IoT has already transformed multiple industries, ranging from banking to fleet management. Health and wellness seem to be the new frontier for conquering. It’s predicted that remote health monitoring alone will push the global health market to a compound annual growth rate of more than 24 percent by 2020. What’s more curious though, is that IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) goes well beyond the clinical institutions and now enters the personal wellness space.
Considering that the health and wellness app market will reach 26 billion dollars this year, tapping into this niche may sound promising for startups. The pioneers are already there, however. The following four cases detail the variety of ways in which IoT is transforming the wellness space today.
Re:brain
Re:brain, now being developed by Actum Technology, a wearable headset that uses EEG technology along with brain sensing devices to collect information on the cognitive activity of its wearers.
It then submits that information to a smartphone app giving its owners meaningful feedback. The app also provides actionable suggestions to users to improve brain function. Areas of activities that are monitored impact relaxation, stress recovery and rejuvenation, memory and information processing, and thinking and brain efficiency.
The result of all of this is that users gain a very quick and deep understanding of their brain’s functionality and performance. This let’s them know what they can realistically expect of themselves.
Motiv Fitness Ring
As popular as they are, there have been some long running complaints about fitness wearables. They aren’t very discreet, often clash (in style if not color) with the wearer’s wardrobe, and have to be removed before showering and other activities.
The Motiv ring was designed to address these issues while still providing valuable feedback on exercise, sleep, and heart rate. Further, while other wearables simply track steps, the Motiv uses technology to track and record activity based on its true impact to the user’s well-being. For example, steps taken on a leisurely walk are not the same as steps taken on a mile long sprint.
Sleep Number IT Bed
The IT Bed uses technology to track your movement, heart rate, and breathing. IT Bed then uses this information to help sleepers understand what is and is not going right with their sleep patterns, and sends information to a smartphone app. In addition to monitoring the sleeper’s activities, the bed also tracks environmental factors such as room temperature. The In addition to sending that information along with suggestions to improve sleep such as adjusting room temperature, the IT Bed also communicates with fitness trackers, enabling both devices to provide even more useful feedback.
S-Skin From Samsung
For many, achieving and maintaining healthy skin is a real problem. Issues range from acne to dryness to redness and irritation. Samsung’s S-Skin product, created in their recently minted C Labs, is a portable device that can analyze the skin as well as provide treatment along with a biodegradable micro needle patch, and pairs with a smartphone app.
The patch penetrates the skin to allow the device to collect information about the skin, and it allows LED light treatment to reach affected areas. The device also passes information onto the app which stores the data and tracks changes. In addition, it also collects information from the user on habits and activities that could impact skin health.
IoT is clearly having a deep impact in all areas of health and wellness. In the near future more companies will begin exploring new ways to incorporate smart devices into personal well-being and self care.
