-purpose wearable device
• Highly luminescent black and white display
• IoT low-power consumption – long battery life

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Want to know more? Watch this interview with Sony at the Wearable Technologies Pavilion at MEDICA 2022:

Synchron, the endovascular brain-computer interface (BCI) company, announced an oversubscribed $75 million Series C financing round led by ARCH Venture Partners. Gates Frontier, Bezos Expeditions, Reliance Digital Health Limited, Greenoaks, Alumni Ventures, Moore Strategic Ventures, and Project X join ARCH as new additional investors. Existing investors, including Khosla Ventures, NeuroTechnology Investors, METIS, Forepont Capital Partners, ID8 Investments, Shanda Group, and the University of Melbourne participated in the round. The Series C funding brings the total amount raised since inception to $145 million.

The funding will accelerate the development of Synchron’s first platform product (Synchron Switch™ BCI), and launch a pivotal clinical trial. Ari Nowacek from ARCH Venture Partners will join Synchron’s Board of Directors, and ARCH Co-Founder and Managing Director Robert Nelsen will join as Board Observer.

Read more: Neuralink’s Brain Chip Gets A Wide-Ranging Update

“We have an opportunity to deliver a first-in-class commercial BCI. The problem of paralysis is much larger than people realize. 100 million people worldwide have upper limb impairment,” said Tom Oxley, M.D., Ph.D., CEO & Founder of Synchron. “We are extremely excited to work with ARCH and this world-class syndicate to bring this technology to the people who need it.”

“At ARCH, our approach has always been to pair great science and technology with remarkable teams to build disruptive companies. The technology we witnessed at Synchron is helping people with previously untreatable conditions regain connection to the world. It is an exciting time for neurotechnology,” said ARCH Co-Founder and Managing Director Robert Nelsen.

The Synchron Switch brain-computer interface is implanted in the blood vessel on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein, through a minimally-invasive endovascular procedure. Once implanted, it is designed to detect and wirelessly transmit motor intent out of the brain, restoring a capability for severely paralyzed patients to control personal devices with hands-free point-and-click, reports BusinessWire.

Synchron has an ongoing US clinical trial, COMMAND, that assesses the impact on daily tasks such as texting, emailing, online shopping, and telehealth services. The FDA granted Breakthrough Device designation to Synchron in August 2020 and an Investigational Device Exemption in July 2021. The first US patient was implanted in July 2022 at Mount Sinai in New York. Synchron CEO 2022 said at a TED Talk, “A brain implant that turns your thoughts into text.”

About Synchron

Synchron is a clinical-stage endovascular brain-computer interface (BCI) company. Since 2012, the company has been developing a BCI platform that avoids the need for open brain surgery by using a minimally-invasive procedure. The Synchron Switch BCI received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2020 and is currently in human clinical trials in the US and Australia. Synchron has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals including Nature Biotechnology, Nature Biomedical Engineering, and JNIS. Synchron is based in Brooklyn, New York with R&D facilities in Melbourne, Australia.

Rockley Photonics, a global leader in photonics-based health monitoring and communications solutions, announced that it has developed what it believes to be the world’s first micro-Transfer-Printed (mTP) silicon-photonics-based laser for commercial applications. This groundbreaking achievement is expected to allow Rockley to further increase the density and reduce the size of its high-density spectrophotometer chips — which are already the world’s smallest for broadband infrared wavelength laser spectrometry (covering 1000 nanometers of the spectrum)and are smaller in area than LED-based solutions currently used in wearables.

This advancement could potentially have a significant impact across a wide range of applications, including the design of exceptionally small wearable devices for detecting and measuring multiple biomarkers. New silicon-photonics-based biosensing chips using mTP technology are expected to be available in the first half of 2024. The new chip technology should not impact the upcoming launch of Rockley’s Bioptx™ biosensing band nor any current-generation products that Rockley and its customers are developing, reports BusinessWire.

With this breakthrough in the mTP of silicon-photonics-based lasers, Rockley has dramatically increased the laser density of its photonics integrated circuits (PICs) for biosensing, creating what it believes to be the world’s highest-density broad-wavelength laser spectrophotometer chip, surpassing its own previous achievements. Moreover, the mTP process is expected to reduce manufacturing costs and enable thinner, smaller footprints and higher-density chip designs. These attributes are powerful benefits for use in consumer and MedTech devices and could facilitate the integration of Rockley’s biosensing technology into future tiny wearables.

Leveraging the mTP process, the new PIC technology will integrate a laser-generating “membrane” with a thickness of only 4 microns. The potential applications for this higher-density and smaller-footprint chip technology extend beyond biosensing and health monitoring into other areas, such as ultra-small wearables, clothing, or XR/VR/AR headsets, and glasses.

Read more: SyncThink Secures CE Mark for Digital Health Platform

This mTP breakthrough is the direct result of Rockley’s multi-year partnership with the Tyndall National Institute at University College Cork in Ireland, X-Celeprint Limited, and the Irish Photonics Integration Centre (IPIC), with funding support from the Irish government’s Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF). The project started five years ago with a focus on developing a custom mTP process for Rockley’s silicon photonics platform and has involved a multidisciplinary team of world-class engineers and researchers. This technology, along with many other Rockley innovations, is backed by a robust multidisciplinary patent portfolio of over 200 issued patents and 295 pending patents in total.

“Applying the micro-transfer printing process to the production of integrated lasers is a huge breakthrough that we believe will have a tremendous impact on wearable biosensing and on the photonics industry as a whole,” said Dr. Andrew Rickman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rockley. “We arguably have some of the most sophisticated photonics technology in the world, and this unprecedented level of miniaturization raises the bar even further. By creating biosensing chips that are smaller, lower-cost, and more efficient, we can continually improve our wearable biosensing products and deliver novel, relevant, and more powerful ways to monitor our health.”

“I believe that this next-gen, heterogeneous integration platform will lead to several significant technological advancements, including higher densities of lasers, increasingly smaller chip sizes, and ultra-high-volume manufacturing,” said Aaron Zilkie, Chief Technology Officer of photonics at Rockley. “The team has been working on this project for years, and we are extremely excited to have reached this important milestone. We are grateful for the close collaboration we’ve had with our research partners and for the funding support from the Irish government and its Science Foundation Ireland and Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund.”

