Wearable clothing news : January 2020

Friday, January 31, 2020

Common AirPods problems, and how to fix them

Apple’s AirPods are some of the best true wireless earbuds in the business, but they aren't without fault.

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The best blood pressure monitors for 2020

If you're concerned about your blood pressure, our list of home monitors should offer you peace of mind.

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BioHiTech to Provide Its Revolution Series Digesters and Data Analytics Platform to Carnival

BioHiTech Global, a technology and services company that provides cost-effective and sustainable waste management solutions, and Carnival corporation signed a purchase contract where BioHiTech will provide its Revolution Series Digesters and data analytics platform to certain Carnival cruise ships. Through the contract, Carnival can potentially acquire several hundred units of the Revolution Series Digesters.

The goal of the partnership is to reduce the cruise operator’s carbon footprint and capture plastics through an automated and natural processing of food waste.

BioHiTech will provide each ship designated by Carnival with multiple Revolution Series Digesters as well as ongoing cloud-based data analytics and supplies. BioHiTech’s Revolution Series Digesters will help reduce the environmental impact of Carnival’s operations by safely disposing of food waste on-site, limiting the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from conventional processing systems. The Company’s data analytics platform will also provide real-time supply chain transparency to help in Carnival’s food waste reduction efforts, says a press release.

Waste recycler — BioHiTech Sapling & BioHiTech Sequoia are large, high volume machines that can process up to 2400 lbs (1100 kg) of food waste per day (Image: BioHiTech)

“We are excited to partner with the team at Carnival to assist in their ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses and achieve important sustainability goals,” said Frank E. Celli, CEO of BioHiTech. “We are committed to helping businesses reduce their environmental impact through smarter technology and believe this partnership is part of a growing trend toward the adoption of our sustainable solutions by companies all over the world. We look forward to providing Carnival with the tools and support to move to the forefront of sustainability in the cruise industry.”

BioHiTech’s cost-effective technology solutions include the patented processing of municipal solid waste into a valuable renewable fuel, biological disposal of food waste on-site, and proprietary real-time data analytics tools to reduce food waste generation. Our unique solutions enable businesses and municipalities of all sizes to lower disposal costs while having a positive impact on the environment. When used individually or in combination, our solutions lower the carbon footprint associated with waste transportation and can reduce or virtually eliminate landfill usage.

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Biofourmis Collaborates with ImagineMIC to Improve Remote Patient Monitoring for Chronic Disease Patients

Biofourmis, a fast-growing global health IT start-up founded in Singapore, and ImagineMIC, a New York-based medical device company formed a partnership to drive improved outcomes and lower healthcare costs for patients with chronic conditions. ImagineMIC provides chronic care management through remote monitoring services and HIPAA-compliant technology.

The first phase of the collaboration includes integrating Biofourmis’ artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, FDA-cleared RhythmAnalytics with ImagineMIC’s remote management technology, which is monitored by clinicians located in the ImagineMIC Monitoring Intervention Center (MIC) in New York State. RhythmAnalytics, part of Biofourmis’ Biovitals Platform, uses enhanced deep learning architecture to detect dozens of cardiac arrhythmias, says a press release.

RhythmAnalytics will provide clinical decision support for the board-certified emergency physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and specialty-trained registered nurses in the MIC who perform around-the-clock monitoring of thousands of patients with chronic conditions who are in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and subacute care programs.

“This is a scalable partnership that is starting with cardiology, which could ultimately be applied to a number of chronic conditions and therapeutic areas in various care settings by leveraging various modules within the Biovitals Platform for those applications,” said Kuldeep Singh Rajput, CEO of Biofourmis.

ImagineMIC’s wearables provide real-time data on patients’ respiratory rate, oxygen levels and heart rate; and Bluetooth streams report blood pressure, blood glucose and weight.

RhythmAnalytics will support ImagineMIC’s clinicians by alerting them to more than 20 types of cardiac arrhythmias, along with beat-by-beat morphology computation that includes ventricular arrhythmias, ventricular ectopic beats and all non-paced arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). Biofourmis’ RhythmAnalytics were trained using over 4 million electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings collected from patients using various FDA-cleared ECG monitoring wearables.

“Improving cardiac outcomes and reducing care costs for the ‘silver tsunami’ of seniors in the healthcare system will require a new paradigm of chronic care management that includes 24-hour chronic care management supported with proven, revolutionary technology,” said Anthony J. Bacchi, MD, CEO and founder of ImagineMIC. “This collaboration is extremely synergistic, since Biofourmis’ RhythmAnalytics and Biovitals Platform also have been demonstrated to deliver extraordinary results that reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.”

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

Microsoft Corp. announced AI for Health, a new $40 million, five-year program and part of the AI for Good initiative, that will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to empower researchers and organizations addressing some of the world’s toughest challenges in health.

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges, like improving the health of communities around the world,” said Brad Smith, president, Microsoft. “We know that putting this powerful technology into the hands of experts tackling this problem can accelerate new solutions and improve access for underserved populations. That’s why we created AI for Health.”

Healthcare is perhaps AI’s most urgent application. However, the talent and resources required to equip health researchers with tools to deploy AI and data science is unevenly distributed. Less than 5% of the world’s AI professionals today work in health and nonprofit organizations, says a press release.

Through AI for Health, Microsoft will work to ensure that nonprofits, academia and research organizations have access to the latest technology, resources and technical experts to help implement AI to accelerate research, generate insights and improve access to care. The AI for Health initiative will focus on three key areas:

Quest for discovery. Accelerating medical research to advance prevention, diagnoses and treatment of diseases.
Global health insights. Increasing our shared understanding of mortality and longevity to protect against global health crises.
Health equity. Reducing health inequity and improving access to care for underserved populations.

Secured data — Microsoft’s efforts will build on existing collaborations with organizations to help solve pressing issues, and building an ecosystem that allows safe and secure sharing of biomedical data (Photo By: NSWC Crane Corporate Communications, Public domain image)

Microsoft’s efforts will build on existing collaborations with organizations to help solve pressing issues, like discovering the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), eliminating leprosy, detecting diabetic retinopathy to prevent blindness, and building an ecosystem that allows safe and secure sharing of biomedical data.

The company said it is honored to announce several grantees, including BRAC, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems (IRIS), Novartis Foundation, PATH, and Seattle Children’s Research Institute.

