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Tag: Health

HAPIfork Helps You Monitor Your Eating Habits

Posted by JenThorpe at 9:19 PM on April 20, 2013

HAPILABSHAPILABS has created a specialized fork that can help people to monitor their eating habits, and potentially lose weight as a result. It is called HAPIfork, and it has a Kickstarter that will gather funding until June 1, 2013.

Those who cannot wait to get their hands on the HAPIfork have the option of pledging $89.00 (or more) to the Kickstarter in order to get their very own “smart fork” for $10.00 off the regular price. HAPILABS will begin shipping those out in September of 2013.

The HAPIfork monitors and keeps track of your eating habits. It pays attention to “fork servings”, which is described as “every time you bring food from your plate to your mouth” (with the HAPIfork). It will note how long it took for you to eat your meal, the amount of “fork servings” you took per minute, and the interval of time between each “fork serving”.

The data is then uploaded via USB to your Online Dashboard, so you can track your progress. Each HAPIfork comes with the HAPILABS app and a coaching program that will help you improve your eating behavior. There is a HAPILABS mobile app for Android and Windows mobile that will keep track of health, fitness, sleep, relaxation, and physical activities. Data can be loaded to the app via Bluetooth.

Eat too quickly, and the HAPIfork will vibrate to let you know that you need to slow down. It is subtle, and I think most people would prefer that type of notification instead of a loud sound or a flashing light that would instantly attract the attention of everyone else in the room. When your meal is over, you can wash HAPIfork either in the sink or the dishwasher.

The primary concept is to encourage people to eat more slowly in order to avoid digestive problems, weight gain, and post-operative complications. This amusingly named “smart fork” sounds like an interesting device to use if you are hoping to lose some weight.

Fitbug

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 7:31 PM on February 20, 2013

Fitbug Orb Fitbug is a wearable fitness device that is tied to an online community and service. The device measures the number of steps you take and how well you sleep. You can connect it to an app on the iPhone or iPad or the website. Which will help you keep track of your information. When you get the Fitbug and you set up an account it will ask you what your goals are. After a week of using the Fitbug doing what you would normally, based on your goals the Fitbug service will set up an exercise and nutrition plan  for you to follow. At the end of each week you are provided with a report on how well you did and it will set up goals for the next week. The service is free for the first year after that it is $3.99 a month

Fitbug introduced the Fitbug Orb at CES 2013 This is a small device slightly bigger then a quarter which tracks and shows  the number of steps you have taken. It can be worn on a watch band, a belt or a key fob. They also have a small pouch you can put it in and attach it to your undergarments. Fitbug also sells a bluetooth scale, the Fitbug Wow and the Fitbug Love a blood pressure cuff. More information  about the devices and service is available at the Fitbug website.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine. and by Scott Ertz of F5 Live.

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Netatmo Personal Weather Station

Posted by JenThorpe at 1:19 AM on February 3, 2013

NetatmoNetatmo was a three time award winner at CES 2013. Their Urban Weather Station was named a CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award Honoree in three categories: Tech for a Better World, Health & Fitness, and Home Appliances. It is a very impressive personal weather station.

Netatmo consists of two simplistic, yet attractively designed, stations that are made from aluminum. The slightly shorter one is to be placed outside. Put the taller one inside your home. Both will record data about the weather and send it to the cloud. You can then find out details about the current weather, both outdoors and indoors, by using an app that is compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Android device.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDR News and RV News Net.

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HeartMath Inner Balance for iOS

Posted by Andrew at 6:46 PM on January 30, 2013

HeartMath LogoIt’s a brave man who attempts to find inner balance at CES, but Jamie gives it a go with HeartMath‘s forthcoming Inner Balance.

HeartMath’s Inner Balance combines an iPhone app with a heart rate sensor, providing a feedback loop that helps people control their heart rate, relax and relieve stress. The sensor gently attaches to the earlobe and measures heart rate variability. The app uses a breath pacer and graphical display of the heart rate to help the person concentrate and control their breathing and pulse rate.

The Inner Balance sensor will be available in February for $99 and the free app can be downloaded from the Apple AppStore for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Interview by Jamie Davies of Health Tech Weekly.

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iSpO2 by Masimo

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 5:37 AM on January 29, 2013

iSpO2 If you are a mountain climber, private pilot or hiker  you know how important it is to make sure you are acclimated to your environment. Not being acclimated can lead to altitude sickness or High Altitude Pulmonary Edema These situations can lead to serious injures and even death. Taking accurate measurements of vitals can help to prevent these situations. That is the idea behind the iSpO2 by Masimo.

The iSpO2 is a Pulse oximeter. It measures pulse rate, oxygen saturation and perfusion index. Pulse Rate is the number heartbeats per minute. Oxygen saturation is the measurement of amount of oxygen in the blood, the higher the saturation the more oxygen in the blood. Perfusion index measures the amount of blood flow into extremities such as fingers. This is the first product for the consumer market made by Masimo, which has a long history in the professional market.