About Rockley Photonics

A global leader in photonics-based health monitoring and communications solutions, Rockley Photonics is developing a comprehensive range of photonic integrated circuits and associated modules, sensors, and full-stack solutions. From next-generation sensing platforms specifically designed for mobile health monitoring and machine vision to high-speed, high-volume solutions for data communications, Rockley is laying the foundation for a new generation of applications across multiple industries. Rockley believes that photonics will eventually become as pervasive as micro-electronics, and it has developed a platform with the power and flexibility needed to address both mass markets and a wide variety of vertical applications.

Formed in 2013, Rockley is uniquely positioned to support hyper-scale manufacturing and address a multitude of high-volume markets. Rockley has partnered with numerous tier-1 customers across a diverse range of industries to deliver complex optical systems required to bring transformational products to market.

Tiny sensors the size of a grain of sand could allow brain-machine interface control of prosthetics and implantable wearable tech.

UC Berkeley engineers have built the first dust-sized, wireless sensors that can be implanted in the body, bringing closer the day when a Fitbit-like device could monitor internal nerves, muscles, or organs in real-time. Because these battery-less sensors could also be used to stimulate nerves and muscles, the technology also opens the door to “electroceuticals” to treat disorders such as epilepsy or stimulate the immune system or tamp down inflammation.

The so-called neural dust, which the team implanted in rats' muscles and peripheral nerves, is unique in that ultrasound is used both to power and read out the measurements. Ultrasound technology is already well-developed for hospital use, and ultrasound vibrations can penetrate nearly anywhere in the body, unlike radio waves, the researchers say, reports Robert Sanders at UC-Berkeley.

“I think the long-term prospects for neural dust are not only within nerves and the brain, but much broader,“ said Michel Maharbiz, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences and one of the study’s two main authors. “Having access to in-body telemetry has never been possible because there has been no way to put something super tiny super deep. But now I can take a speck of nothing and park it next to a nerve or organ, your GI tract or a muscle, and read out the data.“

Maharbiz, neuroscientist Jose Carmena, professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences and a member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, and their colleagues will report their findings in the August 3 issue of the journal Neuron.

The sensors, which the researchers have already shrunk to a 1-millimeter cube – about the size of a large grain of sand– contain a piezoelectric crystal that converts ultrasound vibrations from outside the body into electricity to power a tiny, on-board transistor that is in contact with a nerve or muscle fiber. A voltage spike in the fiber alters the circuit and the vibration of the crystal, which changes the echo detected by the ultrasound receiver, typically the same device that generates the vibrations. The slight change, called backscatter, allows them to determine the voltage.

Motes sprinkled throughout the body

In their experiment, the UC Berkeley team powered up the passive sensors every 100 microseconds with six 540-nanosecond ultrasound pulses, which gave them a continual, real-time readout. They coated the first-generation motes – 3 millimeters long, 1-millimeter-high, and 4/5-millimeter-thick– with surgical-grade epoxy, but they are currently building motes from biocompatible thin films which would potentially last in the body without degradation for a decade or more.

While the experiments so far have involved the peripheral nervous system and muscles, the neural dust motes could work equally well in the central nervous system and brain to control prosthetics, the researchers say. Today’s implantable electrodes degrade within 1 to 2 years, and all connect to wires that pass through holes in the skull. Wireless sensors – dozens to a hundred – could be sealed in, avoiding infection and unwanted movement of the electrodes.

“The original goal of the neural dust project was to imagine the next generation of brain-machine interfaces, and to make it a viable clinical technology,” said neuroscience graduate student Ryan Neely. “If a paraplegic wants to control a computer or a robotic arm, you would just implant this electrode in the brain and it would last essentially a lifetime.”

In a paper published online in 2013, the researchers estimated that they could shrink the sensors down to a cube 50 microns on a side – about 2 thousandths of an inch, or half the width of a human hair. At that size, the motes could nestle up to just a few nerve axons and continually record their electrical activity.

“The beauty is that now, the sensors are small enough to have a good application in the peripheral nervous system, for bladder control or appetite suppression, for example,“ Carmena said. “The technology is not really there yet to get to the 50-micron target size, which we would need for the brain and central nervous system. Once it’s clinically proven, however, neural dust will just replace wire electrodes. This time, once you close up the brain, you’re done.“

The team is working now to miniaturize the device further, find more biocompatible materials and improve the surface transceiver that sends and receives the ultrasounds, ideally using beam-steering technology to focus the sound waves on individual motes. They are now building little backpacks for rats to hold the ultrasound transceiver that will record data from implanted motes.

They’re also working to expand the motes’ ability to detect non-electrical signals, such as oxygen or hormone levels. “The vision is to implant these neural dustmotes anywhere in the body, and have a patch over the implanted site send ultrasonic waves to wake up and receive necessary information from the motes for the desired therapy you want,” said Dongjin Seo, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer sciences. “Eventually you would use multiple implants and one patch that would ping each implant individually, or all simultaneously.”

Ultrasound vs radio

Maharbiz and Carmena conceived of the idea of neural dust about five years ago, but attempts to power an implantable device and read out the data using radio waves were disappointing. Radio attenuates very quickly with distance in tissue, so communicating with devices deep in the body would be difficult without using potentially damaging high-intensity radiation.

Marharbiz hit on the idea of ultrasound, and in 2013 published a paper with Carmena, Seo, and their colleagues describing how such a system might work. “Our first study demonstrated that the fundamental physics of ultrasound allowed for very, very small implants that could record and communicate neural data,” said Maharbiz. He and his students have now created that system.

“Ultrasound is much more efficient when you are targeting devices that are on the millimeter scale or smaller and that are embedded deep in the body,” Seo said. “You can get a lot of power into it and a lot more efficient transfer of energy and communication when using ultrasound as opposed to electromagnetic waves, which has been the go-to method for wirelessly transmitting power to miniature implants”

“Now that you have a reliable, minimally invasive neural pickup in your body, the technology could become the driver for a whole gamut of applications, things that today don’t even exist,“ Carmena said.

Other co-authors of the Neuron paper are graduate student Konlin Shen, undergraduate Utkarsh Singhal, and UC Berkeley professors Elad Alon and Jan Rabaey. The work was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense.

