Wearable clothing news : June 2020

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Best smartwatch deals for July 2020: Samsung, Fitbit, and Apple Watch sales

Smartwatches make life easier by sending alerts right on your wrist. Many also provide fitness-tracking features, so now is a great time to pick one up for cheap. With so many models available, you can find a deal on one almost all of the time.

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VR wearable can simulate temperature changes using odorless chemicals

Simulating temperature with smells? Turns out it works

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Amazing new glove can translate sign language into spoken words in real time

It's like a Nintendo Power glove for sign language

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Garmin Forerunner 235 smartwatch down to lowest-ever price — save $175

The Garmin Forerunner 235 is a great deal at only $155 right now for a limited time only

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Global Nanotechnology Clothing Market Expected To Decline Due To COVID-19 Outbreak

According to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s new report “Nanotechnology Clothing Global Market Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Growth and Change,” the worldwide nanotechnology clothing market is expected to decline from $7.42 billion in 2019 to $5.3 billion in 2020 at a CAGR of -28.56%. The decline is mainly due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of industries and other commercial activities.

This report provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global nanotechnology clothing market.

The report focuses on nanotechnology clothing market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the nanotechnology clothing market which will be shaping and changing our lives over the next ten years and beyond, including the market’s response to the challenge of the global pandemic, says a press release.

The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider nanotechnology clothing market and compares it with other markets.

The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market.

The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, the influence of the COVID-19 virus and forecasting its growth.
Market segmentations break down market into sub markets.
The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth. It covers the growth trajectory of COVID-19 for all regions, key developed countries and major emerging markets.
Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
The trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it emerges from the crisis and suggests how companies can grow as the market recovers.
The nanotechnology clothing market section of the report gives context. It compares the nanotechnology clothing market with other segments of the nanotechnology clothing market by size and growth, historic and forecast. It analyses GDP proportion, expenditure per capita, nanotechnology clothing indicators comparison.

The nanotechnology clothing market consists of sales of clothes that use nanotechnology or nano fabrics. Nanoparticles are increasingly used along with fibers or as a coating on clothing to enhance the surface characteristics of clothes such as microbicidal, waterproof, antistatic or UV-protection, color durable, dirt-resistant, odor-resistant, stain-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, and better thermal performance. The nanotechnology applications include nanowhiskers, silver nanoparticles, nanopores and nanoparticles.

North America was the largest region in the nanotechnology clothing market in 2019. The launch of new products incorporating wearable technology is a key trend shaping the growth of the market.

The rising use of nanotechnology clothing in the medical industry, owing to its anti-microbial properties, is expected to drive the nanotechnology clothing market. Nanotechnology clothing offers the anti-microbial property to fight against microorganisms such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. The companies functioning in the nanotechnology clothing market are introducing medical products to deal with microorganisms.

Companies Mentioned In The Report

Nano Textile
Colmar
Shanghai Huzheng Nano Technology
eSpin Technologies
FTEnE
Parker Hannifin
Schoeller Technologies
Odegon Technologies
Aspen Aerogel
BASF
Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Nantero
Liquidia Technologies
DigiLens Inc.
StoreDot
Abionic
Lyncean Technologies
NuMat Technologies
Nanotech Industrial Solutions
Aspen
Aerogel
NanoHorizons
Nanex
Schoeller Technologies
Odegon Technologies
Global Photonic
Konara

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How to Enhance Reliability of PPG Data for Health Wearables, According To Maxim Integrated

Whether a sensor can provide reliable data depends on the target information, the algorithm deployed, and the specific details of a given use case. Optical biosensing has become a mainstream feature in smartwatches and fitness wearables, providing actionable insights to support preventative healthcare, chronic disease management, and remote patient monitoring. Ian Chen, a healthcare technology expert at Maxim Integrated, provides an overview of the interaction around photoplethysmography (PPG) data collected by optical biosensors in his blog post, “What’s in Photoplethysmography Data? A Look at the Interaction Between Sensor Performance and Algorithms.”

PPG measures the reflected (back-scattered) or transmitted light through tissue to investigate the variations in blood volume which occur with each heartbeat. Researchers and physicians have derived information including heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood vessel viscosity, venous reflux, cold sensitivity, blood pressure, and cardiac output by processing PPG data with different algorithms. Whether the captured PPG data can provide all of these insights reliably depends on many factors.

A pulse oximeter — Image: Lance Cpl. Christopher O’Quin (Wikimedia Commons)

When we take signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as a measure of PPG data reliability, we see that the measurement environment in a specific end-use and the underlying PPG system design play fundamental roles in assuring reliability. Consider these parameters:

Optical configuration, which includes the wavelength of the light(s), the efficiency and field of view of the light-emitting diode (LED), the responsiveness of the photodetector (PD), and the design of the optical path. Each of these factors contributes to the current transfer rate (CTR) of the sensing system.
Subject’s skin tone, skin temperature, blood perfusion, and location of the sensor on the body all contribute to the perfusion index (PI). For most use cases, the subjects’ skin characteristics are beyond the control of the designers. Although medical practices typically take PPG data from fingers and ear lobes, those locations may not be convenient for ambulatory and long-term monitoring. Consequently, many designs expect and accept lower PI values.
Optical components and system design ultimately control the noises in a PPG system. In most wearable applications, NTX and NRX can be minimized by selecting an analog front-end with better intrinsic signal-to-noise performance. This is particularly important as CTR is typically a small number, especially when miniaturization or other industrial design considerations may constrain optical design. As such, the noise terms in the equation’s denominator begin to dominate.
Boosting SNR by increasing LED power consumption. When all else fails, designers can still get reliable PPG data by boosting the LED current, which, of course, substantially increases system power consumption. Furthermore, excessive power consumption may lead to other complexities in the system that compromise data reliability.

Whereas poor SNR represents a lack of data reliability in general, other factors such as motion artifacts may affect the reliability of different PPG data-derived information to different extents. Read Chen’s blog to better understand the information that can be embedded in PPG data—and how this information can ultimately provide better health and well-being insights to wearable consumers.

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Best 4th of July sales 2020: All the best deals, all in one place

4th of July 2020 is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: 4th of July sales.

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Wyze Band hands-on: This $25 fitness tracker is light on your wallet, but also on features - CNET

A fitness band for only $25? Yep, but Wyze's first wearable is more impressive on paper than it is on your wrist.

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Monday, June 29, 2020

These are the best Samsung deals for July 2020

Samsung has been a leader in high-quality tech for decades. Check out all of the Samsung deals for July.

