Facebook is building an interface for Augmented Reality (AR) that won’t force us to choose between interacting with our devices and the world around us. The social media giant is developing natural, intuitive ways to interact with always-available AR glasses because the company believes this will transform the way we connect with people near and far.

Related Facebook and Ray Ban Launch Next-Gen Smartglasses Ray-Ban Stories

“Imagine being able to teleport anywhere in the world to have shared experiences with the people who matter most in your life — no matter where they happen to be,” says Andrew Bosworth, who leads FRL. “That’s the promise of AR glasses. It’s a fusion of the real world and the virtual world in a way that fundamentally enhances daily life for the better.”

Rather than dragging our attention to the periphery in the palm of our hand like our mobile phones, AR glasses will see the world exactly as we see it, placing people at the center of the computing experience for the first time and bringing the digital world to us in three dimensions to help us communicate, navigate, learn, share, and take action in the world, Facebook said in a blog post.

The future of the Human-Computer Interface demands an exceptionally easy-to-use, reliable, and private interface that lets us remain completely present in the real world at all times. Two of the most critical elements are contextually aware AI that understands our commands and actions as well as the context and environment around us, and technology to let us communicate with the system effortlessly — an approach we call ultra-low-friction input.

Although the system is many years off, Facebook wants to develop the wristband to enable controls such as being able to touch and move VR objects or type on a virtual keyboard at high speed.

Read more: Facebook is Reportedly Working On a Smartwatch With Focus on Messaging and Health

Why the wrist?

“There are many other input sources available, all of them useful. Voice is intuitive, but not private enough for the public sphere or reliable enough due to background noise. A separate device you could store in your pocket like a phone or a game controller adds a layer of friction between you and your environment. As we explored the possibilities, placing an input device at the wrist became the clear answer: The wrist is a traditional place to wear a watch, meaning it could reasonably fit into everyday life and social contexts. It’s a comfortable location for all-day wear. It’s located right next to the primary instruments you use to interact with the world — your hands. This proximity would allow us to bring the rich control capabilities of your hands into AR, enabling intuitive, powerful, and satisfying interaction,” Facebook said.

Supersapiens has announced a new wearable device specifically designed for athletes. Dubbed the Energy Band, the wearable, in conjunction with Abbott’s Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, can display your glucose data in real-time on your wrist or to a bike’s handlebar as you exercise without the need to go through a smartphone.

Read more: Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 3 CGM Wins CE Mark for People with Diabetes In Europe

“Supersapiens is dedicated to empowering athletes to maximize their training and increase performance gains1 with well-fueled workouts. Real-time glucose visibility, available at a glance, is an industry-first for sports performance,” says Supersapiens Founder and CEO Phil Southerland. “This is one more step forward to fully integrating the Supersapiens energy management system in all athletes’ training — to help them effectively manage fueling to sustain high-intensity work and go faster longer.”

The Supersapiens Energy Band’s features and benefits include:

• Real-time visibility – Supersapiens’ unique and simple-to-use interface displays current glucose values along with a trend arrow. Simply by tapping on the side, athletes can see different stats, including daily glucose exposure and tracking against their daily goals.
• Direct Bridge – The Supersapiens Energy Band connects directly to Abbott’s biosensor, giving athletes the convenience of wearable access to their real-time glucose data. The Supersapiens Energy Band is the only wearable device on the market capable of directly connecting to Abbott’s biosensor. Other compatible devices such as Garmin require a user’s phone to act as a data bridge, according to Globe Newswire.
• Workout-proof – Designed to handle a rainstorm, swim, or sweaty workout, the Supersapiens Energy Band is water-resistant up to 50 meters (5ATM).
• Easy to read – the Supersapiens Energy Band’s 8-color memory in pixel LCD display with backlight module allows for several display options, including an always-on display, allowing for easy reading at night or in bright sunlight.
• Speedy charging – no more waiting around to recharge the battery. The Supersapiens Energy Band fully recharges in about 3 hours and runs off a lithium-ion battery.
• Small but mighty – the sleek design fits comfortably on the athlete’s wrist and securely straps to the handlebars with its sweat-resistant fluoroelastomer band.

“Since the beginning, we knew that we needed a hardware device that bridged directly to the biosensor. The Supersapiens Energy Band has been a labor of love, and I couldn’t be prouder of our team for bringing this product to life,” says Supersapiens co-founder and president Todd Furneaux. “Providing an athlete with visibility to their glucose levels can help them understand the efficacy of their nutrition choices, fuel appropriately, avoid fatigue from low glucose events, and know when to replenish during training and competition. This translates into more fueled training minutes, which provides bigger performance gains.”

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

A partnership with global healthcare leader Abbott makes Supersapiens the only energy management system that directly integrates with a Bluetooth-enabled sports CGM (continuous glucose monitor) — the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor. The Supersapiens Energy Band represents the latest breakthrough from Supersapiens on its mission to provide athletes with truly meaningful and actionable glucose data through real-time glucose levels transmitted directly to their phone, the Supersapiens Energy Band, and select Garmin bike computers and smartwatches. Supersapiens set of data interpretation tools leads the future of fueling, energy management, and sports performance.

The Supersapiens Energy Band is available for sale on the company’s website for €159.

The Supersapiens system, powered by Abbott’s Libre Sense, including the Supersapiens Energy Band is now available in Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

About Supersapiens

Supersapiens is a US-based sports performance company focused on energy management systems that empower athletes to effectively manage in-training fueling to sustain high-intensity work, properly manage glucose levels to maximize recovery, and achieve bigger performance gains.

The Australian government is investing $10 million (US$7 million) in research projects using the latest digital and mobile technology to improve primary health care delivery.

Read more: Australian Researchers Develop Brain Implant That May Restore Limited Sight In Blind People

“Our Government is committed to using digital information, as well as new health technologies and tools, to remotely deliver quality, convenient health care to Australians, regardless of location,” the Australian Dept. of Health said in a News release.

Australian researchers can now apply for grants to undertake this critical research through the landmark Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Two areas of primary health care research will be funded – one to test and implement new applications of existing wearable electronic devices, and the other to examine new ways to deliver point-of-care testing, particularly for those in rural and remote areas.

Whilst most patients in Australia can access pathology testing services, point-of-care testing has the potential to significantly enhance access to diagnostic technologies and clinical management models, including patient engagement, compliance, safety, and satisfaction.

By further understanding wearables, it's hoped that digital health will allow individuals to better manage their own health and lifestyle as part of coordinated care with their GP, requiring fewer visits to their GP.

Research is the key to better health care and treatments – and the Australian Government is investing record amounts in Australian health and medical research.

The grant opportunity will be managed through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). It is funded over two years from 2021–22 to 2022–23.