The product consists of a cable and sensor. The sensor attaches to your finger and takes the measurements, which are then sent to the app. Right now the app is available on iOs only although they are working on an Android app. The app shows readings and graphs which can be used to monitor trends over time. You can also email the information. The iSpO2 is currently available through Amazon for $249.00

Interview by Jamie Davies of the MedicCast and the Health Tech Weekly

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iHealth Blood Pressure Monitor at CES

Posted by Andrew at 6:15 PM on January 28, 2013

iHealth LogoJamie chats to Adam about the iHealth blood pressure monitor, an FDA-approved device that uses Bluetooth to transfer health data to a smartphone or tablet.

The new version  of the iHealth blood pressure monitor builds takes the original docking device and adds wireless data transfer using Bluetooth. The first version integrated with iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads but the Bluetooth feature expands the potential of the monitor to other smartphones and tablets. A cloud service complements the free app providing tracking and monitoring features and integration with other healthcare systems.

Aimed squarely at the home health market, there are two different models priced at $79 and $99, which is very affordable. Check out iHealth’s online store.

Interview by Jamie Davies of Health Tech Weekly.

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Medfolio Pill Organizer

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 11:55 AM on January 27, 2013

Medfolio Do you have a relative or love one who is on a lot of medication that they are constantly forgetting to take. Perhaps you have trouble keeping track of your own medicine. If these cases sound familiar to you then you may be interested in the new Pill box by Medfolio. Julie Fulmer-Mason a pharmacist is the creator of the pill-box by Medfolio.

This is an old fashion pill-box brought into the twenty-first century. The pill-box comes with a CD which the user down loads to their computer. They connect the box to the computer by USB. They then enter the medicine they are taking, how often they are supposed to take it, how many days they are to take it for and what time of day they should take it into the easy to use software. Then they put the pills in the proper box. This can be either set up by the user or often their pharmacist will set it up for them.

Once it is set up then when it is a time to take a pill the box will send out both an audio and visual reminder. The actual compartment where the correct pill is will also light up. The user can remove a compartment and take it with them and still get a reminder by either text or email. The user can print out a chart of the pills they are taking and place that chart on the pill-box lid along with sample pills. The patient can take the box along with them to the doctor, that way both the patient and the doctor will know exactly what medicine the patient is on. There is also a  cloud service available which can be used to keep track of things remotely. Great for families with elderly parents who live far away.

The basic pill-box is $248 and the WiFi version with cloud service is $298.00. There is an $8.00 monthly service fee for the text and email reminders.  The Medfolio Pill Organizer is available through Medfolio,  Amazon, QVC and Buy.com

Interview by Chris Montera of Health Tech Weekly

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Dreambots WheeMe Massage Robot at CES 2013

Posted by Andrew at 6:34 PM on January 24, 2013

wheeme2

There’s nothing quite like a really good massage to relax and remove all the stress from your body but few of us have a masseuse on hand, Jeffrey excepted. The WheeMe Massage Robot from Dreambots might be able to help with this problem, as Jeffrey Powers finds out from Cobi.

The WheeMe is a small massage robot that runs over the back of a person lying down to give them a massage. Completely autonomous, the WheeMe uses tilt sensors to ensure that it doesn’t fall off and it has a couple of programs for different types of massage. The WheeMe uses vibrations, wheels and the long fingerettes to give different sensations.

Available now in a choice of red or blue from retail stores worldwide and online for around $100 (or €70). Additional accessories are coming soon.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network. Robyn must have the best job in the whole of CES!

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Withings Makes Technology to Keep You Healthy

Posted by JenThorpe at 5:54 PM on January 24, 2013

Withings Smart Body AnalyzerWithings was at CES 2013 with two products that are designed to help people track certain aspects of their health. The idea is to use the information to improve one’s health and to be able to stay healthy. Many of us have sedentary jobs and are very comfortable with using technology, so these products seem like a perfect fit for today’s world!

The Smart Body Analyzer is not just your ordinary bathroom scale! It is the first smart scale. Use it to find out your weight, body fat, and heart rate. Put it in your bedroom, and it will monitor the air quality and CO2 level for you.

The Smart Activity Tracker is a new device that was announced at CES 2013. Put it in your pocket, and it will measure your heart rate as you go about your day. It can also calculate the number of steps climbed and determine your blood pressure.

Both products will be available at the end of March 2013. The Smart Body Analyzer will cost $149.00. The price of the Smart Activity Tracker has not yet been announced.

Interview by Jamie Davis of the MedicCast and the Nursing Show for the TechPodcast Network.

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Star Trek’s Tricorder Becoming Reality with Scout by Scanadu

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 5:15 PM on January 11, 2013

Scout If you have kids you know how hard it can be to take their temperature when they are sick. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier if you could simply place a device up to their temple and get the reading. That is one of the ideas behind Scout by Scanadu. Scout by Scanadu does a lot more than measure temperature. It also measures important biometric information such as blood flow,blood oxygen level, heartbeat, and electrical heart activity. You simply place it up to your temple for about 10 seconds and the Scanadu Scout will capture the information. Scanadu is also producing a mobile app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone that the Scout can sync to by Bluetooth 4.0. The Scout still has to go thru FDA review and isn’t expected to be available to the public until late 2013 for around $150.00.

Scout by Scanadu won best of innovation award for personal electronics at CES 2013. It is a project of Walter De Brouwer, Ph.D and is located at the NASA Ames Research Park in California

This article written @GeekNewsCentral.com and if seen anyplace else has been illegally re-posted.