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Best 4th of July Apple Watch Deals 2020: Series 3 and Series 5

If part of your July 4 celebration involves shopping, we've got the best 4th of July Apple Watch deals here.

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Best smartwatch deals for July 2020: Samsung, Fitbit, and Apple Watch sales

These are the best cheap Apple Watch deals for July 2020

The Apple Watch has surged to prominence in recent years. If you're in the market for an iOS wearable, we've sniffed out the best Apple Watch deals available right now.

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Apple Watch Series 3 on sale for $179 ahead of 4th of July

It might not be the latest tech but the Apple Watch Series 3 is a bargain right now at Amazon

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Dexcom G6 Pro CGM Offers Both Blinded And Unblinded Mode For Glucose Monitoring

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology has revolutionized diabetes care because of the real-time feedback it provides about therapeutic interventions and variations in lifestyle or dietary intake. For diabetics, CGMs drastically reduce the number of annoying and painful finger pricks needed to monitor blood glucose.

Up until now, CGMs have been primarily used by people diagnosed with type I or II diabetes, as they require constant monitoring.

Dexcom G6 Pro, which received FDA-clearance last year, is the first and only single use, professional CGM that gathers real-time glucose data over a 10-day period and offers both a blinded and unblinded mode. In blinded mode, real-time glucose data is hidden from the patient and reviewed retrospectively with their healthcare professional at the end of the session. In unblinded mode, patients can see their glucose data throughout the 10-day sensor wear to gain insights and make treatment decisions in real time, reports Dexcom.

The blinded mode may be appropriate for some potential users without diabetes who may be more technologically hesitant.

Regardless of mode, glucose data gathered by the Dexcom G6 Pro enables providers to adjust a patient’s diabetes therapy plan with precision and customization. Providers can also use the data to help patients modify their daily behavior after seeing the effects that variables such as food, exercise, stress and medication have on glucose levels.

A woman wearing continuous glucose monitor — Image: Dexcom

Dexcom G6 Pro features and benefits

Easy sensor applicator – Allows for one-touch, simple insertion
Single-use, disposable sensor – Simplifies session start and end for both patients and providers
Auto-start transmitter – Expedites startup time to get patients on CGM quickly and easily
Blinded or unblinded mode –
Blinded: patients wear a sensor for 10 days, then return to their physician’s office to review the data retrospectively (indicated for assessing glycemic variability in persons age two years and up)
Unblinded: patients can view glucose data in real-time on a simplified mobile app* throughout the 10-day sensor wear (indicated for management of diabetes, in persons age two years and up)
Continuous glucose readings – Reads glucose values automatically every five minutes
Alerts and alarms – Warn user of dangerous high and low glucose levels (unblinded mode only)
Fingerstick elimination – No fingersticks needed for calibration or diabetes treatment decisions†
Dexcom CLARITY – Allows providers to pull interactive reports and review glucose patterns, trends and statistics retrospectively with their patients

“At Dexcom, we are continuing to drive innovation in wearable health technology,” said Kevin Sayer, president, CEO and chairman of Dexcom. “Using the power of Dexcom G6 Pro, clinicians can use the insights gained from a 10-day professional CGM session to adjust treatment plans and empower their patients to live healthier lives.”

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Best 4th of July sales 2020: Everything you need to know

4th of July 2020 is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: 4th of July sales.

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Wearable Device Gathers Large Samples From Sweat For Monitoring Health

Although sweat is mostly water, there are many solutes that are found in sweat that have at least some relation to biomarkers found in the blood. Wearable sweat sensors for monitoring biomarkers for chronic health conditions are of significant commercial interest.

A collaborative effort by researchers from Penn State and Xiangtan University in China, have developed a device that monitors health conditions in the body using the wearer’s sweat.

“We want to be able to analyze the sweat from daily exercise or from the heat of the sun because in sweat we have a lot of biomarkers like pH and glucose that will be a really nice indicator for disease progression or diagnostics,” said Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics, Penn State.

The device will be on a patch applied to the skin near sweat glands. It consists of a small vial containing multiple chambers that has a hydrophobic – water-repelling – valve near the opening made of silicone rubber. The channel has a hydrophilic — water-attracting — coating for easy collection of the sweat. Unlike other devices that require two openings, the single opening reduces the amount of evaporation, leading to longer storage time for later analysis, reports Penn State University.

Xiangtan University in China — Xiangtan University, China (Image credit: Shizhao, Wikimedia Commons)

On-the-spot analysis can be done using a colorimetric approach in which a color-coded analyte is preplaced in the various chambers. This sensitive chemical responds to the pH or glucose level and can be read by the naked eye or a photo taken with a smartphone. Also, the researchers can analyze the sweat at different time points using different chambers — called chrono-sampling.

“The two-valve device is more complicated and requires using a clean-room technique called photolithography. Our simpler one-valve device can be made without expensive equipment utilizing micromachining,” Cheng said.

Their results appear online in the journal Lab on a Chip in an article titled “Skin-interfaced microfluidic devices with one-opening chambers and hydrophilic valves for sweat collection and analysis.” Lead authors are Yingxue Zhang, co-advised by Cheng and Xiufeng Wang, Xiangtan University, China, and Wang’s student Yao Chen.

The National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, and Penn State supported this work.

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Face Masks Made Of Electroceutical Fabric Kills Coronavirus On Contact

With the alarming rise of coronavirus infections all over the globe, governments are urging their citizens to wear face masks in public places. However, coronavirus particles that attach to PPE (personal protective equipment) surface pose a significant threat to the spread of the virus. The masks themselves may be a way for diseases to spread.

A team of researchers at Indiana University (IU) has published significant research findings via pre-print in ChemRxiv demonstrating for the first time that coronaviruses are killed upon exposure to an electroceutical fabric, reports Indiana University.

“Electroceutical” refers to a matrix of embedded microcell batteries that creates an electric field and wirelessly generates a low level of electricity in the presence of moisture.

It is well known that viruses can be electrically charged. Coronaviruses rely on electrostatic interactions to be able to attach to their host and assemble themselves into an infective form. Their structure must remain stable in order to spread infection. The IU researchers sought to exploit the coronaviruses’ own electrokinetic characteristics to try to dismantle their infectivity.

The IU team’s research results show that the ability of the virus to infect is fully eliminated within one minute of contact with the fabric, which disrupts the electrostatic forces the virus needs.

