Health tech is a big focus at CES 2022, with more than 100 health companies participating in the event. Ranging from wearables to products that help ensure we breathe cleaner air, there is plenty on display. Here’s a round-up of some of the most exciting innovations.
Air purification
LG PuriCare AeroTower air purifying fan
LG has its own innovation in the category with the ultra-stylish PuriCare AeroTower air purifying fan, which adds as much to the décor of a room in the home as it does work to clean the air you breath inside. It works as not only an air purifier but also a heater and fan through three airflow modes, heating, fan, and diffusion. Using LG’s Air Valley technology, it provides a Coanda effect, which sees a consistent, comfortable breeze flowing through a room. It runs quietly as well at just 23dB of wind noise. It also works with the LG ThinQ app for monitoring status and adjusting settings in real time from virtually anywhere. Set to be available in either beige or silver, it’s arguably one of the best-looking air purifiers we’ve seen to date.
Aura Air and Aura Air Mini air purifier
The Aura Air and Aura Air Mini are air purifiers designed to clean and disinfect the air around you, with the former being a larger unit for rooms and the latter a personal air purifier. The Aura Air uses a four-stage purification process to monitor the air quality in real-time, detecting, capturing, and killing 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, germs, and allergens. It uses a patented Ray Filter with antibacterial layers that eliminate harmful gases, odours, and fine particles.
Designed for on-the-go use, meanwhile, the Aura Air Mini is perfect for travel.
Personal health and wellness
Abbott Freestyle Libre 3 blood glucose monitoring system
Diabetes is a growing issue and there are tons of tech products that can help. One of the most promising is the Abbott Freestyle Libre 3, a sensor-based glucose monitoring system that helps those suffering from the disease to use their phone and the device to manage their diabetes and check glucose levels. Instead of pricking your finger, simply wear the sensor for up to 14 days. It will continuously measure and store glucose readings, able to scan in one second, even through clothing. It’s water-resistant so you can even wear it while in the shower, swimming, and exercising. It works with the FreeStyle LibreLink app where you can see the current reading, trends, and history, get additional insights, and connect to a healthcare professional. This model is dubbed the “world’s smallest and thinnest” glucose monitor, and it’s poised to help a lot of people.
Human Touch Super Novo massage chair
Massage chairs are popular, especially as people spend more time at home. When you don’t have time to go out to a spa for a daily massage, a massage chair is the next best thing. And what better way to relax in front of the TV for a lazy Sunday then with a favourite show and a full-body massage? The Human Touch Super Novo adds a new dimension as the first personalized virtual voice-controlled massage chair. Through Alexa and Virtual Therapist, you can control the chair using voice commands. Alternatively, it also works with a downloadable app and has an LCD controller and multifunction touch wheel. It offers features like heat, recline, and more. The 4D Enhanced Stroke Speed massage capability is designed to mimic the touch of human hands and can target specific areas of tension. Choose from therapeutic adjustable heat options for the lower back, knees, calves, and feet. The patented Cloud Touch air compression technology, meanwhile, uses acupressure to help ease pain in the upper and lower extremities. Listen to music or soothing sounds while you relax through the built-in Altec Lansing Bluetooth speakers.
Withings Body Scan home health station
Withings is one of the best-known brands for personal health care products, from thermometers to smart scales and blood pressure monitors. At CES 2022, Withings is introducing its new Body Scan home health station, which looks like a scale, but is designed to monitor much more than just your weight. This includes body composition, nerve activity, and various cardiovascular measurements, including 6-lead ECG and heart rate. The company says it can analyze biomarkers associated with some of the most prevalent health conditions, which can help users detect issues before they become serious.
Morphee Zen
Health and wellness is about much more than just physical health; mental wellness is also critical. The Morphee Zen is a cute little pebble that fits in your pocket and helps manage anxiety, stress, and insomnia. It accomplishes this through themed sessions that include soothing sounds, music, and voice therapies. What people will love is that it’s discreet and can help you calm down in just five minutes. There are 72 sessions in all, based on six themes that range from dynamic relaxation to immersive journeys, nature sounds, and more. The battery runs for up to three hours on play mode and turns off automatically after five minutes. Listen to the sessions using wired headphones while leaving your phone or smartwatch out of the equation to eliminate distractions.
Baracoda Daily Healthtech BCool temperature sensor
Taking temperature readings is more important nowadays than ever before, and the Baracoda Daily Healthtech BCool lets you do this through non-touch sensors. Plus, it doesn’t need batteries: it recharges with just a couple of shakes and uses the company’s patented BMotion sensor technology. Connect it via Bluetooth to the app and keep track of body temperature for you and other members of the household, storing everything separately for each individual so you can track the progression or spot any unexplained changes. You can also enter additional notes into the app, including symptoms, what over-the-counter or prescribed medications were taken when, and even share that information with a medical professional. To use it, shake, press the bottom, and hold it in front of or slide it across the forehead, without making contact with the skin. A reading will appear immediately and sent to the BCool app. Go to the family dashboard to add notes. The device, made of recycled plastic, is waterproof, making it easy to clean and bring with you anywhere.
Other exciting health tech and wellness innovations
Oral B iO Series 10 electric toothbrush
You don’t realize the value of an electric toothbrush until you have used one. They offer a nice, deep clean thanks to the rotating brush head and features like timers that indicate when the essential two-minute time is up, or even in 30-second intervals for each quadrant. Connected toothbrushes add another dimension to the experience and Oral B is a leader in that department. The company upped its game at CES 2022 with three new models in its iOS Series 10 line. The charging base of the new toothbrush functions as a second display with lights illuminating as you move from one quadrant to the next. Meanwhile, digits on the side show how long you have been brushing so you can keep pace. When you’re not using the toothbrush, the display shows the time so you can also make sure you’re not running late in the morning. It also has smart pressure sensors and, of course, connects to an iPhone as well to keep track of your brushing. Two budget options are in the line as well, including the iOS Series 4 and 5 that feature a quiet brushless motor, but negate some of the top-line features to bring them in at a lower price point. But you’ll get cool features like a rainbow of lights to celebrate once you have brushed for two minutes, along with real-time tracking in the app with the iOS 5 model.
Invoxia Biometric smart dog collar
Health and wellness isn’t just about humans, it’s about pets, too! Invoxia recognizes this with its Biometric smart dog collar, which can track both where the pet is and its heart health. Using artificial intelligence, the collar monitors your furry friend’s health and wellbeing, and keeps track of its location in case the pet happens to run off. It uses sensors, accelerometers, and embedded deep neural network capabilities to do its job, monitoring data like respiratory and heart vitals, and detect anomalies in the dog’s behaviour.
Bottom line
Health tech is a growing part of CES this year and is poised to continue to grow through 2022 and beyond. According to a CB Insights Q3 2021 State of Venture Report cited in the Tech Trends to Watch seminar that kicked off CES 2022, healthcare is one of the key funding sectors at a total of US$97.1 billion. There’s no doubt this will include plenty of health and wellness tech devices going forward.
Check out plenty of health and wellness tech gear at Best Buy Online.
