Wearable clothing news : January 2021

Friday, January 29, 2021

U-blox ALEX-R5 Integrates Cellular and GNSS Technology into a Miniature SiP Form, Ideal for Healthcare Applications

u-blox, a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies and services, announced the ALEX-R5, a miniature cellular module that integrates low-power wide-area (LPWA) connectivity and GNSS technology into an ultra-small system-in-package (SiP) form factor. Comprising hardware components designed fully in-house, ALEX-R5 is based on the secure UBX-R5 LTE-M / NB-IoT chipset platform with out-of-the-box Secure Cloud functionality and the u-blox M8 GNSS chip for location accuracy.

ALEX-R5 stands out for its miniature 14×14 mm footprint, achieved thanks to its SiP design, reducing its size compared to the functionally equivalent u-blox SARA-R5 module by half. Its tiny dimensions make it a perfect fit for size constrained applications, the company said in a press release.

Zero compromises on cellular and GNSS performance

ALEX-R5 makes zero performance compromises in terms of the technologies it features. Its 23 dBm cellular transmission power guarantees that end devices operate effectively in all signal conditions, even at cell edges, underground, or in other challenging scenarios. And a dedicated GNSS antenna interface enables fully independent, simultaneous operation of the u-blox M8 GNSS chip, matching the performance of a stand-alone u-blox M8 module. u-blox IoT Location-as-a-Service with CellLocate(R) and AssistNow (online, offline, and autonomous) further enhance positioning performance.

Optimized for power-sensitive and battery-dependent applications

ALEX-R5 is optimized for power-sensitive and battery-dependent applications, addressing common pain points of size-constrained applications such as wearables and connected medical devices. It achieves this by leveraging the lower power modes of the u-blox UBX-R5 and UBX-M8 chipsets and giving users options to further balance power consumption and performance using GNSS Super-E mode.

Its rugged SiP construction makes it a perfect fit for harsh environments, where moisture or vibration would be a concern for conventional modules. ALEX-R5 is rated at moisture sensitivity level 3 (MSL 3), offering reduced handling and device production complexity.

Designed to last an IoT lifetime and 5G-ready

By bringing all technology building blocks in house and having full hardware and software ownership, u-blox can guarantee long-term device availability and provide lifetime support for the entire platform, down to the chipset level. Secure Cloud functionality supporting IoT-Security-as-a-Service based on an internal, hardware-based secure element enables a lightweight pre-shared key management system specifically designed for LPWA devices.

ALEX-R5 future-proofs IoT devices and solutions by enabling customers to software upgrade deployed devices for compatibility with 5G networks, offering a seamless transition to the next generation of cellular technology as 5G networks are rolled out by mobile operators.

Engineering samples of the ALEX-R5 SiP will be available by Q1, 2021.

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Maxim Integrated and Mouser Launches New eBook that Explores Next-Gen Healthcare Wearables

Mouser Electronics, Inc., the New Product Introduction (NPI) leader empowering innovation, announced a new eBook in collaboration with Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. highlighting the future of wearable technology in healthcare. In Empowering Design Innovation for Healthcare Wearables, subject matter experts from Maxim Integrated and Mouser provide in-depth technical explorations into the nuanced design and development of wearable devices, including challenges related to power supply, sensor data, and accurate monitoring technology.

Wearable healthcare devices offer an important monitoring solution at a time when more and more patients struggle to access traditional face-to-face medical care. A combination of technological innovation and advanced artificial intelligence has facilitated a new generation of wearable devices, allowing healthcare professionals to better respond to incoming patients using remotely collected data. The new eBook from Maxim Integrated and Mouser features a combination of detailed technical walkthroughs, videos, and product information, providing engineers with the actionable knowledge required to begin developing wearable devices, reports EEJournal.

Semiconductor chips — Mouser Electronics

Featuring a combination of detailed technical walkthroughs, videos, and product information, the new eBook from Maxim Integrated and Mouser provides engineers with the actionable knowledge required to begin developing wearable devices. Maxim Integrated’s medical solutions include sensors, ICs, power supplies, and evaluation kits, providing the key components for the development of wearable healthcare devices such as rings, wristbands, patches, and earpieces. Empowering Design Innovation for Healthcare Wearables includes convenient links and ordering information for 10 of the latest cutting-edge products from Maxim, including the MAX32630FTHR Pegasus rapid development platform.

The MAX32630FTHR platform supports battery-optimized solutions for wearable devices through advanced power conversion and battery management. The platform includes a variety of peripherals, offering a versatile solution for rapid proof-of-concept and development. Maxim Integrated’s MAXREFDES117 reference design is a low-power optical heart rate module that can be placed on a finger or earlobe to accurately detect heart rate. The minuscule board can be easily integrated into a range of wearable devices using either Arduino or mbed platforms.

As a global authorized distributor, Mouser offers the world’s widest selection of the newest semiconductors and electronic components — in stock and ready to ship. Mouser’s customers can expect 100% certified, genuine products that are fully traceable from each of its manufacturer partners. A Berkshire Hathaway company, Mouser’s website hosts an extensive library of technical resources, including a Technical Resource Center, along with product data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, engineering tools and other helpful information.

