It’s now possible to live better and longer thanks to technological innovation in healthcare. The sky is the limit; there are wearables, sensors, and apps that can do virtually everything from tracking your health to charting records and making home diagnostics.
These devices could be the beginning of a disease-free world, making it possible to treat conditions before they become severe.
In the early days, fitness trackers dominated the world of smart health devices. Today, medical technology seems to be running on steroids, and everyone is excited about the next big thing.
Currently, you can find diet testers, blood pressure monitors, brain sensors, and other devices that would have been thought fictitious not so many years ago.
Smart Health Sleep Gadgets and Devices
Sleep is the anchor of our health, both mentally and physically. A 2016 CDC report showed that 1 in 3 Americans as are not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep is associated with high-stress levels, low life satisfaction, mental conditions, heart diseases, and others. Thankfully, there are smart devices purpose-built to augment your sleep quality.
Beddit
This health gadget is a sensor that you slip under your sheets before you hit the sack. It will monitor your rest at night and give you some eye-opening insights at dawn.
The smart health device can track your sleep quantity (this is different from the number of hours you lie in bed), your breathing, heart rate, movements, and other sleeping habits.
The device then transmits the data to your mobile device. You can be able to track your results over a long time. You can also set goals and reminders and receive sleeping tips on your smartphone.
The app got an update in 2019; two years after Apple purchased the sleep technology company.
Benefits
- The app is user-friendly and easy to install.
- The sensors also give you insights into environmental factors like temperature and how they affect your sleep.
- The sensor strip is thin so as not to feel uncomfortable in your sheets.
Drawbacks
- You might not get accurate results if you frequently roll over in your sleep.
- Beddit is currently not available for Android.
Eight Smart Mattress
Unlike Beddit, the tech, in this case, is integrated into your mattress. This smart mattress is designed to alleviate your sleep frustrations so you can sleep through the night and minimize your doctor’s appointments.
First off the mattress has self-adjusting heating and cooling to provide an amenable sleep environment. The pod, which has memory foam, shapes up to your body contours and stores your sleep data. The mattress pod also tracks your sleep quality and sends reports to your app every morning.
Eight Sleep introduced this device in mid-2019 as an upgrade to their mattress cover.
Benefits
- No matter your sleeping positions, the data recording won’t be hampered.
- It measures your vitals as well, including heart rates.
- Automatic heating and cooling.
- Body conforming.
- Sleep training on the app
Drawbacks
- The app is a little buggy.
- Occasional break downs—you might wake up to find that your sleep data wasn’t recorded.
Smart Heart Health Devices
Ever since the first pacemaker was implanted into a human in 1958, technology and cardiovascular health have been inseparable. Close to half of the American population suffers from heart diseases, according to data by the American Heart Association.
Heart conditions are the leading cause of death, and so smart interventions are needed in the diagnosis, treatment, and management.
Alivecor Kardia Mobile EKG Monitor
This heart health monitor can fit into your pocket. It checks your heart rate and sends results to your phone instantaneously. Kardia Mobile EKG Monitor is a medical-grade sensor that might help you better manage your health by keeping tabs with your heart rate patterns.
Its use is simplified. You only have to launch the Kardia app on your mobile device, then place your fingers on the electrodes on the Kardia device. Your EKG results then load in under a minute.
The Kardia app is available for download on the Apple store. Its recent update focused on making it compatible with Kardia Mobile 6L which is an improved version of Kardia Mobile.
Benefits
- It is FDA approved
- It can measure your heart rhythms and symptoms of atrial fibrillation
- The data can also be used to track your sleeping habits, diet, and fitness levels as well
- It can chart your results over a long time so you can share with your doctor
Drawbacks
- The app forces you into a subscription plan after the first month
- Occasional cases of wrong diagnosis (after physicians do a confirming test)
Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor
High blood pressure can cause hypertensive heart diseases, including heart failure and coronary artery ailments. The Withings blood pressure monitor can be used at home or on the go. Your readings charted over time can give doctors a clear insight into your condition and best treatment approaches.
This device features a cuff that rolls around your arm. The band has Velcro for adjusting the strap, and it coils into a cylinder. The device connects via Bluetooth to your mobile device once you turn it on. You can then read your results on the Withings Health Mate app.
The Health Mate app was last updated on August 14, 2019.
Benefits
- Works with both Apple and Android
- Provides accurate results when benchmarked against a doctors device
- It is compact and holds securely around the arm
- Syncs to your phone wirelessly
Cons
- The pressure monitor has a short battery life
- The app can be frustrating to use
Mental Health Devices
There are limitless technological options for mental wellness out there. If you are trying to manage stress and anxiety, you are well covered. It is the same case if you are after relaxing aids and meditation companions. These devices help in monitoring, diagnosis, and therapy.
