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 February 2019 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Going through physical pain can sometimes be unbearable. The most common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries. This type of pain is usually localized, affecting just a few muscles or a small part of your body. To ease pain, many people turn to chiropractors, but unfortunately, chiropractic alone sometimes isn’t enough to reduce pain and improve lifestyle.
Read more NeuroMetrix Introduces Quell 2.0 Wearable AI Pain Relief Technology at CES 2019
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) uses electrical pulses to improve physical fitness. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) relieves pain, but you need to buy several units to work on various areas simultaneously.
ElectroFit is an all-in-one smart device that uses EMS and TENS-based technology to transmit micro-electrical pulses through specific areas of the body. By exercising muscle while keeping nerves active, ElectroFit is capable of deliver the kind of full-body results that other devices in the market are too limited to achieve. Electrofit is a home therapy program aimed at those who want to live an active and healthy lifestyle.
In TENS therapy, the device uses electrical pulses to fight pain by stimulating the sensory nerves to produce mood-enhancing endorphins and prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. For EMS therapy, the device sends an electrical pulse to motor nerves causing the targeted muscles to contract. These muscle contractions can be used to warm up muscles before a workout or, as ElectroFit advertises, enhance the contraction of muscles during a workout, reports Digital Trends.
The device comes with an app which connects via Bluetooth to the controller and the accessories. You can adjust the intensity and the type of workout by using the app.
The controller connects to several attachments. The basic set comes with two electropads, which can be used anywhere in the body.
The ElectroFit controller also works with the Electro Abs attachment, which can be used to tone your six-pack or strengthen thighs while you relax.
The Dual Electro attachment helps to tone and strengthen glutes, arms and lower back.
ElectroFit can be used for years as an effective fitness and pain relief aid, and has no known side-effects, says the company.
Read more New Technology Used by NFL Athletes Gives Teams and Trainers Edge in Injury Assessment
The ElectroFit controller is very small, measuring about 2 inches wide. Every unit comes with integrated rechargeable lithium battery, Micro-USB charging port and medical grade adhesive electro gel pads.
This can be a great device for athletes, helping to build-up maximum strength and increase power.
ElectroFit wants your support to back the project on Indiegogo. The unit is available at an early bird price of $99 for the base unit which ships with the controller unit and a set of ElectroPads that can be used on any part of the body.
Thin cell batteries are among some of the smallest batteries around. Although very tiny in size, these batteries are capable of providing a stable voltage to power electronic devices and outperform coin cells at higher discharge rates.
Read more NGK’s Chip-type Ceramic Secondary Batteries Win CES 2019 Innovation Awards
The technology behind thin cell batteries originated over twenty years ago when Ultralife developed the 9-volt battery. Over the years of successful development Ultralife’s engineers changed the cell layout to maximize the space used.
The original cylindrical shape of batteries waster wasted space so Ultralife’s engineers changed the cell layout; they developed the thin cell battery as a pouch with square cells and also sealed the cell with a bespoke mixture of materials to keep moisture out and ensure battery longevity, reports Ultralife.
These thin cell batteries have many use cases such as:
Using thin cell batteries in small trackers attached to the valuable materials is a much more efficient way than using RFID tags, which have to be manually scanned. Because the batteries are small, the tracker can be fitted discreetly to deter thieves from breaking off the tag.
When developing new technologies to better care for the ageing population, many medtech companies are also following the industrial trend of the Internet of Things, with a multitude of connected devices feeding information back to a central point. Wearable devices and sensors are seen as a way to keep a constant monitor on vitals, in a hospital and outside of a healthcare environment. In a hospital, doctors can use wearables that measure vitals, without the patient being restricted to a bed, but can also use items such as the SensiVest.
Read more How Researchers are Working to Improve Performance of Batteries
Smart security systems are increasingly becoming prevalent in homes to protect against intruders, monitor entrances and detect floods. The worldwide smart home security market is expected to reach $18 billion in 2020.
Most smart security services can be controlled by a smartphone app, showing live cameras and allowing homeowners to view alerts. As more parts of the home are being monitored by smart security sensors, the power requirements for the devices have changed. Sometimes, they cannot all be powered by the central mains supply, as wires are not practical or are too obvious. Ultralife’s Thin Cell technology, are essential in these applications. As home automation is intensifying, battery manufacturers should reflect on how to best power the multitude of sensors and devices which form the web of smart security systems. If home automation equipment manufacturers fail to use innovative battery technology to ensure long lasting and reliable batteries, end users will soon become frustrated and therefore unlikely to invest in further technology.
Athletes and sports enthusiasts are increasingly relying on smart wearables to monitor or enhance their performances. Wearables and hearables are now routinely used as practical training aids for many different sports. Reliable batteries are essential for wearable devices that produce precise and continuous records of vital data.
Read more Fraunhofer IZM Researchers Develop New Bendable Micro-Batteries for Wearable Devices
At the ISPO Munich, the world’s largest trade fair for sports articles and sports fashion, VARTA Microbattery will demonstrate what is currently possible in this field by launching three new lithium-ion cells at the shared WT | Wearable Technologies Pavilion in Hall C6, Stand 706, from 3 to 6 February 2019. VARTA Microbattery will present its CoinPower series at the trade fair in Munich.
While the performance level of wearable devices is increasing, they are becoming smaller and lighter. Therefore, the amount of energy provided by batteries has to be adapted accordingly.
VARTA Microbattery will present its CoinPower series at the trade fair in Munich. This includes three new flat Lithium-I on cell types: the CP 0854, CP9440 and CP7840. Their cylindrical shape and high energy density make them an ideal energy source for wearables and hearables.
“The new cells are the result of our ongoing drive to improve miniaturization. This is of benefit to manufacturers, since they can make their devices increasingly smaller and flatter,” Matthias Dorsch, Product Manager at VARTA Microbattery GmbH, explains.