The grant opportunity is under the MRFF Primary Health Care Research Initiative. This Initiative provides $45 million over nine years to enable or support an increase in Australia’s evidence base in primary health care through research to improve service delivery and patient outcomes and translate this knowledge into action.

Read more: Australian Company Develops World’s First Modular Hearing Aid

The Government’s $20 billion MRFF is a long-term, sustainable investment in Australian health and medical research helping to improve lives, build the economy and contribute to the sustainability of the health system.

Verizon’s virtual care product BlueJeans Telehealth announced that it had enabled integration with the Apple Health app to allow patients to share data with clinicians during telemedicine visits. Building on the overall patient care experience, the new Televisit Tile and integration with the Apple Health app empower patients to share specific categories of health data like heart rate, sleep, falls, and more with their provider during telehealth appointments for more informed conversations, while providing patients with control over which data they choose to share.

Read more: Verizon Acquires Virtual Reality Startup Jaunt

According to McKinsey and Company, as of July 2021, telehealth utilization has stabilized at levels 38X higher than before the pandemic. The same study found that “between 40 and 60 percent of consumers express interest in a set of broader virtual health solutions, such as a ‘digital front door’ or lower-cost virtual-first health plan.”

Delivering Data-Driven Care

By mapping the patient experience more closely to clinical team workflows, BlueJeans Telehealth helps replicate the experience of onsite care encounters and patient interactions, while also providing the flexibility of virtual-first care. BlueJeans Telehealth now features a new Televisit Tile that compiles and displays encounter-specific information collected during the visit. The Tile displays patient-entered symptom data and will support information and document sharing to ensure a seamless communication exchange with healthcare providers. Ideal for group sessions, the new Tile features a patient selector to ensure that user data will only be viewable and secure between the patient and their healthcare provider, reports Verizon.

With these new purpose-built workflows meant to improve the patient’s telehealth experience from anywhere, BlueJeans Telehealth works across mobile and desktop devices and includes single-touch, download-free access to mitigate potential technology challenges. For those joining from an iPhone, integration with the Apple Health app allows patients to share certain categories of their Health app data — including heart rate, ECG, sleep, step count, falls and mobility data — directly into the BlueJeans Telehealth app, so patients and healthcare providers can have more meaningful and tangible health-related conversations that can improve the overall outcome of the visit. Health app users remain in control of which categories of Health app data they choose to share with their provider during each telehealth appointment, and shared data is encrypted in transit and at rest.

Using the BlueJeans iOS app, users will be able to select Apple Health app data from within the pre-visit patient landing experience or through the Televisit Tile during the visit. Once synced, the healthcare provider will be able to see and interact with the Apple Health app data patients have chosen to share from the Televisit Tile while in the Provider View. The healthcare provider can expand data to better observe trend lines, as well as screen share the data for use during the televisit.

Read more: Apple Watch’s New Health Feature Monitors and Notifies You About Your Cardio Fitness

“The future of virtual healthcare is dependent on connectivity and the ability to drive real-time insights and deliver care through connected health,” said Krish Ramakrishnan, Chief Innovator and Strategist, BlueJeans by Verizon. “By empowering patients to share this level of contextual information directly into the BlueJeans Telehealth visit, we are enabling patients and healthcare providers to have more meaningful conversations and successful virtual consultations that can lead to better patient outcomes.”

WHOOP has introduced the next generation of its proprietary technology, WHOOP 4.0, a personalized 24/7 digital fitness and health coach. The new technology leverages an upgraded sensor configuration for optimal accuracy and includes WHOOP Body featuring Any-Wear™ Technology, a first-of-its-kind line of smart apparel which enables members to wear their WHOOP 4.0 in multiple locations across the body.

Read more: Sila’s Breakthrough Battery Technology Makes Its Commercial Debut In The New WHOOP Fitness Tracker

WHOOP members will receive first access to upgrade to WHOOP 4.0 free of charge. WHOOP 4.0 will also be available for purchase for new healthcare, government, business, and athletics customers, WHOOP said in a press release.

“I've been thinking about this technology for more than a decade, and I can promise you that this is the most innovative product we have ever released,” said Will Ahmed, WHOOP Founder & CEO. "We've always aspired to develop wearable technology that is either cool or invisible. With the launch of WHOOP 4.0 and WHOOP Body, we have accomplished both."

WHOOP 4.0 features include:

• Upgraded Sensor Configuration: The active sensor area now contains 5 LEDs (three green, one red, and one infrared), 4 photodiodes, and advanced algorithms to provide even more accurate heart rate measurements
• 33% Smaller Size: WHOOP 4.0 is 33% smaller than WHOOP 3.0 with a five-day battery life
• New Feature - Sleep Coach with Haptic Alerts: WHOOP 4.0 is engineered with haptic alerts that members can set to wake them up through gentle vibrations at the optimal time based on their sleep needs and cycles
• New Feature - Pulse Oximeter: The upgraded hardware is equipped to calculate blood oxygen levels (SPO2) to help members unlock additional daily health insights
• New Feature - Skin Temperature Sensor: WHOOP 4.0 measures skin temperature to provide members another layer of knowledge about their bodies
• New Feature - Health Monitor: Members can track live heart rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and respiratory rate in one view. The Health Monitor also allows members to easily download and export 30-day or 180-day trends of these metrics into a report that can be shared with a coach, trainer, PT, or physician
• WHOOP Battery Pack 4.0: The upgraded battery pack built for on-the-go charging is now waterproof and lets members double tap to view battery level
• Next Generation Battery Technology: WHOOP 4.0 is the first product in the world powered with Sila's silicon anode battery materials. Engineered with cell configuration improvements and long cycle life, the new battery delivers 17% higher energy density than WHOOP 3.0, facilitating a reimagined industrial design that also unlocks WHOOP Body

WHOOP Body featuring Any-Wear Technology enables WHOOP 4.0 to collect accurate data from areas including the torso, waist, and calf. This new collection of apparel is the first of its kind in the wearables industry and allows members to wear WHOOP 4.0 off of their wrists. In addition to apparel, WHOOP has developed new accessories and designs, including:

• Fast Link Slider: WHOOP 4.0 is built with a new Fast Link slider that makes it easier than ever to swap WHOOP 4.0 between a variety of colorful bands and all-new WHOOP Body sensor-enhanced technical apparel
• SuperKnit & HydroKnit Bands: WHOOP 4.0 includes a new SuperKnit band that comes pre-threaded and is constructed for ultimate comfort and durability. WHOOP will also release a HydroKnit band that is fast drying and optimized for water sports and activities
• Any-Wear Detection: A novel location detection technology identifies when and where WHOOP 4.0 is on the body

Read more: WHOOP Acquires Sports Tech Startup PUSH To Unlock Deeper Strength-Training Insights

WHOOP Body featuring Any-Wear Technology is available in two collections with prices ranging from $54 to $109. The Training Collection includes sports bras, compression tops, leggings, shorts, and athletic boxers. The Intimates Collection includes bralettes and everyday boxers. WHOOP Body and SuperKnit Bands are only available in combination with WHOOP 4.0.

