Wearable clothing news : April 2020

Thursday, April 30, 2020

AirPods Pro, Apple Watch Series 5 in the discount bin at Best Buy

Right now, Best Buy and Verizon have reduced the price of the Apple AirPods Pro and Apple Watch Series 5 by as much as $25.

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Samsung’s Rolling Robot and Fitness Exoskeleton Point to Its Future in Healthcare

Samsung’s unveiling of fitness exoskeleton and rolling robot at the CES 2020 suggests the company is trying to gain a foothold in the healthcare field.

Ballie

The Korean tech giant introduced ‘Ballie’, a tiny rolling robot. The small ball, which bears resemblance to the much-loved BB-8 robot from the Star Wars franchise, is designed to act as a personal assistant around the home, reports Telegraph. Samsung described various ways Ballie might one day help you, from recognizing if your floors are dirty and automatically activating a robot vacuum in your house, to somehow serving as a “fitness assistant.”

The tiny bot has a mobile interface and a built-in camera. It is voice-activated and can follow users around the house.

Samsung isn’t the first company to build robots as at-home companions. Sony, for example, recently released APIs for Aibo, its robot dog, that will apparently let you make services and applications for Aibo that let it interact with smart home devices.

GEMS

Last year, Samsung launched GEMS (Gait Enhancing and Motivation System) exoskeleton that’s supposed to help the physically impaired. But now, the company is saying that it is a workout device.

“In the Age of Experience, we need to re-think the space we have to accommodate our diverse and evolving lifestyles,” said H.S. Kim, President and CEO of Consumer Electronics Division, Samsung Electronics.

Paired with a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses, the exoskeleton can now be used for workouts as a fitness trainer that can give you instructions as you go through your regular workout routine. This device can track your movements when you workout and keep count while also offering words of encouragement.

When you finish your workout, a companion app lets you view your performance and data.

There are already several companies that offer assistive wearable exoskeletons. It looks like Samsung is going after an even larger part of the population, essentially serving as an at-home gym.

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Germany Backs Away From Centralized Approach to App for COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Germany has ditched its plans for building a centralized COVID-19 contact tracing app, and will instead adopt a decentralized architecture.

The chain of infection by the novel coronavirus is hard to break because it can be spread by those showing no symptoms. Countries are rushing to develop apps to provide people with a detailed picture of the risk of catching the coronavirus.

In Europe in recent weeks, a battle has raged between different groups backing centralized vs decentralized infrastructure for apps, reports TechCrunch.

German officials had planned to use a centralized approach to collect data via users’ cellphones and store them in a central repository. That approach would give health officials greater access to information that could help slow the spread of the coronavirus. But privacy advocates weren’t happy with it. They are worried about a slippery slope if the government has access to so much personal information about citizens’ interactions.

This week, the governmental ministers changed their mind, saying the country would move to a decentralized approach.

“This app should be voluntary, meet data protection standards and guarantee a high level of IT security,” Chancellery Minister Helge Braun and Health Minister Jens Spahn said in a statement, according to Reuters. “The main epidemiological goal is to recognize and break chains of infection as soon as possible.”

Three people wearing masks — Image: US Air Force

Contact tracing works by pinpointing anyone that an infected person has come into contact with, and then notifying people who might have been exposed.

Earlier this month, tech giants Apple and Google announced they’re developing a tracking system that uses cellphones’ ability to detect nearby phones via Bluetooth.

The centralized system would have required Apple to change the settings on its phones to allow for the collection of information. But Germany backtracked after Apple refused to make that change, according to Reuters, who cited a ‘senior government source.’

Under the decentralized approach, users could opt to share their phone number or details of their symptoms – making it easier for health authorities to get in touch and give advice on the best course of action in the event they are found to be at risk.

This consent would be given in the app, however, and not be part of the system’s central architecture.

Germany’s withdrawal now leaves France and the UK the two main regional backers of centralized apps for coronavirus contacts tracing.

The decentralized approach is also supported by the European Parliament, which has cautioned about a potential risk of abuse if data is stored in a centralized database.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Apple Deals: AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini

Save up to $200 when you get the Apple AirPods, Apple Watch Series 5, iPad Pro, and MacBook Air at Best Buy today.

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Temp Pal Allows Remote Monitoring of COVID-19 Patients in Hospitals and in Self-Quarantine

Taiwanese healthcare company iWEECARE’s smart thermometer Temp Pal has been used to help fight COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced. The cloud-based continuous temperature monitoring system, which is being used in hospitals and self-quarantine, lowers the risk of infections by reducing physical contact between caregivers and patients, reports MobiHealthNews. The system is currently being used at some coronavirus hospitals in Taiwan and self-quarantine management in Nanjing City of China to reduce the number of infections and to alleviate burdens on caregivers.

The CE certified Temp Pal® is an innovative soft, wearable thermometer that continuously measure temperature and wirelessly sending temperature readings to a smartphone or tablet. Unlike the traditional methods, it is tiny and flexible, child-friendly and does its job while the patient is sleeping.

Temp Pal can help caregivers monitor real-time temperatures of hundreds of patients at nursing stations.

The Temp Pal Cloud Cluster System helps control the spread of coronavirus in two ways:

Using specialized BLE/Wi-Fi gateways, the system collects patients’ body temperature through Temp Pal smart patches attached onto their bodies.
It helps public health authorities monitor the temperature of thousands of people under quarantine remotely and give instructions when users are detected with abnormal temperatures.

A smart thermometer sending data to a mobile phone — Image: iWEECARE

Benefits of Using Temp Pal

Tiny size and Lightweight.

Temp Pal is the world’s smallest smart thermometer. It’s slightly larger than a dollar coin and weighs only 3 grams.

Comfortable.

Using medical-grade Composite TPE material and adopting 3M adhesive medical tape from the US. It is soft, skin-friendly breathable hypoallergenic, adaptable to body curve bonding the skin comfortably.

Accurate.

Provides accurate temperature measurements with the accuracy of +/- 0.05 ˚C.

Smart Wearable.

Using Temp Pal solution with cloud database services through Bluetooth and your mobile device connecting wirelessly, you can now access real-time temperature data and react on real-time alert. With One to One and many to many real-time temperatures data sharing makes monitoring easier for caregivers or family members.

Safe.

Verified ISO 10993 biocompatible-proof, Temp Pal does not cause irritation, allergies and it is non-toxic. Medical grade stainless steel forming technology, waterproof and sweat-proof. Continuous use will not be hot to skin. It is safe and worry-free.

