Check out our roundup of the best new crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the Web this week. You can't buy this stuff yet, but it sure is fun to gawk!
The post Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Packable helmets and hyper-fast toothbrushes appeared first on Digital Trends.
It seems that LG never gave up the dream of making a hybrid smartwatch with a long battery life. After months of silence, rumors say LG is putting out a new smartwatch and it might be coming with the LG V40 ThinQ.
The post The hybrid LG Watch W7 may launch alongside the LG V40 ThinQ appeared first on Digital Trends.
Google's new Wear OS update is rolling out, and this smartwatch operating system update brings more concise notifications, a better Google Assistant, and the recent changes to Google Fit to your wrist.
The post Google Fit and new notifications arrive in much-needed Wear OS update appeared first on Digital Trends.
Apple Watch Series 4 sales kicked off last week, after a flurry of reviews and a week of preorders. The tech giant made a massive upgrade for its new Watch both in design and features.
Among the new features are ECG and Fall Detection. The Fall Detection feature uses the new next-gen gyroscope and accelerometer to detect a fall and provide options to contact emergency services if necessary.
Related Apple Watch 4 with Health and Fall Detect Features, Price and Launch Date
The Fall Detection feature is ideal for people who might be prone to falling, such as the elderly. If the Watch 4 user falls, and has the new feature activated, a pop-up window will appear asking if they’re OK. If the person doesn’t respond, the Watch will sound an alarm and then automatically call emergency services.
However, the feature is off by default, since Apple says “high impact activity” can appear to be a fall for some people, reports CNet. The feature needs to be enabled manually. Apple explained that Fall Detection only turns on automatically if you’ve set your age on Apple Watch or in the Health app and you’re over 65 years old.
So, if you’re under the age of 65 who just bought Watch 4 and want to activate Fall Detection, here’s how to do it:
Several YouTube channels tested the Fall Detection in Watch 4 to see how it works and how hard of a fall will trigger an alert.
If you have the Fall Detection enabled and experience a significant hard fall, it’ll tap you on the wrist, sound an alarm, and display an alert.
Read more FallCall Launches Personal Emergency Response System App for Apple Watch and iPhone
Your next move is to select either “I fell but I’m OK,” “I did not fall,” or “Emergency SOS” to contact emergency services.
If it can sense that you’re moving, it’ll wait for a response, but if you remain immobile for about a minute, the Watch 4 will wait 15 seconds before automatically calling emergency services and alert your emergency contacts that you set up in the app.
Starting at $255, the Fossil Q Venture HR brings along top-notch health and fitness features without having to sacrifice style for everyday wear. It might just be the upgrade from Fossil that we’ve been waiting for.
The post Fossil Q Venture HR review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Multimedia messaging app Snapchat is partnering up with Amazon to make it easier for you to buy whatever you come across in real life.
Related Drake Uses Snapchat’s Shoppable AR Platform to Push Fans to New Album on Apple Music
All you need to do is point your Snapchat camera at a product or barcode, it’ll then redirect you to an Amazon pop-up card for that product or something similar, with their price, thumbnail image, review score and Prime availability. When you tap on a product, you’ll then be sent to Amazon’s app or site to buy it.
Snapchat ascertains if you’re scanning an object, a song or QR Snapcode, and Amazon’s machine vision tech then recognizes artwork, logo, package covers or other identifying marks to find the product. Initially, Snapchat is making this service available to a small percentage of U.S. users before the company considers other countries.
“Beginning this week, we’re testing a new way to search for products on Amazon right from the Snapchat camera,” the company announced.
“We’ll be rolling it out slowly, but we wanted to announce it to everyone at the same time.”
It isn’t yet clear how precisely the Snap camera will identify products, but it’s an opportunity for the company to integrate other types of image-based searches into its app.
Snapchat would not disclose any financial terms of the partnership. The company could be earning a referral fee for each item you purchase from Amazon, or it could just be trying to make its cameras more dynamic.
Related Snapchat Launches New Spectacles 2 Camera Glasses that You Can Actually Wear
So why is Amazon partnering up with Snapchat?
“I think, for snapchat, with 300 million monthly users, most of them young – a market that Amazon has been trying to tap at all sorts of different ways with services like Prime Student,” says Brad Stone of Bloomberg Technology.
This camera feature for buying items isn’t anything new. Alibaba Group Holding’s shopping platform Taobao Marketplace had this feature for several years.
Diabetes management may soon become ouchless with a new invention by researchers from the University of Waterloo. The research team have described a proof-of-concept system that uses Google’s Soli, a sensing technology that uses miniature radar to detect touchless gesture interactions, to track accumulation of glucose within a solution.
The scientists carried out their research by using Google’s Soli alpha kit. Co-developed by Google and a German hardware firm Infineon, the Soli system is a 60 GHz mm-wave radar that promises a small, mobile, and wearable platform intended for gesture recognition.
Scientists retrofitted the Soli to design a prototype that can detect minute changes in the properties of solutions with different levels of glucose and distinguish between different concentrations of the biomarker.
Scientists believe with further analysis and adaptation, this prototype technology could potentially be implemented for diabetes patients as an innovative noninvasive approach to managing blood glucose levels, reports MobiHealthNews.
“We want to sense blood inside the body without actually having to sample any fluid,” said George Shaker, an engineering professor at the University of Waterloo and the International Journal of Mobile Human-Computer Interaction paper’s lead author. “Our hope is this can be realized as a smartwatch to monitor glucose continuously.”
For their study, Shaker and his team retrofitted the system to measure glucose level in a mixture using the same high-frequency radio waves as in Soli (60 GHz mm-wave).
The team then measured more than 500 wave features and characteristics from the returned radio waves. They analyzed these through a custom-made machine-learning algorithm and found that it was 85% as accurate as a traditional blood glucose analysis when tested with diabetic volunteers.
Shaker was amazed by the correlation. “We have shown it is possible to use radar to look into the blood to detect changes,” he said.
Related LifePlus Announces First Noninvasive Continuous Glucose Monitoring Wearable
For their next step, the researchers will have to tackle how to maintain and improve their results when measuring glucose through human skin. The researchers are also working with Infineon to boost the precision of the system and shrink the device to lower the cost and power consumption.