“Countries like Bangladesh, where BRAC was founded, have made enormous strides in health equity in the last three decades. Unfortunately, at least half the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services,” said Asif Saleh, executive director, BRAC. “Across our outreach areas in Asia and Africa, we see massive potential in using advanced data analytics and AI to bridge the gap between ‘health for some’ and ‘health for all,’ and we welcome Microsoft’s commitment in making this happen.”

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

Oppo’s smartwatch gets casually outed, and looks more than a little familiar

Oppo has casually given us an early look at its upcoming smartwatch, which may be ready to launch at MWC 2020.

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The best smartwatches for 2020

Tempted to buy a smartwatch? We're here to help, with irresistible wrist deals

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These are the best deals on affordable alternatives to GoPro action cameras

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

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Eko’s AI-Powered AFib and Heart Murmur Detection Algorithms Get FDA Clearance

Eko, a maker of expensive digital stethoscopes, has received the first FDA clearance for its devices to use AI algorithms to automatically detect atrial fibrillation (AFib) and heart murmurs.

Atrial Fibrillation is a quivering or irregular heartbeat, sometimes caused by a heart valve problem, that can lead to the formation of blood clots in the heart. These clots can travel to the brain and trigger a stroke or heart failure.

Using the algorithms, in combination with Eko’s digital stethoscopes, primary care physicians will be able to identify potential cases of AFib, as well as vulvular and structural heart diseases, with an accuracy similar to seasoned cardiologists, reports Business Wire.

“Our vision since day one has been to build seamless technology that helps providers more accurately detect heart disease, the leading killer in the world, by putting the ears of a cardiologist in any clinician’s stethoscope,” says Connor Landgraf, Eko’s Co-Founder and CEO. “Eko’s new ability to alert a provider to the presence of a heart murmur or atrial fibrillation during the standard physical exam brings that vision to life.”

Eko’s AI is able to identify heart murmurs, a leading symptom of valvular heart disease, with 87% sensitivity and 87% specificity. In comparison, a recent study revealed that using traditional stethoscopes, primary care physicians had a sensitivity of 43% and a specificity of 69% for detecting significant valvular heart disease, which affects over 5 million Americans.

A doctor examining a patient — Image: Eko

The AI is able to detect AFib with 99% sensitivity and 97% specificity when analyzing the 1-lead ECG tracing from the Eko DUO stethoscope. The integration of ECG into the stethoscope enables providers to quickly screen patients for the serious arrhythmia during a standard physical exam.

The Algorithm also reports heart rate and QRS duration and identifies tachycardia and bradycardia, abnormally fast and slow heart rates, which can be indicative of heart disease or other health conditions such as thyroid disease.

Eko’s AI is a cloud-based software application that analyzes ECG and heart sound/phonocardiogram (PCG) data. The software uses several methods to interpret the acquired signals, including signal processing and convolutional neural networks.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Apple is crushing it, and it's all thanks to AirPods (The Daily Charge, 1/29/2020) video - CNET

Friend of the show Scott Stein talks about Apple, wearables and more.

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Abbott Secures FDA’s Expanded Indication for its Deep Brain Stimulation System for Parkinson’s Treatment

Abbott’s Infinity Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system has received an expanded clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include targeting of an area of the brain called the internal globus pallidus (GPi). The GPi plays an integral role in the motor function and can be targeted with DBS to improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease not adequately controlled by medication.

With this approval, Abbott’s Infinity DBS is now the only directional DBS system approved for all major targets used to treat movement disorders, Parkinson’s disease and Essential Tremor: the subthalamic nucleus (STN), ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) and GPi. It is the world’s first and only DBS system operating in these indications on an iOS software platform with Bluetooth® wireless technology. Clinicians can streamline the programming process with an iPad mini device using Abbott’s new Informity Programming feature to become more efficient in their practice and achieve optimal outcomes with directional leads. Patients can discreetly manage their symptoms with their Infinity DBS System iPod touch controller, reports Abbott.

“The internal segment of the global pallidus, or GPi, is a well-established valuable DBS target for the management of the motor signs associated with Parkinson’s disease, and is a preferred target for many patients, particularly for those with troublesome medication induced dyskinesia,” said Jerrold Vitek, M.D., Ph.D., head of the Neurology Department, director of the Neuromodulation Research Program, and center director of the University of Minnesota Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Research. “This approval expands the options for patients to tailor treatment to their unique needs, with the added benefits of being able to target precise areas and utilizing a patient-friendly iOS device.”

Abbott’s Infinity DBS system with directional leads provides directed stimulation to areas of the brain to optimize patient outcomes and limit side effects. The platform’s future-ready technology has the ability to seamlessly upgrade the approved capabilities and new therapy features of the Infinity DBS system through simple, over-the-air updates.

Data indicates that patients gravitate toward medical devices that are intuitive and low maintenance, such as the Infinity DBS system’s dual channel recharge-free device. The development of Abbott’s neuromodulation portfolio is focused on the patient’s therapeutic experience, coupled with the science, data and patient input to drive innovation that helps people suffering from movement disorders feel as normal as possible.

Abbott’s Infinity DBS system also has CE Mark and is available in nearly 30 countries.

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SunTech and Valencell Partner Up for New Blood Pressure Measurement Solutions

SunTech Medical, the leading provider of clinical-grade blood pressure monitoring solutions, and Valencell, a maker of accurate biometric sensors for wearables, have announced a partnership agreement to jointly develop new blood pressure measurement solutions that will enhance patient safety.

This multi-year agreement will allow the companies to work together to develop customized solutions and products for other medical device OEMs, as well as allowing SunTech to incorporate Valencell technology in its finished, branded products, says a press release.

Through this partnership SunTech’s Advantage™ cuff-based blood pressure technology, and its superior TMT (Transport Motion Tolerance) capabilities, will be combined with continuous BP estimation from Valencell’s optical PPG (photoplethysmography) technology, in order to provide a new and better BP measurement solution for higher acuity market segments like hemodialysis, emergency medicine, OR and ICU, ambulatory BP studies and cardiac rehabilitation, and sleep.