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How FDA is Backing the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Telemedicine

Telemedicine, also known as e-medicine, is the remote delivery of healthcare services, including tests and consultations, over the telecommunications infrastructure. Telemedicine allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients at a distance using telecommunications technology.

For telemedicine to be truly useful, the patient must be able to collect and transmit a variety of data the healthcare professional needs in order to assess the patient’s health, writes Bradley Merrill Thompson in MobileHealthNews.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help with data collection by instructing patients how to use medical technology that collects data. AI can help physicians sort through and analyze the data they receive, and it can even help deliver therapy.

In April 2019, the FDA published a request for comments on new proposals for the regulation of medical devices that employ artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) components.

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies have the potential to transform health care by deriving new and important insights from the vast amount of data generated during the delivery of health care every day. Medical device manufacturers are using these technologies to innovate their products to better assist health care providers and improve patient care. The FDA is considering a total product lifecycle-based regulatory framework for these technologies that would allow for modifications to be made from real-world learning and adaptation, while still ensuring that the safety and effectiveness of the software as a medical device is maintained,” The FDA said.

In the face of COVID-19 with its attendant greater need for medical services, while achieving social distancing, it seems that FDA is now ready to support the use of AI in telemedicine.

FDA building — Image: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Wikimedia commons)

In February of this year, FDA authorized the marketing of AI that would guide cardiac ultrasound use. In its first FDA authorization, this guidance system is limited to use by healthcare professionals, but fundamentally the technology now exists to use AI to guide the use of historically complex diagnostic tools.

FDA seems to be doing what it can to encourage the development and deployment of these devices on the patient side to make telemedicine more powerful.

In its Policy for Imaging Systems Used During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency, FDA notes that “Imaging devices can help visualize pulmonary abnormalities and are used routinely to diagnose and evaluate the causes of reduced lung function. Accordingly, there is an increased demand for imaging devices that may assist in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of lung disease.” FDA further explains “Increasing the availability of mobile and portable systems may increase options to image patients inside and outside of healthcare facilities, which could help to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, modified use of ultrasound imaging systems may expand the number of healthcare practitioners capable of performing this imaging technique.”

Apart from image analysis, FDA has come out with a new redraft of its Clinical Decision Support Software Guidance last September that is much more flexible in its treatment of AI.

“FDA has provided a road map for guidance-system technologies in ways that they can be used to facilitate telemedicine. Unfortunately this roadmap can’t be found in any guidance, and no doubt the rules will continue to evolve. But it appears that FDA is willing to be creative and flexible. And, nearly all of this was even before COVID-19 created an urgency around the use of telemedicine. The future is looking pretty bright for these technologies,” Thompson wrote in his report.

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Best smartwatch deals for May 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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Your sweat powers this wearable - CNET

Scientists at Caltech just figured out how to make perspiration power a wearable e-skin that can monitor your health and control devices over Bluetooth.

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Watch this sweat-powered wearable control a prosthetic leg video - CNET

Scientists at Caltech have developed what they say is the world's first electronic skin that doesn't need a battery. Why not? Because it runs on human sweat.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Best cheap Apple Watch deals for May 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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Latest Apple Watch, Fitbit Versa, Samsung Galaxy Watch discounted at Best Buy

The Fitbit Versa 2, Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, and Apple Watch Series 5 are on sale for as little as $150 at Best Buy.

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MIT Develops Smart Shirt That Can Monitor Heart Rate, Temperature and Other Vital Signs

MIT engineers have developed a way to incorporate tiny electronic sensors into stretchy fabrics, allowing them to create shirts or other clothing items that could be used to monitor vital signs such as temperature, respiration, and heart rate. Other vital signs can be added by utilizing additional sensor types.

Lead author of the study was MIT graduate student Irmandy Wicaksono. It was published in the journal npg Flexible Electronics.

The sensor-embedded garments, which are machine washable, can be customized to fit close to the body of the person wearing them. The researchers envision that this type of sensing could be used for monitoring people who are ill, either at home or in the hospital, as well as athletes or astronauts, reports MIT.

“We can have any commercially available electronic parts or custom lab-made electronics embedded within the textiles that we wear every day, creating conformable garments,” says senior author of the study Canan Dagdeviren, the LG Electronics Career Development Assistant Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT. “These are customizable, so we can make garments for anyone who needs to have some physical data from their body like temperature, respiration rate, and so forth.”

MIT smart shirt for vital signs — Image: MIT News

For this study, the researchers designed a prototype shirt with 30 temperature sensors and an accelerometer that can measure the wearer’s movement, heart rate, and breathing rate. The garment can then transmit this data wirelessly to a smartphone.

The fabric, a polyester blend, was chosen for its moisture-wicking properties and its ability to conform to the skin, similar to compression shirts worn during exercise, the MIT report said.

“From the outside, it looks like a normal T-shirt, but from the inside, you can see the electronic parts which are touching your skin,” Dagdeviren says. “It compresses on your body, and the active parts of the sensors are exposed to the skin.”

The researchers tested their prototype shirts as wearers exercised at the gym, allowing them to monitor changes in temperature, heart rate, and breathing rate.

The smart shirts could be used for remote patient monitoring and telemedicine, where doctors monitor patients remotely while patients remain at home.

“You don’t need to go to the doctor or do a video call,” Dagdeviren says. “Through this kind of data collection, I think doctors can make better assessments and help their patients in a better way.”

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HID Global and Fidesmo Partner Up To Add Contactless Access Control To Smartwatches and Other Wearables

HID Global, a leading trusted identity solutions provider joined forces with Fidesmo to add contactless access control to wearables like smartwatches, watchbands, rings, and other devices. Fidesmo is a provisioning company that makes it possible to connect contactless services to wearables. The company has integrated HID’s next-generation Seos® credential technology into secure element chips that are used in a wide variety of wearables.

“As wearables grow in popularity, organizations of all types will be confronted with the need to support new form factors for physical access and other popular applications,” said Steve Currie, VP and Managing Director of Extended Access Technologies with HID Global. “Working with Fidesmo to bring more use cases to wearables delivers on the promise of Seos credential technology to provide users the freedom to use their preferred device, whether it’s a phone, card or wearable, to easily navigate their daily life.”

Because Seos credential technology is designed for flexibility, Fidesmo can load the Seos applet into the tamper-resistant secure elements (SE) produced by the most prominent chipmakers in the world. This will enable wearables manufacturers using the broadest range of SE chips to add building and parking access as well as complimentary applications to their smartwatches, watchbands, rings and other devices. Authentication to PCs, IT systems and cloud applications, secure print job collection, time and attendance, point of sale, and automated cashless vending, are some of the numerous additional applications supported by Seos credential technology, reports Business Wire.