Read more Open-Mesoporous Carbon Nanofibers May Provide Power to Flexible Power Sensors
The coin cells with high capacity and fast charging capability are easy to install in end devices. The strong steel housing of the cells ensures high tolerance against impact and vibration. The CoinPower series has produced several patents, including the i-Lock system, which together with the circular form enables up to 30 percent higher energy density than comparable batteries on the market.
As the parent company of the Group, VARTA AG is active in the business segments Microbatteries and Power & Energy through its operating subsidiaries VARTA Microbattery GmbH and VARTA Storage GmbH. Already an innovation leader in the microbattery sector and a market leader for hearing-aid microbatteries, VARTA Microbattery GmbH also aspires to market leadership for lithium-ion batteries. The Group’s operating subsidiaries are currently active in more than 75 countries around the world, with four production and assembly facilities in Europe and Asia as well as distribution centers in Asia, Europe and the United States.
Wearables are morphing from devices that send you smartphone notifications and track your fitness into gadgets that can monitor your health -- and maybe even save your life.
The post A wearable may save your life, thanks to A.I. and big data. Here’s how appeared first on Digital Trends.
Discover cardmembers can now make payments using Garmin Pay, a contactless payment solution for people on the move, said a press release.
Related Garmin Pay Contactless Payments Now Available for Maestro European Accountholders
Garmin Pay is available on Garmin’s latest active lifestyle smartwatches, the vívoactive® 3 series, and new GPS running watches, the Forerunner® 645, Forerunner 645 Music and fēnix® 5 Plus series, as well as the D2™ Delta aviator watch series. Adding Discover card to Garmin’s virtual wallet will allow users to make quick and easy purchases using just their watch.
“Consumers are constantly on the go and our goal is to make it as simple and seamless as possible for our cardmembers to pay with their Discover card, including on IoT and wearable devices,” said Shaida Lynch, vice president of e-business at Discover. “Now someone can be out on a jog or running errands and the ability to pay with Discover from their Garmin watch is just a quick tap away.”
Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales said his company is excited to provide their customers as well as Discover cardmembers another option of payment while they’re on the move. “Having the ability to easily pay for purchases, without the need for a phone or wallet, is a feature that we are happy to bring to users who live an active lifestyle,” he said.
With the Garmin Connect™ mobile app, users can add payment card to Garmin’s virtual wallet and start to use tap and pay with just a few quick touches. Discover cardmembers can use Garmin Pay at any merchant retail location that accepts both Discover and contactless Near Field Communication (NFC) transactions.
Related Dutch Bank ABN Amro Introduces Wearable Payments on Smartwatches, Rings, and Bracelets
“We are very pleased to have partnered with Discover and Garmin to bring additional payment capabilities to Discover cardholders,” said Michael Orlando, chief operating officer of NXT-ID and president of Fit Pay, Inc. “Discover cardholders will now be able to experience a truly frictionless payment experience through Garmin’s amazing line-up of smartwatches.”
Discover cardmembers who use Garmin Pay to make purchases will continue to receive all the convenience and benefits of their Discover card, including rewards, fraud protection and U.S.-based customer service.
The Amazfit Bip isn't an Apple Watch or Fitbit Versa, but at the discounted price of $67, it's a very affordable alternative packed with useful features. With built-in GPS and 30-day battery life, this cheap smartwatch is a great option to consider.
The post This discounted smartwatch is a cheap Apple Watch or Fitbit Versa alternative appeared first on Digital Trends.
Michael Kors has brought back the Access Runway name it last used in 2016, and this time attached it to a Wear OS smartwatch, complete with new tech, and a cool way of customizing the watch face, too.
The post Michael Kors Access Runway smartwatch: Everything you need to know appeared first on Digital Trends.
Fit Relief wants to supercharge your workout with ElectroFit, the world's first smartphone-controlled electrical muscle stimulation device. Designed for home users, the system can help strengthen muscles and ease the pain of recovery.
The post Zap yourself into shape with ElectroFit, a smartphone-operated muscle stimulator appeared first on Digital Trends.
Zurich, Switzerland-based aiCTX developed DynapSE neuromorphic processor which can be used to detect anomalies in a single-lead, ECG-like signal.
In a YouTube video, aiCTX demonstrated the DynapSE neuromorphic processor.
“Here we have set up a reservoir neural network consisting of 384 silicon neurons. 64 of these neurons receive the spiking input signal. The activity stimulates a population of 256 stochastically interconnected excitatory neurons, as well as 64 inhibitory neurons that balance the overall reservoir activity. This activity of the neurons is recorded and then classified, in order to decide whether the signal contains an anomaly,” said the narrator of the video.
Read more Withings Move ECG Debuts at CES 2019
First they generated an ECG signal that is normal for the first few heartbeats, and then exhibits a depressed ST segment. After that there are few more normal heartbeats, and then a different anomaly, a so-called “missing Pwave”, where the peak is missing.
Next, they converted the signal to spikes and send it to the chip. And while it is processing this information, its activity was shown on the screen, where each flashing dot corresponds to one spiking neuron. The oscilloscope also shows the complex dynamics of a single neuron.
After the signal has been processed by the chip it is classified, and the resulting output is displayed on the screen. The result is expected it to be zero wherever there is no anomaly, and larger when there are anomalies.
On the other hand, while the ECG signal was normal, the output was zero as expected.
aiCTX is a leading-edge neuromorphic computing company. It provides dedicated mixed-signal neuromorphic processors which overcome the limitations of legacy von Neumann computers to provide an unprecedented combination of ultra-low power consumption and low-latency performance. aiCTX has a unique technological edge and IP portfolio that comes from over 20 years of experience in mixed-signal neural processor design, advanced neural routing architectures, and neural algorithms.