“The combination of multiple motion-tolerant technologies and measurement modalities from SunTech and Valencell will enable comfortable, continuous, clinical-grade BP monitoring for many applications,” said Paul Matsumura, SunTech’s Senior Director of Research and Technology about how the technologies could work in concert. “SunTech and Valencell are each the best in their field of motion tolerant blood pressure and PPG technology, respectively. Both together is a winning combination in the clinical space,” said Julian Mullaney, SunTech’s Vice President of R&D about the deal.

A blood pressure measuring device — SunTech’s Oscar 2 Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor delivers a patient-focused solution with unsurpassed comfort, data reliability and confidence (Image: SunTech Medical)

“We’re very pleased that two leading medical technology firms in North Carolina could come together to create new blood pressure solutions that will improve patient care and safety,” said Rob Sweitzer, SunTech’s President. “The Valencell team is exceptional, and as they engage with the clinical-grade blood pressure experts at SunTech, I’m certain together they’ll develop great new products for our customers. We look at this agreement as a framework to innovate with them long into the future.”

Valencell’s CEO Kent Novak said, “This collaboration agreement with SunTech sets the stage for some very exciting work together. Our teams each bring tremendous experience, expertise and technology from our respective domains. Establishing this long term agreement with SunTech helps accelerate the joint innovations that will have meaningful impacts on the market and more importantly on patient outcomes.”

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Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Amazon discounts these Fossil smartwatches for men up to 64% off

Men who want a smart wearable can be armed with either the discounted Gen 4 Explorist or Sport from Amazon.

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

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

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Best cheap Apple Watch deals for January 2020

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

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What to expect at MWC 2020, the biggest mobile tech event of the year

The biggest mobile tech event of the year starts Feb. 24 in Barcelona. Here's what we expect to see

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Suunto 7 GPS Smartwatch is Taking on Garmin with Offline Outdoor Maps and Long Battery Life

Suunto revealed its highly anticipated fitness wearable, the Suunto 7 smartwatch with adventure-proof GPS sport watch features for a no-compromise approach to wearable technology at the CES 2020. Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 3100, all-new Suunto 7 delivers a seamless integration of Wear OS by Google for an experience that supports sports and everyday life in one, streamlined interface.

“Today, whether sport is your passion or your lunch-hour escape, we live in a blended life that demands a technology partner who does not sacrifice functionality in sport or everyday use. Suunto set out to overcome the challenge of designing a smart watch with robust sports watch features, and vice versa, in order to help users get the most out of both their sports and their busy lives,” said Heikki Norta, chief digital officer and president of connected devices and digital services at Amer Sports Corporation, Suunto’s parent company. “Combining Suunto’s decades worth of versatile sports and outdoor expertise with the helpful smartwatch features from Wear OS by Google provides an incredible opportunity for us to inspire new and expanding audiences to explore their surroundings, wherever those adventures might take them.”

The Suunto 7 boasts the new vivid, full-color offline outdoor maps, which enable athletes to follow their location on-the-go with an ultra-bright OLED touch-sensitive display, as well as wrist-based control of music playlists for convenience on the go. In addition to these new features, the Suunto 7 delivers sport expertise, with more than 70 sport modes from running and cycling to skiing and yoga, battery life to support a full day of active smartwatch use and still have enough juice left for your daily workout including accurate exercise measurement with wrist-based heartrate tracking, barometer for elevation readings, and training insights. To extend your experience, you can follow your exercises and trends from Suunto app and connect with partners such as Strava, reports Suunto.

Balancing sport and everyday expertise, Suunto’s integration of Wear OS by Google delivers proactive and personalized help from Google Assistant, secure payment options with Google Pay™, and personalized coaching from Google Fit™. Thousands of additional apps are available on the Google Play™ app store.

The watch is water resistant for up to 50 meters and boasts a battery life of up to 12 hours in GPS tracking mode or up to 48 hours in daily use.

Key Features Include:

Sports experience brings 70+ sport modes, from running and cycling to skiing and surfing, with accurate exercise tracking, music controls on the watch and access to the Suunto app for detailed training insights while delivering up to 12 hours battery life in continuous GPS Tracking mode.
Offline outdoor maps with built-in Suunto Heatmaps across 15 activities allow users to always find their way and know the best training routes, even when their phone is left behind or there isn’t network connectivity available.
Wear OS by Google makes everyday life easier with Google Fit™, Google Assistant™, Google Pay™ and thousands of apps available from Google Play™, plus daily features like notifications, calendar updates and weather when you need it.
Adventure-proof design tested in Finland to be shock-proof, water-proof and dirt-proof.

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Best heart rate monitors in January 2020

Steps used to be the way fitness trackers assessed their health goals, but it’s all about the heart rate now.

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Amazon clocks in discounts up to $245 on Garmin and Samsung smartwatches

Lead an active lifestyle with Garmin's Instinct and Samsung's Active 2 on sale up to $245 off from Amazon.

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This Wearable Gas Sensor is Meant for Monitoring Health and Environment

People working in high-risk atmospheres such as mining, medicine and other forms of manufacturing are at greater risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals. What’s even worse is that some gas exposures can’t be detected.

Researchers from Penn State and Northeastern University have collaborated to create a highly sensitive wearable gas sensor for environmental and human health monitoring. These devices are inexpensive, flexible and self-heating.

The platform allows for a selection of chemicals to detect and devices made using this approach can be reused repeatedly. Other sensor platforms require an external heater. In addition, other wearable sensors require an expensive and time-consuming lithography process under cleanroom conditions.

“People like to use nanomaterials for sensing because their large surface to volume ratio makes them highly sensitive,” said Huanyu Cheng, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics and materials science and engineering, Penn State. “The problem is the nanomaterial is not something we can easily hook up to with wires to receive the signal, necessitating the need for something called interdigitated electrodes, which are like the digits on your hand.”

Cheng and his team used a laser to pattern a highly porous single line of nanomaterial similar to graphene for gas, biomolecules and in the future chemical sensing. In the non-sensing portion, a series of serpentine lines are created by coating with silver. When an electrical current is applied, the gas sensing region heats up due to its significantly larger electrical resistance, eliminating the need for a heater. The serpentine lines allow the platform to stretch like springs to adjust to the flexing of the body for wearable sensors, reports Penn State Materials Research Institute.

A university building — Old Main – Late Fall (Image credit: Penn State iGEM 2008, Wikimedia Commons)

Cheap CO2 lasers are used to create various types of these sensors. Using these sensors, the researchers were able to detect sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The said they can make dozens of other sensors using this platform.