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Thursday, January 28, 2021

Best cheap GoPro alternative deals for February 2021

If you're staying active outside, a good action camera is a perfect way to record your adventures.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Best cheap Apple Watch deals for January 2021

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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Amazon slashes the Apple Watch 6 price by $60

The Apple Watch series has a new chip for faster processing and even more health and fitness monitoring.

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Garmin Lily, A Smartwatch Targeted at Women, Expected to Hit Markets Soon

Garmin has designed a smartwatch specifically for women and it is just around the corner, according to the German site WinFuture. The Garmin Lily, as it is named, is yet to launch but we found out some details from the leak.

WinFuture.de reports that the smartwatch will come in two variants – Classic version and a Sport version. What sets these two apart are the choice of material. The classic version has a metal casing with leather straps while the sport version has a fiber-reinforced plastic casing with silicone straps. It comes with a variety of color, metal and interchangeable band options — including leather and silicone.

According to the leaked report, the LCD screen only displays (display size 1.00” x 0.84” (25.4 mm x 21.3 mm) white over a colored background. And that may be the reason the smartwatch boasts five days of battery life.

This stylish smartwatch is the first of its kind from Garmin with an incredibly small, 34 mm watch case and a stylish patterned lens. Just tap or twist your wrist to reveal the bright touchscreen display.

The watch tracks your steps, sleep, hydration, respiration, stress, and energy levels. The Body Battery energy monitoring lets you see your energy levels throughout the day so you can find the best times for activity and rest.

The watch constantly samples your heart rate and can be set to alert you if it stays too high or too low.

The Pulse Ox Sensor spot-checks your blood oxygen saturation at any point during the day, or for part of the night as you sleep, to show how well your body is absorbing oxygen.

With advanced sleep monitoring, get a full picture of how you’re sleeping, with a breakdown of your light, deep and REM sleep stages as well as Pulse Ox and respiration data.

Smart notifications. Receive emails, texts and alerts right on your watch when paired with a compatible smartphone. You can even respond to texts if you have an Android phone.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is $100 cheaper today

Amazon is offering a $100 discount on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, lowering the price of the smartwatch's 41mm version to $300 and the 45mm version to $330.

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How to take a screenshot on Apple Watch

Taking a screenshot on an Apple Watch is easy -- you just need the paired iPhone. We show you how along with viewing those screenshots on your Apple wearable.

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Amazon slashes the Apple Watch 6 price by $60

The Apple Watch series has a new chip for faster processing and even more health and fitness monitoring.

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Atlazo AZ-N1 is the World’s First Edge AI SoC for Smart Tiny Devices

San Francisco-based chipmaker Atlazo announced the launch of its first-generation AI SoC, AZ-N1, for smart tiny devices like TWS earbuds, smart hearing aids, and more. The device is the industry’s first fully-integrated AI SoC featuring a highly power-efficient Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning processor (Axon ITM) for audio, voice, health monitoring, and sensors. Atlazo’s hyper-low-power AZ-N1 AI SoC also integrates a low-power CODEC supporting up to 4 microphones, a battery charger, DC/DC regulators, and Bluetooth connectivity. The AZ-N1 AI SoC can handle the most challenging tasks required to process audio, sound, biometrics, and other sensor signals, and classify activities in a fraction of the power budget used by comparable solutions on the market today.

A single Axon ITM processor supports a variety of AI/ML networks including DNN, LSTM, and GRNN and popular feature extraction techniques such as MFCC. Computing an audio DNN network, for example, Axon ITM performs more than 130 inferences per second, Altazo said in a press release.

Customer applications currently being developed with the AZ-N1 AI SoC include smart TWS earbuds, hearing aids, Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs), and fitness and health monitoring devices.

System on Chip — Image: Köf3, Wikimedia Commons

“Atlazo’s mission is to enable smart tiny edge devices with a new level of always-on AI capabilities and analytics in an SoC form to unleash new features and applications. We provide comprehensive support to our customers from system design to algorithm development enabling them to add new features to expand their addressable market,” said Dr. Karim Arabi, co-founder and CEO of Atlazo, Inc.

AZ-N1 AI SoC is sampling to select customers now with a complete hardware and software development kit and key AI algorithms such as keyword spotting and speaker verification.

Atlazo is a leader in always-on AI processor, sensor interface design, and energy management for tiny edge devices. Founded in 2016, the company is dedicated to addressing the global demand for smarter and more power-efficient tiny devices targeting the rapidly growing smart TWS earbud, hearing aid, wearable and health-monitoring devices. Atlazo brings cutting edge innovations in hyper-low power semiconductor design, on-device AI processor, and accurate sensing.

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Amazon slashes the Apple Watch 6 price by $60

The Apple Watch series has a new chip for faster processing and even more health and fitness monitoring.

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Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Best cheap Apple Watch deals for January 2021

Amazon slashes the Apple Watch 6 price by $60

The Apple Watch series has a new chip for faster processing and even more health and fitness monitoring.