“I’m hoping we’ll see a wearable device on the market within the next five years,” Shaker said. “There are challenges, but the research has been going at a really good rate.”
Researchers at Drexel University have invented new, ultra-thin, spray-on antennas, which can be applied every bit as easily as spray paint or bug spray. Here's why that's so exciting.
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DAQRI, a Los Angeles, CA-based Augmented Reality company announced it has achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Industrial Software Competency status.
Read more Construction Safety: Wearables Could Monitor Stress, Risk and Physical Demands
DAQRI Worksense provides workforces around the world with scalable AR tools. The reliability and flexibility of Amazon Web Services allow DAQRI to deploy dependable solutions at enterprise scale.
Achieving the AWS Industrial Software Competency differentiates DAQRI as an AWS Partner Network (APN) member that has delivered proven customer success providing specialized solutions aligning with AWS architectural best practices to support all three of the AWS Industrial Software Competency categories:
Applications and services used in the design phase, including computer aided design (CAD), computer aided engineering (CAE), electronic design automation (EDA), and Civil engineering.
Production design applications for factory layout and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), and Product Data Management (PDM)
Production/Operation solutions for discrete and process industry applications like Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM), Plant Information Management System (PIMS), supply chain logistics, and analytic applications for industrial use and Operations using Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications, using IoT technologies to enable industrial processes, and ISV’s with industrial specific applications, such as a manufacturing specific Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.
“DAQRI is proud to be one of the first APN partners to achieve AWS Industrial Software Competency status,” said Chris Kaufield, Chief Revenue Officer, DAQRI. “Our customers require integrations that connect people in the factory or the field to critical enterprise information. DAQRI Worksense delivers this capability with AWS.”
AWS delivers scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions to startups to global enterprises. For the seamless integration and deployment of these solutions, AWS has created the AWS Partner Competency Program that helps customers identify Consulting and Technology APN Partners with deep expertise in the industry.
Read more What Is Assisted Reality and How Does It Relate to Augmented Reality?
APN Partners are required to undergo rigorous AWS technical validation associated with industry specific technology as well as an assessment of their solutions, in order to receive the AWS Industrial Software Competency designation.
DAQRI is an industry leader in Professional Grade AR™. The company’s Worksense™ and DAQRI Smart Glasses® link digital content to the real world to improve industrial processes.
Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. has created a wrist worn platform Health Sensor Platform 2.0 (HSP 2.0) for designers to develop unique and highly accurate wearable devices that continuously monitors various health parameters. Also known as MAXREFDES101, this next-gen rapid prototyping, evaluation and development platform has the ability to monitor electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate and body temperature to a wrist-worn wearable, saving up to 6 months in development time.
Read more Livongo Announces First Blood Pressure Monitor with Cellular Connectivity in U.S.
As far as wearables go, a wrist-based device is convenient for users to wear daily. However, it has been a challenge to precisely obtain ECG data from the wrist since most alternatives require a wearable chest strap. Additionally, a thermometer needs to be placed at another location to get accurate body temperature.
The wrist-based platform, which is enclosed in a watch casing, enables HSP 2.0 to provide basic functionality out of the box, with body-monitoring measurements starting immediately. Data can be stored on the platform for immediate evaluation of the patient or streamed to a PC for analysis later. Unlike other wearables, the data collected by the HSP 2.0 can be owned by the user, increasing data privacy and allowing users to conduct their own data analysis. Also, because HSP 2.0 is an open platform, designers can evaluate their own algorithms on the board. In addition, the modular format is future proof to quickly accommodate new sensors.
HSP 2.0 includes the following products:
The Apple Watch Series 4 may currently be the toast of the health-conscious wearables world. But there are plenty of other, more experimental wellness wearables. Here are the most intriguing.
The post 9 of the most unusual wellness wearable devices appeared first on Digital Trends.
An innovative bracelet called InstaDreamer is making stir on the Kickstarter campaign. According to the startup, the bracelet will let you take control of your dreams by inducing vivid lucid dreaming episodes.
Related EverSleep Helps You Sleep Better by Monitoring Your Sleep, Snoring and Oxygen Saturation
“The InstaDreamer bracelet will propel you into a world where you can control your dreams, making absolutely anything possible. InstaDreamer is the first to use Pavlovian conditioning via subtle vibrations to train your brain to recognize when you’re dreaming in order to achieve vivid, lucid dreams.”
Wikipedia defines lucid dream as a “dream during which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. During lucid dreaming, the dreamer may be able to have some control over the dream characters, narrative, and environment.”
Though some people may experience lucid dreaming naturally, it’s known to be manipulated through habitual “reality checks” meant to help differentiate the real world from the dream world, reports Digital Trends. And, that’s when InstaDreamer steps in.
“The most effective ways to create lucid dreams are to perform regular reality checks,” Jean Rausis, the Instadreamer’s inventor, told Digital Trends. “Basically, you have to make sure that you are in reality all day long, as much as possible. Hopefully that starts to become a habit, and as soon as it becomes a habit you start doing it in your dreams.”
InstaDreamer is a comfortable and discrete band that you can wear with anything. The device won’t disrupt your sleep like eye masks, electrode stickers, or light and sound that other products use.
The company’s VibraSmart™ conditioning technology, inspired by Pavlovian Conditioning, sends subtle vibrations to your band so that you can check if you’re dreaming or not. It also tracks your body’s vitals to help learn the best time to wake you, so you always wake up feeling refreshed, the company said on its Kickstarter site.
InstaDreamer is a 100% standalone device, meaning it’s not connected to Bluetooth or WiFi during your sleep. It’ll only upload data to your phone as soon it detects a network.
Related Re-Timer: Light-Therapy Glasses to Help You Get Some Sleep
You’ll feel your arm vibrate inside your dream, which will propel you, instantly, into a lucid dream.
Unlike other lucid dreaming solutions, the InstaDreamer bracelet does not use light or sound, so you won’t disturbed during your sleep and at the same time it decreases your chances of achieving lucid dreaming. There are no electrodes, wires or uncomfortable headbands involved.
Simply wear the adjustable band just as you would wear your fitness tracker.
For optimal health, it’s recommended that you get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. However, many of us fail to achieve a good night’s sleep almost every night. Several factors may affect your sleep quality, such as snoring, insomnia, and body position to name a few. But how do you know which factors are affecting your sleep and how can you prevent those in order to get a quality sleep? Not to worry. Colorado-based startup SomnoHealth aims to help you get at the bottom of what’s keeping you up at night with its EverSleep sleep tracker.