Due to cost or social stigma, millions of people who could benefit from hearing aids frequently choose not to use them. However, Taiwanese researchers used 21 volunteers with mild to moderate hearing loss to compare Apple AirPods to conventional hearing aids. The "Live Listen" app, which functions as a microphone, was used to connect the AirPods to Apple cellphones.

They found that the AirPods Pro model, which has a noise cancellation feature, performed as well as premium hearing aids in certain environments. They hope this knowledge will encourage more companies to include features in smartphone technology that help people with hearing loss.

Read more: Apple Study: Women Experience Abnormal Periods

For the study, AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro were connected to the iPhone XS Max smartphones with iOS version 13.0 for this study. The hearing performance of hearing aids and AirPods were then analyzed to understand the similarity and differences between them in the study, which was supported by grants from the National Science and Technology Council, Veterans General Hospitals, and the University System of Taiwan Joint Research Program, states BusinessInsider.

The electroacoustic characteristics were compared, including frequency response bandwidth, frequency response smoothness, maximum output sound pressure level at 90 dB sound, and others. The most similar qualities to a hearing aid were found in AirPods Pro, while AirPods 2 only partially matched such features.

According to the study's findings, those who have mild-to-moderate hearing loss might consider using AirPods Pro. The basic hearing aid and AirPod Pro performed very identically; however, the AirPod 2 was not a good match for this.

However, the study points out that there are limitations to using the AirPods Pro as a hearing aid, including battery life and stronger microphones to pick up environmental sounds. But as Yen-Fu Cheng at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan, who co-wrote the study, says, the AirPods Pro are “a good way for people to experience what the world would be like if they could get some help, an upgrade for their hearing.”

Evidation, the company that connects directly with individuals to measure health in everyday life, has launched FluSmart, a digital flu monitoring program that brings together individuals, researchers, and public and private organizations to understand flu at its earliest stages.

Evidation’s FluSmart is a nationwide program that helps people proactively understand risk factors for flu and provides personalized insights related to flu and influenza-like illness. Using user-permission data from wearables and self-reported information, Evidation alerts individuals when a change is detected that may be correlated with flu-like symptoms and prompts them to complete a symptom survey. Individuals can report flu symptoms at any time and do not need a wearable to participate in the program. When appropriate, Evidation can also direct eligible individuals to relevant resources, including clinical studies in their geographic area, reports Evidation.

FluSmart continues Evidation’s industry-leading work measuring flu and flu-like illnesses using wearables. Evidation has developed machine learning detection models to compare flu and COVID and validated and extended this work with collaborators. Evidation’s algorithms have already been trained with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people; almost 90,000 people have already signed up to participate in FluSmart on Evidation in 2022, with enrollment ongoing via the Evidation app.

Read more: greenteg Announces World's First Fever Algorithm

“FluSmart helps individuals learn about meaningful changes in their activity data and get insights using Evidation’s battle-tested algorithms and information they share with us,” said Christine Lemke, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Evidation. “We have been studying and characterizing influenza-like illness using wearables since 2017, and FluSmart makes this expertise actionable for individuals. In addition to helping identify potentially symptomatic individuals, Evidation’s predictive models have proved effective for engaging diverse and historically underrepresented populations.”

Evidation is committed to user privacy and consent, and participation in the program requires users to opt-in to any research use of their data.

To participate or learn more about FluSmart on Evidation, visit the Evidation website.

About Evidation

Evidation creates new ways to measure and improve health in everyday life. Built upon a foundation of user privacy and control over permissioned health data, Evidation's consumer platform is trusted by millions of individuals—generating data with unprecedented speed, scale, and rigor. We partner with leading healthcare companies to understand health and disease outside the clinic walls. Evidation is working to bring people individualized, proactive, and accessible healthcare—faster. Founded in 2012, Evidation is headquartered in California with employees working around the globe.

Masimo announced the publication of a peer-reviewed study regarding Masimo SET® pulse oximetry performance in varying skin pigmentation in the Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing. The retrospective trial, “Racial effects on Masimo pulse oximetry: a laboratory study,” by Drs. Steven J. Barker and Wilson C. Wilson found that there was no clinically significant difference in the accuracy or bias between Black and White subjects studied with Masimo SET pulse oximetry and Masimo RD SET sensors.

For this newly published study, Dr. Barker (Chief Science Officer, Masimo) and Dr. Wilson (Chief Medical Officer, Masimo) performed a retrospective analysis of Masimo laboratory data obtained from self-identified Black and White volunteer subjects, to evaluate differences in Masimo pulse oximeter accuracy and bias on the basis of skin tone. The investigators reviewed data collected between October 2015 and July 2021, which included 7,183 paired samples (3,201 Black and 3,982 White) collected from 75 subjects (39 Black and 36 White), who were screened with the same criteria to remove potential bias based on health conditions. All subjects were exposed to the same hypoxia protocol, which varied the arterial saturation of hemoglobin (SaO₂) between 70% and 100%. Noninvasive oxygen saturation (SpO₂) values were obtained from Masimo SET pulse oximeters with RD SET® sensors and time-matched with simultaneously taken arterial blood gas (ABG) samples analyzed using an ABL-835 blood gas analyzer, reports BusinessWire.

The data were analyzed to determine the bias (mean difference in paired SpO₂ and SaO₂ samples), precision (standard deviation of the difference), and accuracy (root mean squared error, ARMS*) for both groups. A negative bias of 0.20% was found for Black subjects, compared to 0.05% for White subjects. This difference of 0.15% (p < 0.001) is not clinically significant and the values are numerically indistinguishable because the SpO₂ display resolution is 1% on commercially available pulse oximeters (both from Masimo and other manufacturers). The investigators also found a precision of 1.40% for Black subjects and 1.35% for White subjects. Accuracy (ARMS) was 1.42% for Black subjects and 1.35% for White subjects. These results are consistent with the accuracy specifications of RD SET sensors (1.5% accuracy ARMS), which are twice as good as the current FDA clearance thresholds for medical-grade pulse oximeters (3.0% accuracy ARMS).

