Drowsy drivers are one of the main causes of vehicle accidents. They account for nearly one in 10 crashes according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). That equates to around 100,000 crashes every year, with over 70,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities (source: National Safety Council). Something that is always sitting on your wrist that has the ability to combat this problem would definitely find widespread use and improve road safety for everyone.

Garmin wants to help combat driver drowsiness

Garmin is, apparently, looking at adopting smartwatches to watch out for drowsiness while you are driving. This is according to Patent number 17190242 published earlier this year by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

The paperwork describes a mobile electronic device that comes with a display, a speaker, memory, GPS for determining location, a heart rate and a processor – aka a smartwatch. The heart rate sensor would churn out info on beats per minute along with heart rate variability. Both would be used by an algorithm to determine a drowsiness level of the user. This is then tracked over time.

At the same time the GPS would monitor the current speed of the vehicle. The idea is for the watch display and speakers to kick in if the drowsiness level exceeds a pre-determined threshold. Hopefully this would help get the driver into a more wakeful state or encourage him to take some time off the road.

This, of course, raises the question how the watch would know you are the driver. After all, you could just be sitting in the car or another type of vehicle. Presumably you would need to indicate in some way to the timepiece that you are, indeed, driving a car.

Interestingly, the patent also talks about blood pressure tracking functionality in a Garmin watch. Reading are taken on-demand by resting your finger on the bezel of the device and single physical button. This feeds into the stress reading.

The watch would also alert you when it is a good time to take a reading. There is no point in taking blood pressure measurements while you are moving. You do need to be at rest to get some useful info. The watch also encourages you to take a blood pressure reading each day as indicated by the images accompanying the patent.

It is no surprise that Garmin is exploring blood pressure tracking via sensors built into watches. Many other companies are. Valencell is perhaps taking the lead. We are expecting first watches capable of tracking blood pressure via the Valencell heart rate sensor to land sometime next year.

Garmin has worked on similar-type tech before

This sounds a bit similar to Garmin’s collaboration with auto maker Mercedes-Benz a couple of years ago. At the time the the duo came up with a smartphone app that tapped into Vivoactive 3 readings to let your car know how stressed you are. This also helped with early identification of drowsiness.

Unveiled at CES 2019 alongside the high-tech 2020 CLA Coupe, the Mercedes-Benz branded Vivoactive 3 is able to track your heart rate and stress levels. Once connected to the MercedesMe ENERGIZING app, the timepiece communicates that information to the car’s dashboard (the Infotainment system – MBUX).

The vehicle then figures out how calm or stressed you are and adapts accordingly. For example it might change the air conditioning, ambiance lighting, new-type seat massages, fragrance or music to keep you chill. If it determines you’re under emotional strain or tension, it will even go as far as plotting less rage-inducting routes.

The Mercedes-branded Vivoactive 3 comes with custom materials and display screens. There’s also a special version of Venu that you can purchase. Garmin says their other watches are also compatible with the Mercedes app.

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Let’s face it – no one likes to charge their smartwatch or fitness tracker. But what if you never had to do that. A Bay Area-startup wants to make sticking a charging cable into your wearable a thing of the past.

Its Indiegogo campaign to make the Matrix PowerWatch a reality raised some $1.6 million back in 2017. The company followed this up with PowerWatch X at CES 2018. Both are only powered by body heat and feature a power meter which is prominently displayed as a ring around the watch. This shows how much electrical power you are generating and how much battery juice is left.

While a novel concept, the main problem with the original device was the high price (taking specs into consideration), limited fitness tracking smarts and no support for smartphone notifications. It ended up more like a proof of concept rather than something that has mass appeal. The second iteration resolved the smartphone notification issue and also came with a tougher body, a nearly indestructible silicone rubber strap and 200m water resistance.

The startup is now back for round three with Matrix PowerWatch 2. The main novelty this time around is that the timepiece runs both on thermoelectric and solar cell technology, i.e it can be powered by body heat and ambient light.