Related Sleep Trackers Took the Center Stage at the IFA 2018 in Berlin
Eversleep is a wearable sleep tracker that you wear around your wrist at night, and it continuously monitors your blood oxygen, pulse, snoring, motion, and respiratory function. The device helps you understand what’s disrupting your sleep and how to fix it. It’ll also help you discover techniques, tips, and products specific to you. EverSleep gives hospital-grade measurements to you at home without doctors, clinics, or prescriptions.
“We help you sleep. It is just that simple,” EverSleep CEO and Co-Founder Chris Crowley told MedGadget’s Michael Batista. “Our engineering founders have developed 40+ FDA cleared medical devices, and our clinical founder has personally reviewed 30,000 individual patient sleep studies. We fill the gap between crude fitness bracelet sleep measurement and a full overnight hospital sleep laboratory stay.”
According to Crowley, many smartwatches claim to have a sleep measurement technology, but they only measure motion, and they can’t differentiate between different types of sleep problems.
EverSleep takes all the same technology used in sleep labs and shrinks it down into a comfortable and wireless package.
“These solutions typically deliver a sleep efficiency number like “79” in the morning, which means nothing. EverSleep delivers the same data that you’d receive from a sleep lab and plain-English interpretation and coaching specific to your sleep problems that previous night,” Crowley said.
The built-in pulse oximeter monitors blood oxygen saturation, an accelerometer detects motion and a sound monitor detects snoring.
Related Philips Releases New SmartSleep Headband That Uses Science to Help You Achieve Deep Sleep
All these sensors are neatly packed in a compact wearable about the size of a watch, which comes with a silicone strap. EverSleep also has a fingerprint sensor, a USB charging cord and a small roll of medical tape.
Once you install the corresponding app, it’ll ask you whether you have any allergies or cold, because EverSleep wants to know if your sleep is disrupting due to breathing interruptions.
It should be noted that EverSleep is a consumer health device and does not have FDA 510(k) clearance. Therefore, EverSleep does not claim to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Users are encouraged to speak with their doctor before if they’re having serious sleep disorders.
San Diego Comic-Con may be almost a year away, but it’s never too early to start preparing your cosplay costume. This wearable animatronic tail, controlled via your smartphone, should help.
The post This app-controlled prosthetic tail may be the weirdest wearable device yet appeared first on Digital Trends.
When Google launched its Android OS 10 years ago, Apple’s iOS and Nokia’s Symbian OS were already dominating the market. So, it took some time for Android to pick up the pace. Within two years it overtook its rivals and climbed up to first place.
Related Samsung Updates Galaxy Wearable App with Android Pie & Galaxy Watch Support
Unlike Apple’s iPhone OS (which was later renamed iOS), Android was an open-source platform powered by the Linux kernel, allowing developers to create their own mobile interfaces based on the Android framework.
Over the course of 10 years, Android grew to become the world’s most popular OS. Today, Android has taken over 88 percent of the market share while Apple’s holding only 11.9 percent of the share. Android now runs a huge number of smartwatches, phones, tablets, TVs and more.
In the beginning, Android faced some difficulties. By default, it couldn’t play any video outside of YouTube. Google Play’s predecessor Android Market had only a handful of apps.
Google wanted Android to be an open, internet-centric OS that would run mobile phone, and its potential could be easily spotted when most of the phones during that era didn’t have internet.
Google was able to seize that potential and within 2 years due to both rapid software upgrades as well as flagships like the Motorola Droid and Samsung Galaxy S Android became the most popular OS in the market.
Today, on almost all the smartphones except for Apple, Android is the de facto software, and as of 2017 it was found on more than two billion running devices, reports EndGadget. Also, it managed to go beyond mobile phones and found its place on a trove of smartwatches, tablets and TVs, as well as ovens and VR headsets. Android is also present On PCs, with Chrome OS, Android apps can be run on laptops.
Related A look at the Top Smartwatches with Android Mobile Operating System
In short, Android has developed into a healthy, strong and popular OS but it still has a long way to go and we look forward to seeing the evolution continue.
Enjoy this old video of Google’s staff introducing the first version of Android 10 years ago:
Armani is back with another Google Wear OS touchscreen smartwatch, and this time it's from the Armani Exchange division, making it stylish, modern, and affordable. There's plenty of technology inside too.
The post Armani Exchange’s smartwatch is for those who want their tech to be dapper appeared first on Digital Trends.
Check out our roundup of the best new crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the Web this week. You can't buy this stuff yet, but it sure is fun to gawk!
The post Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Click-to-brew beer, comfy headlamps, and more appeared first on Digital Trends.
Xiaomi’s sub-brand Huami is known for making budget-friendly smartwatches. The company just launched a new smartwatch called Huami Amazfit Verge – a fine-looking smartwatch that comes with all the essential fitness sensors as well as a round AMOLED display. It is also touted to deliver as much as five days of battery life on a single charge.
The circular 1.3-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 360 x 360 is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The body is very lightweight, weighing only 46g and the thickness is 12.6mm.
The watch is powered by Huami’s own operating system. It has a 1.2 Gh dual-core processor, 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. The device is equipped with a GPS and GLONASS module to precisely track your walking and running, WiFI and Bluetooth 4.0. In additional to the usual sensors Amazfit Verge has a geomagnetic sensor and an air pressure sensor.
The smartwatch comes with Xiaomi’s proprietary Xiao AI voice assistant. Amazfit Verge also has 11 different modes for activity tracking. When connected with a compatible Android smartphone, the Amazfit Verge is also capable of enabling voice call support.
The built-in microphone and a loudspeaker allow you to accept incoming calls on your phone. If you don’t want to answer a call, the Xiao voice assistant can do it for you.
This Amazfit watch also integrates with the Mijia ecosystem of smart home gadgets, which means you can control the Yi lights, air conditioners, wall sockets, smart robots, air purifiers and rice cookers in your smart home.
Similar to other smartwatches, the Amazfit Verge supports a variety of watch faces. The WeChat integration enables you to send messages to your friends or receive their messages – without using your smartphone.