Read more: The New WHOOP 4.0 Comes With Pulse Oximeter and Skin Temperature Sensor

In discussing their findings, Drs. Barker and Wilson describe how Masimo SET accounts for skin pigmentation when measuring SpO₂. “The absence of racial bias and highly accurate overall performance exhibited by Masimo SET pulse oximetry can be logically explained by Masimo’s engineering design and testing paradigm. Conventional pulse oximetry uses the standard red over infrared algorithm to provide SpO₂, while Masimo SET uses that conventional algorithm along with four additional signal processing engines that all run in parallel. These signal processing systems allow the distinction between arterial and venous signals during motion and low perfusion by identifying and isolating the non-arterial and venous noise SpO₂ from the true arterial SpO₂ components in the signal. These multiple signal-processing engines work together to overcome the limitations of each independent method. This advanced technique allows for a more accurate picture of the pulsatile (arterial) signal and significantly reduces the impact of static absorbers such as skin pigment, bone density, and tissue thickness (e.g., finger, toe, or earlobe). Finally, the Masimo SET SpO₂ algorithm is calibrated and then validated using nearly equal numbers of dark and light-skinned subjects.”

Drs. Barker and Wilson summarized, “In conclusion, this retrospective study of healthy human volunteers monitored with Masimo RD SET pulse oximeter sensors showed an absence of clinically significant differences in accuracy between Black and White subjects.” The authors suggested that additional prospective clinical studies should be conducted to validate their results in critically ill patients utilizing Masimo SET pulse oximeters and those from other manufacturers.

Digital health start-up H2o therapeutics received 510(k) marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its prescription mobile app Parky for monitoring Parkinson's Disease. Parky App monitors symptoms such as tremors and dyskinesia in real-time via the use of the Apple Watch. It is a tool for sharing meaningful and reliable data between patients and medical professionals regarding the course of the disease.

The app leverages the Movement Disorder API, a tool developed by Apple. The API was validated in a study of 343 participants, including longitudinal tracking of 225 participants for up to six months and used the clinical gold standard (MDS-UPDRS) as a reference. Details of the study were published in Science Translational Medicine last year, according to a press release.

10 million patients worldwide live with Parkinson's Disease, the fastest-growing neurological disorder. Healthcare professionals in this area need reliable feedback and data for optimized treatment plans. Parky App helps medical professionals to develop a clinical profile of the patient while outside of the clinic. The Parky App strengthens the possibility of data-driven, tailored treatment procedures and bridges the gap between real-life and in-clinic settings.

Related: NICE Wil Evaluate PDMonitor For Parkinson’s Disease

"As a woman-founded, non VC-backed company based in Turkey, receiving our first 510(k) clearance is a huge milestone for us. We believe Parky will bring great value to the Parkinson's Disease community as an easily scalable and data-driven product," Yagmur Selin Gulmus, the founder of h2o therapeutics, said in a statement. The company has 2 more digital therapeutics products in the pipeline based on wearable devices and FDA submissions are planned to be completed in 2023.

h2o therapeutics is developing digital therapeutics with a focus on mobile technologies, Augmented Reality (AR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). h2O intends to make real-time human data become a handy tool for disease management in certain therapeutic areas. Their core understanding of digital therapeutics lies in the power of AI, the robustness of their clinical health research, and high levels of user engagement.

In a rare update, Neuralink discussed its brain-computer interface and highlighted new monkey telepathic typing, a new surgical robot, and early developments in the restoration of sight in the blind and the restoration of movement and sensation in paraplegics.

Since Neuralink first demonstrated a telepathic game of monkey pong to us 18 months ago, it appears that advancement has been gradual rather than revolutionary.

Co-founder Elon Musk and the Neuralink team demonstrated new video footage of Sake the brain-chipped monkey using the implant to deftly and precisely control a mouse pointer on a screen, clicking on highlighted letters and words to spell out words and phrases suggested by the researchers. The demonstration was live-streamed, reports NewAtlas.

The "N1" implant, which is about the size of a US quarter, is intended to replace a portion of the recipient's skull in such a way that it is undetectable from the outside. It allows for 1,024 channels of two-way communication between the brain and the chip with 64 small, flexible needle probes that are painstakingly placed into the brain tissue at exact locations. It is completely wireless, including charging. The group unveiled the "R1"surgical robot that it used to install the gadget.

According to the company's VP of Implant, DJ Seo, "it's capable of navigating these small threads, which are just on the order of a few blood cells wide, and inserting them consistently into a moving brain while eschewing vasculature." It's pretty good at reliably accomplishing this. Seo went on to suggest that the complete probe insertion procedure should take approximately 15 minutes as the robot exhibited its ability to locate certain brain locations, then skillfully grip the small probes and poke them into the gloopy "brain proxy" of a demo dummy. Both detachable and upgradeable implants will be available. "With this product, the N1 and R1, our initial goal is to help people with paralysis from complete spinal cord injury regain their digital freedom by enabling them to use their devices as good as, if not better than they could before the injury," said Seo. "Over the last year, this has been the central focus of the company, and we've been working very closely with the FDA to get approval to launch our first human clinical trial in the US, hopefully in the next six months."

Related Positive Results for Theranicas Neuromodulation Device

Christine Odabashian, team lead for Insertion Hardware, walked attendees through the Neuralink implant installation procedure. The company hopes this will enable a single neurosurgeon to perform multiple procedures simultaneously, handling the skin, skull, protective duralayer, and other mechanical tasks while delegating the needlework into the actual brain to the R1 robot.

"It'd be very difficult to do manually," she explained. "Imagine taking a hair from your head, and trying to stick it into Jell-o covered by Saran Wrap. And doing this to a precise depth and position, and doing it 64 times within a reasonable amount of time. A neurosurgeon would probably not like it very much if we asked them to do this ... There's not that many neurosurgeons, maybe 10 per million people. It takes a decade or more to train a neurosurgeon, and they're generally very busy, and as you can imagine their time is very expensive. So in order for us to do the most good, and have an affordable and accessible procedure, we need to figure out how one neurosurgeon can oversee many procedures at the same time. This might sound crazy, but probably so did laser eye surgery before Lasik made it normal."

Neuralink intends to use a similar approach to Lasik, starting by using robots just for the most difficult tasks and gradually enhancing their capabilities to become fully automated. In order to manage precise skull cutting without harming the brain, the team is developing an automated CNC-style cutting machine.

