A team of researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, has developed an electronic textile with a large-area display that could have applications in communications, navigation and healthcare. Their work has been described in Nature. The textile is flexible, breathable and durable, making it an ideal material for practical uses. The fabric is the work of a team led by Huisheng Peng, a professor in the Department of Macromolecular Engineering at Fudan University.

Related Purdue Engineers Develop Washable Wi-Fi-Powered Smart Clothes That Monitors Health

Creating large displays integrated with functional systems that are flexible and durable when worn has been challenging. Conventional solid-state display materials are not readily compatible with textiles because they struggle to withstand the natural deformation that occurs when fabrics are worn and washed. This new design weaves conductive fibers and luminescent fibers together with cotton into a fabric display, and is shown to overcome this issue, reports Fudan University.

Huisheng Peng and colleagues produced a display fabric that is 6 meters long and 25 centimeters wide that can be integrated with a touch-sensitive fabric keyboard and a fabric power supply (in this case, one that harvests solar energy).

This is the conductive and luminescent fibers that we use for weaving, Peng said as he held up a reel of fiber that at first glance is just like ordinary yarns.

Less than half a millimeter in diameter, these fibers come in various colors. And when we plug them in, they begin to glow, Peng said as he picked up a shirt with a logo of “Fudan University” woven with blue fibers. It can be clearly discernible in the room when the power is switched on.

There are various applications for the fabric, such as a navigation tool that displays an interactive map or a communications tool that can send or retrieve messages via a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone. The display is produced by illuminating units (electroluminescent units) that form where the conductive fibers and luminescent fibers meet at contact points in the woven fabric.

Is such fabric comfortable? As the diameter of the light-emitting fiber can be precisely adjusted between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm, clothing woven from this kind of fiber is ultra-fine and ultra-flexible, which can fit the irregular contour of the human body and can be as light and breathable as the ordinary fabric.

After 1,000 cycles of bending, stretching and pressing, the performance of the vast majority of electroluminescent units remained stable. In addition, the brightness of the electroluminescent units remained stable after 100 cycles of washing and drying. With the integration of more functionality, the authors expect these “smart textiles” to shape the next generation of electronic communication tools.

Related Scientists Develop Micro LEDs That Can Be Used In Bendable, Wearable Electronics

Peng believes this invention can revolutionize communication and “help individuals with voice, speech or language difficulties to express themselves to others”. “We hope that woven-fiber materials will shape next-generation electronics by changing the way we interact with electronic devices,” Peng said.

Epitel, Inc., a digital health company developing a wearable, wireless EEG monitoring platform for seizure detection, announced today the closing of a $12.5 million Series A financing for initial pilot commercialization and further development of its proprietary platform. Epitel received FDA clearance for its first product, a wireless and wearable EEG (brain wave monitor) sensor, and remote access software known as REMI® for use within hospital emergency rooms and critical care units. REMI first received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 2021.

Related NeuroPace Develops Smart Wearable RNS System For The Treatment of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Two-thirds of the U.S. population lack ready access to EEGs and most emergency departments lack the capability to adequately monitor EEG (Ward et al., 2012. Neurocrit Care. 16(2):232-40.) REMI, Epitel’s first FDA-cleared product solves this problem with wearable, wireless sensors that can be rapidly and easily applied by a nurse or hospital technician. EEG data is then immediately connected to a cloud-based software platform available to neurologists to review and monitor for seizures at any time from any location. Because the Epitel System is wearable and wireless, it can continue to monitor the patient continuously for 48 hours during their hospital journey, reports BusinessWire.

“Epitel’s first FDA-cleared product, REMI, has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment, and management of seizures within the hospital. With Epitel, patients, no matter their geography, may have access to essential EEGs during the most critical times of need,” said Mark Lehmkuhle, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Epitel. “We intend to further expand our product pipeline for use outside the hospital by people living with epilepsy and other seizure conditions. We are honored to have the support of Catalyst Health Ventures, Genoa Ventures, and a strong investment syndicate in our first financing.”

Catalyst Health Ventures (CHV) and Genoa Ventures co-led the Series A financing along with participation from Dexcom and OSF Ventures. Wavemaker 360, MedMountain Ventures and Salt Lake City Angels also participated in the round. In conjunction with this close, Vikram Chaudhery, Ph.D., of Genoa Ventures, and Joshua Phillips of CHV have been appointed to the Board of Directors. Andy Rasdal, founding CEO of Dexcom, and Kim Kamdar, Ph.D., of Domain Associates join the board as Executive Chairman and Independent Director respectively. Prior to Series A, the company has been primarily grant-backed with funding from the NIH and Epilepsy Foundation totaling over $7.5 million.

“It is time that EEGs for the brain become as accessible as EKGs for the heart to patients throughout the country. For too long essential neurological services have been inaccessible to large parts of our population,” said Dr. Chaudery, Principal with Genoa Ventures. “Genoa Ventures is excited to support Epitel in their journey to become the leader in remote seizure management and transform how clinicians monitor and diagnose seizures in the ED, ICU, ambulatory, and at-home settings. Most importantly we were excited about Epitel’s potential for broad impact across all these settings and changing the way we think about long-term brain health management.”

Related ULTEEM: Noninvasive Epilepsy Monitoring Wearable That Attaches To Any Ordinary Eyeglasses

“We are excited to partner with the Epitel team to support bringing this disruptive technology to the market,” said Mr. Phillips, Managing Partner of CHV. “Epitel’s technology platform stands out as the first EEG system that may with further development more seamlessly support a seizure patient from the hospital to the home while integrating into existing physician and hospital workflows. With Epitel, the future is brighter for people living with acute and chronic neurological conditions.”

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., also known as Foxconn Technology Group in the market, has announced that it is expanding into the Southeast Asian medical device market with its latest partnership in Taiwan, CNA News reports.

Read more Johnson & Johnson Partners With Microsoft For Digital Surgery Solutions

The multinational electronics producer has signed a cooperation cope with shopper electronics provider Taiwan Biophotonic Corp. (tBPC) and government-backed Industrial Expertise Analysis Institute (ITRI) to develop a long-distance care monitoring platform, reports MobiHealth News.

The companies may collaborate to mix tBPC’s optical sensors with Foxconn’s medical hardware in addition to combine the previous’s medical algorithms into the general software program improvement.

The remote care monitoring platform will be supported and guided by ITRI’s research in electro-optics, information communication, and microsystems.