ELF Emmit
ELF is a mind and body wellness device. The manufacturer asserts that it can improve your mental focus, sleep, meditation, and ability to learn. You wear the band on your head, and it then syncs with the app allowing you to customize your desired mood.
The smart device works by emitting low-frequency electromagnetic pulses. These pulses merge with your natural brain and body signals, slowing or speeding them up to achieve your selected mood — the app features modes for sleep, meditation, and relaxation, among others.
The ELF Emmit App was last updated more than a year ago (January 30, 2018).
Benefits
Easy to use
- Can be used to induce relaxation and minimize anxiety
- Can turn you into a better sleeper or performer through mood alteration
- Pulsed electromagnetic therapy is FDA approved
- The ELF Emmit app is available for both Apple and Android
Drawbacks
- The device is prone to breakage; it might not survive a fall to the ground
- The app needs to be associated with your social media accounts
Reveal
Reveal is another revolutionary wearable that keeps tabs of your mental health. This device is used explicitly for autism care. It detects and tracks episodes of anxiety and other symptoms in a bid to help in the care and management of the condition.
The Reveal mental health gadget works through sensors that sync with an app to measure physiological signs of anxiety. The device tracks your heart rate, body temperature, and other vitals that often go off the roof during an anxiety spout. At the moment, this device is only available for pre-order.
Benefits
- It can help to self-regulate your anxious feelings
- Can help caregivers better understand patients especially those that can’t properly communicate
- Caregivers can get notified of an impending meltdown
Drawbacks
- Still in the development stage; only beta versions are available
Emotiv Insight
This neuro-headset works with Brain-Computer Interfaces. It can be a great companion for those that wish to overcome or manage stress and anxiety and improve productivity.
The device monitors your brain waves and then creates electroencephalograms. This data is sent to your computer, where you can analyze your stress levels, focus, motivation, and relaxation.
The Polymer sensor technology in the headsets allows it to detect your brain’s electrical pulses. The material can work without gels, unlike those used in hospital settings. The manufacturers say that the device can measure activity from all the cortical lobes of the brain for comprehensive analysis.
This device connects to your computer via the EmotivBCI interface. This software is available for windows and MAC. The software will enable you to interpret the data to make meaning of your stress or mental performance levels.
Benefits
- Comprehensive brain-sensing means you might not need to visit the doctor for EEG (electroencephalogram) tests
- The software, EmotivBCI, helps you make meaning of the recorded data
- The headsets require minimal setup time
- The brain sensor can also connect to your mobile device via Bluetooth
Drawbacks
- The durability of the sensor is questionable
- Battery life is low when using Bluetooth
Dieting Devices
More than 1.9 billion adults are overweight, according to the World Health Organization. Obesity often opens the doors to many other conditions; including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and some cancers, among others.
Dieting health gadgets can help to prevent diseases by helping you make better choices when it comes to food.
Hapifork
Hapifork is a technologized fork that prevents overindulging every time you sit down to eat. The electronic fork has an integrated accelerometer that tracks your hand motion. Subsequently, it measures how fast you eat. Eating quickly, as you might know, often increases the risk of overeating and obesity.
This technology might help to regulate your speed of eating. It starts vibrating, and its lights turn red when you unconsciously eat faster. This notification reminds you to slow down to a healthy eating pace. Over time, you might be able to build the right discipline needed for faster weight loss.
You can also connect this device to your computer or phone via Bluetooth to view your last eating history. Also, one can monitor their eating stats in real-time via a smartphone.
Better still, the HAPIfork app allows you to set healthy goals and access a coaching program for healthier eating. The last update on the app was seven months ago.
Benefits
- It is responsive; vibrates and blinks when you start speed-eating
- It connects via Bluetooth or USB to a mobile
- You can track eating stats in real-time
- The dashboard on Hapi.com has coaching and advice on healthy eating
- The HAPIfork App is available for both Android and Apple
Drawbacks
- A short battery life
- The app takes long to set up
Food Marble
When trying to shed a few pounds, the health status of your digestive tract counts too. Poor digestion leads to weight gain. Doctors have repeatedly emphasized that. Food Marble is a health tech device that might help to track and manage your digestive health.
Food Marble is a small portable device that works like a breathalyzer. Through hydrogen breath testing, this device can detect cases of poor digestion.
Usually, if you have indigestion, fermentation occurs, orchestrated by gut bacteria that release hydrogen in the process. The device measures the hydrogen in your breath.