Metaverse market in finance insights:

· Vendors: 15+, Including Bank of America Corp., BNP Paribas SA, HSBC Holdings Plc, IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, JPMorgan Chase & Co., KB Financial Group Inc., Mogo Inc., National Bank of Kuwait S.A.K.P, NH Investment & Securities Co. Ltd., and Shinhan Financial Group Co. Ltd., among others

· Coverage: Parent market analysis; key drivers, major trends and challenges; customer and vendor landscape; vendor product insights and recent developments; key vendors; and market positioning of vendors

· Segments: Component, End-user and Geography

In 2017, the metaverse market in finance was valued at USD 25.58 billion. From a regional perspective, APAC held the largest market share, valued at USD 6.09 billion. The metaverse market size in finance is estimated to grow by USD 107.06 billion from 2022 to 2027 at a CAGR of 21.33% according to Technavio, says a press release.

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Metaverse market in finance -  Customer Landscape

To help companies evaluate and develop growth strategies, the report outlines:

· Key purchase criteria

· Adoption rates

· Adoption lifecycle

· Drivers of price sensitivity

For highlights on customer landscape analysis, download a report sample!

‍Related: What Is Metaverse and How Will It Impact Wearable Technology?

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Metaverse market in finance - Vendor Insights

The global metaverse market in finance is concentrated. The market is subject to rapidly changing consumer demands and preferences. Vendor performance may be affected by global and regional economic conditions and various other demographic trends. Vendors compete based on several factors such as quality, price, service, brand image, distribution, and marketing. Most vendors are innovating their existing products or introducing new product lines to sustain the market competition. Some vendors are focusing on acquiring smaller brands to increase their market presence. The market is expected to witness the entry of a large number of pure play technology or other players, which will intensify competition during the forecast period. Technavio report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors including:

· Bank of America Corp. - The company offers metaverse in finance through VR Training programs.

· BNP Paribas SA - The company offers metaverse in finance through W.I.R.E.D. (Wearable Immersive Real Estate Dataroom).

· HSBC Holdings Plc - The company offers metaverse in finance with the use of augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality.

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Metaverse market in finance - Market Dynamics

Major Drivers:

· Integration with VR and AR platforms

· The emergence of artificialintelligence (AI)

· Increasing popularity and adoption of cryptocurrencies

Key Challenges:

· Privacy and security concerns over metaverse

· Lack of skilled employees

· System configuration issues

The metaverse market in finance report provides critical information and factual data, with a qualitative and quantitative study of the market based on market drivers and limitations as well as future prospects.

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What are the key data covered in this metaverse market in finance report?

· CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2023-2027

· Detailed information on factors that will drive the metaverse market in finance growth during the next five years

· Precise estimation of the metaverse market size in finance and its contribution to the parent market

· Accurate predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

· The growth of the metaverse in the finance industry across North America, Europe, APAC, South America, The Middle East & Africa

· A thorough analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of the metaverse market in finance vendors.

The latest results from the Apple Women's Health Study at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found 16.4% of the study population experienced abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). The findings were based on a cohort of 10,000 participants and inclusive of varying ages and races across the US, highlight show large-scale, longitudinal research on menstruation can help advance the science around women’s health and destigmatize menstruation, reportsApple.

Many physicians regard women’s menstrualcycles as an important window into their overall health, but the topic is notably under-researched. Through the Research app, the Apple Women’s Health Study invites women across the US to contribute to research simply by using their iPhone, and Apple Watch if they have one. The landmark study allows for collection of a comprehensive set of cycle tracking and other health data, strengthened through participant surveys from individuals across various stages of their life, varying races, and throughout all US states and territories. Participants control the data types shared with the study, with transparency into how the data will be used for the purposes of the study. Through the Research app, the Apple Women’s Health Study allows for collection of a comprehensive set of cycle tracking and other health data, strengthened through participant surveys, from individuals across various stages of their life, varying races, and throughout all US states and territories.

Related: Apple introduces Apple Watch Series 8

The most frequently tracked symptoms were abdominal cramps, bloating, and tiredness, all of which were experienced by more than 60 percent of participants who logged symptoms. More than half of the participants who logged symptoms reported acne and headaches. Some less widely recognized symptoms, like diarrhea and sleep changes, were tracked by 37 percent of participants logging symptoms. Initial analysis also suggests these symptom trends hold true across a wide range of demographics, including age, race, and geographic location. For example, across Black, Hispanic, and white participants, the most commonly reported symptoms were abdominal cramps, bloating, and tiredness.

“Our study will help to achieve a more gender equal future, in which all people with menstrual cycles have access to the health services and menstrual products needed to feel safe and empowered,” said Dr. Michelle Williams, Dean of the Faculty at Harvard Chan School. “By building a robust generalizable knowledge base, the Apple Women’s Health Study is helping us understand factors that make menstruation difficult and isolating for some people, in addition to elevating awareness of a monthly experience shared by women around the world.”

“These findings take us a step further invalidating and destigmatizing period symptoms,” said Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple’s Vice President of Health. “Harvard Chan researchers are leaders in the field on this critically important subject, and we couldn’t be more proud to support and help scale their efforts through the Research app.”

The study team will further investigate the preliminary data and submit a detailed analysis, including a breakdown of methods, for peer review and journal publication.

“The preliminary data we are sharing today suggests women across the country have a shared experience of a wide range of menstrual symptoms, and that this natural monthly occurrence is something we should be having more discussions about,” said Dr. Shruthi Mahalingaiah, one of the study’s principal investigators and an assistant professor of environmental, reproductive, and women’s health at the Harvard Chan School. “We look forward to continuing our work to create a long-term, foundational data set over time, which can inspire more research going forward.”

Electronic skin patches are becoming increasingly popular in medicine. They monitor a patient's health, and are applied e.g. in diabetes treatment, cardiovascular monitoring (ECG) or electroencephalography (EEG). To manufacture these, Quad Industries screen-prints electrodes and biosensors in both small and large quantities.

For example, as part of a collaborative effort with six medical and technological companies, Quad Industries has developed a smart health patch that monitors respiration, heart rate, and soon temperature of Coronavirus patients continuously, remotely, and wirelessly. Originally developed for patients with heart failure and epilepsy, this concept clearly has potential for follow-up of Coronavirus patients. Quad Industries is a longterm partner of WT Wearable Technologies and clearly suitable for our Innovation of the Month!

Sony Electronics announced the availability of its first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for the U.S. Sony is re-imagining the hearing device space with a focus on innovation, accessibility, and personalization. With the unique products, developed in partnership with WS Audiology ("WSA"), a leading innovator in hearing aid technology for more than 100 years, Sony will enhance the lives of consumers by combining its unique premium technology, ultimate ease of use, and uncompromised comfort and wearability, to deliver an unprecedented hearing experience that easily bridges the gap between the wearer and their environment.

