That’s where you’ll find tech innovators unveiling their latest offerings at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). And health is just one of the categories where tech is stepping in to help as more people seek to better understand how their bodies function and take charge of their own well-being. Each year, judges at CES give Innovation Awards to products for outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology, including health-related areas. Several doctors from Everyday Health’s health expert network shared thoughts on those they found most intriguing. Here’s what they highlighted:
SmarTooth Dental Health Monitor
SmarTooth is a handheld home device that uses an optical sensor to collect “decay data,” sending results to a mobile app. Its manufacturer claims the results are as accurate as an X-ray. EH medical reviewer Jennifer Payne, MD, weighs in: “SmarTooth is interesting for patients who are afraid to or are unable to go to the dentist. If this is affordable or even if it can be used in a regular physician office, it could help catch oral health issues before they worsen and become more complicated, expensive, and time-consuming to solve.”
Droplette System for Topical Drug-Treatment Delivery
Developed by two scientists trained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Droplette is a handheld home device that takes a liquid capsule of an ingredient like collagen, turns it into an aerosol or “micro-mist,” and “injects” it into the skin. The theory is that the tiny particles are extra potent because they are absorbed deeply, improving treatment. The device currently costs $299. EH medical reviewer Ross Radusky, MD, weighs in: “The Droplette system fills a gap in drug and medicine delivery that exists between painful needles through the skin and the topical application of creams and ointments. Using a high-speed micro-mist, this device can painlessly penetrate the skin, allowing therapeutics to reach their intended targets throughout the body. At the skin level, this has the potential to deliver age-defying and collagen-boosting treatments that could revolutionize how we address aging.”
KardiaMobile Card Personal ECG Device
The credit card–size KardiaMobile Card works with a mobile app to monitor the heart and identify the six most common arrhythmias, generating a report in 30 seconds. It has clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and costs $99. Users can purchase different membership plans for more detailed information and support. EH medical reviewer Michael Cutler, DO, PhD, weighs in: “The KardiaMobile Card is an interesting advancement in mobile ECG technology, offering a lightweight and easy-to-carry mobile ECG solution for individuals. This kind of technology could improve the accessibility and quality of telemedicine options for patients with heart rhythm symptoms or problems.”
Zero Wired Wearable Device for Seizures
Zero Wired is a wearable device for people with epilepsy to use at home. Two electrodes attach to the side of the head to monitor brain and heart activity and body movement. A mobile app analyzes this data in real time to help detect and predict seizures. Michael Cutler, DO, PhD, weighs in: “This technology could allow for more convenient and timely detection of epileptic seizures. If it can reliably predict the impending onset of a seizure, it could warn the person and help them take precautions to protect their safety. It might also improve our understanding of seizures in general and help improve seizure management.”
