CES 2022: 10 HealthTech innovations trending at the annual fair

HealthTech innovations are a growing part of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, a hybrid format due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, the annual trade show was held completely online due to pandemic-induced shutdowns and has brought changes to this year’s conference, such as strict health protocols and a shorter show. The three-day event, which was originally planned to end on Saturday, will close on Friday as an “additional safety measure to the current health protocols”, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which runs the show, said. “Technology improves lives and now more than ever, we are witnessing technology’s incredible impact on health care, allowing us to take better control of our health,” CTA president and chief executive Gary Shapiro said in a media statement. “We have seen a rapid shift in healthcare innovation, with technology leading the charge to bring quality healthcare to all global citizens.” The National takes a look at the 10 major HealthTech innovations at the annual extravaganza. France-based company Baracoda unveiled the BBalance matscale — a combination of a scale and a bathmat — to display users’ posture, weight and body composition. The details are sent to the BBalance app that gives daily coaching to users to improve their posture and overall health. Bad posture can put unnecessary stress on muscles, leading to back, shoulder and neck pain. BBalance keeps a daily record of balance and posture, and suggests customised exercises to users, the company said. Circular displayed their “ring”, a connected wearable that analyses users’ biosignals during sleep. It keeps a track of different factors that affect sleep and finds their correlation with overall health. While monitoring biosignals, the ring alerts the users to anything unusual. By using the app, users can also receive regular recommendations to make informed, behavioural decisions related to their health. Omron has created a remote patient monitoring programme, VitalSight, to support healthcare organisations. The company has designed a programme that lets patients take in-home blood pressure and weight measurements. Physicians can order and receive patient data directly from their electronic medical records. “These insights allow clinicians the ability to provide proactive and corrective treatment during non-critical or critical moments,” the healthcare company said. Singaporean-American technology company Razer revealed it Zephyr Pro mask at CES to help guard users against airborne diseases. It will come with voice-amplification technology to ensure users’ speech is not muffled and offers greater protection compared to standard masks and filters. For active users or those that prefer more air circulation, air chamber fans can be adjusted to high-speed modes. The company said the Zephyr Pro filters last three times longer than daily disposable masks and protect the environment by producing 80 per cent less material waste. The major issues of using skin temperature to measure body temperature are environmental thermal influences as well as a person's physical activity and clothing. For example, the reading could change when a person leaves a climate-controlled building or when clothes or other accessories cover temperature sensors. Calera’s greenTeg sensor solution reportedly compensates for external thermal influences and ensures an accurate core body temperature reading. These are small sensors ideal for wearables and work under all conditions, the company said. Colgate has unveiled a smart toothbrush, hum, that is connected to an app to track the frequency, duration and coverage of users’ brushing styles. It comes with multiple modes so that users can choose the vibration level that best suits them and its smart sensors help target spots that need an extra care. The company also displayed a patented, Y-shaped toothbrush that claims to be able to brush all teeth through vibrations in only 10 seconds. It comes with a soft and flexible brush to fit the shape of the teeth and is available for both children and adults. When users breathe into the portable Avokadio for a few seconds, they can receive nutritional advice based on the nanosensor technology in the device measuring ketones — indicators of fat-burning activity — in the breath. The ketone value is converted to a score and users will see an instant record of their metabolism. The data will be logged on the device automatically to track future improvement. Thereafter, artificial intelligence-based algorithms will suggest meal plans based on the data. Users can like or dislike the meal plans to receive more options. “The more you use our device, the better results you will get, as our AI model will learn more about you, how you handle the food you eat and what your body needs,” the company said. South Korean technology manufacturer LG introduced PuriCare AeroTower, an all-in-one home air solution designed to deliver the benefits of an air purifier, fan and heater. It also works with the company’s ThinQ app for monitoring the device's status and adjusting settings in real time from anywhere. Healthcare company Abbott announced it is developing a new category of consumer biowearables called Lingo that will track key signals in the body — such as glucose, ketones and lactate — to help people better understand their general health. “Technology gives us the power to digitise, decentralise and democratise health care, create a shared language between you and your doctor — and put more control of your health in your hands,” the company’s chairman and chief executive Robert B Ford said. The portable Morphee Zen device was launched at CES, offering mental wellness training as well as relaxation sessions featuring soothing sounds, music and voice therapies. The Zen comes with 72 audio sessions based on six themes to help manage stress and anxiety.

CES 2022: 10 HealthTech innovations trending at the annual fair

Companies showcased technologies aimed at boosting health care amid the pandemic