“Using a CO2 laser, often found in machine shops, we can easily make multiple sensors on our platform,” Cheng said. “We plan to have tens to a hundred sensors, each selective to a different molecule, like an electronic nose, to decode multiple components in a complex mixture.”

The US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has shown an interest in this wearable sensor to detect chemical and biological agents that could damage the nerves or lungs. A medical device company is also working with the team to scale up production for patient health monitoring, including gaseous biomarker detection from the human body and environmental detection of pollutants that can affect the lungs.

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Monday, January 27, 2020

New IPC standard reflects growth of e-textiles industry

by Chris Jorgensen

During a meeting at IPC APEX EXPO 2017, members of the e-textiles industry approached IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries) to help achieve their goal of developing international standards for their burgeoning field. IPC standards are open international standards, meaning anyone can participate in the process and can influence IPC standards, and because of it, IPC has a global network in place for standards development.

The e-textiles industry had specific objectives for IPC:

Form a new general committee under IPC’s standards committee structure
Develop a specification for e-textiles materials
Develop a guideline to bridge knowledge gaps, provide education and share best practices in e-textiles design and manufacture
Provide additional educational resources
Institute round robin data collection studies to establish reliability thresholds for materials and products
Avoid duplicate efforts with other standards development organizations, especially regarding terms and definitions

Meeting of minds

Following that meeting, the IPC Technical Activities Executive Committee approved the formation of the D-70 E-Textiles Committee, and volunteers from that new committee immediately got to work. Their first task was to address the specification for e-textiles materials.

Over the course of two years, a team (A-Team) within the committee developed a working draft document on woven and knitted e-textiles materials for the full committee of more than 170 people to review and provide comments.

To develop the draft standard, the A-Team used feedback from the e-textiles supply chain to identify key performance characteristics for woven and knitted e-textiles as well as test methods the supply chain indicated it used to test against those characteristics. Using this feedback, and through dozens of web meetings, the A-Team developed a draft standard for full committee review, comment resolution and, finally, consensus ballot for publication as an international standard.

This collaborative effort resulted in the recent release of IPC-8921, Requirements for Woven and Knitted Electronics Textiles (E-Textiles) Integrated with Conductive Fibers, Conductive Yarns and/or Wires.

What the standard accomplishes

IPC-8921 establishes classifications and designations for woven and knitted e-textiles integrated with e-fibers, e-yarns and e-wires. It also standardizes key characteristics and durability testing as well as the industry test methods to be used to test against those characteristics.

Key characteristics include electrical resistance, electromagnetic immunity, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), specific heat capacity, thermal shock resistance, outgassing, glass transition temperature (T_g) and melting point. IPC-8921 also includes 20 new terms and definitions for e-textiles and establishes quality assurance provisions and test frequencies for specific characteristics.

Product designers and manufacturers now have a consensus industry standard for gathering comparative data between different materials and suppliers. Suppliers of those materials benefit from the standard because, rather than conducting specific testing for each of their customers, they can point to IPC-8921.

“When used as a benchmark of e-textile performance, products can be analyzed and compared for use in any application. Development expectations and outcomes can be shared between user and seller for transparency,” said Stephanie Rodgers, Apex Mills, and co-chair of the committee that developed IPC-8921.

Future e-textile standards

Additionally, IPC-8921 has set the stage for several other new international standards projects proposed by the e-textiles industry:

Guideline on connectors for e-textiles
IPC Test Methods to fill test method gaps identified by the committee
Standard for e-textiles wearables that can include characteristics and test methods consistent with IPC-8921
Washability guidelines and requirements to support wearables
Specification for conductive fibers, yarns and wires for e-textiles
Design standard for e-textiles-based printed electronics
Specification for high-power applications for e-textiles (i.e., automotive applications)

In addition to these projects, the IPC D-70 Committee will begin to identify round robin testing needs (e.g., washability, stretchability, abrasion) to support standardization efforts.

Building e-textile consensus

Industry stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the IPC process. To join a working group or propose a new project, e-mail ChrisJorgensen@ipc.org or attend the next IPC E-Textiles Committee meeting Feb. 5 during IPC APEX EXPO in San Diego. Purchase IPC-8921 at https://shop.ipc.org/IPC-8921-English-D.

IPC, the Association Connecting Electronics Industries, is an industry association for printed circuit board and electronics manufacturing service companies, their customers and suppliers. Chris Jorgensen is the director of technology transfer, IPC.

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University of Missouri Engineers Develop On-Skin Device that Works as Personal Air Conditioner

When you have a fever or you’re sweating it out in a gym, it’s important to control your body heat. There are few methods available for lowering body temperature but they aren’t very practical because they require external power source.

Now, scientists at the University of Missouri have developed a material that can work as “wearable air conditioning,” cooling the skin by about 11°F. The on-skin device can act as a substrate for flexible body monitoring electronics.

The device includes numerous human health care applications such as the ability to monitor blood pressure, electrical activity of the heart and the level of skin hydration, reports Mizzou News.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Unlike similar products in use today or other related concepts, this breathable and waterproof device can deliver personal air conditioning to a human body through a process called passive cooling. Passive cooling does not utilize electricity, such as a fan or pump, which researchers believe allows for minimal discomfort to the user.

Zheng Yan (Image credit: University of Missouri)

“Our device can reflect sunlight away from the human body to minimize heat absorption, while simultaneously allowing the body to dissipate body heat, thereby allowing us to achieve around 11 degrees Fahrenheit of cooling to the human body during the daytime hours,” said corresponding author Zheng Yan, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering. “We believe this is one of the first demonstrations of this capability in the emerging field of on-skin electronics.”

Currently, the device is a small wired patch, and researchers say it will take one to two years to design a wireless version. They also hope to one day take their technology and apply it to ‘smart’ clothing.

“Eventually, we would like to take this technology and apply it to the development of smart textiles,” Yan said. “That would allow for the device’s cooling capabilities to be delivered across the whole body. Right now, the cooling is only concentrated in a specific area where the patch is located. We believe this could potentially help reduce electricity usage and also help with global warming.”

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URGOnight Trains Your Brain During the Day So You Can Get Better Sleep at Night

French health-tech start-up URGOTECH announced the final features and commercial availability of its groundbreaking device -URGOnight at CES 2020. The wearable device consists of an electroencephalography (EEG) headband and a smartphone app that people can use to train their brains to sleep better.