The researchers hope to receive approval through the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization program to apply use of the fabric specifically for face masks in the fight against COVID-19. Currently, face masks have little to no ability to kill viruses or bacteria.

The electroceutical surface technology, called V.Dox Technology, is a proprietary dot-matrix pattern of embedded microcell batteries that create an electric field and wirelessly generate a low level of electricity when moist.

Anti viral mask fabric — The electroceutical surface technology, called V.Dox Technology, is a proprietary dot-matrix pattern of embedded microcell batteries that create an electric field and wirelessly generate a low level of electricity when moist. (Image courtesy of Chandan Sen)

Previously, the same researchers have reported the antibacterial and antibiofilm effects in the management of infected wounds.

The electroceutical dressing is currently FDA cleared and commercialized by Vomaris Inc. It is made of polyester fabric printed with alternating circular metal dots of elemental silver and zinc metals that create moisture-activated microcell batteries.

“This work presents the first evidence demonstrating that the physical characteristic features of coronaviruses may be exploited to render them non-infective following contact with low-level electric field-generating electroceutical fabric,” said Chandan Sen, principal author of the study and director of the Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering at the IU School of Medicine.

“Our hope is that these findings will help Vomaris receive FDA Emergency Use Authorization and that we can utilize this fabric widely in the fight against COVID-19, ultimately saving lives.”

Vomaris President and CEO Mike Nagel: “We are extremely encouraged by these first reported results on our technology and the promise it holds to help in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and other viral-borne illnesses. Because this embedded microcell battery technology can be applied to a wide variety of materials, we believe it has the potential to usher in a whole new way to think about PPE.”

In the video below, Chandan Sen discusses his research and its potential applications for health care workers fighting infectious diseases:

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Saturday, June 27, 2020

Apple Watch Series 5 back down to lowest-ever price at Amazon

Apple fans should jump on this deal for Apple Watch Series, which adds some fantastic features to the smartwatch.

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Friday, June 26, 2020

These are the best cheap Apple deals for June 2020

If you're one of Apple's many fans, then you already know how fleeting deals can be. Act fast for these savings.

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The best Samsung Galaxy Watch deals for June 2020

If you want the best smart wearable that's not an Apple Watch, check out the best Samsung Galaxy Watch deals.

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NBA Players To Wear Oura Smart Ring To Track COVID-19 Symptoms

As the NBA season is set to resume with matches at the Walt Disney World facilities in Orlando, the NBA is offering players a smart ring to track COVID-19 symptoms. Oura Health confirmed it’s providing the Oura smart ring and its “early illness detection monitoring” system to not only NBA players but also team and league staff.

The company said the ring can track a user’s health data and even predict if users are about to show symptoms of coronavirus infection.

The $299 titanium ring was originally intended to provide its users with an overall picture of their health by looking at their movement, sleep and other functions. But its users began noticing that changes in their overall health score could be early predictors for illness, reports CNBC.

“It started with our users,” Harpreet Rai, chief executive officer of Oura, said in a “Squawk Box” interview. “One user of ours in Finland was traveling in early March. His scores were normally in the 80s or 90s and he noticed his readiness score dropped to 50 and that caused him to get tested. He was positive for coronavirus.”

Two basketball players — Image: Wallpaperflare

At the matches in Orlando, only the players and staff who decide to wear the rings, will have their health data studied and assessed by the University of Michigan to help generate an overall wellness assessment of each person.

According to Oura, changes to users’ illness probability scores can indicate they may be at higher risk or showing signs of COVID-19. The accompanying app provides features such as meditation to reduce stress and anxiety. Another benefit of the ring is its sleep tracking feature.

A team at Scripps Research is looking into the potential of the Oura ring, Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin devices and others to see if they can accurately monitor a person’s baseline temperature, heart rate, sleep, and daily movement, and use changes in that data to detect the early onset of an infection, reports CNN.

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Best 4th of July sales 2020: Everything you need to know

4th of July 2020 is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: 4th of July sales.

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Thursday, June 25, 2020

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

Amnesty International reported last week that the COVID-19 contact tracing apps in Bahrain, Kuwait and Norway are some of the most invasive COVID-19 contact tracing apps around the world, putting the privacy and security of hundreds of thousands of people at risk.

Amnesty’s Security Lab reviewed contact tracing apps from Europe, Middle East and North Africa, focusing on 11 apps from Algeria, Bahrain, France, Iceland, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Norway, Qatar, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates, some of which ranged from bad to dangerous for human rights. Bahrain’s ‘BeAware Bahrain’, Kuwait’s ‘Shlonik’ and Norway’s ‘Smittestopp’ apps stood out as among the most alarming mass surveillance tools assessed by Amnesty, with all three actively carrying out live or near-live tracking of users’ locations by frequently uploading GPS coordinates to a central server, reports Amnesty International.

“Bahrain, Kuwait and Norway have run roughshod over people’s privacy, with highly invasive surveillance tools which go far beyond what is justified in efforts to tackle COVID-19,” stated Claudio Guarnieri, head of Amnesty International’s Security Lab. “Privacy must not be another casualty as governments rush to roll out apps.”

People crossing a street wearing face masks — Image: Pixabay

The Norwegian government said it would press pause on using its contact tracing app. The decision came just hours before Amnesty International published its analysis and after the organization shared its findings with the Norwegian authorities and the country’s data protection agency on 2 June. Amnesty International also met with the head of development for the ‘Smittestopp’ app on 10 June.

“The Norwegian app was highly invasive and the decision to go back to the drawing board is the right one. We urge the Bahraini and Kuwaiti governments to also immediately halt the use of such intrusive apps in their current form,” added Guarnieri. They are essentially broadcasting the locations of users to a government database in real-time – this is unlikely to be necessary and proportionate in the context of a public health response. Technology can play a useful role in contact tracing to contain COVID-19, but privacy must not be another casualty as governments rush to roll out apps.”

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The best cheap GoPro alternatives that won’t leave you broke for July 2020

Cold weather is here. A good action camera is a perfect way to record your adventures

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Medtronic Receives CE Mark For Its MiniMed 780G Insulin Pump With Artificial Pancreas Capabilities

Medtronic secured CE Mark for its MiniMed 780G system, a closed loop insulin pump system for the treatment of type 1 diabetes in people age 7 to 80 years. Medtronic’s own SmartGuard algorithm and MD-Logic, an algorithm developed by a small Israeli firm called DreaMed Diabetes, automatically delivers both basal insulin and correcting boluses every five minutes, if necessary.