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Best smartwatch deals for January 2021

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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Huawei Focuses On Health Care Wearables As It Pushes Into New Growth Areas

Chinese tech giant Huawei is planning to push forward its research and development of its wearables that would focus on healthcare. The move is part of the company’s efforts to grow into new areas amid U.S. trade sanctions.

The initiative could also enable Huawei to catch up with its rival Xiaomi, the world’s second-biggest wearables vendor behind Apple, reports SCMP.

Just last week, at an online event, Huawei said it is taking on three health research programs on hypertension management, body temperature, and coronary heart disease.

“The whole industry is expecting [wearable] products which can really help consumers better manage their health [concerns], especially chronic diseases that both young and old people are likely to get,” said Jason Low, an analyst at tech research firm Canalys. “But there is still a long way to go because this requires a lot of R&D investment, as well as cooperation between smart hardware and technology companies.”

A person using a treadmill — In December, Huawei announced the implementation of its brand-new HUAWEI Health Lab in Xi’an, China. (Image: Huawei)

In December, Huawei announced the implementation of its brand-new HUAWEI Health Lab in Xi’an, China. The aim is to have researchers, engineers, and developers to jointly explore the innovation and application of new sports and health technology, bringing the scientific and convenient sports experience to global consumers. The Health Lab includes an experimental smart wearable product testing area and a sports health innovation area. In the experimental smart wearable product testing area, the engineers have set up more than ten reliability tests based on strict standards. All of the HUAWEI smart wearables will stand up to destructive test repeatedly.

Huawei’s smartwatches can monitor heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and blood pressure. In Q3 last year, the Shenzhen-based Huawei was the world’s No. 3 wearables vendor. The IDC report stated that the company continues to double down on other growth areas amid US sanctions, which affected the supplies of hardware and software for its smartphone and networking equipment businesses.

According to IDC report, the global wearables market reached 125 million units in Q3 2020, up 35.1% from the same period in 2019. Huawei shipped 13.7 million units in the third quarter, behind Apple’s 41.4 million total and 17 million from Xiaomi.

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Theranica Wins FDA Approval for Its Wearable Nerivio to Treat Acute Migraine in Adolescents

Theranica, a prescribed digital therapeutics (PDT) company developing advanced electroceuticals for migraine and other pain conditions, announced that its Nerivio therapeutic device has received the Food and Drug Administration clearance to market for an expanded indication for acute treatment of episodic or chronic migraine in people 12 years and older. The use of the device in the treatment of adolescents is supported by a study recently published in Headache.

According to Migraine Research Foundation, 10% of all school-age children and up to 28% of teens between the ages of 15-19 live with migraine. 37% of children find that their schoolwork suffers from a headache and it can negatively affect a teen’s social life as well.

Theranica’s FDA-cleared prescribed therapeutic wearable Nerivio® is worn on the upper arm for 45 minutes and utilizes Remote Electrical Neuromodulation to activate the brain’s native Conditioned Pain Modulation mechanism to treat pain and associated migraine symptoms. Nerivio was cited as one of TIME’s best inventions of 2019, says a press release.

“Having this drug-free migraine therapy available for the adolescent migraine community could positively impact patient compliance,” said Dr. Jennifer McVige, a board-certified physician in pediatric neurology, adult and pediatric headache and neuroimaging at the DENT Neurologic Institute, who was one of the investigators in the clinical study which led to this indication expansion. “Teens do not always want to take pills, and some may be unable to do so due to various contraindications. Additionally, teens tend to easily adapt to tech. Nerivio is an efficacious smartphone-controlled tech solution that can be worn inconspicuously and is the perfect design for teens who may, unfortunately, begin to experience migraine attacks. As a mother of two teenagers with migraines, and someone who sees many adolescents in my practice, Nerivio is a promising new option with the potential to help thousands of young patients.”

A medical wearable device and a smartphone — Theranica

A study published in Headache revealed 71% of the adolescent participants using Nerivio experienced pain relief after two hours while 35% experienced complete freedom from pain. Pain relief and pain freedom were sustained for 24 hours in 90% of cases. 69% of the patients experienced an improvement in their functional ability, defined by the ability to do schoolwork and perform “usual activities,” at two hours. There were no device-related serious adverse events.

“This new indication is a dramatic step in our committed effort to serve the migraine community as a whole,” said Theranica’s CEO and co-founder Alon Ironi. “Throughout 2020, we continued pursuing clinical data regarding how Nerivio can help this all-too-large patient population. As a result, Nerivio is now widely available as a drug-free alternative to treat migraines. Teens are one of the most vulnerable migraine populations and we are happy to provide them with a user-friendly tool to get them back to their daily lives as quickly as possible.”

Eligible for insurance coverage, Nerivio is available by prescription by any licensed healthcare provider including via telemedicine platforms such as Cove and UpScript. Nerivio is delivered directly to the patient’s home. Every Nerivio unit is good for 12 treatments, after which it can be recycled, and the prescription refilled with a new device.