The consortium plans to test their upcoming technology in a year-long clinical trial at New Taipei’s Tucheng Hospital. The new system will need to be certified by the health authorities in the markets it enters.

Negotiations for broader cooperation are also underway with Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and several elderly care centers in an effort to accelerate the rate at which new devices hit the local market and enter international markets.

A McKinsey & Co. report last year said that the digital health market in Asia could reach $100 billion in value by 2025 from $37 billion in 2020, driven by a thriving consumer-centric digital health ecosystem and rising demand.

Read more Smart Contact Lens Startup Mojo Raises $45 Million, Partners with Adidas and Others

In other news, Foxconn disclosed in November last year that it is investing over $700 million in its “3+3” initiative, which refers to three emerging industries: electric vehicles, robots, and digital health. The company started out in contract hardware manufacturing before expanding to hardware and software integration.

Our Innovation of the Month enables the next generation of brain-monitoring devices: SoftPulse™ by Datwyler!

Datwyler’s soft dry electrodes offer high wearing comfort, are waterproof, flexible, and biocompatible.

Innovative solution for long-term bio-monitoring applications.

The SoftPulse™ allows dry signal acquisition which eliminates the use of gels and decreases skin irritation significantly. The specific design and characteristics allow usage without special skin preparation and freedom of area for monitoring. It simplifies the correct placement and the patients can apply the electrodes outside the hospital, which significantly increases convenience.

Furthermore, the soft dry electrodes are very robust, can be cleaned easily and used repeatedly. The SoftPulse™ is our solution for long-term bio-monitoring applications as they really improve the treatment comfort for patients.

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Withings, a Issy-les-Moulineaux, France-based connected health tech company, announced the acquisition of 8fit, a worldwide health, fitness, and wellness app with more than 40 million downloads. Available in 6 languages, 8fit offers efficient workouts, customized meal plans, and self-care guidance to users. Its capabilities further strengthen Withings’ ongoing strategy to develop personalized programs that combine sophisticated data with actionable insights that empower users to modify behavior. The company intends to invest more than $30 million in the next three years to accelerate the development of this personalized support.

Related Withings Wins FDA Clearance of ScanWatch – Its Most Medically Advanced Wearable

The acquisition comes on the heels of another deal announced last month. Withings acquired Impeto Medical, a French device company that makes a tool for monitoring peripheral neuropathies. That tech has already been incorporated into the company’s latest smart scale, the Body Scan, which it plans to release in the second half of 2022.

In the context of rising health concerns worldwide, users’ expectations and behavior have shifted towards a need for even more personalized support, through digital solutions such as health & wellbeing apps: acquiring 8fit is the first step in Withings’ ambition to provide value-added support to users, says a press release.

“In recent years, users have shown a growing need for solutions to help them (re)gain control over their health. Not only do people seek to understand their health by monitoring key health metrics, they also need to be supported, engaged and motivated throughout their journey to better health. We now feel it’s key to enter the era of the “product-service-data”, combining personal health data with personalized wellness plans, and further deliver on our mission to empower anyone to be healthier in the long-run. With the acquisition of 8fit, we are well placed to deliver a strategy that combines elegantly designed health devices, enhanced health data and experienced advice that is simple to adopt and designed specifically for our customers. ” said Mathieu Letombe, CEO of Withings.

Withings integrates 8fit into its health offering to strengthen personalized wellness capabilities

Launched in 2014, 8fit promotes healthy lifestyles by providing personalized nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness programs that address all aspects of its users’ health to help them achieve their goals. The app offers thousands of supervised and customizable workouts such as HIIT, boxing, Pilates, yoga or meditation, and hundreds of balanced, healthy, and easy-to-prepare recipes. Like Withings, 8fit puts the user’s health at the center of its personalized plans. Far from being a sports performance app, 8fit shares with Withings a vision focused on long-term health.

“From the services we offer, it’s clear that Withings and 8fit are aligned to help users achieve their health goals. We are excited to combine Withings’ expertise in connected health devices that collect accurate, quality data with our fitness and nutrition plans. Together, we will provide our users with a more holistic health offering to help them lead healthier, happier lives,” said Lisette Fabian, CEO of 8fit.

Device and Advice

Since introducing the worlds’ first connected scale in 2009, Withings has continually innovated and built the largest connected health ecosystem in the market, comprised of smart scales, blood pressure monitors, smartwatches, sleep monitors, and thermometers. Its devices capture 20 vital health parameters such as blood pressure, ECG, weight, heart rate, activity levels, and sleep patterns to help people achieve health goals and detect changes in their health status.

Withings’ easy-to-use and non-invasive devices offer best in class health metrics that support a longitudinal understanding of holistic health. On average, Withings’ scales users weigh themselves every 3 days, suggesting strong engagement already with the device. When combined with behavior change nudges, users will be supported and motivated to make behavioral and lifestyle changes that improve outcomes.

Related We’re Maintaining Our Weight and Sleeping More in Quarantine, Withings’ COVID-19 Lockdown Study Reveals

The move to pair personalized health insights with Withings health data was first announced at CES 2022, with the unveiling of Body Scan, a sophisticated health station with the ability to monitor segmental body composition, assess nerve activity and assess heart rhythm using a 6-lead ECG. Going beyond weight management, when launched in H2, 2022 Body Scan will also come with in-app access to personalized, holistic plans encompassing sleep, physical exercise, nutrition, and stress reduction, as well as clinical specialists for those who require more support.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. In the United States, chronic back, neck, and joint pain afflicts millions of Americans and accounts for the largest share of U.S. health care expenditures. In 2016, spending on musculoskeletal disorders cost an estimated $380 billion, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

Read more KINETIC White Paper Examines How Wearables Can Help Prevent Workers From Developing Musculoskeletal Disorders

“It is part of the macro boom that we see within digital health,” Boris Kheyn-Kheyfets, senior manager at Deloitte Consulting, told MobiHealthNews. However, he added that “musculoskeletal, in particular, deserves special mention within that, because musculoskeletal is an extremely large total addressable market. And the reality is that you can save quite a bit to employers and plans around surgery avoidance.”

According to a study published in JAMA, just over 57% of the low back and neck pain spending came from private insurers and was associated with working-age adults. Meanwhile, spending for that condition increased nearly 7% between 1996 and 2016, though the number of prevalent cases only increased by just more than 1% annually.