Ynvisible Interactive, a fast-growing IoT firm, and PragmatIC Semiconductor, a world leader in flexible electronics, have entered into non-binding Technology Partnership and Supply Agreement, for a period of 3 years for services and deliverables of up to 2 Million U.S. dollars, focused on fully integrated flexible display modules.

Read more: Arrow Electronics Collaborates with Geniatech and ON Semiconductor for Workplace Safety Wearable

Many applications in growing markets such as smart packaging and healthcare require a display, for example, to provide assurance that the item was transported correctly, or to guarantee authenticity, or simply to provide a read-out of critical data. Traditional displays are inherently expensive, rigid and relatively bulky, which means that they are not suitable for packaging or printed media, or for embedding into mass market devices. Ynvisible’s printed electrochromic technology is ideal for these applications, enabling sustainable ultra-low-power displays in novel thin and flexible form factors.

But the display itself is only part of the puzzle – a driver circuit is also required to determine the behavior of the display. Until now, this has required a separate silicon integrated circuit (or chip), which is not only cumbersome and expensive but also detracts from the form-factor benefits of a thin and flexible display. Now, Ynvisible will employ a thin and flexible integrated circuit (FlexIC) from PragmatIC Semiconductor, embedded within the printed display to deliver a complete module, reports Business Wire.

The two companies also see strong synergies in their vision of enabling innovators to create optimized custom designs in a fraction of the time and cost required using traditional electronics. Under the recently signed agreement, PragmatIC will develop and supply a range of FlexICs that Ynvisible will integrate into both standard and customer-bespoke display modules.

“By integrating flexible integrated circuits we can now dramatically enhance the product solutions we offer our customers,” said Michael Robinson, CEO of Ynvisible. “We look forward to working with PragmatIC to deliver a range of flexible display modules that can offer easy integration with enhanced functionality across our verticals of the supply chain, play and packaging, and medical devices.”

“Ynvisible’s electrochromic display technology is a great match for our thin, flexible chips,” said Scott White, CEO of PragmatIC Semiconductor. “Alongside our FlexIC Foundry, this accelerates our vision of opening up exciting new opportunities beyond RFID, such as smart medical devices and visually interactive packaging.”

About Ynvisible

Ynvisible is a leading company in the emerging printed and flexible electronics sector. Ynvisible's interactive printed graphics solutions solve the need for ultra-low power, mass deployable, & easy-to-use electronic displays and indicators for everyday smart objects, IoT devices, and ambient intelligence (intelligent surfaces). The company offers a mix of services, materials, and technology to brand owners developing smart objects and IoT products.

Read more: Plastic Logic’s New Flexible Color Display Set To Revolutionize Wearables

About PragmaticIC Semiconductor

PragmatIC Semiconductor is a world leader in ultra-low-cost flexible electronics. Their unique technology platform enables innovators to create novel solutions to everyday problems that are beyond the scope of conventional electronics. The company’s ConnectIC® family of flexible integrated circuits (FlexICs) are thinner than human hair and extend proven applications such as RFID and NFC into mass-market use cases, enabling the potential for trillions of smart objects that can engage with consumers and their environments.

LivaNova, a market-leading medical technology, and innovation company, and Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on life sciences and healthcare, announced that the first patient has been enrolled in their collaborative UNCOVER study or “The RECOVER Sub-Study, Which Leverages Quantitative and Credible Research Tools from Verily, Will Provide Assessment Measures for Depressive Episodes.”

Read more: LivaNova’s VNS Therapy System Receives CE Mark for Difficult-to-Treat Depression

UNCOVER is an opt-in research study for patients taking part in the ongoing LivaNova clinical study RECOVER or “A Prospective, Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Blinded Trial Demonstrating the Safety and Effectiveness of VNS Therapy® as Adjunctive Therapy Versus a No Stimulation Control in Subjects with Treatment-Resistant Depression.” The UNCOVER sub-study deploys technology-enabled research tools from Verily to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of VNS Therapy as an adjunctive treatment for difficult-to-treat depression (DTD).

Participants in the UNCOVER sub-study will use two Verily-developed digital tools – a wearable, multi-sensor device (Verily Study Watch) along with an Android smartphone application (Verily Mood App). The Verily tools measure passive and active data, such as the participant’s pulse rate, activity levels, and sleep quality. The Mood App also allows participants to record voice diaries to more accurately assess depressive episodes and their effect on daily living, LivaNova said in a news release.

“After detailed planning with our colleagues at LivaNova, we are pleased to have launched the UNCOVER study and enrolled the first participant,” said Dr. William Marks, Head of Clinical Science and Neurology at Verily. “These Verily tools will collect behavioral, environmental, and physiological data from study participants, with the goal of painting a clearer picture of depressive episodes and the impact depression has on individual’s lives over the course of the study.”

Quantitative data obtained from these Verily tools will supplement the clinical outcomes collected in the RECOVER study, providing clinicians with a more comprehensive view of whether each patient’s depression is improving, staying the same, or worsening.

Depression continues to be an important health concern globally and an area in need of more effective treatments. Research shows the number of adults experiencing depression in the U.S. has tripled in recent times. Before the pandemic, 8.5% of U.S. adults reported being depressed, whereas that number has risen to 27.8% as the country deals with COVID-19.

“For as many as one in three patients, medication alone may not be enough to combat depression that is difficult to treat,” said Damien McDonald, Chief Executive Officer of LivaNova. “As we re-confirm the effectiveness of VNS Therapy in treating depression through the RECOVER study, we hope to learn even more through the UNCOVER sub-study about each patient’s journey and the daily improvements in their lives with the use of Verily tools so we can provide the most effective treatment for this disorder.”

Read more: John Hancock Collaborating with Verily and Onduo for Virtual Diabetes Management

Launched in September 2019, RECOVER is studying up to 1,000 people ages 18 or older who have depression or bipolar depression that has been difficult to treat. The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study is assessing how VNS Therapy can offer patients relief from their DTD symptoms and improve quality of life. Symmetry®, the LivaNova VNS Therapy System for depression, is the first and only FDA-approved implantable device specifically designed for DTD.

Hinge Health, the world’s #1 Digital Musculoskeletal Clinic, has acquired wrnch, the developer of the leading computer vision platform for measuring human motion. wrnch’s three-dimensional motion-tracking technology enables the same precise tracking of full-body movement used by elite athletes and the motion picture industry. Hinge Health now has the largest computer vision team in digital health.