The addition of more power gives the latest iteration enough extra juice to include built-in GPS, a heart rate sensor, compass and a full-color LCD display. You’ll now be able to see detail running data including splits, pace, cadence, heart rate zones and a map of your route. The app is also benefiting from a refresh and there is integration with Apple HealthKit and Google Fit.

The watch retains the excellent 200m water resistance rating and all the other fitness tracking smarts of its predecessors, including an accurate calorie counter . Once again it uses a Bluetooth connection to dish up notifications from your smartphone.

To accommodate the new sensors and sun harvesting technology, Matrix PowerWatch 2 is a bit chunkier than the others. It measures 47mm in diameter (vs 46mm on the original), has a depth of 16mm (vs 15mm) and weighs 70 grams (vs 60 grams).

The bump in specs makes PowerWatch 2 much more interesting than its predecessors. The device is currently shipping to backers on Indiegogo and is available for purchase on Amazon.

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Essential reading: Ten gadgets for advanced sleep monitoring

The company has a number of devices in its portfolio of sleep aids. This includes the SmartSleep headband which is designed to improve the quality of deep sleep, and Somneo – a the sleep and wake-up light. We can now add a third device to its range.

As its name implies, the Philips Snoring Relief Band is designed to help reduce snoring. Statistics show that 40% of adult men in the US and 24% of adult women are habitual snorers. This disrupts not just their sleep, but also the sleep of their partner.

It all sounds like a pretty simple solution. To use you’ll need to strap the band just below your chest when you climb into bed. The gizmo houses a small sensor that tracks your sleep to determine when you are on your back. It then gently vibrates encouraging you to move to your side. This helps because snoring gets worse when you’re sleeping on your back.

The vibration intensity and pattern automatically adjust to your snoring needs, and the whole thing is very discreet so won’t wake up you or your partner. With regular use, Philips says, your habits will gradually change making you less likely to sleep on your back.

The company is also debuting a couple of software based solutions. The first is an advanced coaching system in the form of the SmartSleep Analyzer to help users learn more about their sleep challenges. The second is the SmartSleep Better Sleep Program, which re-trains people to be able to fall asleep and stay asleep using a mobile app.

The Philips shop price for the band is $199.99. According to the website it ships in 3-9 business days.

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

The athletic apparel brand is expanding its ecosystem of high-tech products by integrating the HOVR Infinite running shoe with Samsung’s Galaxy smartwatch, the UA MapMyRun app and JBL UA True Wireless FLASH headphones. With Under Armour, these products connect and complement each other and provide a wealth of information to enhance the running experience.

“We decided that part of this is to create a completely closed system for that consumer. So we’ve partnered with world-class experience providers in each area, rather than do it ourselves,” Jim Mollica, Under Armour’s senior vice president of consumer engagement and digital, told Sport Techie.

“Within that ecosystem you get real-time coaching, which has proven out for the average runner to get them five percent faster over a five-week period of time.”

The Samsung Watch with the MapMyRun watch app provides runners with a simple and seamless run experience while allowing them to leave their phone behind. The watch connects automatically to the HOVR Connected shoes, no set-up required. This setup can track many specific metrics in real-time, such as gait, cadence, stride length, pace and more. And by connecting their UA True Wireless Flash headphones, users get a running coach in their ear.

Under Armour debuted the line at CES 2019. The company says it will be looking for more opportunities to expand its ecosystem of connected products in the near future.

Source: Sport Techie; Under Armour

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

The statistics make grim reading. Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the US. It kills nearly a half million of Americans each year, with 41,000 of these deaths caused by secondhand smoke. Quitting smoking should be a no-brainer for everyone.

A smoker needs a lighter, we all know that. But wouldn’t it be great if the thing that fuels your habit is also your best bet at controlling it, one cigarette at a time.