Mark Luck Olson, CEO of RecoveryOne, thinks that instead of surgeries early intervention with physical therapy would save money. But the goal for digital musculoskeletal care should be more than just moving a physical therapy appointment to a virtual environment.

“That end-to-end journey is what we’re trying to innovate. We are not trying to digitize the visit. Sure, visits can be part of many episodes, but that’s not the point,” he said. “The point is to improve the cost and quality of that journey from ouch to all better, not digitizing the visit.”

A comprehensive approach to treating chronic musculoskeletal pain by combining physical therapy with behavioral health and lifestyle changes will create lasting relief and help employees avoid expensive surgeries and other medical interventions.

Acceptance of digital health and therapeutics by employers and health plans has accelerated rapidly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic — as have remote-work technologies and advances in digital health initiatives.

Musculoskeletal-focused digital apps (MDAs) are increasingly being used for physical therapy and rehabilitation, telehealth, pain management, behavioral health, and remote patient monitoring. Clinicians select and recommend MDAs for optimal patient care.

Digital musculoskeletal clinic Hinge Health launched HingeConnect to set a new standard in personalized care via seamless electronic medical record (EMR) integration, real-time interventions, and robust care coordination between digital and in-person providers.

DarioHealth, a leader in digital chronic condition management, launched Upright GO S, a wearable device that suppresses slouching and enhances posture.

The device uses biofeedback to track the user’s posture and vibrates when they begin to slouch, signaling them to straighten up. It is placed on the upper back either by a hypoallergenic adhesive strip or using a silicone necklace.

Read more British Army Exploring Utilization of Wearable Technology for Injury Prevention

With remote work as the new normal, employers will need to address employee health risks. By leveraging the power of digital health for MSK therapeutics solution.

Digital technology is enabling new approaches to solving old problems like musculoskeletal pain. So, now is the time to take advantage of the opportunity before us.

Dexcom, the global leader in real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), announced today that people with diabetes who are under 18 years old and require ongoing use of insulin or insulin pump therapy are eligible for public coverage of the Dexcom G6 CGM System through Alberta Health.

Alberta joins five other jurisdictions in providing public coverage of real-time CGM systems under provincial health plans. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also recently announced coverage for First Nations and Inuit children. With expanded public coverage for CGM, more children and youth can access this standard of care technology, helping them manage their diabetes.

Related People With Diabetes Who Use Dexcom G6 CGM Can Now View Their Data on Garmin Smartwatch Or Cycling Computer

“We applaud the Alberta government for recognizing the value of real-time CGM and supporting access for its residents living with diabetes. For youth in particular, diabetes management can make day-to-day life a challenge. Now, more young people living with diabetes will be able to learn and play with their peers with far less worry for their families about their glucose levels,” says Laura Endres, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Dexcom Canada.

The Dexcom G6 CGM System uses a small, wearable sensor and transmitter to continuously measure and send glucose levels wirelessly to a display device; and a compatible smart device or receiver that displays real-time glucose data to users without the need for calibration† or scanning. The Dexcom G6 CGM System provides users with real-time alerts, including a predictive Urgent Low Soon alert, and can warn the user in advance of hypoglycemia — giving them time to take appropriate action before it occurs. With the use of the Dexcom Follow App, parents and caregivers can also access their loved one’s glucose levels remotely and be alerted if they are going out of their target glucose range. As part of the Alberta Health Services coverage program, users will now be able to order and pick up their Dexcom CGM supplies through their local pharmacy, reports BusinessWire.

“In my practice, managing glucose through the use of real-time CGM has led to reduction in A1c, fewer incidences of hypoglycemia and an overall improvement in quality of life,” says Dr. Karin Winston, a pediatric endocrinologist in Calgary. “Today’s announcement means more pediatric patients will have access to this life-changing technology to manage their diabetes.”

In 2021, the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines review committee updated its recommendations for glucose monitoring, stating that real-time CGM (rtCGM), like the Dexcom G6, should be used by individuals with type 1 diabetes treated with basal-bolus insulin injections or an insulin pump in order to reduce A1C and increase time in range, reduce duration and incidence of hypoglycemia and, in adults, improve quality of life.

Related Medtronic Launches Smart Insulin Pen with Real-Time CGM Data For People on Multiple Daily Injections

About Dexcom

Dexcom, Inc. empowers people to take control of diabetes through innovative continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. Headquartered in San Diego, California in the United States, and with operations in Canada, Dexcom has emerged as a leader of diabetes care technology. By listening to the needs of users, caregivers, and providers, Dexcom simplifies and improves diabetes management around the world.

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, have developed a predictive computer program that uses data from wearable technology to detect individuals who are at increased risk of depression.

In trials using data from groups of depressed and healthy participants, the program achieved an accuracy of 80 per cent in detecting those individuals with a high risk of depression and those with no risk.

Read more Apple Launches Study To Detect Depression, Cognitive Decline Using Apple Watch and iPhone

Powered by machine learning, the program, named the Ycogni model, screens for the risk of depression by analyzing an individual’s physical activity, sleep patterns, and circadian rhythms derived from data from wearable devices that measure his or her steps, heart rate, energy expenditure, and sleep data.

Depression affects 264 million people globally1, and is undiagnosed and untreated in half of all cases, according to the World Health Organization. In Singapore, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased concerns over mental well-being. A new study by Singapore’s Institute of Mental Health pointed to a likely increase in mental health issues, including depression related to the pandemic.

Activity trackers are estimated to be worn by nearly a billion people, up from 722 million in 2019.

To develop the Ycogni model, the scientists conducted a study involving 290 working adults in Singapore. Participants wore Fitbit Charge 2 devices for 14 consecutive days and completed two health surveys, which screened for depressive symptoms, at the start and end of the study, reports NTU.

The average age of the participants was 33 years old, with the sample closely mirroring the ethnic population of Singapore. Participants were instructed to wear trackers all the time and to remove them only when taking a shower or when the device needs charging.

Professor Josip Car, Director, Centre for Population Health Sciences at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), who co-led the study, said: “Our study successfully showed that we could harness sensor data from wearables to aid in detecting the risk of developing depression in individuals. By tapping on our machine learning program, as well as the increasing popularity of wearable devices, it could one day be used for timely and unobtrusive depression screening.”