The Food Marble device might, therefore, help you assess your digestive health without setting up a doctor’s appointment. You can then take the right measures to improve your gut health. In the end, you get to lose weight faster.
The device works with the AIRE app that’s available for Apple and Android. The app is frequently updated, with the last upgrade being two months ago.
Benefits
- Apart from tracking your breath, you can also manage your diet on the app
- You can map out how external factors like sleep and stress impact your digestion
- The app is relatively easy to set up and use
- The device is portable
Drawbacks
- It might stop working for no reason e
- The company has no reliable customer service
Nima Portable Gluten Tester
There is endless controversy on the subject, but generally, a gluten-free diet can help you lose weight much faster. Besides, if you are gluten sensitive, the protein can cause severe intestinal damage and inflammation. The Nima Potable Gluten Tester is a health gadget that allows you to test whether your food is gluten free.
This device can detect 20 ppm of gluten and above. Gluten free foods fall below 20 ppm. The device comes with Nima Gluten Test capsules. These capsules contain a gluten detection regimen invented by MIT scientists. It works on both solid and liquid foods at home or in restaurants.
The gluten sensor works with the Nima app, which is available for both Android and Apple. From the app, you will be able to track your starts and share results with other users. The app was last updated more than a year ago.
Benefits
- This glute tester can be a lifesaver for people with celiac disease
- It gives you peace of mind when you eat
- Can help you see through ‘gluten-free’ marketing gimmicks
- The sensor device gets regular firmware updates
Drawbacks
- You might have to wait longer than 5 minutes for test results
- It’s not FDA approved
- You have to keep buying gluten test capsules; the senor can’t test without them
Fitness Trackers
Apple Watch Series 4
This wearable is the latest upgrade on the Apple Watch series. It features a sleek and comfortable design. Its prominent future is the heart sensor. The fitness tracking starts automatically once the watch senses an increased pace and heart rate.
The watch keeps track of your vitals during workouts. You will get notifications on low and high heart rates. There is even an included emergency dial feature if the watch senses that you are in an accident.
You can also track your distance, speed (actions per minute) set goals and compare charts with friends. When you fall behind your set goals during a run, for instance, you will get a tap on your wrist reminding you to pick up the pace.
The other notable thing here is that the watch can work independently of your phone or computer. That eliminates the hassle of having to set up with an app to make meaning of your fitness data.
Benefits
- It provides comprehensive health data during a workout
- It enables you to track your fitness goalst
- The firmware is regularly updated
Drawbacks
- The app is frustrating to use
- Might not give you any stats in yoga and swimming exercises
Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker
Fitbit Charge 3 is another watch tracker that could help you stay a step ahead of your fitness goals. Its metrics are comprehensive. Apart from measuring your heart rate and speed, this watch will also notify you of the calories burnt and sleep patterns (Light, Deep, and REM sleep stages).
The battery life is long, lasting for seven days. You get to choose from over 15 exercise modes, including cycling running, yoga, or swimming. You can then set your goal and receive real-time stats during your workout.
The Fitbit tracker is also swim-proof, meaning you will still receive your fitness data underwater. Connectivity to your mobile device is via Bluetooth. The last update on the Fitbit app was less than a month ago.
Benefits
- You can use the Fitbit app on both Android and Apple devices
- You will get heart monitoring and sleep analysis
- It is waterproof
- Has a longer battery life
Drawbacks
- It randomly shuts down or un-syncs
- It might be too fragile for outdoor use
Smart Dental Devices
Dental health has not been left behind by the technological leaps of the industry. Today, there are smart teeth whiteners, dental tech braces, and intelligent implants that might revolutionize oral health.
These tech gadgets can also help us make meaningful connections between our dental health and overall health. Most smart dental devices are still in the prototype stage, but the GLO Smart Whitener is already in the market.
GLO Smart Teeth Whitener
This teeth whitener uses LED and Guided Light Optic technology for longer-lasting results at home. A small controller powers the gadget. Two 8-minute sessions every day with this device can get your teeth several shades whiter.
The teeth whitener comes in a kit containing a mouthpiece, a whitening gel, and a lip care balm.
This at-home teeth whitener can help you cut down costs and reduce your visits to the dentist.
Benefits
- It is non-invasive
- The device is a long term investment
- It comes with a mouthpiece for the procedure
Drawbacks
- Low battery life
- You need to budget for gels
It is exciting how tech is slowly turning us into a superhuman. It is now possible to be your physician and patient at the same time. The devices mentioned above are the cream of the cream. They can help to save lives and money.