Read more TAGecg 7-Day Wearable ECG Sensor: A Smarter, Simpler Path to Cardiac Diagnostics
Their full-custom neuromorphic processors will be used in a variety of artificial intelligence edge computing applications that require ultra-low-power and ultra-low-latency features, including autonomous robots, always-on co-processors for mobile and embedded devices, wearable healthcare systems, security, IoT applications, and computing at the network edge. As a “full-stack” neuromorphic engineering company, aiCTX delivers complete solutions, including custom hardware and software configurations to meet specific application needs.
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 It’s time to check out the best Apple Watch deals for January 2019 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Imagine controlling the volume of the physical world around you. With a remote control you could simply turn up or down the sounds of birds chirping or amplify rustling of leaves. Conversely, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to dial back the chaos and noise of shared working spaces, noisy streets and loud restaurants?
The World Volume feature in Nuheara’s IQbuds Boost lets you do just that. Similar to the volume controls on your phone that turn up or down music, phone calls, podcasts and other digital audio, World Volume controls ambient noise and speech in your physical world. Using the IQbuds application on your Android or iOS device, you can easily dial up or down “World Volume” around you.
Related Nuheara Building Ecosystem for Hearables with its IQStream TV
In the animation below “N” stands for natural, meaning the volume of your environmental noise is transmitting through the earbuds at its normal level. Moving the control to the left gradually reduces the sounds in the world around you, while moving the control to the right amplifies it. Tapping the center icon will toggle world volume on or off entirely.
Without having to grab your phone and open the IQbuds application, you can now toggle audio of the outside world “on” or “off” with a simple tap of your right earbud.
Related Jabra Elite Active 65t: Amazing Fit with Great Sweat-Proof Sound
Beyond “World Volume” on and off, there’s a whole lot more that IQbuds and BOOST enable you to do. Below are just a few of the other features related to how you hear the world around you:
Check out our roundup of the best new crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the web this week. You may not be able to buy this stuff yet, but it sure is fun to gawk!
The post Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: 5-in-1 keychain charger, UV germ killers appeared first on Digital Trends.
The 33rd WT | Wearable Technologies Conference will take place on February 5-6 and will once again be THE meeting point for global professionals of the entire wearable ecosystem. This year for the first time the event will be part of ISPO tradeshow located in the brand new innovation hall C6 of Messe Munich. More than 60 high-level speakers coming from Bayer, Odlo, Casio, Gore, Microsoft and STMicroelectronics will give you the latest insights into their applications and digitalization strategies via IoT and WT solutions and drive your business development. The unique agenda is covering the latest trends and developments of the tremendously growing wearables market.
Health care is an industry that constantly needs innovation. And, that’s why it is changing very fast. When Sony Walkman hit the market, it revolutionized how people listen to music. Now, hearables have built-in optical sensors to measure heart rate. Artificial intelligence is making a big impact on health wearables as well. Then, there are augmented reality and virtual reality, which are offering their shares to the healthcare industry.
At our 33rd WT | Wearable Technologies Conference on February 5-6, we will highlight great thought leaders and innovators from all over the globe. While these innovators will be speaking at the conference, the companies themselves will showcase their breakthrough innovations. The companies and their leaders speaking at the conference are listed below. Do not miss the chance to meet and listen to them in person and join us for #WTEU19!
Aparito, an award-winning digital health startup, uses wearables and disease specific mobile apps to deliver patient monitoring outside of the hospital. Aparito’s wristband invites patients to input data about their experiences related to the drugs they’re taking. The wearable wristband constantly tracks medical data on health and activity levels. The wristband can also detect and track subtle external seizures not noticed by others. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, the startup raised investment from Europe’s biggest pharmaceutical company, Germany’s Bayer AG, in a round which brings its valuation to £4.5 million ($6 million) in 2018.
Dr. Elin Haf Davies, CEO of Aparito will be speaking at our 33rd WT | Wearable Technologies Conference on February 5-6. Dr. Davies will be explaining “Patient Generated Data – what can we make of it?”
SharkDreams develops digital solutions that solve the major problems facing healthcare. They are a growing group of entrepreneurs, engineers, and designers. Bound together by a common vision of improving healthcare through technology, the company develops digital solutions that solve the major problems facing healthcare. Through their hardware and software applications, sharkdreams is working to build a complete ecosystem that will result in smarter, more connected healthcare providers, and digital clinics that serve the needs of patients better.
SharkDreams’ Founder and CEO Dharma Teja Nukarapu will be speaking at our 33rd WT | Wearable Technologies Conference on February 5-6. Mr. Nukarapu will be discussing “Advanced virtual care powered by medication adherence and compliance.”
Crescent Technologies B.V. are a Group of Engineers with a Passion for Healthcare and Technology, Developing World’s First Wearable Dual-Camera Headband for Surgeons. The footage can be watched on a desktop, tablet, smartphone or VR glasses to experience stereoscopic 3D.
Samy Ralph Andary, Founder of Crescent Technologies will be speaking at our 33rd WT | Wearable Technologies Conference on February 5-6. Mr. Andary will be talking about the “World’s First Wearable 3D Camera for Surgeons.”
Bayer Vital GmbH develops and produces pharmaceutical and healthcare products. The Company provides products for prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, consumer care, veterinary drugs, and other pharmaceuticals. It also offers contrast medium substances for medical imaging. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer Vital GmbH operates as a subsidiary of Bayer HealthCare AG. Bayer Vital serves customers worldwide.
Dr. Christian Muller, Team Leader Data Generation of Bayer Vital, will be speaking at our 33rd WT | Wearable Technologies Conference on February 5-6. Mr. Muller’s topic will be “Real-World Evidence Generation using Wearables in a Digital Research Ecosystem.”
Meet those international experts at the WT | Wearable Technologies Conference at ISPO Munich in hall C6 Feb 5-6!
Join us with 20% discount by using the code WT20 Register here
Biometric identification is a common practice nowadays. From fingerprints to retina, biometric authentication is widely used to allow access to personal data.