Associate Professor Georgios Christopoulos, from NTU’s Nanyang Business School, who co-led the study, said: “This is a study that, we hope, can set up the basis for using wearable technology to help individuals, researchers mental health practitioners and policy makers to improve mental well-being. But on a more generic and futuristic application, we believe that such signals could be integrated with Smart Buildings or even Smart Cities initiatives: imagine a hospital or a military unit that could use these signals to identify people-at-risk.”

Read more LivaNova and Verily Enroll First Patient in Study to Detect Depression Using Smartwatch

The results of the study were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal JMIR mHealth and uHealth in November.

Over the next year, the team hopes to explore the impact of smartphone usage on depressive symptoms and risk of developing depression by enriching their model with data on smartphone usage. This includes how long and frequent individuals use their mobile phones, as well as their reliance on social media.

The Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies (JJMDC) announced that it will collaborate with Microsoft to further enable and expand JJMDC’s secure and compliant digital surgery ecosystem. The Microsoft Cloud will help JJMDC realize its vision of driving innovation that advances skills, improves workflow, and enhances surgical decision making for a better overall customer experience and improved patient and economic outcomes.

Read more Microsoft Launches ‘AI for Health’ Program to Advance the Health of People and Communities Worldwide

JJMDC’s innovative medical technology exists across an ecosystem that includes next generation robotics, world-class instrumentation, advanced imaging and visualization, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital solutions. To mobilize the potential of these assets and make a clinical difference for patients, it is imperative to establish robust connectivity with, and between, all elements of the ecosystem with a seamless, interconnected network that meets surgeons where they are in their workflow and patients where they are in their healthcare journey, according to a press release.

“Collaborating with Microsoft will help take our digital approach to the next level as we create a best-in-class, unified platform across our innovative surgical technologies,” said Larry Jones, Group CIO and Global Vice President, Medical Devices, Johnson & Johnson. “It brings together our collective expertise and is an exciting step towards creating a connected patient journey across the entire care continuum, before, during, and after a procedure.”

As part of the strategic partnership, Microsoft will serve as JJMDC’s preferred cloud provider for the company’s digital surgery solutions and help JJMDC build out its digital surgery platform and internet of things (IoT) device connectivity. By harnessing the power of the Microsoft Cloud, including Azure, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, the companies expect to work together to deliver innovation across the following areas:

• Innovating to improve patient outcomes through artificial intelligence, machine learning and data insights.
• Increasing JJMDC device connectivity, insights and intelligence using Azure IoT and Edge Computing technologies.
• Increasing the pace of digital innovation and transformation across the JJMDC digital surgery ecosystem using Azure capabilities and services.

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

“At the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices companies, we’re shaping a future where medical intervention is smarter, less invasive, and more personalized,” said Peter Schulam, MD, PhD, Global Head, Medical Affairs, Clinical Affairs and Pre-Clinical Research, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, and Leader, Office of Digital Innovation. “We’re excited to collaborate with Microsoft on this important work as we continue to expand our digital surgery assets and capabilities, develop innovative and advanced instrumentation, and make a meaningful clinical difference for customers and patients.”

Health Tech Firm Audibel announced the launch of its new artificial intelligence hearing aids called the Arc AI. The sound quality is driven by an AI algorithm that automatically adjusts hearing aids to the wearer’s environment. Users can choose from multiple styles including completely-in-canal and behind-the-ear styles.

Related Lifestyles of Baby Boomers are Transforming the Way Tech Companies Upgrade Hearing Aids

“The smartest hearing aid just got smarter,” said Achin Bhowmik, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer for Audibel. “The Arc AI will redefine how hearing loss is addressed for the next decade, and we at Audibel are proud to lead the way.”

“Your hearing aid should adjust to you, not the other way around,” said Keri L. Ruf, MA, Regional Managing Director at Audibel. “Now with the Arc AI, that can be the case for millions who rely on these devices each day.”

Up to 55 million personalized adjustments are made per hour without the wearer lifting a finger. The result is 40% noise reduction, a statistic that Ruf called “game changing” for anyone who wears hearing aids, Audibel said in a press release.

“Arc AI automatically adjusts to real-life scenarios that any wearer would find themselves experiencing,” Ruf said. “If the room is noisy, Arc AI will reduce background noise; if you go out for a walk, it will pick up the sound direction. In a place like Manhattan, where you’re going from a busy street filled with honking to a very quiet office building, automatic adjustments are a must.”

Ruf noted that the new technology is available in over a dozen styles, including fully hidden completely-in-canal (CIC) designs, powerful behind-the-ear (BTE) options, and every size in between.

“Not only is the Arc AI effortless hearing, but it’s effortless selection, since it’s customizable in the look and the fit,” said Ruf, noting that the hearing aids also come in rechargeable and non-rechargeable varieties. “We have a hearing aid for literally every person in the world who needs one.”

Ruf said that Arc AI also features other key Audibel technologies, including:

• Fall detection technology: A designated caregiver receives an alert whenever an accident happens.
• TeleHear: Hearing aids can be adjusted or otherwise worked on remotely by Audibel technicians, limiting visits to a clinic.
• Thrive app: The companion app supports many additional features, including tinnitus masking tools and settings for listening to music.
• Bluetooth® connectivity: The Arc AI can connect to both iPhone and Android phones via Bluetooth, so the wearer can take phone calls, listen to audio, or watch videos with their hearing aids.
• Reminders: Whether to go to an appointment or take a medication, Arc AI supports reminder alerts directly into the hearing aid.

“We brought the best of Audibel to the Arc AI,” Ruf said.

Arc AI will be available at Audibel – Manhattan starting October 4th, 2021.

Related Hearing Aids Market to Grow Up to $14.45 Billion by 2026, According to Fortune Business Insights

About Audibel

Audibel is a brand of Starkey Hearing Technologies. Recognized across the globe as a premier provider of hearing healthcare, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. Headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, owned by Bill Austin since 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey has more than 5,000 employees, operates 28 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide.

Peloton announced that it is releasing a new wearable Bluetooth heart rate monitor. Unlike its existing chest strap, the Peloton Heart Rate Band is meant to be worn on a user’s forearm and features optical heart rate sensors.

The arm band, which retails for $90, uses optical sensors to detect heart rate and features five LED lights to show heart rate zone, Bluetooth connectivity status and battery charge.

Related mioPOD: Advanced Heart Rate Monitor for Elite Performance Training

If your heart rate monitor is ANT+ compatible, the metric for your heart rate will automatically appear in the top left of your touchscreen. Please note, your heart rate monitor must be on prior to starting the class. To make sure your heart rate monitor is on, ensure the sensors are lightly wet (with water or sweat) before placing the leads on your chest.