Related Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Sales Reaches 1 Million Units
Here are more features:
The Huami Amazfit Verge is available in three colors. You can find it on JD.com and Tmall.
The retail price for the Amazfit Verge is CNY 800 ($115/€100).
Fitbit announced a new platform called Fitbit Care, a connected health platform for health plans, wearables, health systems, employers and coaching. The platform, which is born from Fitbit’s acquisition of Twine Health earlier this year, uses Fitbit’s wearable devices, Fitbit Care combined health coaching and virtual care in combination with Twine’s health coaching services to help improve disease management and prevention.
Related How Some Companies are Using Virtual Health for its Employees
Fitbit also announced that Humana Inc. is making Fitbit Care its “preferred coaching solution” for its employer groups, and Fitbit expects the program to prove appealing to others in the industry as well.
“We’ve taken the elements of Twine Health and the ingredients we know and combined them,” Adam Pellegrini, Fitbit’s general manager and senior vice president, said on Tuesday. “We’re actively selling it to employers, health plans, and health systems today, and we’re extremely excited to announce the expansion of our relationship with Humana. It has selected us as a preferred coaching solution for the employer group segment.”
Fitbit’s medical director John Moore described Fitbit’s offering as “quite differentiated” in part because it has both digital and human components. He said the Care platform is aimed at improving wellness of the participants by helping them to get enough sleep and also deal with more serious issues like congestive heart failure and hypertension.
“The fact that we’re able to pull all that together is incredibly valuable,” he told MarketWatch.
To take advantage of this new platform, users will have to download the Fitbit Plus app. However, it’s not available for general public; you need to have enrollment via your employer, health plan, or health system before you can download it. Fitbit plus app serves as a health coaching tool. It’ll also connect metrics with healthcare data, activity and medications.
Fitbit’s wearables will work with the new platform by tracking wearers’ heart rate, activity, sleep, and additional metrics such as female health tracking – a feature that was announced for the Fitbit Versa. With the user’s permission, the health data will be sent to care teams in an effort to provide more personalized fitness recommendations.
Fitbit and Humana also announced they will make available the Humana Go365 clock face on Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic devices, enabling members to access Go365 activity data on the wrist.
Go365 is a personalized rewards program designed to get you motivated to make healthier choices. As you complete healthy activities, you’ll earn bucks to spend on the Go365 mall on exciting rewards like gift cards to your favorite stores, music downloads, fitness equipment, electronics and more. The new clock face will allow members to track their health stats, such as their daily and weekly step progress, and update their Go365 Status directly on their watch.
Related Fitbit CEO James Park Believes Wearables Are Vital for a Better Healthcare System
Coaches will connect with users via app, phone and in-person meetings to provide personalized care plans. Among the core topics are: Smoking, weight management and management of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.
TAP System's wearable keyboard gains support for virtual reality, now compatible with Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus Rift, and HTV headsets. Type and tap for up to eight hours in VR without needing to look at a physical keyboard.
The post Tap Strap wearable keyboard gains support for VR applications appeared first on Digital Trends.
Months after Apple announced its latest software at WWDC, you can now download WatchOS for the Apple Watch. WatchOS 5 brings a number of new features including new watch faces and improved health tracking.
The post WatchOS 5: All our favorite new features appeared first on Digital Trends.
Hexoskin, the world leader in biometric clothing for physical training, sleep tracking and general health monitoring, announced its new smart garment Astroskin, which is aimed at revolutionizing healthcare research on Earth and in Space.
Read more Hexoskin Smart Shirt Monitors and Records Heart Rate, Breathing and Movement
The Astroskin system is based on the Bio-Monitor designed for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to monitor the astronauts’ health in space on the International Space Station (ISS).
The CSA will have its Bio-Monitor available to all ISS participating countries to conduct space research for the next five years. It is scheduled to launch in space in November 2018 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vehicle from Florida.
The smart garments come in a wide variety of sizes for men and women. The garments, which can be machine-washed, include cutting edge blood pressure monitor, pulse oximetry, respiration, 3-lead ECG, skin temperature, and activity sensors for 48 hours of continuous real-time monitoring. The system also includes iOS apps for iPhones and iPads, data synchronization software, and a web dashboard.
Since launching in 2006, Hexoskin has been on a mission to develop sensors and health data infrastructure to generate clinical grade real-world evidence.
The smart shirt can also be worn during sleep and exercise. The system is designed to easily send information to the ground, where scientists can monitor the astronauts’ health around the clock as they orbit the planet.
“Astroskin is a perfect example of how our government works with small, innovative, Canadian businesses on space technologies that lead to commercial versions for use by Canadians,” said Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development of Canada.
Astroskin consists of “smart shirt” and remote health monitoring software. The system will collect important scientific data on astronauts’ vital signs, sleep quality and activity levels during their missions. It will be tested by CSA Astronaut David Saint-Jacques during his six-month mission aboard the ISS in 2018-2019.
Read more Top 5 Smart Clothes for Workout Freaks in the Market Right Now
Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, CEO and co-founder, Carré Technologies (Hexoskin) said:
“Our team is proud of the role we are playing to support human space travel. One day, thousands of space travelers bound for Mars will need simple reliable medical systems to ensure their health. Deploying our wearable sensors and software to the ISS is significant as this represents the ultimate remote patient monitoring scenario. The findings from tracking the health of astronauts will be used to make our healthcare system more accessible and support new home care and telemedicine services.”
The Astroskin system can now be ordered by Aerospace, Security & Defense, Academic, Pharmaceuticals and Health Research organizations for their projects.
Harvard engineers have developed a new multi-joint, textile-based soft robotic exosuit, designed to help soldiers, firefighters, and other rescue workers. Here's what makes it so exciting.
The post Harvard’s soft robotic exosuit adapts itself to the needs of every wearer appeared first on Digital Trends.
Elvie, a FemTech company that was exhibiting with us at last year´s WT | Wearable Technologies Conference MEDICA, has developed a wearable, wireless breast pump that fits inside of a standard nursing bra, allowing for hands-free pumping.
“When it comes to breast pumps, the future is wearable,” said Tania Boler, CEO and founder of Elvie. “In two years’ time, most of the shelves with breast pumps will look completely different.”