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Aktiia® Receives CE Mark Approval for Breakthrough 24-7 Blood Pressure Monitoring System

Aktiia today announced the first 24-7, automated blood pressure monitoring system that easily and comfortably gathers data during the day and while sleeping. This groundbreaking medical innovation will now provide people and their physicians comprehensive insights into blood pressure patterns that will better inform the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Now available for sale in the United Kingdom, Aktiia has received its CE Mark as a Class IIa medical device – signifying that the device has been assessed to meet high safety, health and environmental protection requirements in Europe. With the CE Mark, Aktiia now has access to over 40 countries worldwide.

See a video of the Aktiia product HERE.

Millions of people worldwide are at risk for severe health complications and death due to untreated or uncontrolled hypertension. The average person with hypertension measures their blood pressure only once per week due to the inconvenience and discomfort associated with a traditional cuff. Aktiia is the first product to automatically measure blood pressure over the course of hours, days and weeks without any effort required by the wearer. The data is then visualized in a free companion application, and with a simple click, a digital summary can be easily shared with a physician or family member.

The core technology was first developed at the prestigious Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM). Aktiia was then founded in 2018 by Dr. Mattia Bertschi and Dr. Josep Sola. Aktiia’s team has some of the world’s leading scientific and technical experts in optical blood pressure monitoring, including CTO, Dr. Josep Sola, a pioneer in cuffless blood pressure monitoring and editor of “The Handbook of Cuffless Blood Pressure Monitoring.” Aktiia has been validated in multiple clinical studies across a diverse population of wearers in multiple body positions. Aktiia’s pivotal clinical trial was conducted at University Hospital Lausanne (CHUV) following international standards of validation and enrolling participants across a representative sample of age, BMI, and skin tone. Its results have been peer reviewed and accepted for imminent publication by the reference journal in the field: “Blood Pressure Monitoring.”

“Hypertension is the #1 cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide,” said Dr. Neil Poulter, Professor of Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine at Imperial College London. “Accurate blood pressure measurement and particularly 24/7 monitoring of blood pressure is increasingly recognised as being important to improve the diagnosis and control of raised blood pressure, thereby improving patient outcomes. Tracking blood pressure over long periods, without alerting the patient, represents a potential game changer in the diagnosis and monitoring of hypertension.”

How It Works

Aktiia’s Optical Blood Pressure Monitoring (OBPM) algorithms leverage optical sensors worn on the wrist and provide blood pressure values using photoplethysmography (PPG) to analyze the changing diameter of the arteries occurring at each heartbeat. This optical measurement is done automatically, so users are not aware and stressed, and do not have to interrupt their day or their sleep to take a measurement.

“With cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death across the world, people need to better understand the impact of their lifestyle choices and physicians need the ability to more deeply understand blood pressure patterns so they can change the way that they diagnose and treat people living with hypertension,” said Mike Kisch, Aktiia CEO. “After 15 years in development and one million blood pressure readings, Aktiia has cracked the code to bring to market the world’s first automated 24-7 blood pressure monitoring system.”

Pricing & Availability

Aktiia is available to pre-order in the UK starting on January 26, 2021. During the pre-order period, the limited time promotional price will be £159 (inclusive of VAT and Free Shipping), which includes the Aktiia Optical Bracelet, Mobile App (available on iOS and Android), and Initialization Cuff. This represents a 20% discount off the standard price of £199. Pre-order customers will also receive free ongoing access to the Aktiia 24/7 blood pressure monitoring service, which is normally an £8.99/month subscription fee after the first year.

About Aktiia

Founded in Switzerland in May 2018 out of a passion to turn insights into action in the fight against hypertension, Aktiia’s groundbreaking medical technology provides people and their physicians comprehensive insights into blood pressure patterns that will inform the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Now available in the United Kingdom, Aktiia has received its CE Mark as a Class IIa medical device – signifying that the device has been assessed to meet high safety, health and environmental protection requirements in Europe. To learn more, visit Aktiia.com.

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Monday, January 25, 2021

Best cheap Apple Watch deals for January 2021

Amazon slashes the Apple Watch 6 price by $60

The Apple Watch series has a new chip for faster processing and even more health and fitness monitoring.

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Influencers will keep you company as part of Apple’s new Time to Walk program

Apple's new Time to Walk program invites you to walk alongside "influential and interesting people." Laugh, cry, and find inspiration as the miles fly by.

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TWS Hearables Held The Biggest Share of Wearables Market in 2020: Counterpoint Research

In 2020, True Wireless Stereo (TWS) hearables were able to hold the most amount of stakes in the current wearables market, with Apple and Xiaomi leading their sales by a wide margin, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.

The wearables market is divided into five distinct segments, of which earwear and wristwear comprise the majority of devices. Combined, they accounted for 93% of the overall market in Q3 2020, with earwear growing fastest on product changes from vendors and shifts in consumer demand, the Counterpoint Research report said.

“The trend around removing jacks and earphones from devices and boxes is becoming a big driver for TWS segment growth,” says Counterpoint Research senior analyst Liz Lee. “It also helps that mobile media consumption continues to grow, making TWS the next must-have accessory.”

In terms of smartwatches, demand is expected to wane in 2020 but should pick up this year, according to senior analyst Sujeong Lim, who covers IoT and emerging technologies. “The normalization of economies coupled with increased interest in health and fitness will help the smartwatch market grow. We expect low double-digit growth through the medium term – possibly higher if average selling prices decline quickly.”