The company also offers a chest-worn heart rate monitor that’s currently selling for $34.

The armband has been rumored for some time now. Bloomberg first reported that Peloton was working on the device back in June 2021 as part of a wearables push.

Unlike Peloton’s chest strap, the Heart Rate Band doesn’t support ANT+, meaning it may not work with some non-Peloton equipment. If you plan to use it exclusively with Peloton’s machines, that won’t be an issue, but if you want to pair it with other devices, make sure they support Bluetooth.

The peloton heart rate monitor exchange data using the ANT+ and BLE technology, which is a low-energy wireless protocol meant to collect and transfer data with other sensors. Then, the peloton bike and tread collect, analyze and interpret this data on the computer.

Battery life

According to the company, the band offers up to 10 hours of battery life on a charge, which should be enough for several workouts. However, it doesn’t last quite as long as some competitors—the Wahoo Tickr Fit promises 35 hours of battery life on a charge, while the Polar Verity Sense offers up to 30 hours.

Related Polar Adds ANT+ and Better Swim Tracking to New OH1 Heart Rate Strap

How To Use the Peloton Heart Rate Band

To set up the Peloton Heart Rate Band, plug the charger in and place the pod on top to wake it; the LED lights on the display will show its battery level. When fully charged, all five LEDs on the band will shine blue. If the band is asleep, firmly press the LEDs to see the battery level and put the device into pairing mode. Once charged, snap the pod into the armband, reports PC Mag.

Before you start your work out, just fasten the band around your forearm, three to four finger widths from your elbow crease. Make sure, it’s snug enough to stay put, but not so tight that it hurts or cuts off your circulation. Finally, log into your Peloton machine and the Heart Rate Band should pair automatically.

Glooko, a leading provider of remote patient monitoring and digital health solutions for diabetes and other chronic conditions announced it has acquired xbird, a Berlin-based health AI company developing JITAI (Just In Time Adaptive Intervention) technologies to support patients and their providers in predicting behavior and managing diabetes.

Related Abbott Announces New Biosensors Based on Diabetes Monitoring Tech at the CES

Using the latest AI and machine learning, xbird’s technology has the capability of identifying health risks for people with diabetes by interpreting medical and behavioral data in a targeted manner and providing customized recommendations and behavioral nudges. Sensors via smartphones and wearables record a user’s movements and analyze the data to create individualized behavioral profiles and personalized nudges to change patient behavior and lifestyle decisions. The addition of xbird expands Glooko’s advanced analytics capabilities and tools, further broadening Glooko’s platform offerings, says a press release.

“We are thrilled to welcome the xbird team to the Glooko family. Our investment in xbird represents Glooko’s strategic commitment to machine learning and customized digital coaching for patients with chronic conditions,” said Russ Johannesson, Glooko’s Chief Executive Officer. “Among the many JITAI companies in the digital health landscape, xbird clearly has a superior solution, and has built successful partnerships throughout diabetes device manufacturers and clinical institutions. The combination of Glooko’s established global footprint and xbird’s exciting JITAI capabilities will allow us to improve patient outcomes.”

Sebastian Sujka, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of xbird stated, “xbird and Glooko are a great fit. We share a commitment to providing solutions that address multiple chronic conditions, delivering measurable outcomes, and we have a common mission to broadly serve all patients in need. Our goal is to continue the design of digital health solutions for those living with these conditions and to make our capabilities accessible to as many patients as possible.” Mr. Sujka will join Glooko as the Managing Director of Glooko GmbH, along with all of the xbird staff.

Glooko will integrate the xbird JITAI digital coaching software with its established platform which is used daily by more than 7500 clinics globally and over 1M users. Glooko plans to enable users of their platform globally to utilize these solutions to better manage their diabetes and related chronic conditions.

The Prevalence of Chronic Disease

Approximately 537 million adults are living with diabetes worldwide, with 9.5 million in Germany (15.3% of the population) and the numbers continue to rise. It is ranked in the top 10 global countries with the fastest growth in diabetes. Additionally, almost one in two people in Germany over 15 years report living with two or more chronic conditions (versus approximately one third of people worldwide). According to the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, one in six adults are considered to be obese in Germany.

About Glooko

Glooko is transforming digital health by connecting people with diabetes and other chronic conditions with their healthcare teams. The company’s software platforms collect and analyze data from multiple devices in one highly secure place, allowing for easy remote upload via app or in-clinic, and producing easy-to-read analytics through actionable charts and graphs. The platform is compatible with over 95% of global diabetes and health monitoring devices, giving patients and their providers flexibility in how to manage their conditions. More than 3 million users have already benefited from Glooko’s solutions in 29 countries across 22 languages.

Related People With Diabetes Who Use Dexcom G6 CGM Can Now View Their Data on Garmin Smartwatch Or Cycling Computer

About xbird

xbird is a medical AI company developing ways to predict health risks and support diabetes management. The company captures data streams from built-in sensors on smartphones, wearables, and medical devices to develop algorithms and machine learning models which process these streams into real-time just in time adaptive interventions (JITAI). Founded in 2015 by Sebastian Sujka and Matteo Carli, xbird has collaborated with major European and US pharma and medical device companies to customize patient interaction and engagement with artificial intelligence.

A team led by scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, announced Friday that it has designed a system that uses a smartphone’s camera to perform Covid19 tests, with accuracy that could match lab-based PCR tests.

Related Stanford University Study Shows Wearable Devices Could Detect COVID-19 Earlier

“As new COVID variants emerge globally, testing and detection remain essential to pandemic control efforts,” said lead author Michael Mahan. “Nearly half the world’s population has a smartphone, and we believe that this holds exciting potential to provide fair and equal access to precision diagnostic medicine.”

The researchers said the kits could deliver test results in 25 minutes and were devised to be more reliable than many of the at-home tests currently on the market, reports NBC.

The process, termed smaRT-LAMP, is simple and straightforward. A small volume of the patient’s saliva is collected and analyzed by the smartphone app using the phone’s camera and the diagnostic kit. No additional specialty materials are required.

LAMP is more sensitive than RT-PCR (Real-time polymerase chain reaction), which requires expensive equipment and takes hours to run.