Leveraging neurofeedback therapy, it is the world’s first daytime sleep training system that trains the brain to produce the brainwaves clinically associated with sleep. Neurofeedback is used to treat and manage conditions such as sleep, ADHD, improve critical thinking, athletic capabilities and even musical performances.

URGOnight provides the 70 million Americans that have issues falling and staying asleep with a clinical proven, drug-free and super fun way to naturally improve the quality and duration of sleep. Comprised of a wearable Electro encephalogram (EEG)-headband and app, it helps people naturally learn to increase the brainwaves that impact sleep, using technology that has been clinically proven to help people to fall asleep 40% faster and cut nighttime interruptions by half, reports URGOnight.

Here’s How It Works

The adjustable headband is worn and used during the day, rather than at night. It uses sophisticated sensors to measure brainwave activity. It is placed above the sensorimotor cortex of the user’s brain to capture readings and is protected against ambient noise and interference to ensure accuracy with the cables on its electronic board shielded to French Office of the Atomic and Alternative Energies standards.

The system is designed to be used 20 minutes a day, three times a week. People place the headband comfortably over their head and connect it to the dedicated iOS and Android app. Within the app, users can see their brainwaves in real-time before they start the dedicated 20-minutebraintraining exercises.

The sleep training programs consist of playful exercises inspired by various themes. Within the games, users’ areas signed tasks (that are triggered when SMR waves are produced) and see their results, scores and in real-time. There are several themes to choose from with tasks ranging from growing leaves on trees, herding jellyfish and drawing relaxing patterns.

The app also allows users to access stats and achievements and share successes and progresses on social media. A virtual coach in the app guides them throughout their journey, explaining the exercises and providing advice on improving scores.

“Just as you can train your body to run faster, jump higher, swim further or become more flexible, clinical studies have shown neurofeedback therapy can help people learn how to improve the quality of their sleep,” said Guirec Le Lous, Founder of URGOTECH, the company behind URGONight. “The technology has been used in clinical sleep centers around the world for decades and now with URGOnight, we are making it more fun and accessible and conveniently usable in the comfort of the home.”

The company said the product will be available inQ2, 2020, for a price of $500.

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Saturday, January 25, 2020

What is a pulse oximeter and why should you care?

There's a new wearable health sensor in town called the Pulse Oximeter. We've got the lowdown on what it does.

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Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things, also known as IoT, is an interconnected system of computing devices and digital machines that communicate with each other without requiring human interaction. This includes smart home devices, wireless networks, thermostats, and even smartphones. Digital Trends offers in-depth coverage of this expansive topic, providing news, analysis, and explainers on everything from […]

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Friday, January 24, 2020

The best Apple Watch faces for 2020

The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch on the market, and it can change like a chameleon to match your style.

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Telekom, AlphaTauri, Schoeller Form Partnership for Heatable Outerwear

In an exclusive partnership, German telecommunications company Telekom, Red Bull’s fashion label AlphaTauri and the Swiss textile manufacturer Schoeller are launching the Heatable Capsule Collection. The heatable jacket and vests are made for both men and women. While Telekom is bringing its technological components to the table, AlphaTauri designed the collection and Schoeller developed the heating technologies and fabrics as well as the electronic components.

The Heatable Capsule Collection kicks off with a jacket and a gilet in two different color ways. Wearers decide the level of warmth for themselves in the jacket or gilet. The clothing items are operated by app. Individual zones around the pocket and kidney areas can be heated.

The Heatable Capsule Collection was created as part of Telekom’s Fashion Fusion Program. Whereas in the past, the emphasis had been on the sponsorship of talent in the development of innovative prototypes in cooperation with a variety of events like the IFA and the #Fashiontech Conference, in 2019 for the first time they took on the development of market-ready products, reports Telekom.

Woman wearing a jacket — Image: Schoeller

Antje Hundhausen, Founder Telekom Fashion Fusion and VP Brand Experience at Telekom said: “We want to offer customers products with genuine added value. On the path to being a digital lifestyle brand we are continually working on the improvement of individual lifestyles. The Heatable Capsule Collection is a beginning, to revolutionize fashion through technology. It makes the day to day – regardless of weather – more comfortable and makes fashion more interesting. The 5G technology will be capable of networking everything in the next few years, creating opportunities for fascinating uses. Because even fashion can profit from technology.”

Price and Availability

The Heatable Capsule Collection will be available online from AlphaTauri and Telekom as well as in AlphaTauri stores and from selected retailers from the autumn/winter season 2020. The jackets and gilets are available in two colorways in sizes S – XXL for men and XS – XS for women and cost €699,90 (Jacket) and €399,90 (Gilet).

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ProGlove-Samsung Partnership to Introduce Wearable Scanners in Industries

Industrial wearable manufacturer ProGlove and Samsung Electronics announced a partnership to introduce solution to the growing need for wearable scanners in industries ranging from retail, transportation, logistics, and manufacturing. The combined solution consists of ProGlove’s MARK product family of wearable barcode scanners and Samsung’s latest ruggedized smartphone for business — the Galaxy XCover Pro — providing enterprise users a seamless, secure flow of information, enabling consistent traceability and increased user comfort.

Barcode scanning is an important function with regards to documenting process steps and ensuring traceability – an essential part of tracking and tracing a product through the supply chain

The solution will enable mobile workers to effectively receive the information they need at their fingertips and enter requested data into their IT systems on-the-go. By removing the need for firstline workers to return to stationary terminals to conduct business, memorize directions or pick up conventional scanner guns, efficiency and user comfort increases while user error decreases, reports Business Wire.

An office building — Samsung headquarters (Image: Wikimedia Commons, Oskar Alexanderson)

Samsung’s industry-leading rugged smartphones are a perfect match for ProGlove’s wearable barcode scanners. The Android-based Galaxy XCover Pro is a sleek, light and stylish smartphone that is built tough for harsh environments, while offering first-line workers a single device that can perform multiple tasks at once. It provides confidence for tackling any job, in any place and in any type of condition – whether working out in the field during extreme weather or at an indoors manufacturing site. Moreover, a big and bright 6.3” screen provides high-quality viewing when looking at charts, presentations or schematics.