A person holding a mobile phone — Image: HID

“The Fidesmo team is honored to join HID’s partner network and looking forward to our mutual journey as we provision HID’s secure access credentials over our platform,” said Mattias Eld, CEO, Co-Founder of Fidesmo. “Working with HID we are forwarding our vision to enable people to choose their favorite wearable and connect and use it with any contactless service they need – anytime, anywhere.”

The partnership makes it possible for employees to use their personal wearable device to add the access control service, and companies can also order a number of wearables for their dedicated use, in special areas or even adding more services to them, like payment or their employees’ public transit job ticket.

Adding access control capabilities to wearables also addresses environmental constraints, such as a clean room with specific gear and uniforms that preclude using smart cards and/or biometric identification—making it ideal for pharmaceutical production environments, as well as operations rooms, mining, car, and food production, and anywhere where sanitization compliance is a priority.

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Best cheap Apple Watch deals for May 2020

Monday, April 27, 2020

Protecting innovations in smart fabrics

IFAI’s Summit discusses new innovations, cybersecurity, industry engagement.

by Janet Preus

The Smart Fabrics Summit was held virtually this year. Presented by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce in collaboration with the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), its speakers covered a range of topics particularly pertinent in the smart fabrics market area today.

The first session, titled “Now Listen Carefully … It’s Time to Get Smart,” featured Chris Jorgensen, IPC, as moderator for panelists Stephanie Rodgers, Apex Mills; Chris Mitchell, IPC; and Jacqueline Campbell, CPSC [Consumer Products Safety Commission]. Campbell pointed out the importance of determining if your new smart product should be classified as medical or consumer.

LOOMIA designs and manufactures soft circuit systems (e-textiles) that can be manufactured at scale. The company’s technology makes it possible to add a variety of functions to automotive interiors, medical and wellness wearables and outdoor products. Photo: Loomia.

“Design, marketing and other claims could put one product in either jurisdiction,” Campbell said. “Reach out about a new product.”

“Emerging hazards” was a theme in this discussion, which offered a checklist for “establishing a safety culture,” with these action points:

Make sure you have everyone at the table – legal, technical, design.
Design safety into the product and communicate the commitment to safety throughout the supply chain and to your consumers.
Define how it should be used, and plan also for any unforeseeable uses beyond what the product was first designed for.
Maintain quality standards throughout the product life cycle. This includes having a test program beyond minimum standards. There may be voluntary consensus standards, which are not formal. standards or tests, but they may be more stringent than is required.
Institute a proactive compliance program, keep up with standards and communicate them throughout your supply chain.

Cybersecurity for manufacturers

“The Importance of Cybersecurity for Manufacturers” was presented by David Stieren, division chief in the Programs and Partnerships Division at the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a non-regulatory agency in the U.S. Dept. of Commerce that provides technical assistance to manufacturers.

As an extension-based program, the MEP “has no center that is a super-center,” Stieren said. “We rely heavily on our partners and other centers. We target small to medium manufacturers that makes up about 99 percent of the demographic in the U.S.”

Pat Toth, MEP cybersecurity services manager, spoke in more detail about cybersecurity as it relates to U.S. small businesses. “Small businesses and small manufacturers are particularly vulnerable, because they don’t have the means to prevent or detect a cyber attack,” Toth said. As such, “they may be seen as an entry point into another space.”

She recommended that manufacturers take a series of steps in order to establish and maintain security. “You need to formalize these policies and procedures and your employees need to know what they are.” Summarized, the steps are “protect, detect, respond and recover.”

“Protect” means that filters, encryptions and systems are updated, that old equipment is disposed of properly, with all information removed from the technology. Detecting a problem could include noting an employee who changes passwords several times a day or employees who log on late at night, for example.

A company’s procedures must include an organized response: who should be notified, what action steps should be taken, and taking advantage of cyber security insurance. Once an incident occurs, backups should be in place to be implemented.

MEP offers a number of cybersecurity resources that may be accessed from its website. Most recently, there is a new program regarding security requirements when doing business with the DoD, which requires “reaching a certain level of maturity,” she said. (www.nits.gov/mep)

Janet Preus is senior editor of Advanced Textiles Source. She may be reached at jlpreus@ifai.com.

Editor’s note: Additional articles based on information presented at this year’s Smart Fabrics Summit will appear on this site in the near future.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Will Propel US Telehealth Market To Grow At A CAGR of Over 29% During 2019-25

The US telehealth market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 29% during the period 2019–2025, according to a study published in the Reportlinker.

Since the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States, the telehealth platform has emerged as a major tool to fight and contain the virus. Due to the rise in the COVID-19 pandemic, the US telehealth market is expected to witness over 80% YOY growth in 2020. To deal with the pandemic, health service providers in the US are utilizing telehealth services that connect doctors and patients remotely. As federal governments have recently implemented the social distancing and nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure to contain the pandemic from spreading, these services have become an effective tool for healthcare management, says a press release.

The telehealth services segment is growing at the fastest CAGR as the demand for these services is increasing across the US. With the rapid advancement in technology, telehealth is considered as the future of medicine. Rural areas, war-torn regions, and areas affected by natural calamities require and can benefit from remote healthcare services.

The following factors are likely to contribute to the growth of the US telehealth market during the forecast period:

Expansion of Reimbursement for Telehealth Services
Emergence of Telehealth Robots and Robotic Platforms
Demand for Telehealth Services due to COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis
Increasing Number of mHealth Applications fueling Telehealth Adoption

This research report includes a detailed segmentation by modality, component, delivery mode, and end-user. The growing incidence of chronic diseases such as heart ailments and stroke has impacted the growth of the real-time virtual health segment.

The segment is expected to grow with increased adoption of telemedicine, coupled with advances in technology and high penetration of smart gadgets in the US. Some health systems are integrating real-time virtual healthcare with real-time audio/video telemedicine consultation, chat consultation into primary care practices as a complement to existing modes of care.

The software segment mainly includes medical applications for smartphones and tablets and software/mobile solutions for data management in telehealth centers. The segment plays a critical role in delivering valuable data to physicians and aid in accurate clinical decision making for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.

The web/app-based telehealth segment accounts for the largest share in the US telehealth market. As the web-based delivery model requires minimal software and hardware components for delivering advanced telehealth solutions, the demand is relatively high since it reduces upfront installation costs. This segment is expected to grow at a healthy rate, especially from emerging economies that are embracing telehealth technology in most healthcare facilities to provide access to services in remote and rural areas.