The collaboration was launched to develop rapid, low-cost diagnostics that can be used by healthcare providers anywhere in the world to diagnose COVID-19. The lab kit can be produced for less than $100, and it requires little more than a smartphone, a hot plate and LED lights. The screening tests can be run for less than $7 each versus $10 to $20 per rapid antigen test and $100 to $150 per PCR test.

The simple lab test can detect and differentiate COVID-19 and the flu, which show very similar respiratory disease symptoms and can lead to misdiagnosis.

“SmaRT-LAMP can detect COVID-19 and can be readily modified to detect novel CoV-2 variants and other pathogens with pandemic potential, including influenza,” said Charles Samuel of UC Santa Barbara.

Related This App Combines AI and Biosensors to Detect COVID-19 in Two Minutes, Even in Asymptomatic Patients

The free, custom-built app was developed for the Android operating system and can be downloaded and installed from the Google Play Store. Upon opening the app, the user is presented with an option for a step-by-step tutorial prior to running test samples.

“Such early detection and quarantine can also reduce the risk of future global outbreaks,” added Dr. Fried, a critical care physician.

Fifth Eye, a provider of intuitive real-time clinical analytics, today announced the FDA provided clearance to market its second generation clinical decision support software, the AHI System, to hospitals in the United States. The second generation medical device software leverages predictive analytics to identify patients at increased risk of future episodes of hemodynamic instability with an ECG signal alone.

Read more SmartTools Presents Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs for Athletes at CES 2020

AHI (pronounced ‘AH-hee’) stands for Analytic for Hemodynamic Instability. Hemodynamic instability is a condition in which blood flow to vital organs is insufficient. Hemodynamic instability can occur suddenly. When left unnoticed or untreated, it is a known cause of significant morbidity and mortality in critically ill or injured patients. AHI, Fifth Eye’s first analytic, can detect hemodynamic instability in real-time from information embedded in an ECG signal alone.

The release of the AHI System brings a wealth of enhancements including a new analytic, the AHI Predictive Index (AHI-PI). AHI-PI can automatically and continuously predict the likelihood of future episodes of hemodynamic instability earlier than is possible with vital signs. Early awareness of emerging problems provides clinicians with precious time that may facilitate early intervention to mitigate or avoid a crisis, says a press release.

The AHI System provides at-a-glance awareness of patient risk with “traffic-light simplicity” by displaying a red, yellow or green indicator on a multi-patient screen. Clinicians can access AHI through any browser-enabled device, including a mobile phone or tablet. And since data is automatically collected and updated every two minutes, AHI reduces the surveillance burden on the nursing staff while providing access to new and valuable information to help them confidently prioritize their time.

“Hospitals and their staff are being stretched to their limits with over-crowded emergency rooms and ICUs,” said Jen Baird, CEO, Fifth Eye. “The AHI System provides physicians and nurses current, clinically validated insights regarding which patients may require additional vigilance to avoid an impending crisis. Conversely, AHI can bring the confidence of objective information to support the timely discharge or transfer of patients to lower acute settings, freeing up precious resources for additional patients.”

In the FDA-reviewed clinical study, AHI-PI significantly differentiated critical care patients’ likelihood of developing hemodynamic instability. Patients with red high-risk indicators were 51x more likely than those with green low-risk indicators to have an episode of hemodynamic instability in the next hour. Additionally, AHI-PI high-risk indicators predicted 89% of first episodes of hemodynamic instability with a median lead-time of 48 minutes ahead of continuous arterial line blood pressure and heart rate vital signs.

Read more This “Smart Stent” Can Monitor Blood Flow and Detect Narrowing of Artery

AHI System software is intended for use by healthcare professionals managing in-hospital patients 18 years or older who are receiving continuous physiological monitoring with ECG. AHI surveillance may be initiated on patients monitored with bedside, telemetry or wearable patch ECG and standard electrodes.

About Fifth Eye

Fifth Eye Inc. is an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company that develops intuitive, real-time clinical analytics based on physiologic waveforms to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Fifth Eye’s machine-learning technology is licensed from the University of Michigan. The AHI System™ is FDA cleared, clinical decision support software that monitors hospital patients and continuously predicts the risk of hemodynamic instability earlier than is possible with vital signs.

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) developed flexible thermoelectric devices with high power generation performance by maximizing flexibility and heat transfer efficiency. The research team also presented a mass-production plan through an automated process including a printing process.

Read more: Energy Harvesting Nanogenerators Offer New Option For Monitoring Health

The collaborative research team was led by Dr. Seungjun Chung from the Soft Hybrid Materials Research Center and Professor Yongtaek Hong from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University.

A thermoelectric device converts energy by utilizing the voltage generated by the temperature difference between both ends of a material; it is capable of converting heat energy, such as waste heat from industrial sites, into electricity that can be used in daily life. Existing thermoelectric devices are rigid because they are composed of hard metal-based electrodes and semiconductors, hindering the full absorption of heat sources from uneven surfaces. Therefore, recent studies were actively conducted on the development of flexible thermoelectric devices capable of generating energy in close contact with various heat sources such as human skins and hot water pipes.

“This research showed that it is possible to operate actual wearables such as high-temperature sensor gloves using external heat sources. Going forward, we will develop a flexible thermoelectric platform that can operate wearables with only body temperature,” said Dr. Seungjun Chung.

“Our research findings are significant in that the functional composite material, thermoelectric device platform, and high-yield automated process developed in this study will be able to contribute to the commercialization of battery-free wearables in the future,” Dr. Chung added.

Concerning existing substrates used for research on flexible thermoelectric devices, their heat energy transfer efficiency is low as a result of very low thermal conductivity. Their heat absorption efficiency is also low due to a lack of flexibility, forming a heat shield layer, e.g., air, when in contact with a heat source. To address this issue, organic-material-based thermoelectric devices with high flexibility have been under development, but their application on wearables is not easy because of their significantly lower performance compared to existing inorganic-material-based rigid thermoelectric devices.

The research team improved the flexibility while lowering the resistance of the thermoelectric device by connecting an inorganic-material-based high-performance thermoelectric device to a stretchable substrate composed of silver nanowires. The new device showed excellent flexibility, thereby allowing stable operation even when it is bent or stretched. In addition, metal particles with high thermal conductivity were inserted inside the stretchable substrate to increase the heat transfer capacity by 800% (1.4 W/mK) and power generation by a factor higher than three.