Now, imagine a world where your heartbeat is the key to your identity, and you never have to remember a username or password ever again. No posted notes on our desk, no notepad on your phone, no resetting your password or having to remember the name of your childhood pet. Keyband is a smart wristband that uses your biometric signature to prove identity, sign transactions and provide access in a secured and effortless way.
Keyband uses electrocardiogram (ECG) to continuously authenticate access to devices and accounts. Wireless communication between Keyband and connected devices follows a secure standard that was declassified by the Australian Department of Defense.
Keyband will make accessing Web 3.0 as easy and automatic as having a pulse so you can take control of your identity, security, and finances. Pairing your heartbeat signature with your fingerprint makes Keyband 5x more secure than FaceID.
Keyband creates safe, frictionless, and secure ways for people to manage their personal data. The company was launched in 2018 by four experts with complementary backgrounds spanning military cybersecurity to human experience design, industrial design, and mobile development. Among them was the idea of creating simple security solutions for users around, and beyond, blockchain applications.
In the near future, this innovative device will make getting through TSA is as simple as waving to the officer as you walk by. You’ll be able to enter any hospital and effortlessly share privileged access to your personal medical history. “Voting will occur from the comfort of your home while watching real-time election results. Safe banking tools will be enabled for the billions of people in developing nations who are financially excluded and underserved. All of this will be made possible with Keyband,” said the company.
Orientation and Mobility is difficult for people who are blind or has partial sight. The major problem with these people is detecting obstacles above the waist, particularly at head level. This problem is further exacerbated in developing countries due to a lack of accessible infrastructure and a lack of social assistance.
To address these issues, iMerciv, a Toronto, Canada-based startup has developed BuzzClip, a small and discreet wearable for people that are blind or partially sighted.
The BuzzClip uses ultrasound to detect obstacles that may lie directly in one’s path. It then notifies the user of these obstacles through intuitive vibrations, allowing the user to safely navigate around any objects that they may encounter.
Related These New Generation of Wearables are Empowering Blind and the Visually Impaired
The BuzzClip offers essential head-level obstacle detection and can be easily attached to many forms of clothing, making it a highly versatile and useful device. It vibrates to alert you of head-level obstacles which ground-level canes and guide dogs cannot detect.
The device is not a replacement for a cane but a complementary mobility tool. It is intended to be used in combination with a cane or a guide dog.
The rechargeable battery lasts up to 10 hours and is charged using a Micro-USB cable and AC Wall Charger (both included inside the package).
The device is water-resistant but NOT waterproof – it will function perfectly in light rain but you shouldn’t take showers or go swimming with it.
iMerciv is based in Toronto, Canada and was founded by Arjun Mali and Bin Liu in August of 2014.
BuzzClip can be purchased via their website imerciv.com. It retails for $249.
Related NuEyes, Pico Interactive Partner Up for Next Gen Wearables for the Visually Impaired
Vision Loss is an important and growing issue to iMerciv co-founders. Bin’s father is currently living with inoperable glaucoma and they want to provide him with a functional and effective solution for when he loses more vision in the future. Arjun’s family has supported a blind school and orphanage in India for decades.
It’s been seven years since Google took the wraps off Google Glass. Now, we’re finally getting a modern-day equivalent we want to wear. North’s Focals combine subtle style with an intuitive interface to craft smartglasses you’ll want to wear.
The post North Focals impressions appeared first on Digital Trends.
imec, a Belgium-based R&D and innovation hub, active in the fields of nanoelectronics and digital technologies, and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, presented their latest vitals monitoring patch at the recently concluded CES 2019. The disposable device has a monitoring lifetime of over a week, but it’s safe for the environment because of its non-toxic batteries.
The new health patch, developed in the framework of the Holst Centre in Eindhoven, offers unprecedented comfort and a long battery life, previously not seen in this type of device. It is also cheap because it can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of previous generations.
“A crucial technology improvement in this new generation health patch is the integration of a wide range of sensing capabilities into imec’s MUSEIC V3 system-on-chip solution. As a result, the device is almost an order of magnitude cheaper, while the high degree of integration makes it much more energy-efficient. The significant cost reduction means that the patch can now be used as a disposable solution, an important benefit for medical treatment,” says Bernard Grundlehner, System Architect – Connected Health Solutions at imec the Netherlands.
The patch is made of skin friendly and biocompatible materials. The base is made of a very thin, flexible and elastic TPU material, says a press release.
Most of the electronic functionality is performed by printed electronics technologies and integrated dry electrodes provide a stable and high-quality electrical connection to the body. A comfortable silicone adhesive is used to provide long-term adhesion at high comfort.
“Completely watertight, the new health patch is built for maximum user comfort and can be worn for up to seven days before needing to be replaced,” explains Dr. Jeroen van den Brand, Program Director ‘Printed Electronics’, TNO.
imec researchers collaborated with Maxell Ltd. to develop an environmentally friendly battery which does not contain any toxic substances. While competing solutions generally advertise a battery life of 3-4 days, imec’s solution has a battery life of over 7 days, in many cases even longer, depending on the specific configurations.
Read more VitalConnect’s VitalPatch Biosensor and VistaTablet Provides Continuous Patient Monitoring Anywhere
For patients, a single, disposable patch that can be worn for several days is more convenient and can reduce hospital visits as it no longer needs to be returned after use. This is particularly important for chronically ill patients as it provides an affordable, single-use device that can be easily used to monitor their vital signs and physical activity at home.
Casio continues to refine its Pro Trek Wear OS activity smartwatch. The WSD-F30 adds several new features, including another new battery-saving mode that makes great use of the dual-screen technology. Here's everything you need to know.
The post Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30: Everything you need to know appeared first on Digital Trends.
Canadian startup North is hoping smartglasses will be the next big wearable. After announcing its new Focals smartglasses in late 2018, the company opened product showrooms in Brooklyn and Toronto and has made its first shipment.