Read more Femtech Hardware Elvie Partners with NHS to Tackle Stress Urinary Incontinence
Called the Elvie Pump, the Bluetooth-equipped device draws milk out completely soundlessly. The nursing mothers can move around and go about their daily routine during the process. An iOS or Android app enables them to check how much milk the pump has collected, track the output of milk from each breast, and stop and restart the pump if necessary. When the device’s detachable 5-oz (150-ml) bottle gets completely filled, Elvie will automatically cease pumping.
A similar pump named Willow was launched in May. While both Elvie and Willow are wearable, Elvie doesn’t require a separate, disposable bag with which to collect pumped milk. Instead, the milk is collected in a reusable, BPA-free bottle that’s dishwasher and microwave safe.
The pump has a choice of seven intensity settings, and has a USB-rechargeable battery. It works in two modes: stimulation and expression. Stimulation is the baby’s initial frenetic sucking stage when the release of milk starts, and the expression mode simulates the slower sucking pattern that eventually keeps it coming, reports New Atlas.
“Being a new mother can be incredibly stressful. We spoke to many women about the struggles they experience post-pregnancy, and it became obvious that outdated pumping technology was a real obstacle for women wanting to provide breast milk for their baby,” said Boler. “Women need technology that keeps up with their busy lifestyles, especially at a time of so much change. We designed Elvie Pump to make breast pumping as easy, streamlined and flexible as possible for mums. We aim to transform the way women think and feel about themselves by providing the tools to address the issues that matter most to them, and Elvie Pump does just that. We’re excited to be launching a product we know will be a huge leap forward in this space.”
Read more Ava Announces More Than 1,000 Babies Born to Users of Its Fertility Tracking Bracelet
Pending FDA approval, the device will be available in the US later this year from Elvie and Amazon. It will be priced at $479 for a double unit. It will also be available in the UK this October, costing £429 for a double unit and £229 for a single pump.
Fitbit's new platform, Fitbit Care, aims to help improve wellness in the workplace. Using wearables, digital health coaching, and a more personalized health care experience, employees can have an easier time staying on top of their health.
The post Fitbit’s new health care platform sets out to improve wellness in the workplace appeared first on Digital Trends.
Smartwatches are the health-conscious wearables that everyone wants. We wanted to see how the brand-new Apple Watch Series 4 matches up with the beloved Fitbit Versa, so we compared them in various categories to help you choose.
The post Fitbit Versa vs. Apple Watch Series 4: Which wearable is the best? appeared first on Digital Trends.
Casio has announced a new Bluetooth-connected fitness watch in its G Shock line. The GBD-800 has an all-new digital display, fitness tracking technology, a classic G Shock look, and an attractive price.
The post Just $100 buys you this super tough — and very cool — G Shock fitness watch appeared first on Digital Trends.
ResMed, the connected health company, that will be exhibiting at the WT | Wearable Technologies Show 2018 MEDICA, introduced its first minimal-contact full face CPAP mask, AirFit F30. It’s the latest addition to the medical equipment company’s AirFit mask portfolio, which helps wearers reduce facial marks, wear glasses in bed and curl up closer to their bed partner.
Cushions in the traditional full-face masks are located above the nasal bridge, which causes of-the-nose red marks and irritation and some may experience feelings of claustrophobia. But, the AirFit F30’s cushions sit just below the nasal bridge, preventing all those problems.
Read more iBreve: Wearable Device that Analyzes Your Breathing Pattern to Improve Stress Resilience
AirFit F30 also features ResMed’s latest QuietAir vent, so it’s quieter than ambient noise in the bedroom.
Magnetic clips in the mask make it easy to put on and take off, and ResMed claims one-size-fits-all headgear guarantees a good fit from the first time the patient receives the unit.
AirFit compared to the leading minimal-contact tube-down full-face mask:
A ResMed study showed AirFit F30 with just 2 cushion sizes and 1 headgear fit 93% of users.
“AirFit F30 is a win-win for sleep apnea patients and HMEs, and the perfect addition to ResMed’s portfolio of CPAP masks,” said Jim Hollingshead, president of ResMed’s Sleep business. “It provides an easier, quieter and more stable fit for full face wearers, while HMEs can enjoy faster setups and easier inventory management with a mask designed to fit the first time, every time.”
AirFit F30 will be available later this year in select countries. It will be on display this weekend at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Paris at ResMed’s Booth J.04.
Read more ODG Unveils Oxygen Mask With Augmented Reality Heads-Up Display for FedEx Pilots
ResMed is a San Diego, California-based world-leading connected health company. It deals primarily in equipment related to the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other respiratory conditions. ResMed has more than 5 million cloud-connected devices for daily remote patient monitoring, changing lives with every breath. As of June, 2018, ResMed had 6,080 employees. The company operates in approximately 100 countries worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in Australia, France, Singapore and the United States.
Facebook's latest job postings are seeking engineers and developers for custom augmented reality chipsets, and seem to support speculation that the company is looking to produce AR glasses.
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Casio has announced a new Bluetooth connected fitness watch in its G Shock line. The GBD-800 has an all-new digital display, fitness tracking technology, a classic G Shock look, and an attractive price.
The post Just $100 buys you this super tough, and very cool G Shock fitness watch appeared first on Digital Trends.
Neopenda, a Chicago-based medical device company, is now raising funds in an equity crowdfunding campaign with Republic to enable expansion of clinical pilots into additional regions and to bring awareness to their work on a vital sign monitoring device for newborns.
Related Baby Sock Monitor Firm Owlet Raises $24 Million in Series B Funding
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016, 2.6 million deaths, or roughly 46% of all under-five deaths, occurred during the neonatal period worldwide. Up to two thirds of newborn deaths can be prevented if known, effective health measures are provided at birth and during the first week of life.
Neopenda’s new device, a wireless wearable vital signs monitor that measures pulse rate, temperature, respiratory rate and peripheral blood oxygen saturation of critically ill newborns being cared for in hospitals, is geared toward underserved markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. The device enables healthcare providers in overcrowded and understaffed hospital wards to provide more timely and effective care to at-risk newborns.
“At Neopenda, we are laser-focused on involving our users and stakeholders in emerging markets in the design of our product and our business strategy. By raising funds on Republic, we have the opportunity to closely involve supporters at home in Neopenda’s growth as well,” said Neopenda founder and CEO Sona Shah.