A set of earbuds and a smartphone — AirPods Pro (Image: Apple)

Based on the latest figures from Counterpoint Research’s TWS Market Tracker and Smartwatch Model Tracker, premium products continued to lead, with Apple products comprising 29% and 28% of TWS and smartwatch shipments, respectively, in Q3 2020. Lim observed that “Apple’s powerful iOS ecosystem, typically comprised of consumers with larger disposable incomes, has been the main driver for growth – especially in terms of revenues. High-end stalwart Samsung has also performed consistently.”

“But there is big potential in the budget, and we’re already seeing the impact in hearables. In Q3 2020, half of the top 10 were budget brands with sub-$50 and even sub-$20 offerings; Xiaomi best illustrated the trend as it consolidated its number two spot.”

realme was another notable budget brand to place in the TWS top-10 during the third quarter. “Building on strong hearables momentum, a recent entry into smartwatches and strength in online, realme could repeat its smartphone success to become 2021’s dark horse in wearables,” commented Lee. “Our User Choices and Preferences Surveys for TWS and smartwatches show that a big portion of consumers buy wearables via online channels; vendors with a strong online pedigree should outperform.”

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Flexible Thermoelectric Device Harvests Energy from Skin Temperature to Power Wearables

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) developed flexible thermoelectric devices with high power generation performance by maximizing flexibility and heat transfer efficiency. The research team also presented a mass-production plan through an automated process including a printing process.

The collaborative research team was led by Dr. Seungjun Chung from the Soft Hybrid Materials Research Center and Professor Yongtaek Hong from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University.

A thermoelectric device converts energy by utilizing the voltage generated by the temperature difference between both ends of a material; it is capable of converting heat energy, such as waste heat from industrial sites, into electricity that can be used in daily life. Existing thermoelectric devices are rigid because they are composed of hard metal-based electrodes and semiconductors, hindering the full absorption of heat sources from uneven surfaces. Therefore, recent studies were actively conducted on the development of flexible thermoelectric devices capable of generating energy in close contact with various heat sources such as human skins and hot water pipes.

“This research showed that it is possible to operate actual wearables such as high-temperature sensor gloves using external heat sources. Going forward, we will develop a flexible thermoelectric platform that can operate wearables with only body temperature,” said Dr. Seungjun Chung.

“Our research findings are significant in that the functional composite material, thermoelectric device platform, and high-yield automated process developed in this study will be able to contribute to the commercialization of battery-free wearables in the future,” Dr. Chung added.

KIST device uses body temperature harvest energy — Image: KIST

Concerning existing substrates used for research on flexible thermoelectric devices, their heat energy transfer efficiency is low as a result of very low thermal conductivity. Their heat absorption efficiency is also low due to a lack of flexibility, forming a heat shield layer, e.g., air, when in contact with a heat source. To address this issue, organic-material-based thermoelectric devices with high flexibility have been under development, but their application on wearables is not easy because of their significantly lower performance compared to existing inorganic-material-based rigid thermoelectric devices.

The research team improved the flexibility while lowering the resistance of the thermoelectric device by connecting an inorganic-material-based high-performance thermoelectric device to a stretchable substrate composed of silver nanowires. The new device showed excellent flexibility, thereby allowing stable operation even when it is bent or stretched. In addition, metal particles with high thermal conductivity were inserted inside the stretchable substrate to increase the heat transfer capacity by 800% (1.4 W/mK) and power generation by a factor higher than three.

The device can be used as a high-temperature sensor in industrial sites or as a battery-free distance detection sensor for autonomous driving by using the temperature difference inside and outside of a car. Consequently, the device is expected to be able to solve the power-source issue for a battery-based sensor system, which has a risk of explosion in high-temperature environments.

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Friday, January 22, 2021

Boston Scientific Buys Wearable Cardiac Sensor Maker Preventice Solutions for $1.2B

Boston Scientific announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Preventice Solutions. Minneapolis-based Preventice designs mobile health solutions and remote monitoring services for patients with cardiac arrhythmias.

The transaction consists of an upfront cash payment of $925 million, and up to an additional $300 million in a potential commercial milestone payment. Boston Scientific has been an investor in Preventice since 2015 and currently holds an equity stake of approximately 22 percent, which is expected to result in a net payment of approximately $720 million upon closing and a milestone payment of up to approximately $230 million. Preventice recorded net sales of $158 million in 2020 – a 30 percent growth rate from the previous year.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality globally, accounting for nearly 17.9 million annual global deaths and highlighting the need for early detection and management for individuals who may be at risk of a cardiac event. Physicians may ask at-risk patients to wear an external cardiac monitor to assess how their heart is functioning, which may lead to the diagnosis of a potential heart rhythm problem known as an arrhythmia. The recordings taken by the monitor can then help physicians develop an optimal and personalized treatment plan, says a press release.