The MiniMed 780G system enables the personalization of glucose goals with an adjustable target setting as low as 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L) — lower than any other advanced hybrid closed loop system — and is designed to help stabilize blood sugar levels and further improve glucose control, reports Medtronic.

“We wanted to design a system that further simplifies diabetes management and adapts to people’s life with the goal of enhancing their experience in a seamless way,” said Sean Salmon, Executive Vice President and President of the Diabetes Group at Medtronic.

Patients who participated in the clinical study provided feedback that the MiniMed 780G system “made life with diabetes and control so much easier” and that it made “life significantly easier.”

The MiniMed 780G system was designed to be easy to use by requiring less input from the user. With the addition of Bluetooth® connectivity, the MiniMed 780G system will enable users and their care partners to see real-time glucose data and trends on compatible iOS and Android smartphones via apps.

“I am incredibly proud of the strong collaboration that resulted in this meaningful step forward with the MiniMed 780G system, which the clinical trial has demonstrated to be a beneficial tool for a wide range of patients and particularly adolescents,” said Professor Moshe Phillip, director of the Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, National Center of Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, co-founder and chief science officer, DreaMed Diabetes.

Medtronic MiniMed 780G CE mark — Image: Dreamed diabetes

The system is expected to begin shipping this Fall in select countries in Europe. In the United States, the MiniMed 780G system is investigational use only and not approved for sale.

Medtronic is working together with the global community to change the way people manage diabetes. The company aims to transform diabetes care by expanding access, integrating care and improving outcomes, so people living with diabetes can enjoy greater freedom and better health.

Dublin, Ireland-based Medtronic is among the world’s largest medical technology, services and solutions companies – alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Apple iPad 10.2, Apple Watch Series 5 discounted (again) — save up to $100

The iPad 10.2 is selling at its lowest price ever, just $250 at Best Buy. Over at Amazon, the Apple Watch Series 5 has received an enormous $100 price cut.

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

The IoT Chip Market size is estimated to grow from USD 392.0 billion in 2020 to USD 525.4 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.0%, according to the new report published by MarketsandMarkets. The growth of application-specific MCUs and flexible SoC-type designs, adoption of IPv6, which provides more IP address space, technologies such as AI fueling IoT adoption, development of internet connectivity, and growth of low-cost smart wireless sensor networks are expected to drive the IoT chip industry. However, concerns regarding the security and privacy of user data hamper the growth of the market.

Processor market, by hardware, to hold the largest share in the IoT chip market during the forecast period

Processors include several components, such as microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), and power management integrated circuits (PMICs). For IoT devices or systems to support real-time data monitoring and analytics, adequate processing hardware that consumes less power is required, says a press release.

Companies are targeting the IoT chip market by developing processing hardware that can meet the low-power requirements of IoT devices. The increasing demand for edge devices is the key factor supporting the growth of the processor segment. In addition, increasing demand for consumer electronics and the soaring popularity of smart homes, which use different processors such as microcontrollers and microprocessors according to the application, are expected to further drive the demand for processors.

Devices with 5–10 W power consumption are expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period

Surveillance cameras and drones are the major contributors to the IoT chip market with power consumption between 5–10 W. Cameras for behavioral analysis, face recognition, and vehicle recognition have an average power consumption between 5 and 10 W. NVIDIA’s Jetson TX1 draws around 8–10 W under a typical CUDA load, while its latest Jetson TX2 module draws 7.5 W at peak processing efficiency.

A land antenna — Galileo IOT L-band antenna at ESA’s Redu ground station. (Image credit: European Space Agency, via Wikimedia Commons)

The US to hold the largest share in the North American IoT chip market during the forecast period

The US is estimated to be the largest market for IoT chips in North America during the forecast period. It is home to some of the most prominent IoT hardware manufacturers, such as NXP Semiconductors (US), Intel Corporation (US), and Texas Instruments Incorporated (US). Increased R&D in the field of IoT in terms of new and improved technologies, growing government investments for the implementation of IoT solutions, and rising demand for improved lifestyle are the major factors driving the growth of the market.

Emerging R&D, at both the academic and industry levels, is broadening the application areas of IoT in different industries, such as consumer electronics, retail, automotive & transportation, and healthcare. Moreover, the US government has provided an ideal environment for research and innovation, which has facilitated massive advancements in various fields of science and technology.

Key Market Players

Key players in the IoT chip market are Intel Corporation (US), Texas Instruments Incorporated (US), Qualcomm Incorporated (US), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands), MediaTek Inc. (Taiwan), Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (Bermuda), Microchip Technology Inc. (US), Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (US), Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (China), NVIDIA Corporation (US), Samsung Electronics (South Korea), Advanced Micro Devices (US), STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), TE Connectivity Ltd (Switzerland), Nordic Semiconductor (Norway), GainSpan (US), Expressif Systems (China), Dialog Semiconductor (UK), and Silicon Labs (US). These players are increasingly undertaking product launches and developments and acquisitions to develop and introduce new technologies and products in the market.

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Empatica And BARDA Team Up To Validate Wearable Early Warning System For COVID-19

Digital healthcare company Empatica announced a new partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to validate an early warning system for COVID-19 and other respiratory infections using its wearable sensors and proprietary algorithm. The system, named Aura, is completely noninvasive, utilizing Empatica’s medical smartwatches, software, and artificial intelligence capabilities. Aura will enable continuous and real-time insight into the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection before symptoms present, enabling them to self-isolate and seek early treatment

In February 2019, Empatica and BARDA’s Division of Research, Innovation and Ventures (DRIVe) began to develop a digital biomarker that predicts respiratory infections. Preliminary findings have been promising, showing a strong correlation between viral shedding and changes in a person’s physiology. Now Empatica will be sponsored to run a validation trial specific to early detection of COVID-19.

The aim is to validate Empatica’s algorithm in real-life settings, with the participation of healthcare workers who are exposed to a high viral load while treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients. They will wear the E4, Empatica’s medical-grade research wearable wristband, for 30 days, and their physiological data will be reviewed against daily nasopharyngeal (NP) samples and a daily qRT-PCR swab, ensuring the highest ground truth, said a press release.

A wrist wearable, mobile phone and a tablet PC — Empatica E4 Wristband (Image: Empatica)

Empatica CEO Matteo Lai, stated, “We are very proud to join forces with BARDA to help improve the health and safety of millions of Americans going back to work. This product introduces a new paradigm: empowering individuals and institutions with smart health monitoring, so that they will know early when they need to self-isolate and take care of themselves. Without BARDA’s leadership and foresight over the past year, our early detection algorithm would not have reached this pivotal stage of clinical validation, which will accelerate our request for FDA’s approval of Aura as a medical product for use by people at risk of contracting COVID-19.”