Read more: UMass Researchers Develop Inexpensive Method of Using Body Heat to Power Wearables

The device can be used as a high-temperature sensor in industrial sites or as a battery-free distance detection sensor for autonomous driving by using the temperature difference inside and outside of a car. Consequently, the device is expected to be able to solve the power-source issue for a battery-based sensor system, which has a risk of explosion in high-temperature environments.

Augmented reality contact lens developer Mojo Vision announced $45 million in new funding and said it has partnered with Adidas and several other fitness brands such as, Trailforks, Wearable X, Slopes and 18Birdies, to bring its data-tracking eye lens into the consumer market. The new funding brings the company’s total investment to $205 million.

Read more Apple Could Release Augmented Reality Glasses and Contact Lenses Within a Decade

The Mojo Lens, a smart contact lens, is a microLED display that you could place in your eye to correct your vision and overlay information onto the physical world. For example, the gadget can show you trails on a ski slope, the pace you are running at, or notes for a presentation.

Mojo is envisioning a world where data can be served up without a bulky wearable or forcing the athlete to look down at their device. The partnerships indicate that the company is going after sports as an early market for its technology, in addition to other applications, like assistance for the visually impaired.

“We are making important progress in developing our smart contact lens technology, and we continue to research and identify new market potential for this groundbreaking platform. Our partnerships with these leading brands will give us valuable insights into user behavior in the sports and fitness market. The goal is for these collaborations to deliver athletes an entirely new form factor with performance data that is more accessible and useful at the moment,” said Steve Sinclair, SVP, product and marketing, Mojo Vision.

Read more Smart Contact Lens Mimics Human Iris to Combat Vision Disorders

Mojo Vision said recent research from the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows global wearables shipments grew 32.3 percent year-over-year from 2020/21. This growth in the wearable tech market is led by companies that continue to refine and release fitness trackers, smartwatches, smartphone apps, and other wearable devices, mainly to better the user experience for sports and fitness enthusiasts, reports SGB Media.

“Today’s wearable devices can be helpful to athletes, but they can also distract them from the focus of the activity; we think there’s a better way to deliver athletic performance data,” said David Hobbs, senior director of product management at Mojo Vision.

Binah.ai, the leading provider of general health and wellness video-based monitoring solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI), announced today the availability of Blood Pressure measurements added to its robust Health Data Platform, already commercially available to businesses. Through the use of virtually any smartphone or laptop, blood pressure measurement can be extracted within just one minute, simply by looking at the device’s camera.

Binah.ai enables the extraction of blood pressure measurements and other vitals without the need for a watch, finger clip, cuff or any other additional dedicated hardware.

Read more Aktiia, The World’s First Automated 24/7 Blood Pressure Monitor Comes to the USA

Why is this major?

“This is a huge milestone for healthcare and wellness in general as well as for Binah.ai; and we look forward to witnessing its positive impact on people’s lives. Blood pressure measurement is an essential element in evaluating the general health of a person, helping also diagnose and determine treatment options for serious conditions, including hypertension, obesity or diabetes. When left unmonitored, it can quietly damage the body for years before symptoms develop,” said David Maman, Co-founder and CEO of Binah.ai. “Using a device people already possess, individuals, care providers and payers can now have easy, frequent, access, from the palm of their hands or remotely, to real-time health data to better care for themselves and provide better, more timely care for others, anywhere at any time, faster and at lower costs.” continued Maman.

How is it done?

Blood pressure is extracted using the optical technique of photoplethysmography (PPG), which analyzes the reflection of light that returns to the camera from a bare skin region on a human face; using advanced AI and deep learning algorithms, including computer vision technology and signal processing. Binah.ai has run several tests for the development and validation of the blood pressure measurement, both in-house and in clinical settings. Already compliant with low accuracy medical devices standards (for home users) with STD, these measurements were also compared with the Connex Spot Monitor and the Withings BPM Connect devices, according to a press release.

Not only Blood Pressure

In addition to blood pressure, Binah.ai’s award-winning technology also provides measurements including heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV) R-R interval (RRi), parasympathetic activity, pulse-respiration quotient (PRQ), oxygen saturation, respiration rate, and sympathetic stress. Binah.ai’s solution removes the need for wearables and extracts health parameters regardless of gender and skin color.

How is it delivered?

As a B2B company, Binah.ai delivers its technology to organizations as a Software Development Kit (SDK) that can be easily integrated into their apps that support iOS, Android devices, Windows laptops or web applications on Safari and Google Chrome browsers.

Who should use this?

Various industries in need of end-user provided health data, including healthcare, pharma, insurance, wellness and many more can highly gain from using Binah.ai’s technology in use cases such as telehealth, remote patient monitoring, chronic disease management, elderly care, home care, preventive care, personalized care, virtual trials, medication adherence, insurance, corporate and personal wellness, epidemics spread mitigation and many more.

Read more Biobeat Launches Wearable Continuous Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Device

Binah.ai received the CES Innovation Award in 2022 for its blood pressure monitoring new feature, as well as the CES Innovation Award in 2020, the NTT Data Grand Champion at the 10th Open Innovation International Contest 2020 and was recognized as a Cool Vendor in Gartner’s AI Core Technologies 2019 report – for its technology.

The solution is not a medical device and should be considered as a self-assessment tool only.

Kiddo, formally known as Good Parents Inc., announced it has closed a $16 million Series A growth investment led by Clearlake Capital-backed Vive Collective. As part of the investment, Vive’s Founder and CEO Cheryl Cheng will join the company’s board of directors. The funding and partnership will enable Kiddo to double the size of its US and Asia teams, expand its partnerships with health systems and benefits providers, and obtain FDA device certification.

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Kiddo is a connected care system for pediatrics that integrates remote patient monitoring (RPM) for children, a coaching app for parents, on-demand telehealth services, and clinical decision support for medical providers and care teams. Kiddo serves at-risk children who require proactive and continuous care due to such chronic conditions as asthma, heart disease, autism, and diabetes. Kiddo has already partnered with more than seven health systems, benefits providers and foundations including UHC/Optum, PC Health, as well as several children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada. The platform is HIPAA, HL7 and FHIR compliant, HSA/FSA eligible, and FCC, CE and IEC certified, according to a press release.