Read more: Musculoskeletal Startup Hinge Health Launches HingeConnect to Integrate With Users’ EMRs

This acquisition underlines the commitment of Hinge Health, the market leader in musculoskeletal (MSK) care, to pioneering better ways of delivering care. Movement-tracking technologies, such as computer vision and motion sensors, enable Hinge Health’s clinical care team to deliver the most responsive and personalized whole-body approach to MSK care, improving outcomes and member experience while reducing costs, reports BusinessWire.

Combining motion sensors and computer vision further burnishes Hinge Health’s digital physical therapy solution as the most comprehensive on the market, uniquely enabling the following:

• Motion assessments to objectively measure a patient’s functional ability across strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance to inform care plan personalization.
• Expanded exercise tracking as computer vision and motion sensors together enable the widest range and measurement of full-body exercises, including yoga and aerobics.
• Enhanced clinical care programs that improve rehab of difficult-to-treat areas, such as the head, neck, and hands, by tracking 87 unique points on the body.

Hinge Health continues to pioneer new standards in personalized MSK care by pairing a comprehensive clinical care team with the industry’s most advanced technology portfolio:

• Computer vision and motion sensors for exercise therapy and motion assessments.
• Hinge Health Enso, a groundbreaking wearable technology for immediate noninvasive and non-addictive pain relief.
• HingeConnect for bridging the gap between in-person and digital MSK care and enabling real-time interventions by integrating health data with 750,000+ providers.

“We built wrnch into the world’s leading artificial intelligence and computer vision R&D lab to understand human motion, shape, and intent,” said Dr. Paul A. Kruszewski, founder and CEO of wrnch. “I’m so excited to combine our artificial intelligence technology with Hinge Health’s Digital MSK Clinic to improve clinical outcomes for millions of members.”

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

Hinge Health cofounder and CEO Daniel Perez explained, “We won’t stop investing in technology to deliver the most patient-centered digital clinic that improves member experience and outcomes while reducing costs. wrnch allows us to take a giant leap forward in all respects.”

AI is the most powerful technology force of our time. In the future, trillions of computers running AI will create a new internet-of-things all over the world – from smart retail to manufacturing and service robots, to self-driving cars and smart cities – reinventing computing as we know it.

Read more: Magic Leap One AR Glasses Powered by Nvidia’s Tegra X2 Will Arrive This Summer

NVIDIA and SoftBank Group Corp announced in September last year a definitive agreement under which NVIDIA will acquire Arm Limited from SBG and the SoftBank Vision Fund (together, “SoftBank”) in a transaction valued at $40 billion, NVIDIA said in a press release.

The combination brings together NVIDIA’s leading AI computing platform with Arm’s vast ecosystem to create the premier computing company for the age of artificial intelligence, accelerating innovation while expanding into large, high-growth markets. SoftBank will remain committed to Arm’s long-term success through its ownership stake in NVIDIA, expected to be under 10 percent.

“AI is the most powerful technology force of our time and has launched a new wave of computing,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “In the years ahead, trillions of computers running AI will create a new internet-of-things that is thousands of times larger than today’s internet-of-people. Our combination will create a company fabulously positioned for the age of AI.

“Simon Segars and his team at Arm have built an extraordinary company that is contributing to nearly every technology market in the world. Uniting NVIDIA’s AI computing capabilities with the vast ecosystem of Arm’s CPU, we can advance computing from the cloud, smartphones, PCs, self-driving cars, and robotics, to edge IoT and expand AI computing to every corner of the globe.

“This combination has tremendous benefits for both companies, our customers, and the industry. For Arm’s ecosystem, the combination will turbocharge Arm’s R&D capacity and expand its IP portfolio with NVIDIA’s world-leading GPU and AI technology.

“Arm will remain headquartered in Cambridge. We will expand on this great site and build a world-class AI research facility, supporting developments in healthcare, life sciences, robotics, self-driving cars, and other fields. And, to attract researchers and scientists from the U.K. and around the world to conduct groundbreaking work, NVIDIA will build a state-of-the-art AI supercomputer, powered by Arm CPUs. Arm Cambridge will be a world-class technology center.”

Read more: MarketsandMarkets Report: IoT Chip Market Will Be Worth $525.4 Billion by 2025

Update

The Verge reported last month (August, 2021) that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has admitted for the first time that the company’s planned acquisition of Arm may take longer than the initially-scheduled 18 months. The acquisition, which would bring together two of the most powerful chip companies in the world, is facing scrutiny from regulators in the US, UK, and China.

“Our discussions with regulators are taking longer than initially thought, so it’s pushing out the timetable,” Huang told The Financial Times. “It’s not one particular delay,” he added. “But we’re confident in the deal, we’re confident regulators should recognize the benefits of the acquisition.”

Managing the heat generated in electronics is a huge problem, especially with the constant push to reduce the size and pack as many transistors as possible in the same chip. The whole problem is how to manage such high heat fluxes efficiently. Usually electronic technologies, designed by electrical engineers, and cooling systems, designed by mechanical engineers, are done independently and separately. But now EPFL researchers have quietly revolutionized the process by combining these two design steps into one: they've developed an integrated microfluidic cooling technology together with the electronics, that can efficiently manage the large heat fluxes generated by transistors. Their research, which has been published in Nature, will lead to even more compact electronic devices and enable the integration of power converters, with several high-voltage devices, into a single chip.

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

The best of both worlds

In this ERC-funded project, Professor Elison Matioli, his doctoral student Remco Van Erp, and their team from the School of Engineering's Power and Wide-band-gap Electronics Research Laboratory (POWERLAB), began working to bring about a real change in mentality when it comes to designing electronic devices, by conceiving the electronics and cooling together, right from the beginning, aiming to extract the heat very near the regions that heat up the most in the device. "We wanted to combine skills in electrical and mechanical engineering in order to create a new kind of device," says Van Erp.

The team was looking to solve the issue of how to cool electronic devices, especially transistors. "Managing the heat produced by these devices is one of the biggest challenges in electronics going forward," says Elison Matioli. "It's becoming increasingly important to minimize the environmental impact, so we need innovative cooling technologies that can efficiently process the large amounts of heat produced in a sustainable and cost-effective way."

Microfluidic channels and hot spots

Their technology is based on integrating microfluidic channels inside the semiconductor chip, together with the electronics, so a cooling liquid flows inside an electronic chip. "We placed microfluidic channels very close to the transistor's hot spots, with a straightforward and integrated fabrication process, so that we could extract the heat in exactly the right place and prevent it from spreading throughout the device," says Matioli. The cooling liquid they used was deionized water, which doesn't conduct electricity. "We chose this liquid for our experiments, but we're already testing other, more effective liquids so that we can extract even more heat out of the transistor," says Van Erp.