Other capabilities include an enhanced touchscreen able to work in any condition, ‘enhanced touch’ for gloves-on use in wet conditions, and multiple programmable keys to conveniently create custom actions with one click. By leveraging the powerful Samsung Knox platform users can also increase data security while improving worker’s guidance.

ProGlove’s worker feedback provides a combination of haptic, visual and audio signals to confirm correct picks and identify wrong picks when items are scanned.

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Thursday, January 23, 2020

A special group of artists have given Honor’s MagicWatch 2 the style it needed

Artists created stunning designs for watch faces and straps to put a little more magic in Honor's Magicwatch

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Folding phones? The Galaxy S20? Here’s what we expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is coming, and we're expecting a number of reveals, including the new Galaxy S20.

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

These affordable GoPro action camera alternatives won’t leave you broke

Cold weather is here, and a good action camera is a perfect way to record your adventures. You don't need to shell out the big bucks for a GoPro: Check out these great GoPro alternatives that won’t leave you broke.

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

The Fitbit Inspire HR ties its lowest price ever: $69.95 - CNET

Track your fitness, heart rate and sleep with Fitbit's budget wearable. Plus, feel better after your workouts with this percussive massage gun for $69.

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The best smartwatches for 2020

Tempted to buy a smartwatch? If so, then the growing number of great models available means you've got plenty to choose from. But which one should you pick?

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CES 2020: Olive Union’s Smart Ear Wins “Best Wearable” in Best of CES Awards

Endgadget awarded Olive Union’s Smart Ear “Best Wearable” in the International CES 2020 “Best of CES Awards” based on innovation, quality of design, overall efficiency and market demand. The award-winning wireless earbud amplifies hearing without stigma and is now available for purchase on Amazon.

The Olive Smart Ear is an affordable hearing amplifier that helps you better hear the sounds of everyday life – from conversations with friends and the television across the room to the waiter at your favorite restaurant. The device looks like a regular wireless earbud. Its designers aimed to remove the stigma associated with conventional hearing aids and create a cool, functional accessory. Engadget Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low describes it as a “hearing aid disguised as a true wireless earbud.” It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and completing a five-minute hearing test using Olive’s app calibrates each user’s personalized settings. You can use it to seamlessly make calls and listen to music, too, reports Business Wire.

“We’re determined to remove barriers for people to improve their hearing. We feel one step closer to making this a reality since being chosen for a ‘Best of CES Award’ at the world’s largest and most prestigious electronics show,” said Olive Union Founder and CEO Owen Song. “We are also thrilled to announce that the Olive Smart Ear can now be purchased on Amazon with a click of a button. It is accessible and affordable, and our hope is that people wear it proudly, without the shame or embarrassment of a traditional behind-the-ear hearing aid.”

A man wearing a hearing aid talking to a woman — Image: Olive store

The “Best of CES Awards” program started over a decade ago to celebrate the innovation and noteworthy products on display at CES each year. Engadget returns for its seventh year adjudicating the official Awards in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association (CES).

“The ‘Best of CES Award’ winners feature some of the most ingenious advancements in consumer technology, and each year our team continues to be impressed by the innovations showcased,” said Dana Wollman, editor-in-chief of Engadget.

The Olive Smart Ear is available in white or black for $299 for a single earbud with portable charging case. More info on this product is available at Amazon.

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Garmin Announces Tactix Delta, a Multisport GPS Smartwatch Built to Military Standards

Garmin announced tactix Delta, the newest smartwatch in the company’s tactical smartwatch line-up. Tactix Delta is a multisport GPS smartwatch built to military standards (MIL-STD-810), with a scratch-resistant domed sapphire lens and diamond-like carbon coated bezel.

The watch includes stealth mode which disables storing and sharing of your location and a kill switch that erases all user memory. The fourth-generation tactix watch adds to Garmin’s expanding tactical watch line-up and introduces an updated design with a 1.4-inch display size, which is a 36 percent increase in surface area than previous tactix models, making it Garmin’s largest round watch face. Other additions include support for music storage, Garmin PayTM and new Garmin wearable features like PaceProTM and Power ManagerTM.

“Form meets function with the new ruggedly designed tactix Delta including knurled buttons that are easy to press, even with gloves, combined with specialized tactical features like Jumpmaster mode, waypoint projection, dual-position GPS and more,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “Tactix Delta multisport watch is mission ready and proves that professional gear can also be a great statement piece.”

Along with the new stealth mode and kill switch features, tactix Delta has a unique dual-position mode, which simultaneously displays two sets of coordinate systems on a single data screen, tactical activity profiles, waypoint projection, and Jumpmaster mode that helps calculate a high-altitude release point as well as guidance to the objective once the user has jumped. Out of the box, it is preloaded with topographic mapping and advanced navigation features, including a barometric altimeter, compass and multiple Global Navigation Satellite Systems support, reports Business Wire.

A new addition to the tactix Delta is the Power Manager feature, which allows the user to see and control how various settings and sensors impact battery life. The battery life is up to 21 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 80 days in battery saver watch mode.

The tactix Delta includes top performance metrics for outdoor activities, support for training and overall wellness features. The watch has built-in sports profiles and VO2 max estimates and training status with adjustments for heat and altitude. It also includes a first-of-its-kind PacePro feature, which keeps a runner’s pacing strategy on track with grade-adjusted guidance as they run a course. While running the course, users will be able to see their target split pace, the actual split pace, distance to the next split, and how much time they are ahead/behind on their target, right on the watch face. The tactix Delta includes topographic maps for outdoor adventures, ski maps for over 2,000 ski resorts worldwide, and 41,000 golf courses.

The on-device music storage lets users to download up to 2,000 songs, allowing them to sync playlists from several of the most popular music services, no phone required. The phone also comes with Garmin Pay contactless payment solution. When paired with a compatible smartphone, users can leave their phone packed away and protected while they receive smart notifications like texts, emails, and other alerts right on the wrist. Tactix Delta is also compatible with other Garmin devices including satellite communicators such as inReach® Mini4 and dog trackers such as Astro® 430.

The tactix Delta is available now with a suggested retail price of $899.99.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2020

AATCC conference focus is sustainability

Going Green in Greenville is the theme of the AATCC’s 2020 International Conference being held March 10–12 in Greenville, S.C.