The first two products to debut from the partnership are the CRE-C10 and the CRE-E10 self-fitting OTC hearing aids, designed with the understanding that one size does not fit all, and that people deserve options that best fit their unique needs, situations, and lives. Utilizing the app, the CRE-C10 and CRE-E10 intuitively adapt to each user's speech and surroundings, blending the latest technology with comfort to meet each individual's hearing goals.

“Many people have ongoing challenges related to hearing loss and because of the negative feeling around it, they often don't seek the help they may need,” says Tyler Ishida, President of Consumer Business Group, Sony Electronics. “As a leader in the audio innovation space, we are thrilled at the opportunity to improve the hearing assistance landscape with cutting-edge yet quite accessible devices that will ensure new over-the-counter solutions for those living with hearing impairment and also help general consumers engage with their surroundings in a deeper, more connected way.

Created for daily use, Sony's goal with these new devices is to break down the current barriers faced by those with signs of mild to moderate hearing loss and provide a simple, app-enabled, do-it-yourself solution that can allow for a better hearing experience. While each device features an easy-to-navigate app interface with customizable options for the wearer's specific hearing needs and preferences, the two models coming to market will provide more choice when it comes to the look and capabilities of high-end hearing devices, Sony said in a press release.

"As a company dedicated to advancing the cause of Wonderful Sound for All, we welcome the introduction of these self-fitting hearing options, with the knowledge that more than 65% of the total U.S. consumer market that needs better hearing care has not yet achieved it," says Carsten Buhl, President, WSA Americas. "We expect these over-the-counter hearing aids to help people begin the journey to better hearing health.

Extremely Easy to Use

Each device can be used soon after purchase by following an easy setup with the Sony | Hearing Control App. Users are guided through a step-by-step process, answering a few brief questions to quickly set up and start using either device in a matter of minutes. The user-friendly app allows each device to communicate with the user's smartphone, letting them quickly personalize settings including volume control and more to ensure the wearer hears exactly what they intend, in multiple environments.

The app also allows the wearer to "self-fit" each device. During the in-app self-fitting process, each Sony device self-adjusts to the most appropriate of pre-defined hearing profiles, based on thousands of actual, real-life audiogram results. Whether the user is in a bustling room or a peaceful nature setting, both models easily adapt to deliver an authentic, connected sound experience that puts the wearer first.

"At Sony, we strive to realize an inclusive world where everyone can participate, and we see this new product line as an opportunity to increase accessibility for many," commented Mike Nejat, Vice President, Engineering with Sony Electronics, and head of Sony's U.S. Accessibility Promotion Office. "With our unique technology heritage, we can help bridge a gap between individuals and their environment."

Two Initial Device Choices

As one of the smallest OTC hearing aids on the market, the CRE-C10 has a sleek, discreet design that delivers exceptional sound quality, yet is virtually invisible when worn and has a long battery life of up to 70 hours of continuous use.

Read more: Bose and Lexie Hearing Partner on Self-Fitting Hearing Aids

The second debuting product is the CRE-E10, which has an earbud-like design combining excellent sound quality and comfort, offering the wearer confidence and convenience. In addition, CRE-E10 has a rechargeable battery for wireless charging that delivers up to 26 hours of continuous use and is also Bluetooth compatible letting the user easily connect to streaming audio or music (iOS only).

Regardless of which device the user selects, both models deliver outstanding noise reduction and directionality, reducing noises from the back and sides depending on the wearer's changing environment. In addition, each device adjusts the sound based on the surroundings to improve the overall listening experience. As Sony works to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology, these new hearing devices are expected to make the conversation more accessible while offering a premium over-the-counter hearing experience at a more affordable price point than current prescription-based devices.  

Price and Availability

The CRE-C10 self-fitting OTC hearing aid has a suggested retail price of $999.99. The CRE-E10 self-fitting OTC hearing aid will be available for purchase this winter at the suggested price of $1,299.99. Both hearing aids will be available on Sony’s website.  

Less than two years after the FDA cleared Theranica Bio-Electronics’ Nerivio neuromodulation armband for migraine and other pain conditions, the company successfully lobbied the agency to expand its indication from adults only to all patients aged 12 and older with episodic or chronic migraine. The company announced positive top-line results in its double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center, pivotal clinical trial in the USA. This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Nerivio for the preventive treatment of migraine in both episodic and chronic migraine patients. The study met the primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant reduction from baseline in monthly migraine days in patients treated with Nerivio, compared with a placebo device.

Subjects who used Nerivio every other day experienced a reduction of 4.0 migraine days per month from baseline, compared to a reduction of 1.3 days in the placebo group (net therapeutic gain of 2.7 days, p<0.0001). The study further analyzed the reduction of monthly migraine days separately for chronic migraine participants, who experienced a reduction of 4.7 days (placebo: 1.6 days, p=0.001); and episodic migraine patients, who experienced a reduction of 3.2 days (placebo: 1.0 days, p=0.003), the company stated in a press release.

40% of the 248 study participants used concomitant preventive medications, mainly prescribed oral medications, CGRP monoclonal antibody injections, and Botox® injections. Similar to the general study population, their separate sub-analysis shows a reduction of monthly migraine days by a gap over the placebo, with a reduction of 3.5 days (placebo: 1.5 days, p=0.03).

The statistically significant superiority of Nerivio over the placebo was further demonstrated in other endpoints. These include mean reduction of monthly headache days (reduction of 4.5 days [placebo: 1.8,p<0.0001]), moderate/severe headache days (reduction of 3.8 days [placebo: 2.2, p=0.005]), percentage of patients experiencing a reduction of headache days and moderate/severe headache days, mean reduction of acute-medication days (reduction of 3.5 days [placebo: 1.4, p=0.001]), and more.

These statistically significant results were obtained on the entire Intent-to-Treat (ITT) dataset of 248 subjects and the most adherent modified ITT (mITT) dataset of 179 subjects. Only one, mild device-related adverse event was reported in the study, which occurred in the placebo group and was categorized as mild and resolved without intervention.

