Health care tech: 10 new devices, apps, and inventions to watch
Image 1 of 9
Biosense uChek
Biosense uChek
Biosense’s uChek portable diagnostic kit is a smartphone-based mobile lab. It can run tests such as urine analysis and blood sugar tests, and the database and technology for the system is constantly growing. uChek uses a smartphone camera to determine the change in color (and change in concentration) on test strips included in the kit. It connects to the cloud and has its own analytics services.
CellScope Oto
CellScope Oto
CellScope Oto is an app and physical phone attachment that acts as an at-home otoscope, which is the medical device doctors use to examine the inside of ears. The website is HIPAA-compliant and offers reviews, comparisons, and transmissions of ear exams to medical professionals.
Robohand 3D print farm
Robohand 3D print farm
The Robohand is a set of replacement fingers, made using a 3D printer. It was originally created for a man who had his fingers cut off, but has since scaled to help others who need replacement hands. Robohand now has a 3D printer farm to keep up with custom orders. They print using MakerBot printers.
AliveCor
AliveCor
AliveCor is a heart monitor on your smartphone. It fits on most mobile devices and rests on your chest or fingers to record an ECG. The technology converts electrical impulses to ultrasound signals when are then transmitted via the phone’s microphone.
Smart pills
Smart pills
Smart pills with RFID technology were approved by the FDA last year. They allow health care providers to monitor whether a patient is taking the pills, which is a source of expense and worry. Proteus Digital Health has made strides in this space — their ingestible sensor is powered by the body to transmit the signals to a patch that is worn on the body.
Smart patches
Smart patches
Proteus Digital Health created one type of patch, which is worn on the body, that constantly monitors vital signs, like heart rate, that connects with their ingestible pill. Other companies are also creating patches that can tell when you need medicine, administer drugs, and monitor the body on an even higher level. This one pictured, however, was created by South Korean researchers. It continuously dispenses medicine until it knows it needs to stop.
Medscape
Medscape
Medscape is one of the most highly rated apps for medical professionals, with more than four million downloads. It is used by medical students, doctors, nurses, and many others for clinical information. Created by WebMD, Medscape has the latest medical news, drug information and reviews, disease information, medical calculators, health plan information, and even medical courses and classes.
Tremor-tracking app
Tremor-tracking app
Researchers at Mount Sinai in Toronto created an app to test if tremors in alcohol abuse patients are real. It’s for use in the emergency room, where people who abuse the substance sometimes fake hand tremors to get sedatives like Valium, which can be life-threatening when combined with alcohol. If a patient holds the phone for 20 seconds, the app can tell through the frequency cycle if it is real or fake.
BioSport earbuds
BioSport earbuds
These biometric headphones stem from a partnership between rapper 50 Cent’s SMS Audio, and Intel. Bio Sport headphones track your heart rate and monitor your fitness levels without needing a charge. Intel circuits gather the data, process it, and send it back to your smartphone. It works with RunKeeper, a popular fitness tracking app.