“Republic is pleased to host this open investment opportunity in Neopenda and provide Neopenda with an alternative way of raising capital for their work,” said Kendrick Nguyen, CEO of Republic.
Republic, founded in early 2016, is a fast-growing investment platform where accredited and non-accredited individuals can invest in innovative startups curated by a team of experienced industry alumni.
Related Wearable Baby Monitors May Get Vital Signs Wrong
In what started as a classroom project, in the last three years, the Neopenda team has worked tirelessly to develop and bring to market needs-based, context appropriate medical devices in emerging markets.
Founded by Columbia University alumni biomedical engineers Sona Shah and Teresa Cauvel, Neopenda creates end-to-end solutions that enable high quality patient care and nuanced data insights for stakeholders.
In the last few months, Neopenda has added team members in Uganda, begun the CE Marking process and been invited to the Techstars Chicago Class of 2018.
After repurchasing itself from Nokia, Withings is back with the new Steel HR Sport fitness tracker. The hybrid sports watch may look familiar, but any resemblances to Nokia's Steel HR are only skin-deep.
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The Suunto 9 offers an astounding 120 hours of continuous tracking thanks to its intelligent battery modes and FusedTrack "GPS without GPS" tracking. We put the Suunto 9 through its paces to find out how well these features work.
The post Suunto 9 review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Months after Apple announced its latest software at WWDC, you can now download WatchOS for the Apple Watch. WatchOS 5 brings a number of new features including new watch faces and improved health tracking.
The post WatchOS 5: All our favorite new features appeared first on Digital Trends.
Wearable technology is no longer considered a trend of the future. It’s happening now, and materials, technologies and connectivity solutions developed by various companies are playing a magnificent role in the wearable tech industry. Some companies have created flexible sensors that can greatly benefit the healthcare industry while others are working on flexible displays that can take TVs and smartwatches to the next level. Connectivity solutions developed by many companies are giving new meaning to IoT. The following companies provide stunning products and connectivity for the wearable tech industry and they are going to exhibit at our WT | Wearable Technologies Show 2018 MEDICA in Dusseldorf November 12-15. Please visit our exhibition and read on to learn more about these companies.
With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Founded in 2015, Covestro is a spin off Bayer. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro’s products include coatings and adhesives, polyurethanes that are used in thermal insulation, adhesives, electrical housings, and as a component of footwear and mattresses, and polycarbonates such as Covestro’s Makrolon, which are highly impact-resistant plastics. Covestro polyurethane was used in the 2014 official FIFA World Cup soccer ball. The company 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.
Headquartered in Midland, Michigan, the Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational chemical corporation and the predecessor of the merged company DowDuPont. In 2017, it was the second-largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue (after BASF) and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization (after BASF and DuPont). It ranked second in the world by chemical production in 2014. Dow combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. Dow offers a comprehensive portfolio of proven, biocompatible technologies such as silicone rubbers, elastomers and adhesives to enable a connected future in the healthcare market and to facilitate the internet of medical things. Their integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers more than 6,000 technology-based product families to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture.
Founded in 1969, EBV Elektronik is an Avnet company, and is the leading specialist in European semiconductor distribution. The company supports its customers from idea to product with 105 continuously trained application specialists, know-how and experience. EVB’s 260 Technical Sales Specialists provide a strong focus on a selected group of long-term manufacturing partners. 120 continuously trained Application Specialists offer extensive application know-how and design expertise. EBV has 62 offices in 28 countries throughout Europe as well as in Israel and South Africa. More info in EBV Blog http://www.blog.ebv.com
For over 130 years, VARTA Microbattery is bringing historic moments and revolutionary products to the world, providing a rich history of “Best-In-Class” consulting, design and manufacturing for the “Who’s Who” in electronic and industrial companies. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used Varta batteries in their cameras on the moon when they captured the photographs of the “Giant leap for mankind.” Varta’s mission is to manufacture high performance, high-quality battery solutions for critical devices under extreme operating conditions is our mission. Among their products are CoinPower – rechargeable Li-Ion button cells setting new standards in energy capacity and performance – and gas generating cells particularly suitable for dispensing solutions.
Renesas Electronics is a global leader in microcontrollers, analog, power and SoC products, providing expertise, quality, and comprehensive solutions for a wide range of Automotive, Industrial, Home Electronics (HE), Office Automation (OA) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications. The company delivers trusted embedded design innovation with complete semiconductor solutions that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live—securely and safely. Renesas is headquartered in Japan, with subsidiaries in 20 countries worldwide.
HP Healthcare technology solutions power over 1 billion patient interactions every year. The company’s new healthcare portfolio announced at HIMSS18, is built to address the unique needs of healthcare providers, including improved patient safety, smarter workflows and telemedicine solutions, and robust data security features. HP’s newest healthcare portfolio includes: HP EliteBook 840 G5 Healthcare Edition Notebook with Easy Clean software that cleans while the device is running; HP EliteOne 800 G4 23.8 Healthcare Edition AiO PC which has the ability to suppress background distraction in a noisy setting and a dual-facing pop-camera for simplifying patient registration and badging; and HP Healthcare Edition HC270cr Clinical Review display, which in addition to supporting the features in the aforementioned devices, also serves as a clinical review display with USB-C that supplies power to connected devices.
The Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance) is a non-profit organization that believes health is personal and extends beyond healthcare. Formed by HIMSS, the organization mobilizes a coalition of stakeholders to realize the full potential of personal connected health. PCHAlliance members are a vibrant ecosystem of technology and life sciences industry icons and innovative, early stage companies along with governments, academic institutions, and associations from around the world.
Check out our roundup of the best new crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the Web this week. You can't buy this stuff yet, but it sure is fun to gawk!
The post Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: Self-balancing skates, tiny tripods, and more appeared first on Digital Trends.
Like many tech products that emerge on crowdfunding platforms, Instadreamer is at once imaginative, intriguing, and somewhat suspect. The bracelet’s creators say their device will let users “take control of their dreams” by inducing vivid, lucid dreaming episodes.
The post Can a bracelet really let you control your dreams? appeared first on Digital Trends.
In August, Skagen announced the launch of its new smartwatch to add to its lineup, and it's called the Falster 2. The device features a heart-rate sensor, built-in GPS, and more. It's also now available for purchase.
