If you have been following the Butler Technologies blog for a while, then you might remember that we wrote a similar article to this one in 2019. Medical device technology is one of the fastest-growing industries. Wearables are a part of the industry that continues to grow fast too. According to Grand View Research, the wearable medical device market is expected to grow to $111.9 billion by 2028! This year’s market size value is $21.3 billion. That’s a compound annual growth rate of 26.8 percent. The home healthcare sector accounted for over 53 percent of the total market! Here’s a list of some of the top wearable medical devices.
Empatica is a home healthcare device company initially founded in 2011. The company has since grown due to its epilepsy monitoring wearables line. They have a variety of wearables available for those looking to track vitals like heart rate and temperature. One of their more popular products includes the embrace 2, the only FDA-approved wrist wearable for patients who need to monitor seizures and alert caregivers.
Founded in 2010, AliveCor is a pioneer in the healthcare wearable sector. They offer a relatively affordable personal EKG. An app is also included to connect the sensor to your cell phone, and it is compatible with Android & iOS. KardiaMobile is FDA-cleared and uses a single lead EKG sensor to detect the rhythm of the user’s heart.
The Philips NightBalance is a mask-free CPAP alternative for patients who have positional sleep apnea. The NightBalance is a wearable and washable chest strap with a pocket for a little wireless sensor device. When the device detects when the patient is sleeping on their back, the device delivers a slight vibration, making the patient move back to their side without waking up. The overwhelming majority of trial participants reported better sleep.
The Starkey Livio AI is a smart hearing aid that has been adapted for COVID-19 procedures like wearing a mask. According to their website, Livio AI is “the world’s first Healthable hearing aid. It enables users to take a proactive approach to their hearing and wellness with brain and body activity tracking, and more.” The hearing aid can help users more clearly hear those with masks on. Livio AI comes with an easy you use app for the users to view and share data easily. It also comes with a personal AI assistant called Thrive.
2021 has been a stressful year. One way many people are choosing to combat stress is to use technology. Apollo Neuro is a wearable band that uses tech to treat stress and anxiety. The band is controlled by a BlueTooth app on the user’s phone. There are different modes to select like meditation, wake up, recovery, social, and sleep. Apollo Neuro comes with two bands, one for the wrist and one for the ankle.
Wellue BabyO2™ S2 Baby Oxygen Monitor
Wellue has a huge line of wearables available for all ages. One of their popular products is the BabyO2™ S2 Baby Oxygen Monitor. This monitor is attached to the ankle and foot of the baby. The hardware involved sends real-time data back to the home station. If the monitor detects abnormalities in the baby’s SpO2 or pulse rate, the home base alarm goes off. This wearable is rated to fit infants to three-year-olds.
Butler Technologies, Inc. specializes in designing, developing, prototyping, and manufacturing biometric sensors, printed heaters, and force sensors.
Because of the ability of the ink and substrate to flex and stretch, embedded sensors and circuits conform to the body’s curvature and do not hinder movement. Since these sensors are printed on thin films, very little weight is added to the fabric by incorporating this exciting new technology. Circuits are printed on thin substrates that can be heat transferred to textiles using traditional equipment in the garment decorating industry.
If you have an idea or think your product could benefit from e-textiles technology, contact Butler Technologies today. Our printed electronics team will guide you through material selections and the best methods for your ideas’ design, development, and implementation, from proof of concept to mass production.
Ashley Foster was previously the Digital Marketing Specialist on the BTI Team.