A screen displaying health data — Image: Nellis Air Force Base

The availability of remote monitoring, mHealth, and virtual health tools is key for providing value-based healthcare. About 40% of US hospitals have emphasized the importance of health IT and mHealth devices and applications to improve the quality of patient care.

Here are few of the Vendors Included in the Survey:

AMD Global Telemedicine
American Well
Abbott
AliveCor
AT&T
BioTelemetry
GE Healthcare
GlobalMedia Group
Koninklijke Philips
Masimo
Mercy Virtual
Resideo Life Care Solutions
Medtronic
Omron
Teladoc Health

Insights by Vendors

The US telehealth market is highly dynamic and fragmented, with the presence of several medical device manufacturers, software/application providers, and telehealth service providers. Medical device manufacturers are collaborating with software/application developers and service providers to enhance the quality of care to patients.

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The Best Apple Deals for April 2020: AirPods, iPad, iPhone, MacBook

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

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Selecting the Right Adhesive Material Is Crucial For An Effective Wearable Drug Delivery System

Wearable drug delivery applications are easy to administer and they offer many benefits like around-the-clock monitoring and proper medical management. To make sure these devices can be worn for the prescribed time period and deliver optimal outcome, they need the right adhesive material. Wearable devices often contain multiple layers of advanced medical materials. Whatever the combination, they must provide effective moisture management and biocompatibility for patient comfort.

Drug delivery systems come in different forms. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices help people with diabetes manage this prevalent and chronic disease. Insulin delivery solutions come in many different shapes, sizes, and configurations. Then there are wearable drug injectors, whose global market is expected to grow from $5.57 billion in 2018 to $9.41 billion by 2023, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Factors Affecting Wear Time

Drug delivery devices should have extended wear times. Longer wear time in a wearable device doesn’t need much replacement cost, so it’s more viable. “Extended wear times also can enhance patient convenience and compliance with a drug treatment plan,” wrote Dr. Neal Carty and Deepak Prakash of Vancive Medical Technologies. “If a wearable device stays in position for extended periods, then there is less onus on the patient to remember to take his or her medication or to stop daily life activities to change out their drug delivery system sensor or injector. Whereas around 3 to 7 days previously was the wear-time norm, today, it is common for device developers to aim for 21- or 28-day wear times.”

Moisture Management

The user may feel uncomfortable and could experience skin deterioration if moisture from perspiration or contact with fluids gathers on the skin beneath the wearable drug delivery system. As a result, the patient may remove the device prematurely. Most adhesive materials either absorb moisture or they allow the moisture to pass through tiny pores in the material and evaporate/ Some advanced medical materials leverage both moisture management methods.

A person wearing a smartwatch — Image: Piqsels

Biocompatibility

Drug delivery system developers will want to be sure adhesive materials pass the ISO 10993 standard tests for cytotoxicity, irritation, and sensitivity.

Design & Construction

Adhesive material suppliers can collaborate with drug delivery system developers on design and construction strategies to help ensure patient comfort.

Wear Testing

Testing should take place during the early product conceptualization stage before the design freeze. Some materials suppliers will conduct this type of wear testing for customers to help identify optimal material choices and design elements — and to expose any unexpected problems with comfort and adherence, the DrugDev report said.

Conclusion

Wearable drug delivery systems enable patients to monitor their conditions more easily and allow them to administer medicines in the comfort of their homes. For a wearable device to be effective, it needs to offer extended wear times and a high degree of comfort and discretion. Wear testing during product conceptualization is necessary for developing a successful drug delivery system.

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Sunday, April 26, 2020

Garmin Venu Review: Sporty everyday

Garmin's Venu isn't the ultimate fitness tracker, but its beautiful display will help you forgive it.

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Friday, April 24, 2020

The Best Apple Deals for April 2020: AirPods, iPad, iPhone, MacBook

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

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The Best Apple Deals for April 2020: AirPods, iPad, iPhone, MacBook

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

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The best cheap Fitbit deals for April 2020: Fitbit Versa, Charge 3, Inspire

Out of shape? Get a head start on your summer beach bod with the best cheap Fitbit deals currently available.

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Samsung to Include Blood Pressure Monitor on its Galaxy Watch Active2

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active2 has taken another big leap by offering blood pressure monitoring. Samsung Electronics announced today that the company’s Samsung Health Monitor app has been cleared by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), as a Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), making it a government-cleared, over-the-counter and cuffless blood pressure monitoring application.

The Samsung Health Monitor app, when paired with advanced sensor technology on the Galaxy Watch Active2, enable users to easily and more conveniently measure and track their blood pressure.

High blood pressure or hypertension is known to significantly increase your risk of brain, kidney and heart diseases, including stroke and coronary heart disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.13 billion people worldwide have hypertension. By helping users measure and track their blood pressure, the Samsung Health Monitor app gives people greater insight into their health and allows them to make more informed decisions, to lead healthier lives, reports Samsung.

“The Samsung Health Monitor app has the potential to help millions of people around the world who are affected by high blood pressure,” says Taejong Jay Yang, Corporate SVP and Head of Health Team, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “This is one of many examples of how Samsung is integrating its best-in-class hardware with the latest software innovations to innovate mobile experiences.”

Once your Galaxy Watch Active2 device has been calibrated with a traditional cuff, you can simply select the “measure my blood pressure” setting from your Galaxy Watch. The accompanying smartphone app also allows users to track and compare blood pressure values for longer time periods and gives tips on pulse data.

With the addition of blood pressure monitoring, the Galaxy Watch Active2 boasts Samsung’s most advanced health and wellness capabilities yet. The smartwatch comes with more sensitive and accurate Heart Rate Monitoring sensors, and enables users to track their exercise, sleep, stress and get added healthcare insights that can help you improve your wellbeing.

The Samsung Health Monitor app will be available on the Galaxy Watch Active2 within the third quarter and will progressively expand to upcoming Galaxy Watch devices, Samsung said.

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Wearable Sensor Cannot Accurately Detect Migraine Attacks Beforehand, Reveals Small Finnish Study

A migraine is a moderate or severe headache felt as a throbbing pain on one side of the head. It is a chronic, incapacitating neurovascular disorder. In the United States, approximately 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 5 of those in their peak employment years (aged 18 to 54 years) reported severe headaches or migraines in 3 months, according to a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Managed Care. In 2016, healthcare costs and decreased productivity amounted to an estimated total annual cost of $36 billion in the country.