The post Skagen’s new Falster 2 smartwatch is now available for purchase appeared first on Digital Trends.
Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for maintaining optimal health throughout life. For women of childbearing age, good nutrition is important for preparing the body during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the mother’s health is very important for the baby’s development. Therefore, the mother needs to make sure she eats healthful food, stay fit and safe. There are wearable devices available to achieve all that easily. The following companies provide stunning health and wellness solutions for the pregnant mothers, newborns and family, and they are going to exhibit at our WT | Wearable Technologies Show 2018 MEDICA in Dusseldorf November 12-15. Please visit our exhibition and read on to learn more about these companies.
Cosinuss is a tech company based in Munich, Germany, pioneering in mobile vital signs monitoring. cosinuss aims to provide evidence based mHealth solutions for the most pressing health problems in families. Cosinuss offers two wearable devices: The cosinuss° One is an In-Ear Wearable that monitors your heart rate precisely. The degree° thermometer informs parents about their child´s core body temperature – non-invasive and painless. You can use this in-ear device while swimming as well. Cosinuss monitors your heart rate, measures acceleration data and increases your performance. degree° is a combination between a wearable in-ear thermometer and an assisting app, offering a better temperature treatment with temperature insights and treatment assistance. Apply degree° and settle in for a peaceful night’s sleep and undisturbed recovery together with your child. No more getting up every hour in the middle of the night to to do unpleasant measurements.
LifeSense presents Carin, a non-invasive pelvic floor exerciser integrated in your underwear. It tracks your training and ensures a stronger bladder after pregnancy. It’s a 100% natural way to strengthen your pelvic floor. Regain control over your bladder after childbirth, during exercise or other moments. Developed together with over 100 women, Carin helps you regain control over your bladder naturally. The exercises are fun! Do them anytime and anywhere you want! You can also keep a drink log and be notified about your training. The protective underwear is washable and environmentally friendly. The device comes with an exercise app (a personal trainer for your pelvic floor), a wearable sensor (shows you how well you’re performing) and a protective underwear (absorbing and washable underwear).
Raiing is a provider of wireless monitoring solutions for medical physiological parameters based on the mobile internet. Among its products are iThermometer, a smart thermometer for monitoring your baby’s body temperature and iFertracker, a smart fertility tracker for predicting ovulation. The iThermometer is a wearable thermometer with a mobile app, making it easier to manage children’s fever. When the temperature goes high, it sends an alarm to your mobile. The iFertacker is a world-class wearable thermometer that captures core temperature opposed to skin or environmental temperature. The device collects 20,000 data points in a single night, continuously monitoring your temperature as you sleep while their algorithm filters out any noise. The app syncs with the device via bluetooth, automatically charts your data, and provides you with a daily fertility snapshot right on the home screen. You’re provided with notifications for when you should try to conceive and even allow you to export your BBT chart from directly within the app. All you need to do is wear the device, sleep tight, sync wirelessly in the mornings, and repeat.
Based in Alsace, France, Fizimed is a start-up developing EMY, an innovative connected medical device to stop urinary incontinence for women through pelvic floor reeducation. The probe is connected to a mobile app and associated with custom exercises. It captures in real-time the contractions of the perineal muscles to allow the patient to do 5-minute exercises through fun and games, such as jumping obstacles etc. so that the patient remains motivated. Aside from its product, the Fizimed team is committed to the fight against taboos associated with urinary incontinence, which affects one in ten women. EMY by Fizimed is a connected and fun medical probe that helps women perform exercise to regain control of their perineum.
Apple officially unveiled the Apple Watch Series 4. From a larger display to a built-in electrical heart sensor, the latest device brings along some notable new features. Here's everything you need to know.
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After its successful Australian launch in 2017, WT | Wearable Technologies is gearing up for its second conference in Melbourne set to take place on October 3-4. WT | Wearable Technologies Conference, which is Australia’s #1 conference, showcases new products, innovators and leaders in the wearable tech industry, providing Australians a chance to learn more about how to integrate wearable technology into personal and professional lives.
Day one will kick off with the keynote address by our CEO Christian Stammel, Wearable Technologies AG (Germany), when he welcomes attendees, sponsors and participants at the conference.
Wearable technology market is expanding rapidly. The market will see shipments almost double by 2021, according to Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker report. The industry analyst forecasts 125.5 million wearable devices will be shipped this year (up from 104.3 million in 2016) and that the total will hit 240.1 million in 2021. It’s important for businesses to keep up with this rapid pace and get ready to expand their businesses. Our next speaker Billie Whitehouse, CEO, Wearable X (USA) will discuss How To Go Large: Expanding Your Horizons and Your Global Market Share.
One of the best features in wearable devices are health trackers. As these health tracking wearables are becoming more and more popular, it’s very important to make them in a way that they produce accurate results. Our next guest Andrew Eagling, Business Development Manager – Wellness and Enterprise ANZ, FitBit will discuss Enhancing Health Tracker Capabilities, Accuracy and Engagement.
Next, Rocky Scopelliti, World Renowned Futurologist & Director Centre for Industry 4.0 at Optus will talk about Next Wave of Wearable Technologies in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
And next, Priscilla Harris, Head of Virtual Reality, HTC Australia and New Zealand and more will lead a panel discussion on Creating Truly Immersive Experiences with VR.
The second day will bring in more exciting news with speeches by Dirk Ullrich, Innovation Lead – Emerging Technology, Accenture Australia, Leila Alem, Chief Design and Innovation, ArcSense and Adjunct Professor, UTS, Damian Madden, Global Digital Leader, The Woolmark Company, and more.
That’s not all, there are more great innovators and thought leaders who’ll be speaking at the conference. To get a full list of our speakers, exhibitors and sponsors, please visit: WT | Wearable Technologies Conference, Melbourne.
The event features an extensive exhibition area with companies like Fitbit, Katapult Design, Wearable X, Centre for Design Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology, u-blox, All My Tribe & Spacetalk, HitIQ, Tournicare, and Terrablue XT.
Register today and join us in Australia at our WT | Wearable Technologies Conference Melbourne October 3-4.
Like something out of Mission: Impossible, members of the U.S. Air Force will soon be able to communicate using a next-generation miniaturized microphone system that clips to their back teeth.