Read more: MediaTek Launches New Dimensity 5G Smartphone Chipsets with Unrivaled AI and Multimedia

Reducing energy consumption

"This cooling technology will enable us to make electronic devices even more compact and could considerably reduce energy consumption around the world," says Matioli. "We've eliminated the need for large external heat sinks and shown that it's possible to create ultra-compact power converters in a single chip. This will prove useful as society becomes increasingly reliant on electronics." The researchers are now looking at how to manage heat in other devices, such as lasers and communications systems.

Fertility tracking app Flo announced it closed $50M in a Series B financing, bringing the total capital raised to $65 million and company valuation to $800M. VNV Global and Target Global both led the round, with previous investments in Babylon Health, Lyft, Delivery Hero, and Bird. As the most downloaded health app in AppStore in 2020, Flo will use the latest funding to enhance personalization and provide users with advanced cycle insights and symptom patterns to help them effectively manage and proactively improve their overall health.

Read more: How Femtech Broke Down Social Barriers and Became a Big Success

The 2016-founded startup raised a $1M seed in its first year and has gone on to raise a total of $65M. The latest B funding round is co-led by VNV Global and Target Global.

“Too often, people encounter misinformation when searching on the internet for signs and symptoms of conditions, especially when it comes to taboo topics such as menstrual and sexual health,” said VP of Product, Cath Everett. “Our users often come to Flo for the period or ovulation tracking and stay for the wealth of science-backed content, expert-led courses, and accurate cycle predictions. We’re fortunate to partner with the top universities and conduct cutting-edge medical research. With this funding, we’ll be able to further democratize access to credible health information, helping people better understand their unique signs and symptoms on an even larger scale.”

With a community of over 200 million users, coming from all corners of the world, Flo has gained significant traction. In the last twelve months, Flo has experienced hyper-growth: the app has increased its active subscribers base 4 times reaching 1.5M in August 2021. By the end of 2021, Flo aims to reach a $100M Annual Run Rate. Flo’s business model is purely subscription-based. The company recently introduced Flo as a benefit to US employers to better support women in the workplace with the resources they need to thrive — physically and mentally, reports Globe Newswire.

“Flo is a category-defining company in the femtech industry,” said Alexander Frolov, CEO and Co-founder of Target Global. “As of this year, we’re just starting to see a shift in startups addressing specific female health conditions -- but there are very few companies that are addressing the root causes of these conditions. Flo’s proactive platform is ahead of the curve, and has raised the bar for what consumers should expect from consumer health apps.”

Flo provides curated cycle tracking and predictions, personalized health insights, and real-time health alerts based on tracked symptoms in an easy-to-use interface. Over 1 billion menstrual cycles have been tracked within the app, and 95% of users say Flo contributed to their overall well-being³. To date, 27.7 million women got pregnant while using Flo. With over 200M of Flo users, every tenth woman between ages 15 to 49 in the world manages her cycle using the app.

Read more: AI-powered women’s health platform lands $12M in Series A extension round

“Flo’s long-term value and impact on its users is truly unmatched in the industry,” said Per Brilioth, CEO of VNV Global. “With its deep medical expertise and advanced product, Flo is addressing a critical gap in preventative care, an area that has been neglected for far too long. Flo’s strong position in this space and already impressive user base make the company well-positioned to continue to be a pioneer and true market leader over the coming years. We couldn’t be more thrilled to contribute to the next stage of its evolution.”

On Tuesday, Apple announced that its new Apple Watch Series 7 will be available this Fall for a starting price of $399.

The Apple Watch Series 7 features a reengineered Always-On Retina display with significantly more screen area and thinner borders, making it the largest and most advanced display ever. The narrower borders allow the display to maximize screen area, while minimally changing the dimensions of the watch itself.

Read more: Apple Reportedly Looking to Add Blood Pressure Monitoring and Fertility Tracking In Smartwatch

“Apple Watch Series 7 delivers significant improvements — from our largest and most advanced display, to enhanced durability and faster charging — making the world’s best smartwatch better than ever before,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Powered by watchOS 8, Apple Watch brings useful new capabilities to help customers stay connected, track activity and workouts, and better understand their overall health and wellness.”

Most durable Apple Watch ever

Apple claims that its Apple Watch Series 7 is the most durable Apple Watch ever, with a stronger, more crack-resistant front crystal. It is the first Apple Watch to have an IP6X certification for resistance to dust, and maintains a WR50 water resistance rating.

New design

The stunning display of Apple Watch Series 7 offers nearly 20 percent more screen area and thinner borders at just 1.7 mm — 40 percent smaller than those on Apple Watch Series 6. Through an innovative design that maximizes the screen area while minimally changing the dimensions of the overall case size, Apple Watch Series 7 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, Apple said in a press release.

Most Durable Apple Watch Ever

Apple Watch Series 7 features a redesigned front crystal with a stronger and more robust geometry that is over 50 percent thicker than that of Apple Watch Series 6, making it more crack-resistant without compromising optical clarity.

Faster Charging

Apple Watch Series 7 provides all-day 18-hour battery life on a single charge, and 33 percent faster charging compared with Apple Watch Series 6, through a new charging architecture and Magnetic Fast Charger USB-C Cable.

watchOS 8

watchOS 8 debuts additional watch faces designed especially for the larger display on Apple Watch Series 7. The new Contour face takes the dial right to the edge of the display and fluidly animates throughout the day, emphasizing the current hour.

Wellness

The new Mindfulness app, sleep respiratory rate tracking, and Tai Chi and Pilates workout types can help improve overall wellness.

Cycling, Workout, and Fall Detection Updates

watchOS 8 also brings new features to anyone who rides a bike. Apple Watch uses advanced algorithms to analyze GPS, heart rate, accelerometer, and gyroscope data to detect when users begin a ride and prompts them to start an Outdoor Cycle workout if one was not initiated.

New voice feedback through the built-in speaker of the Apple Watch, or through AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, will also automatically announce workout milestones and Activity ring status, helping users stay focused during activities like running or HIIT.

With watchOS 8, fall detection algorithms are updated and optimized for detecting falls during workouts — including cycling — and have been tuned to recognize the unique motion and impact of falls from a bike and other workout types.

Read more: Apple Watch Accurately Predicts Frailty in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Wallet and Home

New Wallet and Home app functionality provide more convenient access to the car and places users live, work, and visit. Enhancements to Messages and the Photos app make staying connected to loved ones even easier.