The post North will launch pop-up stores across the U.S. so you can try its smartglasses appeared first on Digital Trends.
Casio has proved that not all connected watches have to be complicated, or have poorly designed apps, with its G-Steel GST-B100XA watch. We've been wearing it to see if it's worth the $600 price.
The post Casio’s all-metal G-Shock uses its smart tech carefully, and for best effect appeared first on Digital Trends.
Honor has taken the Huawei Watch GT and made it a little smaller, designed it a little better, and come up with the Honor Watch Magic. The alterations are winners, for the most part, and we’ve tried the various different versions on to see if it’s a worthy alternative.
The post Honor Magic Watch hands-on review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Managing diabetes can be a troublesome process. For people living with diabetes, the traditional method of monitoring glucose involves finger pricking. Continuous glucose monitoring systems are an alternative, but they are expensive.
Scientists have used screen printing, photolithography, and other traditional manufacturing practices to develop flexible, wearable devices that conform to patients’ skin. These devices would monitor the glucose in the user’s sweat and other bodily fluids. Although these methods work, they have several drawbacks like, requiring the use of harmful chemicals and clean-room processing, which is very expensive.
Now, Washington State University (WSU) researchers have created a 3D-printed glucose biosensor for use in wearable monitors. The researchers said their work may lead to better glucose monitors for millions of diabetes patients globally. These sensors also reduce costs and cut down waste like expensive cleanroom processing and harmful chemicals, according to Washington State, reports Science Daily.
The research team was led by Arda Gozen and Yuehe Lin, faculty in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at WSU. The findings were published in the journal Analytica Chimica Acta.
The researchers used a 3-D printing method called direct-ink-writing (DIW) to create their biosensor. With DIW, the printer prints inks’ out of nozzles to create precise and intricate designs at tiny scales.
Researchers discovered that their 3D‑printed sensors performed better at picking up glucose signals than the conventional method of using electrodes, and the sensors are also more customizable for the variety of people’s biology.
“3-D printing can enable manufacturing of biosensors tailored specifically to individual patients,” said Gozen.
Because the 3D printing uses only the amount of material needed, there is also less waste in the process than traditional manufacturing methods.
“This can potentially bring down the cost,” said Gozen.
Integrating the printed biosensors with electronic components on wearable devices would enable large-scale use. To cut down costs even more, the manufacturers could use the same 3D printer nozzles used for printing the sensors to print components of the wearable device.
“Our 3-D printed glucose sensor will be used as wearable sensor for replacing painful finger pricking. Since this is a noninvasive, needleless technique for glucose monitoring, it will be easier for children’s glucose monitoring,” said Lin.
With the advancement in technology, healtcare now has more access to patient data. Simple wearables like Fitbits to FDA-approved Medtronic devices are all helping doctors understand patient behaviors in order to improve care. At this year’s WT | Wearable Technologies Conference & Exhibition at ISPO Munich on Feb 3-6, the companies listed below will be showcasing their wearable devices for health:
AiQ Smart Clothing Inc. is considered a pioneer in the Smart Clothes industry. Their philosophy on Smart Clothing is “Smart Inside Out”, which defines the perfectly seamless integration of technology and apparel. By taking a unique architectural approach, AiQ is working to accelerate the development of a wide variety of smart clothes focused at different slices of human life – play, work, entertain & stay healthy. AiQ’s innovations are backed by over two hundred patents. AiQ believes that clothes are the universal wearables and making them smarter to enrich everyday experiences is a natural progression of technology.
Bonbouton is a technology platform for preventative diabetic health care. Their first product, a smart insole with a proprietary embedded graphene sensing system, passively monitors the skin’s physiological signals in order to detect early signs of foot ulcers. The smart insoles sync with their mobile app to continuously monitor foot temperature to provide an early view of developing foot ulcers.This simplifies patient self-monitoring, significantly reduce the cost of care and facilitate better patient outcomes.
CareWear® has developed a wearable photobiomodulation therapy system using blue and red light to decrease pain and accelerate recovery from athletic activity and injury. Their solution is a wearable system with a reusable light patch that can be used pre-training, post-training, or post-injury anywhere: training room, traveling, or home. Just stick the light patch on the treatment site, attach the rechargeable controller, click to start and go! The product is an FDA class II over-the-counter device and can be sold without a prescription.
Datwyler Sealing Solutions Datwyler is a leading industrial supplier and a key player in the healthcare world. With their medical solutions, they are aiming to create a safer and improved medical environment of tomorrow. Datwyler’s soft dry electrodes are the compnay’s proposition for long-term EEG monitoring. They consist of a flexible conductive polymer and customizable design to ensure comfort. Partnering up with the world’s top pharmaceutical and medical companies, Datwyler stands by their mission to ensure patient safety and improve patients’ lives.
VitaScale has successfully developed the worldwide first wearable breath analysis device that can quickly and conveniently measure gas components in a person’s breath. With the end consumer ready hard and software (App) of vitascale™ the golden standard in sports medicine becomes available for everybody. This innovative and patented headset system provides real-time performance and metabolism measurement, to optimize a person’s health based on breathing gas composition.
Meet those companies at the WT | Wearable Technologies Joint Pavilion at ISPO Munich in hall C6, booth 706 on Feb 3-6!
The co-located WT | Wearable Technologies Conference will take place on February 5-6 and will once again be THE meeting point for global professionals of the entire wearable ecosystem. This year for the first time the event will be a more integral part of ISPO tradeshow located in the brand new innovation hall C6 of Messe Munich More than 60 high-level speakers coming from Bayer, Odlo, Casio, Gore, Microsoft and STMicroelectronics will give you the latest insights into their applications and digitalization strategies via IoT and WT solutions and drive your business development. The unique agenda is covering the latest trends and developments of the tremendously growing wearables market.
Join us with 20% discount by using the code WT20
When you have to be away from your elderly family members, Walabot Home can serve as your surrogate. This device can detect when your loved one falls and will call for help — no wearables or user input required.