The conference includes presentations and speakers addressing topics from five areas: sustainability, technology, e-textiles, comfort and wellness, and protective textiles/flammability. Elizabeth McCormick, former Black Hawk pilot and disabled veteran, will provide the keynote presentation, “YOU. In the Pilot’s Seat.”

The event also includes a poster session, the Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition, the Young Professionals Panel Discussion,networking receptions with tabletop exhibits, and the Awards Luncheon.

Details regarding the program, accommodations, sponsorships, tabletop exhibits and registration can be found at www.aatcc.org/ic/.

Founded as the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), the association continues to evolve to meet the needs of those in the ever-changing textile, apparel and materials industries.

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A special group of artists have given Honor’s MagicWatch 2 the style it needed

Artists created stunning designs for watch faces and straps to put a little more magic in Honor's Magicwatch

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Folding phones? The Galaxy S20? Here’s what we expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is coming, and we're expecting a number of reveals, including the new Galaxy S20.

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OrthoSensor and McLaren Applied Starts New Venture to Improve Wearable Sensors in Orthopedic Procedures

Dania Beach, Florida-based wearable device maker OrthoSensor and British technology company McLaren Applied announced the creation of EnMovi Ltd, a new venture with offices in Glasgow and London. The strategic collaboration will see the expanded development of the wearable smart technology MOTIONSENSE™ and the data analytics of ORTHOLOGIQ® to improve patient care in orthopedic surgery.

OrthoSensor’s expertise in quantifying orthopedics through sensor-assisted technology enables healthcare providers around the world to deliver evidence-based treatments that improve clinical and economic outcomes for all healthcare stakeholders. Twinned with McLaren’s ingenuity to develop quantifiable technology and machine learning capabilities, derived from innovative technologies from its Formula 1 team, the new venture will enable EnMovi Ltd to create valuable innovation in orthopedic wearables and data analytics, says a press release.

Both technologies will have the capabilities to monitor the patient’s journey pre-operatively, intra-operatively and post-operatively, empowering surgeons and patients with comprehensive data-driven solutions.

“We are excited about this strategic venture with OrthoSensor, Inc. and McLaren Applied. It will bring our current products OrthoLogIQ and MotionSense to the next level and most significantly augment orthopedic treatment and surgery globally. As pressure rises to better manage the orthopedic patient’s journey and outcomes, these two products will help surgeons and hospitals consistently track patients throughout the continuum of care,” said Ivan Delevic, President and Chief Executive Officer of OrthoSensor and Chairman of the Board of EnMovi Ltd.

Anthony Murray, CEO, McLaren Applied, said:

“This new venture with OrthoSensor focuses McLaren Applied expertise in sensor technology on improving patient outcomes by enabling clinical professionals to manage information and insights. We look forward to seeing the results of our collaboration come to fruition.”

About OrthoSensor, Inc.

OrthoSensor, Inc., a leader in Sensor-Assisted Technology develops and commercializes intelligent orthopedic devices and data services that provide quantitative feedback to surgeons and hospitals.

About McLaren Applied Limited

Part of the McLaren Group, McLaren Applied works at the intersection of technology, data and human ingenuity to deliver quantifiable performance advantage to sectors undergoing large-scale disruptive change.

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PROTXX Collaborates with Healthcare Providers, Universities and Machine Learning Developers in Alberta

Silicon Valley-based digital healthcare technology pioneer PROTXX, Inc. announced a broad collaboration with Alberta-based organizations. These organizations include Alberta Health Services (AHS), independent clinical healthcare providers, machine learning developers, and three universities in Alberta. Pilot testing of the PROTXX precision medicine platform has been launched to quantify corresponding improvements in healthcare service quality, patient outcomes, and provider economics.

“Alberta’s unique combination of healthcare innovation initiatives, world-class research institutions, and economic diversification strategy presents exciting opportunities for PROTXX to expand the development and commercial deployment of our innovations in wearable devices and machine learning, and to prove out the economic value of more quantified management of medical conditions that affect global patient populations numbering in the billions,” said PROTXX CEO and Founder, John Ralston.

The PROTXX precision medicine platform integrates wearable sensor and machine learning innovations to replace bulky and expensive clinical equipment and time-consuming testing procedures for a variety of complex medical conditions. PROTXX sensors are designed to be worn unobtrusively by users of any age and in any clinical, athletic, industrial, or military environment, significantly expanding patient and provider access, enabling continuous and remote patient monitoring, and enhancing the value of telemedicine initiatives, says a press release.

A man wearing a medical wearable device behind the ear — Image: PROTXX

Multiple stakeholders within the Alberta healthcare ecosystem have identified an exciting range of innovative applications in clinical diagnoses, treatment, and rehabilitation of complex medical conditions including injuries such as concussions, diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and age-related disorders such as stroke. The ease of use and level of quantitative assessment enabled by the PROTXX platform provide opportunities for better healthcare quality, outcomes, and value for large and diverse groups of Albertans.

“I want to commend PROTXX for choosing Alberta. Our province has a dynamic healthcare innovation ecosystem – and being recognized for our talent and expertise is a huge win that will spur future developments across multiple sectors of the economy,” said Tanya Fir, Alberta Minister of Economic Development. “These pilots also support the strategic focus our province is taking for economic development through innovation, and I look forward to what’s in store for the future.”

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Tuesday, January 21, 2020

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

Garmin’s Vivoactive 3 and Forerunner 235 are selling up to $158 less on Amazon

Score a double-duty wearable from Garmin while Amazon has the Forerunner 235 and Vivoactive 3 on sale.

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G-Shock’s new Black-out Mudmaster is so stealthy, it may as well be a ninja

Like the other versions, the brand new Black-out Mudmaster watch has Bluetooth and can connect to your phone.

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G-Shock’s new Black-out Mudmaster is so stealthy, it may as well be a ninja

Like the other versions, the brand new Black-out Mudmaster watch has Bluetooth and can connect to your phone.

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Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 Review: Not the style icon it should be

An Armani suit is a statement of fashion and quality, so surely an Emporio Armani smartwatch will have the same effect? Sadly, no.

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Amazon chops $40 off the elegant Garmin Vivomove HR hybrid smartwatch

The Garmin Vivomove HR won't look out of place in the gym as well as the boardroom. Get it on Amazon for $160.