Read more: DyAnsys Neurostimulation Device Receives FDA Clearance

Brian Grosberg, MD, Director of the Hartford Healthcare Headache Program in Connecticut and primary investigator of the study, commented: "These data demonstrate Nerivio's potential to provide a new non-pharmacological preventive treatment option for people with migraine. The high efficacy of Nerivio compared to placebo, with favorable safety and tolerability, suggests that Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) could be a beneficial non-pharmacological therapy option for both preventive and acute treatment of migraine, subject to FDA approval."

"There is a growing recognition that certain chronic pain diseases, such as migraine, may be treated with therapies other than pharmacological agents, or in combination with those. This is validated by clinical evidence from randomized controlled studies such as this one, as well as real-world evidence studies," said Alon Ironi, Chief Executive Officer of Theranica. "It is well known that individuals with migraine have varied responses to therapies, and sometimes respond best to a combination of different modalities. The results of this study further support the notion that migraine care should develop beyond sole pharmaceuticals, and Theranica is a leader in scientifically exploring and applying this novel non-pharmacologic approach for patients and providers."

"We look forward to working with the FDA on the regulatory clearance process, and, in parallel, to sharing detailed information from the study in peer-reviewed publications and upcoming scientific conferences, and to continue advancing this innovative therapy for the preventive treatment of migraine," said Dagan Harris, Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Development at Theranica.

About Theranica

Theranica is a prescribed digital therapeutics company dedicated to creating effective, safe, affordable, low-side-effect therapies for idiopathic pain conditions. The company's award-winning flagship product, Nerivio, is the first FDA-cleared smartphone-controlled prescribed wearable device for acute treatment of migraine, and already serves over 35,000 people with migraine in the USA, including adolescents and veterans. Theranica is expanding its proprietary technology to develop solutions for additional idiopathic pain conditions. Nerivio has received FDA authorization and a CE mark for use in the acute treatment of episodic and chronic migraine in adult and adolescent patients.

Leading diabetes management company Insulet has announced a voluntary recall of 40,846 boxes of the OmniPod (Pod) Insulin Management System due to the possibility that some Pods may have a higher rate of failure than current manufacturing standards. According to Insulet, the devices’ batteries may be at risk of swelling, leaking, or overheating with extended use.

Insulet said it received reports of some Omnipod DASH users having battery problems with their PDM devices, including the battery swelling, fluid leaking from the battery, and in rare cases, extreme overheating. In a letter to users, the company said it plans to ship updated devices to all current Omnipod DASH customers in the coming months. So far, the company said it has not received reports of any injuries related to the battery issues.

The company advised patients to monitor their PDMs for battery problems, including a bulging back cover and the device losing its charge very quickly, overheating, or emitting an odor, reports MedTechDive. If patients notice any of these problems, they should not charge the device, stop using the system and switch to a backup insulin plan as soon as they can. Users can also contact Insulet for a temporary replacement device.

The company plans to replace the PDMs for all of its current Omnipod DASH users globally, incurring an aggregate charge of $35 million to $45 million.

One highly effective method of treating Type I diabetes is Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII). However, with conventional insulin pump technology, CSII therapy is complicated, costly, and inconvenient.

Read more: Abbott Announces New Biosensors Based on Diabetes Monitoring Tech

Insulet’s innovative OmniPod Insulin Management System breaks down the barriers to CSII therapy by continuously delivering insulin without the tubing that “tethers” a traditional insulin pump device to a user. The system also eliminates the need for repeated insulin injections for those individuals who manage their diabetes with daily insulin injections.

According to J.P. Morgan Analyst Robbie Marcus, most of the $35 million to $45 million in costs from replacing the devices is expected to affect the cost of revenue in the third quarter and operating expenses in the fourth quarter and 2023.

BioIntelliSense, a continuous health monitoring and clinical intelligence company, announced its acquisition of AlertWatch, an FDA-cleared, clinically proven patient monitoring solution. AlertWatch uniquely provides robust integration, data analysis and a patented intuitive display of contextual patient data for more efficient, actionable clinical decisions. As part of the recently announced strategic partnership with Medtronic, its Patient Monitoring business will distribute AlertWatch to hospitals throughout the U.S. as a new offering in its HealthCast portfolio.

“The addition of AlertWatch offers healthcare providers comprehensive continuous monitoring solutions, and an accelerated path from adoption to full-scale utilization,” said James Mault, MD, founder and CEO of BioIntelliSense. “The patented AlertWatch multi-parameter interface displays and analyzes data from inpatient vitals, the electronic medical record (EMR), laboratory systems, and BioIntelliSense medical-grade wearables, to provide clinical intelligence across care settings and acuity levels.”

Hospitals nationwide are seeking enterprise-grade platforms that optimize labor-intensive processes through automation of data capture combined with scalable exception management and clinical insights from in-hospital to home. Over the past decade, AlertWatch has earned four FDA 510(k) clearances for its specialized product offerings for the operating room, intensive care unit, and labor and delivery unit. AlertWatch is also monitoring patients in general care wards–and now, in the home, said a press release.

The AlertWatch centralized triage dashboard aggregates data and provides clinicians with a composite view of patient vital sign trends, while simultaneously performing advanced analytics and alerting, for proactive clinical decisions. The AlertWatch system has been used to assist with over one million surgeries and over 25,000 births. The AlertWatch operating room solution, when comparing users versus non-users, was associated with a one-day reduction in post-operative length of stay (LOS) and a $3,603 reduction in encounter charges.

“By joining forces with BioIntelliSense, we are thrilled to greatly expand the reach and adoption of our world-class clinical decision support solution,” said Professor Kevin Tremper, MD, Ph.D., founder and President of AlertWatch. “The workflow automation benefits not only help to reduce hospital stays and costs, but also assist clinicians and nurses by alerting them with highly actionable information that prioritizes and personalizes patient care.”

Read more: AloeCare Health And BioIntelliSense Partner Up To Provide Remote Patient Monitoring to Elderly Adults

The BioIntelliSense and AlertWatch platforms are interoperable solutions with extensive third-party and EMR system integration and data exchange capabilities. BioIntelliSense remains committed to an ecosystem approach that provides the flexibility, security, and scalability that is needed to support our customers’ patient monitoring needs.