“Approximately 19 million US children suffer from chronic and acute conditions that need proactive care. This round of funding, along with Vive’s industry expertise, will help us reach more of these children,” said CJ Swamy, CEO and Co-Founder of Kiddo. “Costly in-person visits to primary care doctors and urgent care clinics can be avoided as long as the doctor or nurse practitioner providing telehealth services has the right context and data from an RPM system like Kiddo. Although people were eager to avoid expensive in-person visits to urgent care before the pandemic, Covid-19 has really propelled the need to efficiently and cost-effectively guide parents and pediatric patients to the optimal care pathway.”

Kiddo Chief Medical Officer Rishi Madhok, MD, explained the importance of remote patient monitoring in providing care for children with chronic or acute health conditions. “Adoption of telehealth services accelerated during the pandemic, but physicians and parents supporting children with chronic conditions still need real-time data to make decisions, such as how to adjust medications, whether the advised treatment is working, or if a patient needs to be seen immediately,” said Kiddo Chief Medical Officer Rishi Madhok, MD. “You can’t capture this data through an online visit alone, which is why the Kiddo RPM platform is an indispensable tool in managing pediatric chronic health conditions.”

Read more Abbott’s Freestyle Libre 2 iCGM Receives FDA Clearance For Adults And Children With Diabetes In The U.S.

Vive Collective founder Cheryl Cheng sees Kiddo, Inc. as the perfect example of the kind of company with whom Vive would like to partner. “Kiddo leverages technology to improve both access to and quality of care in pediatric health, an area that typically sees very little investment. This is exactly the kind of opportunity in which we are eager to invest,” said Cheng. “We also were drawn to the founding team’s commitment and passion. CJ understands the stress, pressure, and costs of managing a child’s chronic health condition and has made Kiddo his life’s work. We look forward to partnering with Kiddo to help accelerate its growth.”

About Kiddo

Founded in 2016, Kiddo (Good Parents Inc.) is a San Francisco-headquartered healthcare company focused on remote patient monitoring (“RPM”) and digital health services. Its core solution, Kiddo, is an RPM platform for pediatric patients with acute and chronic conditions such as asthma, autism, diabetes, and congenital heart disorders.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), smart contact lens maker Mojo announced partnerships with various sports brands like Adidas, Trailforks, Wearable X, Slopes and 18Birdies. The company claims its smart contact lens could play in the lives of professional athletes.

Read more Apple Could Release Augmented Reality Glasses and Contact Lenses Within a Decade

“Today’s wearable devices can be helpful to athletes, but they can also distract them from the focus of the activity; we think there’s a better way to deliver athletic performance data,” Mojo Senior Director of Product Management David Hobbs said in a release. “Wearable innovation in existing form factors is starting to reach its limits. At Mojo, we’re interested in better understanding what’s still missing and how we can make that information accessible without disrupting someone’s focus and flow during training — when it matters most.”

Many augmented reality (AR) solutions can clutter reality. Mojo Lens is different. It quietly provides you with crucial data while you’re engaged in events that demand your attention. You can see trails on a ski slope, your pace for your last mile of a run, or talking points for a presentation, all without holding a device or looking down at a screen. With its invisible, wearable display, Mojo Lens helps you keep your concentration by providing information heads-up and hands-free.

Health tracking

Mojo is planning an early application of its product to help people struggling with vision impairment by using enhanced image overlays. The company is also working with the FDA through its Breakthrough Devices Program, a voluntary program designed to provide safe and timely access to medical devices that can help treat irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions, reports VentureBeat.

Information without distraction

During important moments, we all need crucial information, whether it’s the next curve on the bike trails, the address of the next appointment, or the latest sales projections. Mojo Lens helps you remember what matters most so you can concentrate on your priorities without burying your face in a screen or getting distracted by a mobile device.

Read more South Korean Researchers Develop Smart Contact Lens for Diagnosis And Treatment Of Diabetes

An invisible breakthrough

When you’re engaged in a demanding activity— setting pace for the group on a bicycle ride or a walking towards your airport rideshare while traveling—most devices give you information beforehand or afterwards. Mojo Lens gives you critical info during the activity without breaking your focus or flow. As the world’s first Invisible Computing device, Mojo Lens gives you information only when needed. It never gets in the way. And it lets you look like yourself wherever the day takes you.

Abbott, known for its continuous glucose monitor (CGM) devices, is moving into making general purpose consumer biosensing wearables. In a healthtech keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Abbott’s chairman and CEO, Robert B Ford, announced it’s developing a new line of consumer biowearables — called Lingo — intended for more general fitness and wellness purposes.

Related Abbott Receives FDA Approval for Gallant Heart Rhythm Implants Featuring Continuous Remote Monitoring

“Technology gives us the power to digitize, decentralize and democratize healthcare, create a shared language between you and your doctor – and put more control of your health in your hands,” Mr. Ford said. “We’re creating a future that will bring you and your loved ones care that’s more personal and precise. It’s happening right now. And its potential is no less than incredible.”

Lingo – Speaking Your Body’s Unique Language

The Lingo biowearables are being designed to translate your body’s unique language into actionable data to help you track and measure your general health and wellness. The sensor technology is being designed to track key signals in the body such as glucose, ketones and lactate, and could also be used one day to track alcohol levels, says a press release.

“This will be like having a window into your body,” Mr. Ford said. “It’s science that you will be able to access any time so you can understand what your body is telling you and what it needs. Our vision is that Lingo will go far beyond today’s wearables for consumers to help you proactively manage your health, nutrition and athletic performance.”

Lingo extends the Abbott sensing technology platform that Abbott pioneered in 2014 for people with diabetes, allowing people to continuously monitor their glucose levels with a small sensor on the back of the upper arm. Actress and comedian Sherri Shepherd shared live on the CES stage how FreeStyle Libre 2 changed her life, giving her glucose readings, right on her smartphone, unique to her body so she can make healthier decisions.

Abbott then built this technology platform to develop a product designed for athletes with the 2020 launch of Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biowearable in Europe. Elite athletes, like marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, use this biowearable to optimize how they fuel their bodies for rigorous training. Lingo aims to expand glucose monitoring to people looking to manage their weight, sleep better, improve energy and think clearer.

Related Abbott-Insulet Collaboration to Combine Abbott’s CGM with Insulet’s Omnipod Horizon Automated Insulin Delivery System

Abbott is designing Lingo to measure other biomarkers beyond glucose in the future. A ketone biowearable is being developed to track ketones continuously, see how fast you are getting into ketosis, and understand exactly what keeps you there by providing insights on dieting and weight loss. A lactate biowearable is in development to track continuous lactate build up during exercise, which can be used as an indicator of athletic performance.