Apple Watch and the Environment

In line with Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple Watch Series 7 has more recycled content than any other Apple Watch, featuring 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. Apple Watch Series 7 is also made without harmful chemicals like mercury, PVC, beryllium, and BFRs.

Women’s health tech startup Elvie has added £12.7 million through a Series C funding round, bringing its total raised funds to £70 million ($97 million). The 2013-founded, U.K.-based startup previously raised a $42 million Series B in 2019, and a $6 million Series A in 2017.

Read more: Elvie’s Silent Wearable Breast Pump Makes Life Easier for Nursing Mothers

Elvie revealed that existing investors Hiro Capital, Westerly Winds, and IPGL, along with the co-founders of Blume Equity, a private equity firm focused on the food and health industries, have injected funds into the Series C extension. According to Frost and Sullivan, the femtech industry is expected to become a $50 billion market by 2025. Elvie said it will use the money to accelerate growth by geographically expanding and entering new markets as well as to diversify its product offerings to target other "key stages" in women's lives.

That means it’ll be splurge on R&D to support product development – connected hardware that mixes physical gadgetry with software still looks to be a strong focus – and also on strengthening its ops and infrastructure to prep for further scale, reports TechCrunch.

Elvie sells four products at this stage. The first to launch, Elvie Trainer, is an award-winning Kegel trainer and app. Its second product, Elvie Pump, is the world’s first silent, wearable breast pump. The newest additions to the line-up are Elvie Curve and Elvie Catch; both enhancing the Elvie breastfeeding range. “Elvie is ready for the next phase of our growth. We have already revolutionized the categories we operate in, but we know that there is vast untapped potential to create better technology products and services for women in new areas,” said Tania Boler, CEO and founder of Elvie.

Read more: Femtech Hardware Elvie Partners with NHS to Tackle Stress Urinary Incontinence

She added that Elvie’s goal is to create “the go-to destination for women’s health at all life stages” – selling “sophisticated, accurate and personalized solutions” to its target female consumer.

Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL has launched its NXTWEAR G Smart glasses. Teased at CES 2021 in January, the TCL NXTWEAR G combines dual Sony micro OLED screens with portability, plug-and-play functionality, and a stylish, comfortable design. Additionally, TCL also launched its new cross-device Multi-Screen Collaboration feature across select lines. The feature delivers seamless productivity across several product categories, including select TCL Mobile devices and compatible, laptops, tablets, and televisions.

Read more: CES 2021: TCL Announces its First Wearable Display, True Wireless Earbuds and Pet Tracker

Aaron Zhang, CEO at TCL Communication, said: "With TCL's expertise in Display Greatness, now is the perfect time to challenge the established, disconnected, single-screen scenario across price points. In the premium space, NXTWEAR G Smart Glasses become an extension of your smart device and transport you to a private viewing party wherever you are. Looking at its broader portfolio, TCL's accessibly priced high-end devices, including the TCL 20 Pro 5G, will provide even more value in the coming months, with rich Multi-Screen Collaboration rolling out in future software updates."

TCL NXTWEAR G

Experience smart vision with TCL NXTWEAR G Wearable Display Glasses, a portable cinema for movie lovers, an immersive world for gamers, or a private space at home, work, or on your commute. Combining a sophisticated, foldable frameless design with a comfortable fit, NXTWEAR G showcases a stylish, reflective deep black exterior and a high-end look and feel.

Convenient and compact, NXTWEAR G is protected by a capsule case that fits in a small backpack or large handbag. No charging is required; the grab-and-go glasses are plug-and-play, so can be powered by your compatible laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This creates a unique, fuss-free watching environment when matched with technology you already own, the company said in a press release.

The dual 1080p high-definition Sony FHD Micro OLED panels are perfectly positioned to deliver home theatre proportions, as NXTWEAR G emulates a 140-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. With a visual experience supporting 3D 4K content integrated with stereo speakers, cinema scores and gameplay are brought to life as you lose yourself in sensory immersion. The streamlined, reflective deep black exterior of the TCL NXTWEAR G is set against soft-touch nylon and silica gel – carefully selected materials surrounding a metallic frame, creating a comfortable, skin-friendly fit and feel that's also durable. Inside its carry case are three adjustable nose pad sizes to cater to every face shape as well as a lens adapter for a clear viewing experience no matter what your prescription might be.

The NXTWEAR G's open-fit design maintains a degree of peripheral vision, so you can shift your gaze down to glance at your fingers typing on a keyboard or look up to greet a flight attendant offering you an in-flight beverage.

Worn exactly like a traditional pair of glasses, there are no overhead straps to mess up your hair, batteries that need charging, or slots for you to slide a smartphone into with NXTWEAR G. You also don't need an app; simply connect the glasses to any smart device with a compatible USB-C display-out port and put them on for a fantastic visual experience.

NXTWEAR G is compatible with more than 100 smartphones, hybrid two-in-one devices, and laptops from all major manufacturers, and will be available to buy in Australia beginning next month, with market availability to follow in select regions.

Read more: TCL Patent Hints at a Foldable Smartphone that Can be Worn as a Smartwatch

Multi-Screen Collaboration

TCL's Multi-Screen vision starts with whatever device you have on you. As an example, when you're traveling for work, you walk to the train station and buy tickets using contactless payments on your phone, streaming music over 5G as you go. Once in your seat, the handoff from your TCL 20 Pro 5G to a cinematic wearable, the NXTWEAR G, as a portable big-screen experience transports you instantly while you rest and recharge.

Multi-Screen Collaboration will be supported across a range of product lines, rolling out initially to TCL 20 Pro 5G smartphones through an over-the-air software update.

Sila Nanotechnologies, a next-generation battery materials company, is bringing to market the most significant breakthrough in battery chemistry in 30 years — the technology to replace graphite anodes — which will usher in a new era of energy storage. Sila’s silicon anode chemistry dramatically increases the energy density of batteries, reducing battery size without sacrificing safety or performance. Sila’s new battery is now commercially available in WHOOP 4.0, the latest fitness and health wearable from WHOOP.

Read more: WHOOP Acquires Sports Tech Startup PUSH To Unlock Deeper Strength-Training Insights

The Sila anode is the first next-gen lithium-ion material available on the market. Designed to offer economical manufacturing at a global scale, our unique technology is poised to electrify the future, while delivering transformational benefits to the mobile industry today.

• 20% more energy density
• Drop-in solution for ease and speed to market
• Smaller battery footprint
• No compromise in cycle life, charge performance, or safety

The technology also facilitates the development of new and unique product features for mobile devices not previously possible due to energy density and battery size constraints - better cameras, augmented reality/virtual reality sensors, wireless charging, 5G speeds, and sensors for continuous health monitoring, reports BusinessWire.