Preventice’s wearables include the PatientCare platform and BodyGuardian family of wearable monitors for adult and pediatric patients. The BodyGuardian monitors use a fully-integrated, cloud-based platform supported by an independent diagnostic testing facility, where clinical technicians and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms provide insights that may lead to improved clinical diagnoses and outcomes. The company’s BodyGuardian Mini Plus, the newest system in its portfolio, features multiple electrode options to enhance rhythm detection while it is also waterproof, repositionable and can be used in all modalities of short-term and long-term monitoring.

A person wearing a wearable medical device — Image: Preventice Solutions

“This acquisition will provide Boston Scientific with a foothold in the high-growth ambulatory electrocardiography space, which strongly complements our recent entrance into the implantable cardiac monitor market and will serve as an important component of our category leadership strategy in cardiac diagnostics and services – a nearly $2B market anticipated to grow double digits annually,” said Scott Olson, senior vice president and president, Rhythm Management, Boston Scientific. “We are confident that by adding the broad technology portfolio and expertise of Preventice, our combined teams can continue to deliver rapid growth in these highly-attractive markets while also establishing an important adjacency to our core cardiac rhythm management and electrophysiology businesses.”

“We have been humbled to provide thousands of physician practices with services based on near real-time clinical data to enable the diagnosis and management of more than one million cardiac patients, without needing to interrupt their daily activities,” said Jon Otterstatter, chief executive officer of Preventice Solutions. “Boston Scientific has been a key investor in Preventice for more than five years and we believe the company has the commercial reach, diagnostics expertise and operational infrastructure to bring these advanced monitoring technologies to more patients worldwide.”

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Raspberry Pi Launches $4 Microcontroller Running on a Custom Processor

Raspberry Pi has launched its first microcontroller, Raspberry Pi Pico. The $4 microcontroller is powered by the company’s own chip RP2040. The 7x7mm chip has 40nm silicon with a dual-core Arm Cortex-M0 processor.

Microcontrollers let you control other parts or other devices; they are specifically designed to interact with other things.

The Raspberry Pi Pico is a standalone board that can be used as a companion to a Raspberry Pi computer. It can also be used to run code or make projects by having it interact with other devices. There are dozens of input and output pins on the sides of the Raspberry Pi Pico. These pins act as the interface with other components. For example, you can make your microcontroller interact with an LED light, get data from various sensors, show some information on a display, etc, reports TechCrunch.

There are also 8 programmable I/O state machines allowing for custom peripherals, an accurate on-chip clock, temperature sensor, and low-power sleep and dormant modes. You can solder the module to another board if you want to.

The Pico is designed to offer a low barrier to entry for hobbyists and beginners alike. There’s full support for programming in MicroPython or C/C++, with the ability to drag and drop code over to the Pico using the USB port.

List of specs for the Raspberry Pi Pico:

Dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ @ 133MHz
264KB of on-chip RAM
Support for up to 16MB of off-chip flash memory via dedicated QSPI bus
DMA controller
Interpolator and integer divider peripherals
30 GPIO pins, 4 of which can be used as analog inputs
2 × UARTs, 2 × SPI controllers, and 2 × I2C controllers
16 × PWM channels
1 × USB 1.1 controller and PHY, with host and device support
8 × Raspberry Pi Programmable I/O (PIO) state machines
USB mass-storage boot mode with UF2 support, for drag-and-drop programming

The Raspberry Pi Pico is available now from approved resellers for $4.

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Thursday, January 21, 2021

Save $90 on this Apple Watch SE bundle: The watch, watch stand, and bands

QVC is offering a $90 discount on an Apple Watch SE bundle that includes the smartwatch, a watch stand, and a pair of extra bands, lowering its price to $420.

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Four Major European Telecomm Operators Back Open RAN Developments

Four of Europe’s largest operators – Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange S.A., Telefonica S.A., and Vodafone Group Plc – are joining forces to support the rollout of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) as the technology of choice for future mobile networks to the benefit of consumer and enterprise customers across Europe.

Open RAN is not necessarily a new technology in itself but represents a combination of existing technologies, e.g. virtualization, AI, commercial off-the-shelf parts and open interfaces. Its proponents promise more secure networks without ‘high-risk vendors’ but Open RAN could introduce new systemic risks that must be addressed due to its reliance on open-source software.

“OpenRAN is about network innovation, flexibility, and faster rollout. Deutsche Telekom is committed to its promotion, development and adoption to ensure the best network experience for our customers. To seize this opportunity, it is critical that we join forces with our leading European partners to foster a diverse, competitive and secure 4G/5G ecosystem based on OpenRAN solutions,” said Claudia Nemat, Chief Technology Officer of Deutsche Telekom.

“Through our open labs and community activities, we facilitate smaller players to enter the market with their solutions. To build on this foundational work, we urge government support and funding for community activities that will strengthen the European ecosystem and leadership in 5G.”

Open RAN attracts operators because it would allow them to mix and match vendors, using radio software from one vendor in tandem with general-purpose equipment developed by another. Traditional radio access networks typically force operators to buy all their components from the same supplier, reports LightReading.

“OpenRAN has the power to stimulate European tech innovation using the expertise of the companies that develop it and the governments who support it. Opening up the market to new suppliers, with our ambition and government advocacy, will mean faster 5G deployment, cost-saving network efficiencies, and world-class services,” said Johan Wibergh, CTO of Vodafone Group.