The post Walabot Home, a device aimed at keeping seniors safe, expands its capabilities appeared first on Digital Trends.
The Apple Watch can do more than just tell you the time, but you may not be aware of all the different functions it has. Our list of the 10 most often used functions and features will help you understand what it can really do.
The post 10 top features you should be using on your Apple Watch appeared first on Digital Trends.
Honor has unveiled the new Honor View 20, one of the best smartphones of the year. Alongside it, however, the company also took the wraps off of the new Honor Watch Magic and Honor Watch Dream.
The post With weeklong battery life, the new Honor Watches are a real Dream to wear appeared first on Digital Trends.
The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 is not the best-looking smartwatch you’ll strap on your wrist, but it may be the toughest, and it’ll almost certainly be the cheapest. We’ve been wearing it to see what it’s like.
The post Mobvoi Ticwatch S2 review appeared first on Digital Trends.
Quality smartwatches don't have to be expensive and Mobvoi's Ticwatch proves that. At CES 2019, Mobvoi took the opportunity to take the wraps off the Ticwatch S2 and the Ticwatch E2. Both watches are available now.
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Want a smartwatch that can track heart rate, has GPS, and interact with notifications — for cheap? Mobvoi’s Google Wear OS-based TicWatch E2 can do it all, for just $160.
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Samsung is updating the Gear S3 Classic, Gear S3 Frontier, and the Gear Sport to the newest version of Tizen 4. Along with of some little tweaks to usability and quality-of-life, Samsung has added some new features.
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IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) invites innovators, technologists, materials suppliers, electrical engineers and academicians to submit technical conference abstracts and educational course proposals for IPC E-TEXTILES 2019 to be held Sept. 11, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pa.
The second IPC conference for the e-textiles industry, IPC E-TEXTILES 2019 will provide a platform for presenters and their companies to promote their expertise in e-textiles to key electrical engineers, fashion designers, health and medical suppliers, and managers from automotive and military/aerospace market segments.
Expert technical papers and presentations are being sought in the following areas:
An approximate 300-word technical conference abstract summarizing original and previously unpublished work covering case histories, research and discoveries must be submitted. The submission should describe significant results from experiments and case studies, emphasize new techniques, discuss trends of interest and contain appropriate technical test results.
In addition, course proposals are solicited from individuals interested in presenting half-day (three-hour) professional development courses on e-textiles design, manufacturing processes and materials.
Technical conference paper abstracts and course proposals are due April 10, 2019. To submit an abstract or course proposal, email Chris Jorgensen, IPC’s director of technology transfer, at chrisjorgensen@ipc.org.
from Advanced Textiles Source http://bit.ly/2CBvLsF
If you have an Apple Watch, you know how easy it is to take off the strap it came with, so why not buy yourself another one? Here, we've gathered the best Apple Watch bands we've seen so far. There's something for everyone.
The post The best Apple Watch bands and straps for 2019 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 may not be able to buy this stuff yet, but it sure is fun to gawk!
The post Awesome Tech You Can’t Buy Yet: camera with A.I. director, robot arm assistant appeared first on Digital Trends.
A health monitoring watch being developed by Alphabet, Google's parent company, has received clearance from the FDA as a medical device. This means that the device has been found to be safe and can legally be sold in the U.S.
The post Alphabet’s health watch monitors your heart health, is approved by the FDA appeared first on Digital Trends.
As fitness trackers become more like health monitors, some physicians are concerned they can lead to over-diagnosis of non-existent problems. It’s already happening with wearable baby monitors.
The post Lack of regulation means wearables aren’t held accountable for their health claims appeared first on Digital Trends.
Apple’s AirPods are among the best fully wireless earbuds we’ve seen, but they’re not perfect. If you’re having trouble, take a look at our guide to the most common problems and what you can do to fix them.
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Google is about to step up its smartwatch game. The company has agreed to buy an unnamed smartwatch technology from The Fossil Group for a hefty $40 million. Considering the acquisition, it's clear Google is serious about smartwatches.
The post Google is buying mysterious smartwatch tech from The Fossil Group for $40 million appeared first on Digital Trends.
Google has named IBM MaaS360 with Watson as an Android Enterprise Recommended solution for BYOD, dedicated, and company-owned devices.
A Google-run program Android Enterprise Recommended validates Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) product offerings that are built to an elevated set of solution standards using advanced Android Enterprise features that prioritize modern management methods to help business customers utilize the best of Android. Android Enterprise Recommended EMMs stay current with the latest platform features and work closely with Google to offer regularly trained staff, verified resources and trusted guidance to ensure a consistent, successful deployment, said a press release.
Traditionally, mobile device management (MDM) and EMM solutions have been used to help manage and secure mobile devices in the enterprise. With the advent of desktops, laptops, wearables and IoT devices, organizations need a platform that offers visibility and control over their endpoint and mobile environment: unified endpoint management (UEM). MaaS360 is the only platform that delivers an artificial intelligence approach to UEM to enable endpoints, end users, and everything in between – including apps, content, and data.
MaaS360 includes support for Android in the enterprise, Samsung Knox and Android version 2.2 and higher.
“With significant Android Enterprise activations for MaaS360, we’ve prioritized not only the product roadmap to ensure our clients can adopt the Android Enterprise solution sets, but also training and enablement for the IBM sales and support organizations to best support the platform.” said John Nielsen, Offering Manager, MaaS360, IBM Security. “With the consistency that Android Enterprise provides clients across various Android manufacturers, we do not anticipate the adoption trend to slow down any time soon.”
Fitbit and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched an initiative called the Fitbit Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) project. It’s the first digital health technology initiative for the All of Us research program, a precision medicine study hoping to improve the prevention and treatment of disease based on individual differences in lifestyle, environment and genetics.