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NexTech AR Inks Deal with Romios Gold to Bring 3D Augmented Reality Solution to the Mining Sector

NexTech AR Solutions, the leader in augmented reality (AR) for eCommerce and AR learning applications, has signed a deal with Romios Gold Resources a junior mining company, to deliver its 3D/AR omni-channel services to the mining industry.

The top 40 global mining companies, which represent a vast majority of the whole industry, reported some $683 billion U.S. dollars of revenue in 2018 according to Statista. The company’s industry-leading AR technology will help drive Romios marketing activities in 2020 and creates an enormous new business opportunity for NexTech, reports GlobeNewsWire.

“Romios Gold Resources is delighted to work with NexTechAR as we introduce Augmented Reality to the Resource industry together,” said Tom Drivas, President and Director of Romios Gold. “We believe there is great value in allowing potential investors and industry experts to view core samples from our exploration projects in high-fidelity 3D. Going forward we will look to find other innovative ways to leverage this technology into our various marketing strategies, and pioneer together, new industry standards.”

Using augmented reality in Ecommerc — NexTech’s Ecommerce solution helps you to promote your products with their 3D/AR ads (Image: NexTech AR)

Evan Gappelberg CEO of NexTech comments “We are excited that Romios has adopted NexTech’s powerful and industry-leading augmented reality offering to drive its product marketing and client education activities. Our 3D augmented reality solution and our AR learning tools will help Romios to bridge the gap by showing what actual core samples look like in 3D/AR for investors and potential investors creating a critical use case to Romios and the mining industry. ” He continues, “We are always looking for new industries to leverage our AR solutions. The mining sector is certainly a new industry for us and we are the first companies to create 3D/AR core samples, which we believe could become a new industry standard for the entire mining industry.”

NexTech will be attending PDAC the world’s premier mineral and exploration mining convention March 1- 4th at the metro Toronto Convention Centre to showcase these core samples and mine for more business.

The company paid Octagon Media Corp. 150,000 options priced at $2.00 with a 7-month term plus $60,000 for investor relations services.

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Bigfoot Biomedical Announces $45 Million Series C Financing Led by Abbott

Bigfoot Biomedical, a diabetes startup creating insulin delivery through the use of AI and automation has raised $45 million in the initial tranche of Series C equity financing. The financing round was led by Abbott with support from existing investors, including Quadrant Capital Advisors, Senvest Capital, Janus Henderson, and Cormorant Asset Management.

Proceeds from the financing will support the completion of product development and FDA clearance for the Bigfoot Unity™ Diabetes Management Program, an injection-based digitized insulin dosing platform utilizing a proprietary, connected insulin pen-based system that integrates Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre glucose sensing technology, reports Business Wire.

Submission of Bigfoot Unity is anticipated in 2020 with a target launch by year-end 2020. Series C funds will also be directed toward clinical trials of future generation Bigfoot Unity systems incorporating closed-loop technology for injection users.

Insulin-requiring diabetes impacts over six million Americans, the vast majority of whom are not reaching clinical targets for optimal glucose levels.

Continuous glucose monitoring system — Abbott FreeStyle Libre 14 day sensor is part of a continuous glucose monitoring system that lets you check your glucose with a painless scan, instead of a fingerstick (Image: Freestyle Libre)

Alongside the news of its financing round, Bigfoot also announced the signing of another partnership with Abbott that aims to develop and commercialize diabetes management programs that integrate with the FreeStyle Libre platform.

“We are excited to announce Abbott’s deepening support of Bigfoot Biomedical with this Series C financing,” said Jeffrey Brewer, chief executive officer of Bigfoot Biomedical. “Their investment bolsters and validates our approach to provide a wholly integrated offering, utilizing innovative technologies. Our industry partnership with Abbott uniquely positions us to reduce the heavy burden of dosing decisions for people with insulin-requiring diabetes.”

Milpitas, California based Bigfoot is a medical device company dedicated to simplifying and optimizing insulin delivery and dosing decisions for people living with insulin-requiring diabetes through the use of AI and automation. The company’s integrated system and services address many of the challenges facing people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, health care providers, and insurance institutions.

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Monday, January 20, 2020

Best cheap Apple Watch deals for January 2020

Amazon has these Micheal Kors Access smartwatches on sale up to $200 off

Add some flair to your bare wrist while Amazon has Michael Kors' Access Sofie and Runway smartwatches on sale.

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The best Apple Watch cases to safeguard or style your smartwatch

If you're out working or on an adventure, we've got you covered with shockproof, waterproof Apple Watch cases.

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G-Shock’s new Black-out Mudmaster is so stealthy, it may as well be a ninja

Like the other versions, the brand new Black-out Mudmaster watch has Bluetooth and can connect to your phone.

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Fitbit Adds Blood Oxygen Monitoring (SPO2) in its Versa, Charge, and Ionic Device

If you own a Fitbit Charge 3, Ionic, Versa, Versa Lite, or Versa 2, you are very likely seeing blood oxygen saturation data appear in the app. The app will display your blood’s oxygen level, using the SpO2 sensor that’s been sitting idle inside your deice.

First reported by Tizen Help, Fitbit confirmed the news to ZDNet.

Fitbit included a SpO2 sensor on its Ionic and Versa series to improve the health tracking powers. Fitbit’s recent fitness tracker Charge 3 also had SPO2 but the company delayed its activation. What it means is that you’ll be able to estimate the amount of oxygen you have in your blood.

It’s a useful feature, and could help uncover breathing issues in people who are unaware about this problem.

Blood oxygen saturation normally fluctuates, but big variations can be associated with breathing issues. Estimated oxygen variation approximates the changes in your blood oxygen saturation.

One of the conditions that blood oxygen levels can detect is sleep apnea, a common disorder in Americans. National Sleep Foundation estimates that more than 18 million people in the US have sleep.

Of course, Fitbit isn’t the first company to offer SpO2, but it was able to beat Apple, who is yet to enable the feature in its smartwatches.

Garmin’s watches have featured a Pulse Oximeter (Pulse Ox) tracker for a little while now. Back in 2018, the company introduced Pulse Oximeter with its Vivosmart 4 activity tracker, allowing users to measure their blood oxygen saturation levels on the spot, or periodically as they sleep.

At the CES 2020, Withings’ showed off its new ScanWatch, which adds SpO2 monitoring alongside Arrhythmia, Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), possible sleep apnea detection and an ECG scanner.

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