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Innovation in the tracking and management of health and wellness will be a major driver of technology this year.
According to the organisers of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world’s largest launchpad for new consumer technology, humanity is witnessing nothing less than the reshaping of society through technology.
“At CES 2022 this week, we will be immersed in the innovation that will reshape our societies and solve fundamental human challenges in the decades to come,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), as the show opened in Las Vegas.
“These technologies are making us better — improving what we as human beings are capable of doing.”
CES returned to in-person format this week after being staged virtually last year, but many major companies withdrew their physical presence as a result of a Covid surge. Despite the likes of Microsoft, Lenovo, Intel, Amazon, GM and Google opting for a virtual presence, the event hosted more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 start-ups.
According to CTA vice-president of market research Steve Koenig, the US consumer technology industry is projected to generate a record $505bn (R7.9-trillion) in retail sales revenue in 2022, driven by strong demand for smartphones, automotive tech, health devices and streaming services. This growth will spill over to the rest of the world.
These technologies are making us better – improving what we as human beings are capable of doing.
— Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association
A paper released during CES by market research firm Parks Associates, in association with Israeli health monitoring company EarlySense, foresees a major expansion of health care into the home.
“The pandemic has forever changed the trajectory of health and wellness,” said Jennifer Kent, Parks Associates vice-president of research.
“The industry is undergoing a shift as consumers, especially seniors, have become accustomed to using new technologies for health-care services and communication. Out of necessity, the market for remote health technology products and services accelerated five-10 years beyond where we expected it to be pre-pandemic.”
According to Parks Associates, a confluence of factors is driving the shift, including regulatory changes, new funding, staffing shortages, device innovation and consumer demand.
Within the health segment, a standout category at CES was sleep technology, which saw numerous innovations in tracking and improving sleep.
Evosonics, a Korean “sound vibration-based health-care company”, unveiled a wide range of rehabilitation, obesity management and sleep tech devices, including Evo Sleep, a pillow that applies acoustic vibration to improve sleep.
The company says it has also grafted its system to “beauty sheets, shampoo sheets and aesthetic beds”.
Sleep technology company Sleepme debuted a new version of a temperature-regulating sleep system called Dock Pro, which includes a mattress pad with cooling capacity and sound output that has been compared to the sound of light rain.
A Korean sound vibration-based health-care company unveiled a wide range of rehabilitation, obesity management and sleep tech devices
It uses what it has dubbed “hydrolayer technology” to increase cooling surface area and breathable material.
It is paired with the Sleepme Insight, a tracker that fits underneath a mattress pad to monitor, catalogue and report on a variety of health- and sleep-related metrics including heart rate, respiratory rate, in-bed temperature, deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Using near real-time sleep data and machine learning algorithms, it automatically changes bed temperature to optimise deep and REM sleep.
“Because every person sleeps differently, and can require unique habits to help them achieve optimal sleep, each user benefits from personalised temperature adjustments,” said Robbie Falls, Sleepme vice-president of product.
Baracoda introduced the “bathroom of the future”, a connected ecosystem of products that privately collects data from devices such as smart mirrors, scales, thermometers and toothbrushes.
It includes:
• BBalance, the first designer-style connected bath mat with artificial intelligence and footprint recognition. It can let one know if a child needs bigger shoes, a grandmother is at risk of falling, and if yoga or other activity has improved spine health;
• BCool, the first eco-friendly, battery-free, mercury-free, connected thermometer; and
• Artemis, a smart mirror that notifies a user that, for example, a mole on the chin is changing colour and recommends a dermatologist appointment.
The number of exhibitors at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
— IN NUMBERS: 2,300+
Thomas Serval, CEO and co-founder of Baracoda, said: “The big picture for health tech and devices that keep track of biorhythms and habits is to move towards technology as the driver for prevention and wellness, to change lives and empower self-care, and to make this technology affordable and accessible to those who need it most.”
Baracoda also partnered with Colgate-Palmolive, which exhibited the Smart Rhythm toothbrush. Named among the CES 2022 Innovation Awards, the product brings smart electric toothbrush technology into the mainstream.
Monitoring is the core intention of most health tech, with companies from outside the sector also weighing in.
Powercast, a leader in radio frequency wireless power, displayed 3D-printed wearables that monitor biomedical signals. Developed by University of Arizona researchers, they are custom-made for each person.
The big picture is to move toward technology as the driver for prevention and wellness, to change lives and empower self-care and to make this technology affordable and accessible to those who need it most
— Thomas Serval, CEO and co-founder of Baracoda
The flexible devices can be worn anywhere on the body for several months, enabling at-home diagnosis and disease management, as well as helping to improve athletic training.
They include inertial measurement units and strain sensors that can capture gait and the performance of individual muscle groups, and high-resolution temperature sensors able to detect subtle changes in body temperature.
Traditional fitness technology continues to evolve, with audio leaders Jabra unveiling the Jabra Elite 4 Active wireless earbuds, promising to bring its Elite Active range to a broader audience.
The new edition has an IP57-rated water and sweatproof durability, meaning that it can be submerged to a depth of up to 1m for 30 minutes.
The earbuds include HearThrough technology, which enables wearers to listen to music or a phone call while remaining aware of their surroundings while running on the road. Its four-microphone system is protected against wind noise.
Many of these innovators face massive competition from the likes of Fitbit and Apple in wearable tracking and training technology, but growing demand suggests there is room for all.
The new “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2022”, released by the American College of Sports Medicine this month, identified wearable tech as the top trend, with more people turning to their smartwatch or fitness tracker to monitor exercise and sleep quality.
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