“We remain committed to rolling out our OpenRAN program across Europe, and we’re taking it even further. We aim to open R&D labs for new, smaller suppliers to develop their products. But to do this we need a supportive investment environment and political backing, and we urge European governments to join us in creating the OpenRAN ecosystem,” Wibergh concluded.

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Valencell Launches Software Library, Helping Manufacturers to Integrate the Company’s Software Into Their Wearables

Valencell, a specialist in healthcare wearables, has launched a new software library that will make it easier for manufacturers to integrate the company’s software into the design of existing products. Wearables manufacturers can now easily embed Valencell’s patented biometric sensor software available on their ARM Cortex M4F microcontroller unit (MCU) of choice. This allows device makers to upgrade existing device designs and enhance future products without changing fundamental elements of their hardware designs. The Valencell Library is available starting today for an evaluation.

In addition, Valencell announced the next generation of its Benchmark® Sensor Systems designed for wrist devices and other wearables – BW1.5, BW5.0 and BW6.0. All three are library-ready, biometric sensor systems including the hardware (emitters, detectors, optical lensing) and software (firmware and algorithms) in flexible integration configurations, reports Valencell.

5 is the next generation of 3-LED sensor system that improves power efficiency and simplifies design and integration requirements.
0 and BW6.0 are the smallest sensor systems Valencell has ever designed for wearable devices and, despite the smaller footprint, continue to deliver highly accurate biometric monitoring that is expected of a Valencell solution. The primary difference between BW5.0 and BW6.0 is that BW6.0 provides motion-tolerant multi-wavelength outputs for use in ambulatory health monitoring applications and medical wearables.
All three sensors come in lens-free versions, which allow for seamless industrial design while maintaining the highest degrees of accuracy in biometric wearables.

“Valencell has been a long-time proponent of designing our software and hardware to work together in a complete sensor system, but we also recognize that the massive growth in the wearables market has created a need to support the diversity of hardware configurations in the market today,” said Matt Smith, Vice President of Product Management at Valencell. “The Valencell Library has been one of our most requested roadmap items from Valencell customers and we’re happy to give customers the flexibility to meet their design and performance requirements.”

BW1.5 is available for sampling, while BW5.0 and BW6.0 will be available for sampling later in 1Q21.

Through innovative R&D and validated technologies, Valencell develops breakthroughs and collaborate with wearables, hearables, and medical device companies around the world to deliver amazing results. Protected by more than 100 granted patents and more than 50 patents pending, Valencell’s technology can be used in wearables and hearables for virtually anyone, anywhere, doing anything. Valencell’s biometric sensor systems are currently integrated into more wearables, hearables, and other form factors than any other technology provider in the world.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Watch Active 2 on sale at Amazon today — save $60

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 are both seeing discounts up to 20% off at Amazon.

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The best cheap GoPro alternatives that won’t leave you broke for January 2021

If you're staying active outside, a good action camera is a perfect way to record your adventures.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Watch Active 2 on sale at Amazon today — save $60

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch Active 2 are both seeing discounts up to 20% off at Amazon.

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Best smartwatch deals for January 2021

This game-changing graphene tattoo can continuously monitor your brainwaves

Brainwave data is almost always captured sporadically or intermittently. But with this innovation, it could be captured continuously

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Clinical Trial Services Company VeraSci Joins Forces with ActiGraph to Expand Wearables Use in Clinical Trials

VeraSci, a global clinical research company announced it has partnered with ActiGraph, a leading provider of medical-grade wearable activity and sleep monitoring devices. VeraSci’s Innovation Lab will be incorporating ActiGraph’s CentrePoint Insight Watch into an NIH-funded study examining the relationship between real-time measurements of gait and actigraphy collected by industry-grade wearables and established cognitive and functional endpoints that are sensitive to decline early in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum.

Preliminary data have indicated a correlation between remotely captured gait and actigraphy measures and established cognition and function measures. These data suggest that wearables can provide meaningful information regarding cognitive health and may ultimately contribute to continuous assessment of cognition and function in clinical trials, says a press release.

“Wearables present an incredible opportunity to gather data in ways that haven’t been feasible before. We can gather information directly while patients are engaged in their daily lives,” says VeraSci CEO Dr. Rich Keefe, “Our partnership with ActiGraph advances our commitment to pairing scientific knowledge with cutting-edge technology to improve the tools and measurements available in clinical trials.”

“This partnership between ActiGraph and VeraSci provides an exciting opportunity to better understand the relationship between real-world physical behavior, function, and cognition,” said Matt Biggs, ActiGraph’s Head of Business Operations. “We believe that these types of collaborations will help to jumpstart the creation of novel digital endpoints for global health communities.”

The research was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About VeraSci

VeraSci brings scientific expertise, strategic innovation, and unwavering commitment to each project, helping clients worldwide develop novel therapies.