Read more Fitbit CEO James Park Believes Wearables Are Vital for a Better Healthcare System
Fitbit users currently enrolled in the program can now choose to sync their Fitbit accounts to help researchers unlock deeper insights into the relationships between health indicators such as physical activity, heart rate, sleep and health outcomes. It is one of the world’s largest precision medicine studies, and Fitbit is the first wearable to be included in the program.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Fitbit users who choose to participate, to further contribute to one of the world’s largest research efforts by providing information that can help pave the way to a healthier future for all of us,” said Adam Pellegrini, general manager, Fitbit Health Solutions.
Participants will be invited to share various health information over time through surveys, electronic health records, physical measurements, biosamples and digital health technologies. Researchers will be able to access that data for a range of health studies. Strict safeguards will be put in place to protect the privacy of participants, Fitbit said in a press release.
“Collecting real-world, real-time data through digital technologies will become a fundamental part of the program,” said Eric Dishman, director of the All of Us Research Program. “This information in combination with many other data types will give us an unprecedented ability to better understand the impact of lifestyle and environment on health outcomes and, ultimately, develop better strategies for keeping people healthy in a very precise, individualized way.”
Read more Garmin Partners Up with Fitabase to Offer New Data Management for Wearable-Based Research
The first leg of the All of Us program was launched in May 2018; the second All of Us initiative will launch in 2019, which will involve providing up to 10,000 Fitbit devices to a diverse set of participants randomly invited to take part.
Proteus Digital Health has launched a digital oncology treatment, which combines oral chemotherapy with its ingestible sensor, enabling oncologists to track treatment effectiveness and adherence in their cancer patients.
Read more Smart Pill can Deliver Drugs Following Smartphone Commands via Bluetooth
Patients with stage 3 and 4 colorectal cancer at the University of Minnesota Health and Fairview Health Services were treated with digital capecitabine.
Proteus developed the care model for oral digital oncology medicines with University of Minnesota Health and Fairview, which is the first health system in the world to prescribe digital capecitabine, a common chemotherapy drug prescribed with the Proteus ingestible sensor.
“Proteus has given us a great opportunity to take our passion for better care management of patients receiving oral oncolytics and move that forward,” said University of Minnesota Physicians oncologist/hematologist Dr. Edward Greeno, who also directs the University of Minnesota Health oncology service line.
The digital medicines program helps optimize treatment regimens while maintaining a patient’s privacy. The program securely captures, records, and shares information about the time, dose, and type of oral chemotherapy medication taken. This information, as well as data on rest, activity, and resting heart rate, can be shared with the patient’s consent with their physician, pharmacist, or caretaker. The information can only be seen by the patient and their designated individuals on a secure, mobile-friendly platform developed by Proteus.
Read more How Wearable Devices Are Changing the World of Drug Delivery
“Currently, providers make decisions about oral chemotherapy based on patients’ best knowledge of their medication taking,” said Andrew Thompson, CEO and Co-founder of Proteus Digital Health. “For the first time, digital oncology medicines give providers and caregivers new insights and ability to engage with more specific information in the remote care of colorectal cancer patients. Based on our data around the use of digital medicines in other treatment areas, we believe this will enable oncology patients to stay on their therapy longer, avoid hospital admissions, and have better response to therapy overall.”
Swatch has announced its Swatchpay technology is now available in Switzerland, enabling mobile payments from your Swatch watch. It works in a similar way to Apple Pay and Google Pay. Here's everything about it.
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Though fitness trackers and smartwatches can get pretty pricey, REI is offering some sweet discounts on top brands. Right now, you can get a new smartwatch from Fitbit, Suunto, and Garmin for up to 35 percent off its normal price.
The post REI slashes prices on Suunto, Garmin, and Fitbit Versa smartwatches appeared first on Digital Trends.
Google is about to step up its smartwatch game. The company has agreed to buy an unnamed smartwatch technology from The Fossil Group for a hefty $40 million. Considering the acquisition, it's clear Google is serious about smartwatches.
The post Google is buying mysterious smartwatch tech from The Fossil Group for $40 million appeared first on Digital Trends.
High blood pressure leads to heart attacks, strokes, and many other health problems, so it's important to keep an eye on. Omron's HeartGuide is a fitness tracking watch that can also monitor your blood pressure from your wrist.
The post Omron HeartGuide brings blood pressure monitoring to your wrist appeared first on Digital Trends.
There are a large number of fitness trackers in the market, and many of them claim to deliver accurate health data based on a variety of biomarkers.
Now, a new device called ‘Lumen’ may the most amazing of them all. Developed by Metaflow, an Israel-based company, Lumen analyzes your breath to determine whether your body is currently burning more fat or carbs.
Read more Weight Loss: Researchers Develop Implantable Device that Simulates Food Inside Stomach
The device looks like a tiny breathalyzer. At the top, there’s a mouth-piece to breathe into in order to populate results. You’ll need to take breath into the device every morning, and your daily goal for carb consumption, along with meal and snack recommendations will be displayed on the app.
“We developed this small device that actually measures your metabolism from your breath. It tells you if you’re producing energy from using carbs or fats. And when you do a morning measurement after you’ve been fasting before eating it’ll tell you how healthy your metabolism is and build your personalized meal plan,” Dror Ceder, Lumen CPO and CMO told MedGadget’s Michael Ostrovsky at the CES 2019.
The idea of measuring metabolism through the breath isn’t new, many world-class athletes have been using it reach peak levels of fitness for years. This type of metabolic measurement is known as RQ, or respiratory quotient, and is the ratio of carbon dioxide (CO2) to Oxygen (O2) consumed. But traditional RQ measurement requires a person to be placed in a metabolic cart or chamber for up to 60 minutes, and a team of practitioners to work on analyzing the results.
Lumen’s patent-pending technology reduces the time it takes to measure metabolic fuel usage from 60-minutes down to a single breath.