Researchers from the Biomimetics and Intelligent Systems Group at the University of Oulu in Finland conducted a study to see if wearable sensors can detect migraine attacks beforehand. The researchers in the team were: Pekka Siirtola, Heli Koskimäki, Henna Mönttinen, and Juha Röning.

The aim of their study was to build reliable recognition models for the early detection of migraine attacks based on sleep time data collected using wearable sensors. The study is based on two hypotheses: (1) wearable sensor data can be used to detect an attack of illness beforehand, and (2) sleep time data contains information about the forthcoming migraine attack. Related work supports both of these hypotheses.

The researchers recruited 7 participants. Among the participants, 5 were female and 2 were male. They were aged between 30 to 60 years. Each of them was given an Empatica E4 wristband. Only sleep time data were used in this study. Data was collected for 27 days.

Results showed that the wearable device could not accurately detect a migraine attack beforehand.

A wearable wristband — Empatica E4 (Image: Empatica)

“According to our preliminary results, the migraine attacks cannot be detected reliably beforehand using user-independent models,” the researcher wrote. “However, the used data set was most likely not comprehensive enough to build reliable user-independent models due to a limited number of study subjects. On the other hand, the small number of study subjects is not an issue when recognition is based on personal models instead of user-independent models. In fact, the results achieved using personal models indicate that early detection of migraine attacks is possible. When a personal early detection model based on QDA classifiers was used, the average balanced accuracy was over 84%. However, there is a great deal of variation between study subjects. In fact, when results are studied study-subject-wise, it can be seen that balance accuracy varies between 60.4% and 95.2%.”

They said that the small number of participants may be the reason the study didn’t produce accurate results.

“With a larger data set, it would be possible to experiment with the accuracy of personal models with all migraine types. If the findings of this article can be confirmed in a larger population, it may potentially contribute to early diagnoses of migraine attacks,” the researchers concluded.

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Save the date & Call for Speakers: 8th MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE & 3rd MEDICAL FAIR ASIA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE

The 8^th MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE (MMSC) will take place on November 18^th and 19^th at MEDICA, the world’s leading medical trade fair in Dusseldorf.

And the MEDICAL FAIR ASIA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE (MFA MSC) will enter its third round on 9 September 2020 in Singapore.

The expert committees of the conferences are looking forward to submissions for the Call for Speakers for the MMSC and for the Call for Speakers for the MFA MSC.

The MMSC and MFA MSC are THE international dialogue platforms for the exchange between sports medicine and sports science, professional athletes, those interested in innovation, as well as the sporting goods and the healthcare industry. This is where the who-is-who of international sports medicine and sports science meets to discuss the hot topics on their future agenda, digital innovations in sports sports and healthcare, future concepts in professional sports, evidence-based diagnostics, or tailored exercise programs.

Cooperation partners are amongst others FIMS (Fédération Internationale de Médicine du Sport), EFSMA (European Federation of Sports Medicine Associations), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), AFSM (Asian Federation of Sports Medicine), Exercise is Medicine, FESI (Federation of European Sporting Goods Industry), EPSI (European Platfom on Sports Innovation), WT | Wearable Technologies, DGSP (German Sports Medicine Association), DVS (German Sociatey of Sports Science), WISS (Bundesinstitut for Sportwissenschaft), and SMAS (Sports Medicine Association Singapore).

Mark the dates now in your calendar. Further information and pre-registration for the MMSC 2020 can be found here and for the MFA MSC 2020 here.

The MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE have been recognized by the medical chambers as advanced training events for 6 years and are associated with the acquisition of category A advanced training points.

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CALLING ALL INNOVATORS! SCALE UP YOUR BUSINESS IN THE 12th IOT/WT INNOVATION WORLD CUP®

The world’s most exciting competition in IoT is back!

Participation in the 12^th IoT/WT Innovation World Cup® is FREE OF CHARGE. Get the chance to work with forefront tech corporates and apply for the following special prizes:

EBV IoT Hero powered by EBV Elektronik
rapidM2M Challenge powered by Microtronics
Smart Clothing Challenge powered by AiQ Smart Clothing
WellTech Challenge
Healthcare Innovation World Cup: the finalists will pitch live at MEDICA

Contestants with completed submissions can additionally request free devkits from partners STMicroelectronics, EBV Elektronik, Würth Elektronik and Microtronics. Get the powerful tools in your hands and transform your IoT prototypes into successful production.

By joining the 12^th edition of the prestigious IoT/WT competition you will compete to win overall prizes worth over $500,000:

Speaking slots on the main stages of WT | Wearable Technologies Conferences, MEDICA, BIM World MUNICH and many more international tech events.
Free use of production labs and testing facilities.
Free marketing packages and extensive media coverage at a global level.
Significant advice from international tech experts to support business development: finding the right components, go-to-market strategy, commercial launch, and more.
Placement in the Hall of Fame of the Innovation World Cup® Series.

We are excited to see who will become the world’s next IoT superstars!

Trailblazers like Sigfox, Mio Global, Bonbouton, Recon Instruments, GAIT UP and many more have made history after debuting in the Innovation World Cup®. What about you?

Do not wait. Join now. Participation is free of charge.

SUBMIT YOUR SOLUTION HERE!

Our partner Innovation World Cup®, corporate partners STMicroelectronics, EBV Elektronik, Würth Elektronik, Microtronics, AiQ Smart Clothing, VARTA Microbattery and we are looking forward to welcoming you aboard.

Visit the Innovation World Cup® Series homepage for more information: http://www.innovationworldcup.com

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Thursday, April 23, 2020

Apple Watch Series 5, Samsung Galaxy Watch in the sale bin at Best Buy

The Apple Watch Series 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 are the best smartwatches that you can get.

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Apple Deals: AirPods Pro, Apple Watch Series 5, iPad Mini, iPad Pro

You can score the Apple AirPods 2, iPad Mini, Apple Watch Series 5, and iPad Pro for as much as $100 off at Best Buy.

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Best cheap Apple Watch deals for April 2020

Proxxi Launches Halo Wearable Wristband to Maintain Social Distance at Work During Covid-19 Pandemic

Proxxi, a Vancouver, Canada-based safety technology company for industrial workforces, announced the launch of Halo, a wearable band to help employees maintain social distancing at work. Halo notifies wearers that another band is within 6 feet (2 meters), reminding them of the need to maintain social distance.

Proxxi explains the device is designed to help protect essential workers and to enable the return to work as COVID-19 measures are relaxed in the future, says a press release.