“After 10 years, 55,000 iterations, and over a 1,000x manufacturing scale up, the Sila team is the first to industrialize and now make commercially available a new type of lithium-ion chemistry with dramatically higher energy density. Our next-generation materials will drive radical change in product innovation, freeing consumers and device makers from having to choose between better design, more features, and battery performance,” said Gene Berdichevsky, CEO and Co-Founder of Sila. “We are running out of time to transition from the fossil fuels economy to the energy storage economy. The path to a sustainable future will be paved with great products and Sila is proud to be enabling those products today.”

WHOOP 4.0, the most advanced 24/7 fitness and health wearable, is the first product in the market to use next-generation silicon anode materials. Powered with Sila science, WHOOP 4.0 is a smaller, sleeker product with 17 percent higher energy density—enabling a 5-day battery life and enhanced sensors for improved fitness tracking. These advances were achieved without altering existing manufacturing processes, making it faster and easier for WHOOP and its battery manufacturing partner to incorporate Sila materials into its newest wearable.

Read more: Apple Watch’s Future Band Design Could Boost Battery Life

“One of the greatest barriers to advancing the design of wearable technologies has been the weight and size of the battery technology available,” said John Capodilupo, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer at WHOOP. “With Sila, all that has changed. We’ve been able to transform WHOOP 4.0 from its previous version and load it with new features and capabilities, without battery performance compromise. Just as we have leveraged this new battery advancement to push the wearable industry forward, Sila’s technology has the potential to enable exciting design innovation in other categories and products.”

Facebook, Inc. and Ray-Ban have teamed up to launch the next generation of smart glasses, Ray-Ban Stories. The highly anticipated collaboration brings forward a new way to seamlessly capture, share and listen through your most authentic moments. The announcement was made today by Mark Zuckerberg and Rocco Basilico in a virtual announcement detailing the partnership and the exciting capabilities.

Read more: Bose Announces Frames – Revolutionary Smartglasses that Combine Sunglasses, Wireless Headphones and Audio Augmented Reality

“Today we’re excited to launch Ray-Ban Stories: Smart glasses that give you an authentic way to capture photos and video, share your adventures, and listen to music or take phone calls — so you can stay present with friends, family, and the world around you,” Facebook said.

Leading Ray-Ban Stories’ product lineup with the most recognizable style, an icon since the 1950s is Wayfarer and Wayfarer Large. Facebook and EssilorLuxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company, were able to engineer smart technology to support all-day wear, including an optimized Snapdragon processor, without compromising style, comfort, and aesthetic, but most of all the weight, with just 5gr more than a standard pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer.

Ray-Ban Stories include a dual integrated 5MP camera to capture photos and video; discreet open-ear speakers to listen, and a three-microphone audio array to deliver rich voice and sound transmission for calls and videos. You can also find Ray-Ban Stories in a variety of other iconic styles such as the legendary, retro Round and the super iconic Meteor. Starting at $299 (CAD 369, EUR 329, GBP 299, AUD 449) you can add flare to your style by choosing various lenses: sun, prescription, polarized, gradient, Transitions®, and clear, Luxottica said in a press release.

In addition to an iconic design built with innovative technology, Ray-Ban Stories launches in conjunction with a companion app, Facebook View (iOS and Android), creating an easy way to import, edit, and share content captured on the smart glasses with the ability to upload on any social app stored on your phone: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and more.

“We are incredibly proud to bring Ray-Ban Stories to life with our partners at Facebook,” said Rocco Basilico, Chief Wearables Officer at EssilorLuxottica. “This is a milestone product that proves consumers don’t have to choose between technology and fashion - they can live in the moment and stay connected while wearing their favorite style of Ray-Ban. Our unique approach, combining decades of superior craftsmanship, a dedicated spirit of innovation, and a commitment to delivering only cutting edge technology has resulted in a wearable that people will truly love wearing.”

“Ray-Ban Stories is designed to help people live in the moment and stay connected to the people they are with and the people they wish they were with. EssilorLuxottica has been nothing short of stellar in this partnership and through their commitment to excellence we were able to deliver on both style and substance in a way that will redefine the expectations of smart glasses. We're introducing an entirely new way for people to stay connected to the world around them and truly be present in life's most important moments, and to look good while doing it,” said Andrew Bosworth, Vice President, Facebook Reality Labs.

Read more: Huawei Partners Up with Gentle Monster to Release New Smartglasses

Starting at $299 USD and available in 20 style combinations, the smart glasses are available for purchase online and in select retail stores in the US as well as Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and the UK at Luxottica retail banners including SunglassHut, LensCrafters, OPSM, David Clulow and Salmoiraghi & Viganò and soon after available also at selected wholesale clients.

Flexible electronics have opened up some interesting possibilities. Wearable sensors, for example, are evolving rapidly. New innovations have taken wearable sensors to another dimension. Engineers can now print sensors directly on the skin, taking the form of tattoo-like films and sleeves that monitor various aspects of human health.

Read more: Printed Electronics Paves the Way for Bandages, Electric Tattoos and Biosensors

Scientists at Penn State University have developed new types of sensors that they say can be safely printed directly onto the skin, where it can track things like body temperature and blood oxygen levels, before being washed off once the job is done.

“The sensors are capable of precisely and continuously capturing temperature, humidity, blood oxygen levels, and heart performance signals,” the researchers say. They also linked the on-body sensors into a network with wireless transmission capabilities to monitor the combination of signals as they progress. The sensors can be printed directly onto the skin using a process developed by the research team that bonds a sensor’s metallic components at room temperature, rather than at the high temperatures required by other bonding or sintering processes. High-temperature sintering is normally required to bond silver nanoparticles together into flexible electronic components. At 572 degrees Fahrenheit (300 Celsius), this cannot be safely performed directly on the skin.

The research team invented a technique that bonds a sensor’s metallic components at room temperature, rather than at the high temperatures required by other bonding or sintering processes. They developed a sintering layer, consisting of a commonly used polyvinyl alcohol paste and calcium carbonate, that lets the nanoparticles bond at room temperature.

“The room temperature sintering aid layer consists of polyvinyl alcohol paste — the main ingredient in peelable face masks — and calcium carbonate, which comprises eggshells,” the researchers said.

The layer reduces printing surface roughness and allows for an ultra-thin layer of metal patterns that can bend and fold while maintaining electromechanical capabilities.

Read more: Wearable Sensor With Universal Molecular Recognition Capability, Has Potential Use in Precision Medicine

While this sintering layer allows the process to be completed at room temperature, it also makes the surface of the resulting material smoother and still flexible for on-body applications.

Using the technique, the researchers have already created blood oxygen, ECG, temperature, and humidity sensors directly on the skin. They also linked these sensors into a network that can transmit readings in real-time to a nearby monitor.