BARDA Acting Director, Gary Disbrow, Ph.D., added, “We anticipate that access to real-time and actionable health information will empower people to seek medical advice and care sooner, or to adopt behavioral changes such as temporary self-isolation that can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and similar infections.”

Early detection can protect frontline workers, reduce spread, and improve the overall public health response as lockdowns ease globally. Recent estimates by CDC suggest that 35% of infections are asymptomatic, making contact tracing and containment of the virus a challenge. Meanwhile, the most infectious period could be 1 to 3 days before symptoms start, so even those patients who eventually display symptoms can still infect their family, colleagues and other people they interact with, before realizing they are ill. Digital biomarkers like Aura can help efficiently triage patients, enabling more effective care and prioritization of cases, and potentially saving lives.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Best smartwatch deals for June 2020: Samsung, Fitbit, and Apple Watch sales

WT Studio: Wearables for continuous blood pressure monitoring

More information coming soon. Stay excited…

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WT | Studio: Wearables for Pain Relief

More Information coming soon. Stay excited…

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Future of Personal Health Monitoring – From Research to Practice. Insights from Stanford University

Join us LIVE on June 30th, 5pm CET for a WT | Studio live event together with Stanford University.

Listen to Michael Snyder, PhD, Susie Spielman, PhD, and Pablo Paredes, PhD.

Michael Snyder Professor & Chair of Genetics, Director, Stanford Center for Genomics & Personalized Medicine

Michael Snyder is the Stanford Ascherman Professor and Chair of Genetics and the Director of the Center of Genomics and Personalized Medicine. Snyder received his PhD training at the California Institute of Technology and carried out postdoctoral training at Stanford University. He is a leader in the field of functional genomics and proteomics, and one of the major participants of the ENCODE project. His laboratory study was the first to perform a large-scale functional genomics project in any organism and has developed many technologies in genomics and proteomics. These including the development of proteome chips, high resolution tiling arrays for the entire human genome, methods for global mapping of transcription factor binding sites (ChIP-chip now replaced by ChIP-seq), paired end sequencing for mapping of structural variation in eukaryotes, de novo genome sequencing of genomes using high throughput technologies and RNA-Seq. These technologies have been used for characterizing genomes, proteomes and regulatory networks. Seminal findings from the Snyder laboratory include the discovery that much more of the human genome is transcribed and contains regulatory information than was previously appreciated, and a high diversity of transcription factor binding occurs both between and within species. He has also combined different state-of–the-art “omics” technologies to perform the first longitudinal detailed integrative personal omics profile (iPOP) of person and used this to assess disease risk and monitor disease states for precision health and medicine. He is a cofounder of a number biotechnology companies, including Personalis, Qbio, January, Filtricine, Mirvie, and SensOmics and he presently serves on the advisory board of a number of companies

Susie Spielman, PhD Senior Director, Strategic Programs and Projects, Stanford Medicine

Susie has over two decades of experience in life sciences research and education, healthcare, and medical imaging. As Senior Director of Strategic Programs for Stanford’s Department of Radiology, she has built cross-functional programs and bridged senior leaders’ vision with tactical execution. She is a program lead in the development and launch of the collaborative Verily/Google-Duke-Stanford Project Baseline. She has established global educational programs in medical imaging and fostered high-impact strategic research relationships with industry partners to leverage Stanford Radiology’s comprehensive expertise in clinical medical imaging. Susie has also developed award-winning educational, clinical, and laboratory environments

Pablo Paredes, PhD, Instructor of Radiology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University

With the advent of ubiquitous computing, precision health, defined as the practice of personalized health, promises a future where we can prevent disease and maximize wellbeing. To succeed, we must engage healthy individuals to comply with continuous monitoring and behavior change. In this talk, I focus on the challenge of engineering precision health approaches in mundane environments by leveraging concepts from affective and embedded computing, behavioral economics, and human-centered design. I will discuss in depth flagship projects on stress management: a) repurposing existing devices into “sensorless” stress sensors, and b) minimal transformation of car, office furniture and wearables. I will close with a vision of the future of precision health engineering where affordable design and machine learning can drive long-term behavior change. I will quickly describe some forward-looking exploratory projects to help improve people’s health by recommending personalized interventions that are very easy to use, that defeat novelty effects, and that can even operate at a subconscious level

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Worldwide Wearable Devices Market Expected To Reach Over 520 Million Units By 2025

According to ResearchAndMarkets’ new report, the global wearable devices market will reach 520.1 million units by 2025. The report titled “Wearable Computing Devices Market – Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2020 – 2025)” states: “The global wearable computing devices market accounted for 181.5 million units in 2019, and it is expected to reach 520.1 million units by 2025, registering a CAGR of 19.9% over the forecast period (2020-2025).”

Wearable technology is one of the emerging trends that integrate electronics into daily activities. According to Cisco, 500 billion devices are anticipated to be connected to the internet by 2030. The Internet of Things is the network of these connected devices. Xiaomi launched its next-generation fitness tracker called the Mi Band 4 in 2019. It features nearly 40% more prominent display than its predecessor, where the gadget supports Xiao AI voice assistant that can be used to control Xiaomi’s IoT or the internet of things products, reports BusinessWire.

Companies Mentioned

Apple Inc.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd
Garmin Ltd
Fitbit, Inc
Fossil Group Inc.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd
Sony Corporation
Microsoft Corporation
Nuheara Limited
Omron Healthcare Inc.
Huami Corporation
Withings
Medtronic PLC
AIQ Smart Clothing Inc.
Sensoria Inc.
GoPro Inc.
Transcend Information Inc.
Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc.
Cyberdyne Inc.

A factory worker wearing smart glasses — Vuzix smart glasses are revolutionizing the manufacturing process (Image credit: Vuzix)

Key Market Trends

Smart Clothing to Witness Significant Growth

Smart clothing, such as smart vests, smart bras, smart shoes, smart socks, and smart tights, are considered in the study. These smart clothing have various potential applications, such as the ability to communicate with other devices, conduct energy, transform into other materials, and protect the wearer from environmental hazards. With the demand for technical textiles, the market is expected to cater to significant growth in the coming period.