“The need to maintain social distancing is critical to reducing transmission of COVID-19. Our existing customers in construction, manufacturing and utilities have essential workers in the field and requested this product. We hear that there may be broader applications potentially in retail, warehousing and healthcare, said Proxxi CEO Campbell Macdonald.

Halo wristbands are always on and always aware. Low-power operation means that workers have reliable, safe-distance monitoring all day long without needing to drain their smartphone battery.

Proxxi’s principle product protects industrial workers from electrical contact injuries and electrocution. Their wearable bands provide real-time insights into worker and team safety behavior and let workers know when they are approaching an energized source.

Sketch describing social distancing — Halo briefly vibrates to notify wearers that another band is within 6 feet (2 meters), reminding them of the need to maintain social distance (Image: Proxxi)

Halo anonymously keeps track of interactions with other bands. Companies can see which bands have been in contact, when and how many times. In the case of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, companies can use this data for tracing which workers might need testing and quarantine.

This is complementary to the efforts just announced by Apple and Google to use Bluetooth technology to securely and privately identify interactions between phones. “We are committed to helping slow the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring the privacy of workers,” said Proxxi CTO Richard Sim. “We designed Halo so that no personally identifiable information is shared with Proxxi, but still providing the tools for organizations to do contact tracing internally and to interoperate with Apple and Google’s new contact tracing technology.”

Halo will be available on May 15. The price for each band is $100, and delivery is free to anywhere in the USA and Canada.

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How 5G and Wearables Are Changing the Lives of People Living with Disabilities

Approximately 1 billion people across the globe are living with some type of disabilities. Emerging technologies like IoT, wearables and 5G could help people with disabilities live independently and contribute more in the workplace, and enhance their quality of life.

Maptic

Maptic is a wearable navigation system for the visually impaired. Brunel University graduate Emilios Farrington-Arnas designed this collection of wearable devices that vibrate to guide visually impaired wearers to a destination. The maptic set consists of a visual sensor that can be worn like a necklace, and a series of feedback units that can be clipped onto clothing, or worn around the wrist. The sensor connects to a voice-controlled iPhone app, so it can use GPS to direct the wearer. It does this through a series of vibrations to the left or right side of the body.

Talkkit

Talkkit helps those with speech and language disorders better communicate with people around them. This gadget makes an interpretation of unrecognizable pronunciation into understandable speech so others can comprehend what the individual intended to say, in spite of their talking impediments. Talkkit likewise can translate the pronunciation into any language. This wearable innovation works by learning the person’s speech patterns and afterward making an individual word reference. Talkkit then distinguishes and perceives the articulation and makes an interpretation of it into speech others can comprehend.

A disabled person wearing an exosuit — Image: Rex Bionics

Rex

Rex Bionics has developed Rex, an exoskeleton designed for people with mobility impairments, including those with more severe disabilities. REX offers rehabilitation options and improves mobility for a wide range of people. REX is fully adjustable to one’s measurements within minutes and learning to use it is quick and easy for the user. Rex is hands free for functional exercise and activities of daily living. It allows new users to walk with autonomous control in a few minutes. It’s fully automated for forwards, backwards, sideways and turning movements. Rex squats, lunges, sit-to-stand, leg swings, and stretches. Rexercise mode enables structured, reproducible functional exercise programs directed by healthcare professionals.

How 5G Can Benefit People with Disabilities

5G can help people with disabilities move and navigate more independently. Blind people, who use a white cane to get around, can move independently through the emerging mobile technologies. For example, 5G-connected smart glasses paired with a smartphone can provide them real-time audio feedback, which can help them to navigate in a city independently. Facial recognition can tell them who is approaching, reports DisabilityInsider. It can also provide information about bus and train routes or even food on shelves in the store.

Conclusion

IoT, wearables and 5G has the ability to make our everyday tasks easier. The few wearables we discussed above are only the beginning of what IoT and wearables can do for people with disabilities. Although many people around the globe do not have access to these technologies, the rising popularity tells us it won’t be too long when these technologies will immensely impact the lives of disabled people all over.

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Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Fitbit Charge 4 review: The only fitness tracker you need

The Fitbit Charge 4 easily defeats the competition with GPS tracking and a great app at an affordable price.

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Commercial Wearable Sensors Provide Accurate Running Data, Says New Study

Running or jogging is a popular form of physical activity all over the world. The advent of wearable technology is helping people perform this type of exercises by providing step count, monitoring heart rate, SpO2 etc. Runners, clinicians and coaches collect in-field data with wearable sensors to improve performance, avoid injury or return to running after an injury. However, it is yet to be proven that commercially available wearable sensors provide valid data.

Researchers from Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration in Quebec City, and University of British Columbia, conducted a study to assess the concurrent validity of several popular, commercially available wearable sensors in estimating vertical ground reaction force (vertical loading rates) during running against a laboratory-based instrumented treadmill and motion capture system.

For their research, they used five wearable sensors (Moov Now, MilestonePod, RunScribe, TgForce and Zoi) to measure ground reaction force related metrics, step rate, foot strike pattern, and vertical displacement of the center of mass during running.

Study

Researchers placed wearable sensors according to the manufacturers’ instructions and collected data with their dedicated commercial application (for TgForce, a beta Windows version software was used to collect data). Lab-based System Three-dimensional motion analysis was performed using a 9-camera VICON motion capture system and VICON Nexus software. Kinematic data were collected at 200 Hz. Rigid triads of non-colinear reflective markers were placed over the lumbosacral junction, and on the lateral part of the foot, shank and thigh, bilaterally. Triads attached to the thighs were made of custom-molded thermoplastic and were secured with Velcro straps to minimize movement artefacts.

A mobile phone and a wearable device — Image: TgForce

Findings

The five sensors provided different metrics that were thought to represent vertical ground reaction forces. When compared to actual vertical loading rates, a gait parameter associated with running injury and running injury and running injury prevention, the correlations with these metrics ranged from none to high. This confirmed their hypothesis that only devices attached to the tibia (TgForce and Moov Now) showed significant correlations with lab-based vertical loading rates.

“In agreement with our hypothesis, healthcare professionals, coaches and runners can rely on step rate measurements provided by all wearable sensors tested in this study,” they wrote.

“Overall, runners, clinicians and coaches must keep in mind that only a limited number of the metrics provided by these commercially available wearable sensors are actually valid. Our results showed that step rate measurement is valid for all wearable sensors. TgForce was the only device providing valid metrics of instantaneous vertical loading rate. Only MilestonePod seemed to be valid to discriminate between a rear-, mid- and fore-foot strike pattern. Only Zoi was valid to estimate vertical displacement of the center of mass.”