The National Football League (NFL) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) today launched a new artificial intelligence challenge to create ways for computers to automatically identify players using NFL game footage. New computer vision models created through the challenge will accelerate the NFL’s work with AWS to better understand, and aim to reduce, injuries in the NFL. Prize money totaling $100,000 will be awarded to data scientists with winning models. The contest will be open through November 2, 2021.

Read more: New Technology Used by NFL Athletes Gives Teams and Trainers Edge in Injury Assessment

This challenge is the next step in the NFL’s work with AWS to develop the Digital Athlete, a virtual representation of an NFL player that can be used to better predict and hopefully prevent player injury. Last season, the NFL hosted its first computer vision competition, providing computer scientists with NFL game data and challenging them to create ways to detect on-field helmet impacts. Nearly 7,800 submissions were received from data scientists around the world. Those solutions are now being used by the NFL and AWS in ongoing work on the Digital Athlete, reports NFL.

This challenge builds upon last season’s competition by scoring teams based on how accurately they identify players involved in a helmet impact. The NFL will be providing data scientists with the same set of game data to build upon the current models. This competition will advance an already robust machine learning pipeline built on AWS that is working towards being among the most advanced and sophisticated injury surveillance and mitigation programs in professional sports.

“This competition is foundational in helping identify each player’s risk to injury-causing events, especially when it comes to head health,” said Jeff Miller, NFL Executive Vice President overseeing the league's health and safety programs. “We are excited to enlist some of the most talented data scientists from around the world to help develop these solutions and meaningfully advance player safety.”

“Using AWS’s broad range of technologies including machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), the NFL and AWS will generate more new insights than ever previously possible into player injuries, game rules, equipment, rehabilitation, and recovery,” said Priya Ponnapalli, Senior Manager, Applied Science, Amazon ML Solutions Lab. “This contest will continue that work and the data and insights collected through this project have the potential to shape the future of football.”

Read more: Amazon’s Halo Fitness Tracker Will Soon Be Able To Judge Your Movement Health By Using Your Smartphone Camera

The Digital Athlete will ultimately help the NFL and its clubs to leverage sports science and injury biomechanics to develop individualized training and recovery regimens, conduct real-time risk analysis for injury during games, and identify and evaluate additional player safety initiatives, including around equipment, rules changes, and coaching techniques.

Age-related hearing loss is an increasingly important public health problem affecting approximately 40% of 55–74-year-olds. The primary clinical management intervention for people with hearing loss is hearing aids, however, the majority (80%) of adults aged 55–74 years who would benefit from a hearing aid, do not use them. The reasons include hearing aid value, device factor, appearance, fit and comfort and maintenance of the hearing aid, etc.

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

Signia’s Active Pro hearing aids are ready to wear, combining iconic user-friendly design similar to premium consumer earbuds with audiological high-tech. This includes Signia Xperience YourSound technology for enhanced speech understanding in noise, Bluetooth connectivity, portable Li-ion rechargeability, and the self-service convenience of the Signia Assistant.

With a next-level hearing aid style comparable to state-of-the-art earbuds, Signia Active Pro looks just like the earbuds that others are wearing.

Signia Active Pro combines the company’s Signia Xperience YourSound technology built on revolutionary acoustic-motion sensors with Li-ion rechargeability and Bluetooth connectivity so the user always hears what matters, with ease.

The pocket-sized Signia Active Charger lets wearers put the devices in and out of their ears when they need them for full flexibility and independence, with up to 26 hours of use per charge.

Wearers enjoy listening to phone calls, music, TV, and more with state-of-the-art Bluetooth streaming. The Active Pro hearing aids connect to your phone over Bluetooth and can double as streaming audio monitors in a pinch.

Read more: Lifestyles of Baby Boomers are Transforming the Way Tech Companies Upgrade Hearing Aids

The latest Signia Xperience platform delivers high-definition prescription audio with technologies found in the most advanced hearing aids. It enables wearers to hear voices clearly from any direction, even in noise.

The Signia Active Pro hearing aids are priced at $3,000 for a pair.

A team of researchers from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has found a way to embed synthetic biology reactions into fabrics, creating wearable biosensors that can be customized to detect pathogens and toxins and alert the wearer.

Read more: Respiray: Powerful Wearable Face Mask Alternative Eliminates The Need To Cover Your Face

The team has integrated this technology into standard face masks to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a patient’s breath. The button-activated mask gives results within 90 minutes at levels of accuracy comparable to standard nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests like polymerase chain reactions (PCR). The achievement is reported in Nature Biotechnology.

“We have essentially shrunk an entire diagnostic laboratory down into a small, synthetic biology-based sensor that works with any face mask, and combines the high accuracy of PCR tests with the speed and low cost of antigen tests,” said co-first author Peter Nguyen, Ph.D., a Research Scientist at the Wyss Institute. “In addition to face masks, our programmable biosensors can be integrated into other garments to provide on-the-go detection of dangerous substances including viruses, bacteria, toxins, and chemical agents.”

The SARS-CoV-2 biosensor is the culmination of three years of work on what the team calls their wearable freeze-dried cell-free (wFDCF) technology, which is built upon earlier iterations created in the lab of Wyss Core Faculty member and senior author Jim Collins. The technique involves extracting and freeze-drying the molecular machinery that cells use to read DNA and produce RNA and proteins. These biological elements are shelf-stable for long periods of time and activating them is simple: just add water. Synthetic genetic circuits can be added to create biosensors that can produce a detectable signal in response of the presence of a target molecule, writes Lindsay Brownwell in Wyss Institute.

The wFDCF face mask is the first SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test that achieves high accuracy rates comparable to current gold standard RT-PCR tests while operating fully at room temperature, eliminating the need for heating or cooling instruments and allowing the rapid screening of patient samples outside of labs.

The new face mask can quickly diagnose COVID-19 from the virus in a patient's breath, and can also be integrated into clothing to detect a wide variety of pathogens and other dangerous substances. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University।

In their paper, the researchers demonstrate that a network of fiber optic cables can be integrated into their wFCDF technology to detect fluorescent light generated by biological reactions, indicating the detection of the target molecule with a high level of accuracy. This digital signal can be sent to a smartphone app that allows the wearer to monitor their exposure to a vast array of substances.

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

“This technology could be incorporated into lab coats for scientists working with hazardous materials or pathogens, scrubs for doctors and nurses, or the uniforms of first responders and military personnel who could be exposed to dangerous pathogens or toxins, such as nerve gas,” said co-author Nina Donghia, a Staff Scientist at the Wyss Institute.

The team is actively searching for manufacturing partners who are interested in helping to enable the mass production of the face mask diagnostic for use during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for detecting other biological and environmental hazards.