About ActiGraph

ActiGraph’s FDA-cleared wearable actigraphy monitors and robust analytics platform have been widely used to quantify human movement in academic and population health research for nearly two decades. In recent years, the company’s monitoring solutions have been steadily adopted by pharmaceutical and life sciences organizations seeking to capture real-world objective outcomes related to physical activity, mobility, and sleep behavior for patients enrolled in clinical trials.

The post Clinical Trial Services Company VeraSci Joins Forces with ActiGraph to Expand Wearables Use in Clinical Trials first appeared on Wearable Technologies.

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Clinical Trial Services Company VeraSci Joins Forces with ActiGraph to Expand Wearables Use in Clinical Trials

About VeraSci

VeraSci brings scientific expertise, strategic innovation, and unwavering commitment to each project, helping clients worldwide develop novel therapies.

About ActiGraph

MediaTek Launches New Dimensity 5G Smartphone Chipsets with Unrivaled AI and Multimedia

MediaTek today unveiled its new Dimensity 1200 and Dimensity 1100 5G smartphone chipsets with unrivaled AI, camera, and multimedia features for powerful 5G experiences. The addition of the 6nm Dimensity 1200 and 1100 chipsets to MediaTek’s 5G portfolio gives device makers a growing suite of options to design highly capable 5G smartphones with top-of-the-line camera features, graphics, connectivity enhancements, and more.

“MediaTek continues to expand its 5G portfolio with highly integrated solutions for a range of devices from the high-end to the mid-tier,” said JC Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of MediaTek’s Wireless Communications Business Unit. “Our new Dimensity 1200 stands out with its impressive 200MP camera support and advanced AI capabilities, in addition to its innovative connectivity, display, audio, and gaming enhancements.”

Key features of MediaTek Dimensity 1200 and 1100 5G chipsets include:

The Most Out of 5G Every Day: The Dimensity 1200 and 1100 pack a highly integrated 5G modem with MediaTek’s 5G UltraSave technology for big power savings. Both chipsets support every connectivity generation from 2G to 5G, in addition to supporting the latest connectivity features including 5G standalone and non-standalone architectures, 5G carrier aggregation (2CC) across frequency division duplex (FDD), and time division duplex (TDD), dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), True Dual SIM 5G (5G SA + 5G SA) and Voice over New Radio (VoNR). The chipsets also integrate 5G HSR Mode and 5G Elevator Mode enhancements to ensure a seamless, reliable 5G connection across networks, MediaTek said in a press release.

Flagship AI Multimedia: The Dimensity 1200 supports 200MP photos for stunning photography with its five-core HDR-ISP. It boasts staggered 4K HDR video capture for a significantly greater dynamic range. The chipset integrates an updated version of MediaTek’s hexa-core AI processor (MediaTek APU 3.0), which has an enhanced multi-task scheduler that reduces latency and improves power-efficiency. The Dimensity 1100 also packs impressive camera capabilities with its 108MP camera support and integrates MediaTek’s existing APU 3.0 for high-performance computing that’s also super power-efficient. Both chipsets support AI camera features including AI-Panorama Night Shot, AI Multi-Person Bokeh, AI noise reduction (AINR) and HDR capabilities. The chipsets also support new AI-enhanced video playback features including AI SDR-to-HDR.

Premium Performance: The Dimensity 1200 has an octa-core CPU designed with an ultra-core Arm Cortex-A78 clocked up to 3GHz for extreme performance, three Arm Cortex-A78 super cores, and four Arm Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. With a nine-core GPU and six-core MediaTek APU 3.0, the Dimensity 1200 delivers a new level of premium performance. The Dimensity 1100 is designed with an octa-core CPU which includes four Arm Cortex-A78 cores operating at up to 2.6GHz and four Arm Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, along with a nine-core Arm Mali-G77 GPU. Both chipsets are manufactured on TSMC’s advanced 6nm process technology.

Incredible Displays: The Dimensity 1200 supports ultra-fast 168Hz refresh rates for a fast, fluid user experience. The Dimensity 1100 also supports cutting-edge displays with 144Hz refresh rates for ultra-sharp, zero-lag visuals. Both chipsets support MediaTek’s HyperEngine 3.0 gaming technologies, which includes 5G call and data concurrency for more reliable connectivity, plus multi-touch boost touchscreen responsiveness. The new chipsets also support ray tracing in mobile games and artificial reality applications for more realistic visuals, along with super-hotspot power savings which let users go longer in between charges.

Dual-Link True Wireless Stereo Audio: Dimensity 1200 and 1100 both support Bluetooth 5.2, which lets users stream to multiple wireless devices simultaneously. The chipsets also support ultra-low latency true wireless stereo audio and LC3 encoding for higher quality, lower latency streaming audio that’s also very power-efficient to prolong the battery life of wireless earbuds.

Dimensity 1200 has already received TÜV Rheinland certification for its 5G performance, with tests covering 72 real-world scenarios. The certification verifies that the chipset provides reliable, high-performance 5G connectivity and offers users high-quality 5G experiences across a wide variety of scenarios.

Many OEMs, including Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO and realme, expressed support for MediaTek’s new Dimensity chip. The first devices with the new MediaTek Dimensity 1200 and 1100 chipsets are expected to hit the market at the end of Q1 and the beginning of Q2 this year.