The researchers involved the study were B. Pairot de Fontenay, J. S. Roy and L. Bouyer from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City; B. Dubois from The Running Clinic, Lac Beauport, Quebec; and J.F. Esculier from the Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

The study was published in IEEE Sensors Journal.

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Cherish Health’s Safe@Home Project is Aimed at Helping Curb the Impact of COVID-19

Cherish Health, a Cambridge, MA-based medtech company that develops AI-powered medical wearables, has launched a new initiative called Project Safe@Home to help curb the impact of COVID-19. The company has been working hard with government agencies, academic research institutions, health and social care providers and payors in the US and UK to respond to the COVID-19 emergency.

Project SAFE@HOME is the resulting turnkey solution that includes wirelessly connected wearable biosensors, COVID-19-specific care pathways available under open source, and a command center model to support the care of individuals diagnosed with the virus where they live, or to help them return home sooner and continue to receive care upon discharge from a hospital, said a press release.

People flocking the care facilities is putting care providers at an increased risk of being exposed to the novel coronavirus. Project Safe@Home leverages evidence-based and physician-vetted care pathways that are being published under open-source, the Cherish Serenity wirelessly connected disposable wearable biosensor patch, a national-scale command center and its operating model, MD teleconsultation on-demand, and locally sourced nursing, paramedicine and EMS support to allow infected individuals to remain safe while also physically isolated as they receive care where they live or in care facilities.

Cherish Health’s initiative will not only support these organizations to withstand the current emergency but also help them build resilience as they anticipate recurring waves of COVID-19 infections as well as its knock-on effects on the populations they serve.

A man using a tablet — Image: Health.mil

Here’s What Project SAFE@HOME Does

Monitors you in your home, and shares important information with care providers and health professionals
Provides diagnostic testing, in-home oxygen, and in-home services such as nursing care, community paramedicine, and doctor consultations
Offers a less expensive and less disruptive alternative to overtaxed resources such as emergency rooms, doctor’s offices, and health centers
Mobilizes a response team to safely transport anyone who needs emergency or hospital care to facilities prepared to provide it

Cherish Health develops advanced sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) combined with medical evidence and human touch to pioneer solutions to help improve people’s lives and proactively enable their care where they live, work, and play. The company aims to improve the lives of elderly or frail individuals by enabling them to live independently at home and in supervised residential settings with more safety, companionship, and joy.

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Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Modjoul Wants to Bring America Back to Work By Protecting Frontline Workers in Their Fight Against COVID-19

Clemson, South Carolina-based Modjoul is a wearable platform company that uses sensor technology to gather information in real-time. The Modjoul team has developed a return to work plan. Their technology can be used to protect the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19 and help America get back to work, said the company.

Eric Martinez, the founder and CEO of modjoul, recounted the incident, “Last month, a personal friend of mine Dr. Adel El-Ghazzawy, called me to see if our platform could be adapted to help protect him and his colleagues by preventing them from infecting each other and their patients.”

After talking with Martinez and the modjoul team, Dr. El-Ghazzawy stated, “There is a critical need for early detection of employees who are symptomatic.”

The modjoul team accepted the challenge to get America back to work – safely. Their goal is to arrest the spread of illness and protect the country’s front-line heroes; the essential workforce and their families. Modjoul has developed a mobile application that streamlines the screening process for employee entry into the workplace, says a press release.

This is How the Platform Works

Before coming to work, employees answer questions like, ‘How are you feeling?’; ‘Do you have any symptoms?’ and ‘What is your temperature?’.
Once completed, the employee will receive a readiness score along with a unique QR code that acts as their entry document, just like a boarding pass.
Upon arrival at work, employers will have the ability to scan and score the data of every employee, indicating first, that they’ve been checked, and second, that they’ve been cleared to report to work.

A person showing a mobile app — Image: Modjoul

Wearable Platform

In addition to the mobile app, modjoul has developed a wearable platform that when paired can completely automate the screening process by measuring the core body temperature of every employee. Eliminating screening lines means reducing the risk of exposure, faster entry into the workplace, and peace of mind. The mobile app combined with the wearable platform provides a seamless, efficient, and documented way to manage the screening process.

SmartBelt

Modjoul’s platform was originally designed to monitor the user’s body mechanics to ensure their safety and compliance with the employer and OSHA policies through the use of a SmartBelt. The platform has grown to include a suite of wearables that have been implemented in numerous industries across the country and around the world with a focus on reducing injury and improving workplace safety.

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Apple Deals: Save on latest Apple Watch, iPad Mini and iPad Pro, and MacBook Air

Best Buy is offering the Apple Watch Series 5, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro with up to $200 off.

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Huami Partners With NCRCRD and Guangdong Nanshan Medical Innovation Institute to Fight COVID-19

Huami announced a collaboration with China National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease (NCRCRD) and Guangdong Nanshan Medical Innovation Institute, led by Dr. Nanshan Zhong, to establish a smart wearable joint laboratory.

Based on Huami smart wearable technology and powerful computing algorithms, the lab aims to help COVID-19 recovered patients’ follow-up care and management through the NCRCRD big data platform. Moreover, the lab would jointly contribute to an epidemic prediction and alert system, says a press release.

“As the collaboration among medical institutions, R&D institutions and enterprises, we are excited to leverage our expertise in smart wearable technology to promote applied research and transformation achievements of respiratory health,” said Wang Huang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Huami Technology. Driven by the mission of Connect Health with Technology, Huami is committed to establishing a global health ecosystem including device, data and service, while being the most trusted partner of its users.

Dr. Nanshan Zhong is a famed respiratory disease specialist and academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering. The 83-year-old doctor is a pioneer in the SARS control in 2013 and is now the leader of the senior experts of COVID-19 prevention with China’s National Health Commission. Dr. Nanshan Zhong has been fighting at the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak since reporting the person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 in January.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, Huami has continued the efforts of “Connect Health with Technology”. The company has donated medical supplies and devices worth 11.5million RMB since the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak. Huami has also developed a smartwatch for medical staff in Wuhan, with a feature to ease psychological distress.

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APRIL 2020

NeoRhythm is a scientifically proven brain stimulation device for home use to help people achieving their desired state of mind like sleep, boost energy, focus, meditate or manage the pain. It’s a gesture-controlled headband, here to improve your life.