Further, with an increase in the cases of chronic diseases globally, such as diabetes, cancer, respiratory disorders, and heart diseases, and growth in the number of surgeries performed in the key healthcare markets, such as the United States and Europe, the demand for smart fabric in the healthcare sector is expected to grow exponentially.

North America Accounts to Hold Significant Market Share

North America is one of the largest markets for smart wearables, with the United States leading the market, followed by Canada. The increase in disposable income and the accelerated adoption and demand for new technological gadgets are some of the fundamental drivers for the market.

According to Infopulse, over 80% of consumers are eager to wear fitness wearables, which indicates their concern regarding monitoring their health. Augmented demand will accelerate the development of personalized healthcare services, smart hospitals, remote healthcare, and IoT healthcare solutions.

The market studied in the region is anticipated to witness growth with the increasing technological innovations in the healthcare sector. In 2019, the FDA authorized the first wearable for hospital use, an AI-powered solution by Current Health. This wearable device traces the patient’s health indicators with ICU-level accuracy and indicates threatening conditions. The device assists healthcare providers in identifying deteriorating states and offer them with the needed healthcare services sooner.

Further, smart glass is another segment witnessing a considerable penetration of AR technologies in the region and is anticipated to grow significantly in the forecast period. For instance, in November 2019, Vuzix Corporation, a supplier of smart glasses and Augmented Reality technology and products has entered a reseller segment. It receives orders worth USD 7.1 million, representing 10,000 units of Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses.

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WatchOS 7: All the cool new Apple Watch features unveiled at WWDC - CNET

Apple refreshes its wearable OS for the Apple Watch at WWDC 2020.

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Biomarker Technologies Market Expected To Grow At 12.4% Reaching Over US$ 117,853 Mn by 2027

Acumen Research and Consulting recently published a report titled “Biomarker Technologies Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Revenue and Forecast, 2020-2027”. According to the report, the biomarker technologies market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 12.4% from 2020 to 2027 and reach the market value of over US$ 117,853.1 Mn by 2027.

Biomarker technology is for the rational development of medical therapeutics. The applications include diagnostic, monitoring, pharmacodynamic/response, predictive, prognostic, safety, and susceptibility/risk biomarkers. It has major uses in research and clinical practice, particularly in the fields of chronic disease and nutrition. The biomarker technology market is particularly gaining growth on account of increasing healthcare facilities in developing economies. Increasing geriatric population, R&D funding, technological advancement, and increasing cases of geriatric population are some of the factors accelerating the market growth, says a press release.

The biomarker technologies market is segmented into test type, product, technology, application, indication, and major geographic regions. On the basis of test type, market segments include solid biopsy and liquid biopsy. By product, the market is divided into consumables, instruments, services, and software/informatics. Based on technology, the market bifurcated into ddPCR, NGS, immunoassay, mass spectrometry, DHPLC, other technologies. Additionally, it has found applications across drug discovery, diagnostics, and personalized medicine. By indication, the market is bifurcated into cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disorders, and others.

By product, the consumables segment accounted for the maximum share in 2019. The segment is also projected to continue at the same pace over the forecast period from 2020 to 2027. The consumables include reagents & kits and chromatography columns and are getting maximum share due to their large sales volume.

In 2019, North America held the major share of the global biomarker technologies market. The region is further projected to continue with its dominance over the estimated timeframe. The well-established healthcare infrastructure and favorable reimbursement scenario are favoring the regional market value. Apart from these, Asia Pacific region is projected to experience the fastest growth over the estimated period from 2020 to 2027.

Some of the leading competitors are Agilent Technologies (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories (US), Danaher Corporation (US), F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Illumina, Inc., LI-COR, Inc., Merck KGAA, PerkinElmer Inc., QIAGEN, Roche (Switzerland), Shimadzu Corporation (Japan), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), and Waters Corporation (US). Biomarker technologies companies have announced mergers and acquisitions to expand their position in the biomarker technologies industry. Major players are also moving into new regions and advanced technologies for market expansion.

Some of the key observations regarding biomarker technologies industry include:

Australian start-up, Nutromics is developing painless “The world-first personalized nutrition wearable” that measures key dietary biomarkers and sends the information to an app, enabling users to precisely track how their bodies respond to different foods. The wearable smart patch is intended to deliver precision data to help people personalize their diets and reduce their risk of developing lifestyle-related chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes.
Medicortex Finland Oy, a biopharmaceutical company is developing diagnostics and drug treatment for mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2020. The company has announced that it has received European Patent No. 3283880 for “Prognostic and diagnostic glycan-based biomarkers of brain damage” from the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2020. The kit comprises specific biomarkers that the company has discovered from body fluids following brain injury.
Researchers from Graz have now developed a test for early detection of sepsis. Researchers have discovered biomarkers that are useful for detecting blood poisoning at an early stage and according to the early detection can increase the chance of survival for a significant number of patients because as per statistics every year 8% of all deaths in Austria are caused by blood poisoning. The team has identified 24 biomarkers that are capable of detecting sepsis at an earlier stage than what was previously possible.
The researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Therapeutics Discovery division and Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals reported the preclinical discovery and early-stage clinical development of a novel drug, IPN60090. The new drug is under investigation in a Phase I trial and expected to hold benefits for certain patients with lung and ovarian cancers. Furthermore, the analysis revealed biomarkers of response, which have been leveraged to identify patients most likely to benefit.

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Monday, June 22, 2020

These are the best cheap Apple Watch deals for June 2020

Sleep tracking for Apple Watch puts rumors of improved battery life to bed

Apple squashed our hopes for better battery life in the next Apple Watch

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NBA players could wear smart ring to track COVID-19 symptoms as season resumes - CNET

The Oura wearable tracks temperature, respiratory rate and sleeping patterns.

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Best Buy 4-Day Sale: All the best deals, all in one place

We’ve searched for the best 10 deals at Best Buy’s 4-Day Sale.

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The 5 best new features in Apple’s WatchOS 7

The Apple Watch now offers sleep tracking, new watchface features, and more

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WatchOS 7 adds much-requested sleep tracking feature

Here are all the new features

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WWDC: Apple unveils WatchOS 7 with sleep tracking, shareable watch faces - CNET

At WWDC 2020, Apple refreshes its wearable OS for the Apple Watch.