The post The Air Force’s new comms tech is a tiny microphone attached to the teeth appeared first on Digital Trends.
Smartwatches make your life easier by sending alerts right on your wrist. Many also provide fitness-tracking features. So if you're ready to take the plunge into wearables and want to save money, read on for the best smartwatch deals.
The post Make some time for the best smartwatch deals for September 2018 appeared first on Digital Trends.
The new Polar Vantage V and M fitness watches include improved heart rate tracking, better battery life, onboard virtual coaching, and connectivity to allow sharing workouts through social media.
The post Take your workout up a notch with two new fitness watches from Polar appeared first on Digital Trends.
Polar launched its latest lineup of devices. Known as the Polar Vantage V and the Polar Vantage M, both provide a new optical heart rate sensor, additional tracking metrics, and more.
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With the NFL season starting this month we have just the right gadget for you. Protoxx sensors can help make this and other sports much saver!
Concerns about concussions have led to significant increases in medical and legal costs, along with declining participation, that together are threatening the viability of many sports. Despite all these concerns, concussions are now known to represent just the tip of the iceberg; the accumulation of many smaller, routine, “sub-concussive” head impacts has also been shown to damage neural tissues and lead to long-term degenerative disorders such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Less appreciated is the fact that these sub-concussive head impacts also cause balance impairments that in turn significantly increase the risks of subsequent orthopedic injuries. In the U.S. alone, 40 million youth athletes are exposed to these neurological and orthopedic injury risks from sub-concussive impacts every year, but because most show no immediate symptoms, less than ten percent of initial injuries are even identified.
To help identify these injury risks, Protxx has developed a tiny sensor that can be worn behind the ear as a small adhesive patch, by athletes of any age or performance level, and in any sport. The Protxx sensor is basically a very sensitive seismometer for the brain, and it has 2 functions. As a head impact dosimeter, it puts the functionality of an MRI machine behind each athlete’s ear, warning when neural tissue deformations due to cumulative sub-concussive head impacts approach levels that could lead to permanent damage. As a precision balance monitor, it puts the functionality of a clinical balance assessment system behind each athlete’s ear, to quantify the severity and duration of balance impairments that result from cumulative impact exposure.
By combining the above 2 functions, the Protxx sensor, app, and data analytics platform allow athlete management and sports medicine professionals to monitor and test an entire team of athletes in parallel, making quick and thorough daily assessments possible, before, during, and after every game and practice if desired. Protxx is also leveraging advanced data analytics and machine learning technologies to automate the process of extracting and correlating key indicators of injury risk and severity from the large volumes of feature-rich head impact and postural sway data generated on a daily basis. By providing a real-time snapshot of the onset and progression of impact-induced changes to both neurovestibular and musculoskeletal physiology, the Protxx platform allows athletes at risk to be identified in real time and flagged for evaluation, rapidly triaged, and then referred to the appropriate athletic trainer, physical therapist, or medical specialist for any required further assessments.
Beginning in September 2018, Protxx is launching multiple pilot deployments with clinical neurology and sports medicine providers, along with both amateur and professional sports organizations. Next chances to meet the team are at our conference in Melbourne in October and in Munich next February!
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 for all three models of this great smartwatch.
The post The best Apple Watch deals for September 2018 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Apple already ruled the smartwatch market with the Apple Watch Series 3, but the Series 4 elevates it to new levels with more screen, a sleeker design, and even an world-first electrocardiogram app that lets you keep tabs on your ticker.
The post Apple Watch Series 4 hands-on review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Apple announced its latest software update for the Apple Watch at the 2018 WWDC, and new betas suggest a final release is imminent. WatchOS 5 brings a number of new features including new watch faces and improved health tracking.
The post WatchOS 5: Everything we know so far appeared first on Digital Trends.
One of the most intriguing announcements at Apple's September event was the Apple Watch Series 4, which brings a sleek new design and radical health-tracking features. How does it compare to the last generation? We break them down here.
The post Apple Watch Series 4 vs Series 3: Which should you get? appeared first on Digital Trends.
People aren’t getting enough sleep; I can safely say that based on the products showcased at the IFA 2018 in Berlin. Yet, those who get 8 hours of sleep aren’t getting enough deep sleep. Deep sleep is very important to your health. It is the stage of sleep you need to feel rejuvenated when you wake up in the morning.
Related Best of IFA 2018: All the Major Launches, New Wearables, Smart Appliances and More
Sleep tracking was a major topic at the event; from earbuds to nosebuds to patches various companies displayed products which were focused on providing you with a good night’s sleep.
Philips introduced SmartSleep – the world’s first and only clinically-proven wearable solution for consumers to improve deep sleep quality for people who do not get enough sleep due to lifestyle, according to the company. SmartSleep is a soft foam headband that’s meant to wear while sleeping. Once you slip on the headset, 2 small built-in sensors connect to your forehead and behind your ears to monitor brain activity and using advanced algorithms accurately identifies your different sleep stages during the night.
Fitbit introduced its Charge 3 – a smartwatch disguised as a fitness tracker. The waterproof wearable comes with a full-touch screen, smart features, an added sensor and seven days of battery life. On top of heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, altimeter and NFC payment, the smartwatch features SpO2 sensor blood oxygen sensor previously only available in the Versa and Ionic.
Garmin saved its unveil of the newest Vivosmart fitness tracker for IFA this year. For the Vivosmart 4, the company added a “pulse ox2 oximeter,” which measures the oxygen saturation in your blood. Oximeter is that small device that a nurse clips to your finger. But, in Garmin’s case, the company’s oximeter tries to determine how well you are sleeping at night. It could also tell you if you stopped breathing during your sleep – a common condition known as sleep apnea. This is the biggest hardware addition to the Garmin’s tracker although the company’s also updating its software to have an effective sleep-monitoring system that lets wearers to check in on their sleep quality once they’re awake.
Related GO2SLEEP Wearable Smart Ring Detects Sleep Apnea and More
Although Samsung’s Galaxy Watch didn’t quite debut at IFA 2018, it was very close. The Galaxy Watch has the smartwatch feel with traditional look and an analogue watch style. The smartwatch has all the phone notifications, receive calls and tracks your sleep with an improved tracker. It also monitors your heart rate, tracks your fitness and plays music. Schedules and reminders are another neat feature to help you stay on top of things.