Read more Study: Weight loss wearables most effective alongside intradisciplinary approach
Lumen partnered with design firm Frog on the device. From its compact size to its protective matte coating and magnetic cap, Lumen is designed with an attention to detail to make it easy to use– anywhere and at any time. It’s taken us 4 years of prototyping and testing to develop this breakthrough technology.
Swatch has announced its Swatchpay technology is now available in Switzerland, enabling mobile payments from your Swatch watch. It works in a similar way to Apple Pay and Google Pay. Here's everything about it.
The post Swatch and Mastercard team up for on-the-wrist, on-the-go mobile payments appeared first on Digital Trends.
When consumer wearables first hit the market, many hospitals and health systems resisted the technology and thought patient-generated health data (PGHD) generated by these devices might not be as reliable.
Read more Healthcare Wearables are Becoming Important for Staying Alive
But with the advancement of data analytics tools, healthcare providers now understand the benefits PGHD can have on patient care, according to a recent HIMSS report.
“Some myths around PGHD have been debunked while healthy skepticism and improved technology continue to push the conversation forward,” the report authors stated. “As a result, according to one recent survey, hospitals and health systems are no longer questioning the value – or desire – for PGHD. In fact, they are demanding it.”
The report titled “The Role of Wearables and PGHD in the Care Delivery Continuum” and sponsored by Fitbit found 79% of respondents agree that they would like to have more data about patients in between encounters and 72% agree that they need PGHD to make good decisions on chronic disease management.
“It’s encouraging news,” said John Sharpe, Senior Manager of the Personal Connected Health Alliance at HIMSS. “We are learning to trust the data. Furthermore, we’re learning how to make actual wearables and activity monitors more effective tools in both preventing disease and managing chronic disease.”
It’s certainly encouraging because the report found that 90% of those incorporating wearable devices in their workflow see it as a technology strategy that can positively impact chronic disease management.
Peoples suffering from chronic diseases like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity and smoking addiction need behavior and lifestyle changes to improve their condition. These habits – such as diet, exercise and medication adherence – are at the lowest rate of clinical control.
“These conditions lend themselves well to the value of wearable devices and PGHD because individuals need more constant guidance and self-reflection to succeed than can be provided with sporadic office visits,” says John Moore, MD, Medical Director at Fitbit.
New research also suggest that providers are going beyond chronic disease management, and are now integrating wearables and PGHD for disease prevention. The combination of wearables and health coaching can help to increase patient motivation and engagement with their care.
Read more Impact of Mobile Devices on Clinical Trial Data Collection
“Wearables and PGHD are not just able remind-ers. It’s more than just reminding patients to check their blood sugar and take their insulin. There’s complex psychology at work,” HIMSS senior director for Health Information Systems Rob Havasy said in the report.
That work will likely require combination of cutting-edge technology and poignancy to yield healthier outcomes, according to the report.
Rokid, a China-based startup that develops AR glasses, announced prototype of Project Aurora augmented reality smart glasses at CES 2019 in Las Vegas.
Rokid first launched its smartglasses at the CES last year. Those glasses, called Rokid Glass, looked somewhat like smartglasses. But unlike last years’ glasses, which only projected a display in one eye, the new glasses have two displays for 3D content. The glasses connect to external devices via USB-C. The company is aiming for a low-cost set of glasses that can connect to anything – even a Nintendo Switch.
“With the mission of extending mobile device capabilities and experiences, we’re excited to announce Rokid’s Project Aurora. By leveraging the ever-increasing computing power of mobile devices, Project Aurora supplements these robust experiences by providing a lightweight form factor, industry-leading display quality, and multimodal handsfree input,” said Reynold Wu, Rokid’s head of product and business operations, in a statement.
The company revealed an updated version of the original Rokid glass at the CES 2019. It is 40% smaller, weighs just 120 grams, and features a touchpad controller on the side arm of the device.
The glasses have 1,280×720-pixel resolution and 13 MP RGB camera.
More specs:
CNet’s Scott Stein tried the glasses. He writes:
“The Aurora glasses I tried weren’t in their final form, and can theoretically handle more advanced functions like full-motion 6DOF (6 degrees of freedom, or full motion) tracking and spatial navigation (SLAM). I still have questions.”
Although Rokid disclosed exact price for the glasses, the company said it’ll be around the same as for a midrange phone, and far less than the $1,000-plus price that that most smartglasses have. The company plans to begin selling them to the public this spring.
“Project Aurora will connect consumers to rich, immersive AR content and experiences that were previously unattainable with such a lightweight smartglass,” Wu said. “We’re excited to share how the future looks through it.”
Soundbrenner, which made a name for itself with Pulse, has now given its Metronome an update. The wearable offers haptic feedback that can be synced across an entire band to keep everyone on the beat, via feedback that’s around seven times that of a standard smartwatch. Wearers can also tap the screen to create a manual beat, reports Tech Crunch.
The new Core is being positioned as a “4-in-1 tool.” The Soundbrenner Core gives you a smarter and more reliable set of fundamental music tools in a premium wearable. It serves as your everyday watch plus a Vibrating Metronome, Magnetic Twist Tuner, and a Decibel Meter.
The Core mixes the precision of professional music tools with the convenience of wearable technology. Whether you’re recording in the studio, practicing at home or performing on stage, you’ll always have your tools with you, seamlessly integrated with a watch. The Core reimagines what modern-day music tools can do for your musical development.
The Core uses state-of-the-art technology, smart design and thousands of conversations with customers to deliver the most groundbreaking music tool there is.
Read more Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Smartwatches Can Now Play Music from Spotify
With the Soundbrenner Core, you’ll always be ready to make it count, be it practice or performance. The Core is a tool that gets out of the way instead of in the way.
Key Features
The Mobvoi TicWatch C2 and TicWatch Pro are both much-loved and feature-packed watches, and they offer excellent fitness tracking. Recently, Mobvoi has switched out Google Fit for TicHealth, but you can switch them back. Here's how.
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