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Amazon discounts Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Watch Series 5

Two of the best smartwatches - the Apple Watch Series 5 and Series 3 - are discounted by up to $100 at Amazon.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 gets a $50 price cut at Amazon

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a great watch for wearing out and about or for workouts, thanks to some great looks and features.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 won’t look much different than the last Samsung watches

The next Galaxy Watch will keep the old look and feel

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AARP’s “Hacking Menopause Challenge” Winners Create Novel Tech Solutions For Menopause

AARP Innovation Labs announced the winners of its Hacking Menopause Challenge, which aimed to create noninvasive tools to combat common menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, fatigue and sleep disorders. The winners were EloCare, Pride Chill, and NYX Systems. Hackers.io collaborated with AARP in this project.

A 2019 AARP report found that 93% of menopausal women would be interested in a technology solution to alleviate their menopause symptoms. As part of the challenge, AARP sought to find the world’s best engineers and creative thinkers who are passionate about finding ways to enhance the quality of life for women, before, during, and after menopause, through science-based approaches to wellness and assistive technology, says a press release.

“AARP is engaging with the best creative minds of the femtech industry to build meaningful solutions for the 1 in 3 American women who are currently in a phase of menopause,” said Carey Kyler, Senior Innovation Catalyst for AARP Innovation Labs. “We’re proud to highlight the work of the Hacking Menopause Challenge winners, and to help open the dialogue about the more than 35 menopause symptoms women may experience, making it okay to talk about, and to help an underserved market so that they can live their best lives.”

AARP Hacking Menopause Challenge — Image credit: Hackster.io

The Winners And Their Inventions

EloCare’s Menopause Assistant is a wearable technology and mobile app that monitors menopausal symptoms, evaluates treatment, creates customized plans, and connects users with medical care so they can be diagnosed in time and get optimal treatments to manage menopause with ease.
Pride Chill’s system helps combat hot flashes by cooling the air users breathe in. The technology targets users’ respiratory cooling mechanisms, creating a cooling sensation throughout the body.
NYX Project’s platform aims to help alleviate users’ symptoms while sleeping, as many menopausal women experience insomnias. The technology tracks patients’ sleep through three devices, displays the data, and then provides recommendations to help provide restful sleep.

Each winner will be awarded up to $5,000 dollars, as well as a possible opportunity to work with the AARP Innovation Labs team to further build out their solution.

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.

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This Wearable Patch May Provide Painless, More Effective Chemotherapy For Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. In the United States, about 100,350 new melanoma cases will be diagnosed and 6,850 people will die of it in 2020. Conventional therapies for this skin cancer include chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, these treatments produce toxicity and severe side effects due to the aggressive and recurrent nature of melanoma cells.

Now, Purdue University researchers have developed a skin patch that can deliver chemotherapy into melanoma tumors in an effective, convenient, and painless way. The researchers published their study in the journal ACS Nano.

“We developed a novel wearable patch with fully miniaturized needles, enabling unobtrusive drug delivery through the skin for the management of skin cancers,” said Chi Hwan Lee, a Purdue assistant professor of biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering. “Uniquely, this patch is fully dissolvable by body fluids in a programmable manner such that the patch substrate is dissolved within one minute after the introduction of needles into the skin, followed by the gradual dissolution of the silicon needles inside the tissues within several months.”

Lee said this gradual slow dissolution of the silicon nanoneedles allows for long-lasting and sustainable delivery of cancer therapeutics, reports Purdue University.

A researcher in his workplace — Chi Hwan Lee, a Purdue engineering innovator, developed a wearable patch to provide a new treatment option for skin cancer. (Image credit: Purdue University)

“The uniqueness of our technology arises from the fact that we used extremely small but long-lasting silicon nanoneedles with sharpened angular tips that are easy for their penetration into the skin in a painless and minimally invasive manner,” Lee said.

The new bioresorbable silicon nanoneedles developed by the Purdue researchers are built on a thin, flexible and water-soluble medical film. The water-soluble film serves as a temporary holder that can be conformably interfaced with the soft, curvilinear surface of the skin during the insertion of the nanoneedles, followed by rapid, complete dissolution within a minute.

The surface of the nanoneedles is configured with nanoscale pores and provides a large drug loading capacity comparable to those using conventional microneedles.

Lee said the nanoneedles could deliver the chemotherapeutic drugs to target melanoma sites in a sustainable manner. The silicon nanoneedles are biocompatible and dissolvable in tissue fluids, such that they can be completely resorbed in the body over months in a harmless manner.

The researchers are now looking for partners to continue developing their technology.

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Best 4th of July Sales 2020: Everything you need to know

4th of July 2020 is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing: 4th of July sales.

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Sunday, June 21, 2020

Amazon Prime Day 2020: When is it, and what can we expect?

Prime Day 2020 won't arrive until July, but that doesn't mean we can't start getting into the spirit now.

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Friday, June 19, 2020

Garmin fitness trackers receive steep price cuts at Best Buy

Garmin’s Forerunner 235, Instinct, Vivoactive 4S, and Fenix 6X Pro smartwatches are on sale for Father’s Day.

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

Abbott, the worldwide leader in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), received FDA clearance for its FreeStyle Libre 2 integrated continuous glucose monitoring (iCGM) system for adults and children ages 4 and older with diabetes.

FreeStyle Libre 2 is the only iCGM system with optional real-time alarms that measures glucose levels every minute, meeting the highest level of accuracy standards over 14 days, including superior day one accuracy compared to the other iCGM and excellent accuracy and alarm performance at low-end glucose levels.6 With a 14-day wear time, the FreeStyle Libre 2 system is the longest-lasting, self-applied iCGM sensor currently available, eliminating the need for fingersticks– and priced at a third of the cost of other CGM systems.

“We’re thrilled to bring our next-generation technology on our world-leading sensing platform to both children and adults with diabetes in the U.S.,” said Jared Watkin, senior vice president, Diabetes Care, Abbott. “With unsurpassed 14-day accuracy and enhanced features including optional alarms at a fraction of the cost of other CGMs, Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 2 system will change the future of diabetes care in the U.S. the same way it has around the globe.”

Using Bluetooth technology, the FreeStyle Libre 2 system automatically alerts users when their glucose is high or low without needing to scan the sensor. Users also have the option of turning off the customizable, real-time alarms. The system has a combined mean absolute relative difference (MARD), a measurement of performance for CGMs, of 9.3% (9.2% for adults and 9.7% for pediatrics), making it the only iCGM sensor sustaining a high level of accuracy over 14 days, says a press release.

