This week, more than 100,000 tech leaders and entrepreneurs gathered in Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show, and health IT was favored heavily among all the new tools and devices presented at the event.
What follows is a break down some of the biggest news to come out of the event, and what gadgets are poised to make their mark on the healthcare industry this year.
- Watching Watson: IBM's Watson has made the phrase cognitive computing all too common in health IT these days, and the influence the tech company is looking to have on healthcare cannot be questioned. At CES, Medtronic and IBM announced a partnership to use cognitive analytics on data from insulin pumps to find ways to better manage diabetes, according to an article at InformationWeek. Watson also will work with Under Armour on a coaching system that uses cognitive computing to create a personal health assistant and trainer for athletes, the article says. In addition, Pathway Genomics will team up with the tech giant on an app that combines cognitive computing with precision medicine and genetics to give consumers personalized wellness information, according to an announcement.
- Wearables get an upgrade: The partnership with Watson wasn't Under Armour's only news at the show; the fitness company also announced a smartband, smart scale and, most interestingly, a smart shoe for activity tracking. The shoe is able to track information like distance run and duration, according to Fortune. In addition, Fitbit announced a new device, one that is much more similar to Apple Watch, featuring a color touch screen display, PCWorld reports.
- Beyond typical healthcare: Pregnancy tests are now going high-tech, with a CES announcement from First Response that it will soon sell Bluetooth connected tests that can link to a smartphone to inform users of their results, offer health-related information, due date and more, according to the Wall Street Journal. Another announcement, from University of Missouri researchers, focused on disaster management. Their new system, Panacea's Cloud, is a wireless system that uses Google Glass and Recon Jet eyewear to allow for communication between medical personnel and first responders in the event of a disaster.
To learn more:
- here's the InformationWeek report
- read the Pathway Genomics announcement
- check out the Fortune article
- here's the PCWorld report
- read the WSJ article
- check out the University of Missouri announcement