Healthcare innovations, including new technologies, processes, and products, aim to make care more efficient, accessible, and affordable. Advances in health tech in 2024 showcase ground-breaking solutions, from mental-health-focused smart mirrors to app-adjustable gummies, highlighting the wellness tech market's rapid innovation and transformative potential.
The Baracoda BMind Smart Mirror is an AI-powered device designed to enhance mental wellness by offering personalized coaching, mood detection, and mindfulness activities as part of a daily routine. Using generative AI and natural language processing (NLP), BMind analyses mood and stress levels, providing tailored light therapy, guided meditations, and self-affirmation exercises. Unlike app-based solutions, BMind integrates seamlessly into a bathroom setting, offering a touchless experience with gesture recognition, voice commands, and immersive visuals. By identifying subtle changes in mental state, it delivers personalized recommendations to help users manage stress, improve mood, and incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives. This innovative smart mirror redefines preventative health by emphasizing the connection between mental and physical well-being in a non-invasive, accessible way.
The BeamO by Withings is an advanced at-home health device combining a thermometer, ECG, oximeter, and digital stethoscope for heart and lung monitoring. Designed to streamline home diagnostics, it enables users to track vitals, detect conditions like atrial fibrillation, heart murmurs, and wheezing, and sync data to an app for up to eight users. Health information, including stethoscope audio recordings, can be shared with doctors remotely for real-time, accurate, and personalized diagnoses. Available over the counter, the BeamO makes medical check-ups easy and convenient, supporting chronic disease monitoring and tele visits.
The Nuance Audio glasses from Essilor Luxottica are designed for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, particularly those who struggle to hear in noisy environments. The glasses feature built-in technology that amplifies sound, and users can adjust the volume either directly on the glasses or via a companion app. Additionally, wearers can incorporate their vision prescription into the lenses.
Nuance Audio glasses offer a new approach to enhancing hearing, combining functionality and style. Dr. Shashidhar TB, Head ENT Surgery. Artemis Hospitals Gurgaon explains that this is based on bone conduction technology which keeps ears open. “The greatest benefit is the firm factor which makes the hearing aid invisible. Other benefits like streaming music, having phone conversations, and voice isolation make it useful. It's a novel product but just like simple reading glasses it may help mild to moderate cases but not useful for severe hearing loss”, he elaborates.
Another OTC device, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 now functions as hearing aids, thanks to a new software feature in the Apple Health app. This makes them the first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid device authorized by Apple. Users aged 18+ with mild to moderate hearing loss can adjust amplification settings independently, eliminating the need for professional assistance. Through the iOS HealthKit, users can customize volume, tone, and balance settings, turning their AirPods Pro 2 into a cost-effective hearing aid solution. Dr. Shashidhar explains that there are several apps which are available on Play Store and iOS that can perform the same function in any normal cell phone. “However, using it formally with an earphone which has an inbuilt chip enhances the performance and makes it more practical for use when compared to a conventional hearing aid”, he says.
Winx’s UTI Test + Treat is the only over-the-counter at-home kit (available only in the US) that offers immediate digital results and same-day treatment for urinary tract infections. Users simply urinate on a test strip, scan it for results within two minutes, and, for a small fee, connect with a board-certified doctor via video call or text to receive a same-day prescription. The kit includes three tests and eliminates the need for doctor visits, offering a fast, affordable, and convenient way to test and treat UTIs from home.
GyroGear has introduced the GyroGlove, a wrist-worn device designed to help individuals with Parkinson's manage hand tremors. This non-invasive, drug-free medical device features a gyroscopic spinning disc on the back of the hand that rotates at high speeds, powered by a battery pack worn on the forearm and secured with a fabric glove. The gyroscope stabilizes the hand by counteracting tremor movements, similar to how a spinning top maintains balance. By significantly reducing tremors, the GyroGlove improves the ability to perform everyday tasks such as writing, eating, and dressing. The device is now available for purchase and is a game changer for those battling with Parkinson's.
The Masimo W1 medical watch is a comfortable, lifestyle-friendly device designed to provide patients with real-time pulse oximetry. It tracks essential health parameters like SpO2 (oxygen saturation), pulse rate, and heart rate, empowering users to actively manage their health. As the first FDA-cleared wearable offering continuous and accurate SpO2 and pulse rate monitoring, the Masimo W1 is ideal for both post-surgical and chronic care patients. Its advanced technology delivers clinically accurate data in an easy-to-read format, with alerts for abnormal oxygen saturation or pulse rate levels. The watch seamlessly supports short-term and long-term care, keeping patients connected to their health data at a glance.
Zoe Fall is an advanced, privacy-focused eldercare assistant that monitors human movement without cameras or wearables. Using patented AI algorithms and Wi-Fi wave disturbances, it accurately detects falls and various movements like walking, standing, or lying down. The simple plug device connects to a standard wall outlet and covers up to 800 square feet, making it an efficient and cost-effective solution for securing multiple rooms or floors. Unlike other radar systems, Zoe Fall does not require a direct line of sight, ensuring seamless fall detection and motion tracking. Caregivers receive real-time alerts through an app, offering peace of mind, while seniors can live independently and safely in their homes without compromising privacy. Beyond fall detection, it provides detailed insights into daily activities and vital movements, making it ideal for monitoring elderly individuals or patients with chronic diseases.
Elo Smart Gummies are innovative, 3D-printed vitamin gummies that deliver the nutrition of seven supplement pills in a single, customized gummy. Backed by rock-climbing legend Tommy Caldwell, these gummies are sugar-free and available in eight flavors, including Green Apple, Blackcurrant, Blood Orange, and more. With 389 million nutrient combinations, each gummy is tailored to meet individual health goals using advanced 3D printing technology for improved nutrient absorption and efficacy. To personalize your gummies, you complete an online assessment on Elo’s website. Elo also offers Registered Dietitian coaching and comprehensive support via their iOS app, ensuring your nutrition plan aligns with your health goals, dietary habits, and biochemistry. This tasty, convenient alternative simplifies supplementation for a healthier lifestyle.
Functional nutritionist Abhilasha Kumari from Gurgaon who runs her private practice, believes that such an innovation can be a game changer for younger children and for people who need multiple supplements. “One thing to look out for is the efficacy of such gummies and whether they are meeting the needs of the patient,” she says.
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