”I am excited to see our partnership with BioIntelliSense expand so, together, we can help more patients in more places,” said Frank Chan, president of the Patient Monitoring business, which is part of the Medical Surgical Portfolio at Medtronic. “The addition of the AlertWatch system to our HealthCast™ portfolio of connectivity and remote monitoring solutions strengthens our commitment to patient safety and enables workflow efficiency for our customers as they monitor patients in-hospital and at-home.”

ABOUT BIOINTELLISENSE

BioIntelliSense is ushering in a new era of continuous health monitoring and clinical intelligence for remote patient monitoring (RPM). Its medical-grade Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) platform seamlessly captures multi-parameter vital signs, physiological biometrics, and symptomatic events through an effortless patient experience. The medical-grade BioButton wearable device makes remote monitoring and early detection simple. Through the platform’s advanced analytics, clinicians have access to high-resolution patient trending and reporting to enable medical grade remote care from in-hospital to home.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched legal action against Fitbit in the Federal Court, alleging the smartwatch maker misled customers about their rights over faulty products. The allegations further allege that between May 2020 and February 2022 in particular, Fitbit made representations to Australian consumers that they would not be entitled to any refund for a defective product if they sought to return it after 45 days from the date of purchase or shipment. It’s the second time Fitbit has been thrown out by the ACCC, as follows very similar allegations against the laptop maker in 2018, reports 9BreakingNews.

“Fitbit has again come to the attention of the ACCC for allegedly misleading consumers about their consumer warranty rights,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a statement, “We are taking this case against Fitbit because we consider the alleged conduct to be serious and that the manufacturers should have processes in place to ensure compliance with the Australian Consumer Law.”

Moreover, Fitbit informed consumers that they weren’t eligible for a second device if they had availed of a replacement device earlier and the original two-year ‘limited warranty period’ of the device had expired. “All consumers have automatic consumer guarantee rights that cannot be excluded, restricted or modified. The consumer guarantee rights exist in addition to any warranties offered by manufacturers,” said Ms. Cass-Gottlieb.

Rea more: Fitbit Gets US FDA Approval For Detecting AFib

“Products must be of acceptable quality, and retailers must provide a remedy for faulty goods which include a repair, replacement, or refund, depending on the circumstances,” she added.

A spokesperson for Fitbit said the company was reviewing the allegations and did not have any further comments.

The regulator does not allege Fitbit is in breach of its 2018 undertaking where the company extended its manufacturer’s warranty from one year to two for Australian consumers.

Facebook parent Meta unveiled a high-end virtual reality headset with the hope that people will soon be using it to work and play in the still-elusive place called the “Metaverse."

The $1,500 Meta Quest Pro headset costs $1,100 more than Meta’s Quest 2 headset (formerly known as Oculus Quest 2) and contains new technologies like high-resolution sensors that let people see mixed virtual and augmented reality in full color. It also has new eye-tracking technology and "natural facial expressions" that mimic the wearer’s facial movements, so their avatars appear natural when interacting with other avatars in virtual-reality environments.

Meta is in the midst of a corporate transformation that it says will take years to complete. The company is trying to evolve from a provider of social media platforms to a dominant power in a nascent virtual-reality construct called the Metaverse — sort of like the internet brought to life or at least rendered in 3D, reports abc.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described the Metaverse as an immersive virtual environment, a place people can virtually “enter” rather than just staring at it on a screen. The company is investing billions in its Metaverse plans that will likely take years to pay off.

VR headsets are already popular with some gamers, but Meta knows that won't be enough to make the Metaverse mainstream. As such, it's setting office — and home office — workers in its sights.

Read more: Facebook and Ray Ban Launch Next-Gen Smartglasses Ray-Ban Stories

“Meta is positioning the new Meta Quest Pro headset as an alternative to using a laptop,” said Rolf Illenberger, founder and managing director of VRdirect, which builds VR environments for businesses. But he added that for businesses, operating in the virtual worlds of the Metaverse is still “quite a stretch."

Meta also announced that its Metaverse avatars will soon have legs — an important detail that's been missing since the avatars made their debut last year.

Catapult Health, a Dallas-based company serving 3,500 employers with over 2 million covered lives, announced the launch of VirtualCheckup for all, a revolutionary new way for employed Americans and their spouses/partners to get their annual wellness exam. By proactively sending a VirtualCheckup engagement kit to each person’s home, Catapult is transforming preventive care into an “auto-enroll” health benefit, much like employers did with their 401(k) plans 20 years ago. Catapult expects their new approach to double or triple the percentage of individuals who get their wellness exam each year.

“The days of people waiting weeks or months to get a doctor’s appointment for an annual wellness exam are over,” says David Michel, CEO of Catapult Health. “And with 80% of Americans avoiding or skipping their preventive care each year, a tsunami of undiagnosed disease is looming on the horizon. It’s time to remove the friction and take the annual wellness visit into each person’s home, virtually.”

Since launching its VirtualCheckup in September 2020, Catapult has already performed over 100,000 in-home virtual checkups nationally. VirtualCheckup is already a covered benefit for hundreds of America’s largest corporations and major national health plans, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield, reports BusinessWire.

To help drive mass adoption, Catapult has partnered with Tasso, a company whose mission is to revolutionize at-home blood collection. “Tasso’s patient-centric device enables easy, virtually painless remote (home) blood collection from a patient’s upper arm,” says Michel.“Getting a routine checkup at the doctor’s office is such a hassle, so we take preventive care into each employee’s home, which most Americans prefer.”

Read more: Evernorth Expands Its Digital Health Formulary

With VirtualCheckup for all, a comprehensive home kit containing Tasso’s device is proactively delivered to each person’s home. Following simple step-by-step instructions, the recipient sends a small blood sample, two blood pressure readings, and a few physical measurements to Catapult’s laboratory in Dallas. A few days later, the participant meets via secure video with a board-certified Catapult Nurse Practitioner who assesses personal and family health history, reviews medication compliance, screens for depression, discusses test results, creates a personal action plan, and refers the individual to health improvement programs offered by their employer or health plan. Catapult’s VirtualCheckup® is a covered benefit offered through employers and health plans nationally.

About Catapult Health

Catapult Health is the leading provider of virtual preventive care in America. With 3,500 employer customers and over 2 million covered lives, Catapult has revolutionized the annual preventive exam with its VirtualCheckup. Catapult’s solution targets health risks that lead to depression, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease and a recent third-party actuarial analysis of 416,000 patient records over 3 years revealed potential savings of $2.19 for every $1 invested.