Continuous glucose monitoring system — Image: PRNewswire

“Innovations like FreeStyle Libre 2 will change the way people manage their diabetes, especially among children,” said Larry Kurt Midyett, M.D., pediatric endocrinologist, Midwest Women’s and Children’s Specialty Group. “Using this technology can improve time in optimal glucose range and lower HbA1c because we can get a full picture of what a child’s glucose levels are doing without having to disrupt their play or sleep with painful fingersticks. The alarms are a bonus because they provide parents a level of reassurance.”

The FreeStyle Libre 2 system met or exceeded the FDA’s rigorous iCGM special control standards. The system is designed to digitally connect and communicate with other devices. This can allow people to tailor and potentially simplify how they manage their diabetes.

The FreeStyle Libre 2 next-generation sensor, which is a third less bulky than other CGM sensors, is worn on the back of the upper arm for up to 14 days and measures glucose every minute to help users and their healthcare providers make informed treatment decisions. With a one-second scan using a handheld reader, users can see their glucose reading, trend arrow and eight-hour history. It is also designed for use with a mobile app, which Abbott is working to bring to the U.S. market.

The FreeStyle Libre 2 system will be available in the coming weeks at participating pharmacies and durable medical equipment suppliers (DMEs) across the U.S. Abbott will offer the new system at the same price as the currently available FreeStyle Libre 14-day system, which was approved by the FDA in July 2018.

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These are the best cheap Apple deals for June 2020

If you're one of Apple's many fans, then you already know how fleeting deals can be. Act fast for these savings.

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Neopenda Wearable Neonatal Vital Signs Monitor To Be Used For COVID-19 Patients

Neopenda, a Chicago-based health tech startup, has recently adapted its wearable neonatal vital signs monitor, to be used with pediatric and adult patients suffering from COVID-19.

neoGuard, the wearable device, wirelessly sends vital signs data, such as respiration rate, to a phone or tablet computer, allowing healthcare staff to monitor newborns on the move or remotely.

Neopenda’s device has so far been used to help reduce infant mortality in poor regions of the world, where it’s difficult to monitor newborns for potentially life-threatening conditions due to lack of healthcare staff and clinical resources, reports MedGadget.

“We had the unique opportunity to travel to Uganda to conduct a needs assessment, and found that there was such a scarcity of functional medical equipment in so many of the hospital wards – primarily because the commercially available products did not meet the design constraints of low-resource hospitals. After the trip, Teresa and I decided to start Neopenda to engineer medical devices for where they are needed most,” said Neopenda CEO and co-founder Sona Shah.

A wearable bracelet and a tablet — Image: Neopenda

Now, the device has been modified so that it can measure vital signs in adults and children, with potential to help with the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“neoGuard is a continuous vital signs monitor that measures pulse rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, and temperature through a simple headband, Shah told MedGadget in an interview. The vitals from multiple patients are wirelessly transmitted over Bluetooth low energy to a centralized dashboard on a tablet. Our system helps overburdened healthcare workers better manage their patients, and improves speed of action for patients in distress. With just one tablet, nurses and clinicians can simultaneously observe up to 20 patients at a time and receive real-time audio and visual alerts if any of their vital signs exceed preset upper or lower limits. By detecting early warning scores for patients in distress, the neoGuard technology will help trigger more timely and effective clinical interventions and subsequently lower patient morbidity and mortality.

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Thursday, June 18, 2020

Apple Watch coughing out water looks stunning in slow motion

The footage highlights the mechanism used by the Apple Watch to expel water

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NBA players could wear a smart ring to track COVID-19 symptoms as season resumes at Disney World - CNET

The Oura wearable tracks temperature, respiratory rate and sleeping patterns.

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Last-minute Father’s Day gifts with next-day delivery

Still looking for a gift for dad? Here are some great last-minute Father's Day gifts with next-day delivery.

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Fitbit’s New Ready for Work Solution Aimed At Helping Employers Ease Challenges of Returning To Work Amid COVID-19

Businesses across the globe are slowly reopening as governments ease lockdown amid coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization’s principal recommendation is that, in order to move to a sustainable level of virus transmission, countries should have the spread of the virus under control. But how do you contain the spread of the virus with so many employees working in an office or a plant?

Fitbit announced a new Ready for Work solution to help employers with the unprecedented challenge of returning to the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. The solution is available through Fitbit Health Solutions. It gives employees access to key health metrics from their Fitbit device along with exposure, symptom and temperature logging, all within an easy-to-use Daily Check-In feature that provides employees with guidance on whether to go into the workplace. Daily reporting and analytics enable employers to quickly assess and monitor workplace health and safety and provide support for employees, reports BusinessWire.

“For more than 13 years, Fitbit has been working with employers to provide accessible and engaging solutions for employees to improve their health. As workplaces start to reopen, we have an opportunity to help employees better track their health and make informed decisions about whether or not to go to work,” said Amy McDonough, General Manager and Senior Vice President for Fitbit Health Solutions. “Early action is key to protecting the workforce and the workplace. Ready for Work enables employees to view trends in their Fitbit-tracked health metrics next to self-reported symptoms so they can assess their health and readiness for work from home.”

Three mobile phones showing apps — Image: Fitbit

A More Complete View of Health

Unlike onsite temperature checks or screenings, Fitbit’s Ready for Work solution provides a continuous, more complete picture of an individual’s health. The Daily Check-In feature highlights for employees’ changes in their resting heart rate, heart rate variability and breathing rate alongside self-reported symptoms, temperature, and COVID-19 exposure. Based on these factors, the solution provides the employee with daily guidance to help them decide whether to go to work or stay home.

“Wearable devices are powerful because they measure nuances in biometrics potentially indicating the onset of illness that cannot be detected during a regular physician office visit,” said Dr. Michael Snyder, Director of Stanford’s Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine. “When measuring heart rate, even an increase of two heartbeats per minute could be indicative of a significant immune system response, which is why wearable devices can be important tools in assessing the overall health of employees as they prepare to return to work, especially when evaluating pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases of COVID-19.”

Helping to Cope with Stress

According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll, more than half of US adults surveyed reported that worry or stress related to the COVID-19 outbreak has led to at least one negative mental health effect. Transitioning back to the workplace is likely to further contribute to this stress.

As part of Fitbit’s offering, employees will have access to Fitbit Care’s full suite of services, including weekly webinars, podcasts, videos and other content from Fitbit health coaches to help employees learn strategies for adjusting to new routines and coping with change. Employers can offer their employees the opportunity to enroll in Fitbit Health Coaching and work with a Fitbit health coach to understand how stress is affecting them and access resources and guidance to support their ongoing mental health needs beyond this transitional return to work period.

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