Your brain has a unique ability to adjust its brainwaves to external stimuli (frequencies). This is why an upbeat song fills you with energy, a cheering crowd makes you perform better and NeoRhythm helps you sleep better, relieve stress and boost energy as well as manage pain and enhance mental capacity. It uses brainwave stimulation to influence cells and increase cell efficiency. NeoRhythm uses PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy) which is medical grade, non-invasive technology and all the frequencies and intensity are scientifically proven. So far, there is over 3.000 people worldwide using NeoRhythm and they are having a great experience.

The fact that this is a (first) gesture-controlled headband also means it’s easy to use and handle, it fits all head-size and another benefit – it does not use WiFi and even disabled people can use it.

The start-up strongly believes in their power to change people´s lives for the better with breakthrough brain science and after a highly successful Indiegogo campaign they have joined the 12^th IoT/WT Innovation World Cup® the in order to make their revolutionary innovation visible to the world.

Stay tuned for their journey and read more about NeoRhythm and the science behind in our interview.

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Interview with NeoRhythm: Next-gen brain stimulation headband to sleep better, relieve stress and boost your energy

NeoRhythm is a scientifically proven wellness device that helps people to achieve the desired state of mind like sleep, boost energy, focus, meditate or manage the pain. The start-up strongly believes in their power to change people´s lives for the better with breakthrough brain science and after a highly successful Indiegogo campaign they have joined the 12^th IoT/WT Innovation World Cup® the in order to make their revolutionary innovation visible to the world. We wanted to learn more about this exciting wearable technology, its benefits and the science behind and interviewed the NeoRhythm team.

Please tell us a little bit more about your scientifically proven wellness device and the company behind.

NeoRhythm is the world’s most effective brain stimulation device for home use which enables you to sleep better, relieve stress, focus and much more. It’s a gesture-controlled headband, here to improve your life.

Hundreds of relevant scientific studies and publications have been reviewed and evaluated during our 3 years of research and development. NeoRhythm has been proven effective by 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies: relaxation and attention study (both researching Low Intensity Transcranial Pulsed Magnetic Stimulation). The research group was led by the leading European scientists in magnetic field by prof. dr. Igor Jerman. You can read more about these studies on our website, where you can also find additional research on the topic. We use PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy) which is medical grade, non-invasive technology and all the frequencies and intensity are scientifically proven. So far, there is over 3.000 people worldwide using NeoRhythm and they are having a great experience.

How can NeoRhythm help people to sleep better, relieve stress and boost energy with electromagnetic field therapy? What other benefits come with the gesture-controlled headband?

You see, your brain has a unique ability to adjust its brainwaves to external stimuli (frequencies). This is why an upbeat song fills you with energy, a cheering crowd makes you perform better and NeoRhythm helps you sleep better, relieve stress and boost energy as well as manage pain and enhance mental capacity. It uses brainwave stimulation to influence cells and increase cell efficiency. The fact that this is a (first) gesture-controlled headband also means it’s easy to use and handle, it fits all head-size and another benefit – it does not use WiFi and even disabled people can use it.

How can NeoRhythm be more effective than rTMS devices?

Firstly, NeoRhythm is built for different purposes than rTMS (brain stimulation therapies used to treat depression) are, although it uses the same technology. As opposed to rTMS, we can use it every day and there is no need to wait for clinical condition to appear. We all know it’s better to prevent it and NeoRhythm helps you do exactly that. It also provides brainwave entrainment, which rTMS devices don’t. There is also of course the price-performance ratio.

What is the science behind the FDA approved PEMF technology?

PEMF technology has been used by doctors all around the world for decades and has long been FDA approved. It is used as a treatment for various medical conditions such as chronic pain, fractures and depression and has been shown as promising and safe to treat cancer in studies. It is a form of neurostimulation that encourages your brain to mimic external signals provided by the device in a non-invasive and entirely safe way. If you’ve ever felt yourself sleepy while on a train ride, the repetitive chug-a-chug of the wheels lulling you to sleep, there’s a neurological reason for that. The rhythm of the wheels matches a brain wave state that encourages relaxing and sleep. Our brains take a cue from the movements of the train and mirror the rhythm. The result is that your state of mind shifts into sleep mode.

What is the one thing you want people to know about NeoRhythm? What makes you stand out in the market?

NeoRhythm was built with customers in our minds – always. From the way you use it, to the design of it, we have always thought about the user experience. We also dedicated a lot of time to the customer care and we also offer a 24/7 support. We try to understand each client, as we are all different. We also make sure we don’t make any promises we cannot keep and always respect our clients. We believe quality life comes to us with healthy habits and NeoRhythm is here to improve those.

What are the biggest challenges you were facing in your journey?

That would probably be the fact, that some people were seeing NeoRhythm as a magical pill, or better a magical headband, which it isn’t. It really does help, but not when everything else is falling apart – if someone is having poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, is filled with stress and doesn’t take care of their mind, NeoRhythm cannot bring miracles. So, in order to get the best results, people have to take care of the basic health aspects and even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. We try to offer our customers as much advice as we can on making their lives better, besides using our product. We also faced difficulties entering the market in different countries as a wellness device, as the laws are specific to each country and struggled with how to make NeoRhythm efficient for the majority. We also dedicated a lot of time to frequency optimization, design and size.

What are your next steps and goals for 2020? Where do you see NeoRhythm in three years?

We want to develop medical devices and other devices with high efficiency, that are based on PEMF technology so we can make PEMF available for all people – improving people’s lives is our mission after all. We have set a few goals we want to reach in the next 3 years – to optimize the frequency and include other technical solutions that would make our PEMF technology smarter are two of the most important for us. And of course, helping people improve their lives in the process.

What are you hoping to gain from participating in the 12th IoT/WT Innovation World Cup®?

We believe in NeoRhythm’s power to change the world by changing people’s lives for the better first. This is why, in order to get a chance to make our revolutionary innovation visible to global population, we decided to join IWC. Thousands of contestants from over 80 countries have taken part and we are ready to join them and shake the future! Maybe take home the trophy? You never know, but the most important part is to bring NeoRhythm to the spotlight across the WT tech scene, so it can improve the lives of people worldwide and begin its global journey. It’s ready to do that by being proven effective and helping thousands of people worldwide already. So, stay in touch and get ready… NeoRhythm is ready to make a difference!

Last but not least! What is the coolest wearable device (besides your own) you have seen so far in 2020?

There are quite a few amazing ones out there, but there are two that really stand out: Platoscience and BP Doctor.

Stay tuned for the journey of NeoRhythm in the 12^th IoT/WT Innovation World Cup®!

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