At CES 2019, a company from Lebanon named Slighter showcased its sleek looking cigarette lighter. It comes with a full color touchscreen that shows the number of times you light up and your progress towards a healthier smoking habit.

For the first week, simply smoke as you would normally and the gizmo will record every time you light up. The algorithm will learn and analyze your smoking habit to come up with a personalized plan for you. If you change your mind at any point, Slighter will adapt to your needs. You can also adjust your goals manually.

The app is the place to go for detailed info on your progress. You can earn virtual badges, see where you rank on leaderboards and connect to friends and family for support. The app also displays how much money you’ve saved along the way.

There is, of course, no guarantee you’ll succeed. But Slighter does offer you a new way to quit smoking. In fact, the company announced it was named a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for its product in the “Tech for a Better World” category.

You can pre-order now on slighter.com for $129. The product it expected to ship by July this year. While this might seem like a lot to pay for a lighter, Slighter has calculated the device pays back in just 3 months when you factor in the reduction in cigarette purchases. Not to mention the payback to your health.

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

A few years in the making, Welt looks like a normal belt but can keep tabs on a wide range of health data. The device tracks waist size, activity, and overeating to provide comprehensive health analysis while also providing health guidance via the smartphone app. Similar to the latest Apple Watch, it even has fall detection.

For fitness, Welt’s pedometer tracks steps and calorie burn while the belt also monitors sitting time and will nudge you occasionally to get up. Abdominal fat is a product of excess calorie intake. Based on calorie intake, your waist can expand and contract over a duration as short as half an hour. Welt keeps track of these rapid variations in waist size chart patterns of overeating.

As for charging, the battery is rechargeable through a micro USB cable and can last an impressive 20 days.

“Welt takes the health tech industry to an entirely new level with its customized plans for fitness goals,” said Welt CEO and co-founder, Sean Kang, in a statement at CES.

“We will demonstrate many of our new software updates, including the fall-risk assessment that can help the elderly or consumers who are at risk of falls.”

Welt has certainly come up with an original concept. The company raised over $70,000 on Indiegogo back in 2016 to make the smart belt a reality. A couple of years (and a few delays) later, the belt is ready for sale in the US.

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

On display at CES 2019, the small tracking device works with any fishing pole. Simply snap it onto your rod and secure in place with the two heavy-duty rubber bands. The sensor weighs just 9 grams so won’t interfere in any way with the performance of the rod.

All that’s left then is to enjoy your day’s fishing while the sensor does the hard work of recording your activity. When the all important moment comes and you’ve caught something, a simple touch of a button is all it takes to record the catch.

The all important information is displayed in the accompanying smartphone app. This shows how many times you cast a line, it monitors weather conditions (such as ambient temperature, precipitation, wind speed, wind direction and pressure), and plots locations of successful catches and strikes.

Over time the info will built to provide you with a clear picture of your hotspots so you’ll know exactly where to head off next time around. The app will even allow you to mark particularly noble catches, along with their weight, species, location of the catch, time and date.

As you’d expect there’s a social element to everything, as well. For example, you can upload images for bragging rights, and share information of fishing hotspots with other anglers.

Inside the pod is an accelerometer and rechargeable batteries. The thing is waterproof, too, in case you were wondering.

If you want to upgrade your fishing rod, the Smart Rod Sensor is available for pre-order at cyberfishing.com. The product retails for $79.99 and is expected to ship at the end of this month.

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Instead of using special sensors, the tracking technology utilizes multiple standard cameras. The AI applies pose modeling techniques and other deep learning algorithms to the video to extract 3D Mesh representations of athletes in real-time. These digital models will provide coaches with intricate biomechanical data for use as training tools.

The unprecedented insights into performance will also benefit fans around the world. Broadcasters will be able to overlay real-time info during competition, and commentators will be able to analyze, dissect and re-examine highlights with detailed stats at their fingertips.

The 3D Athlete Tracking Technology uses existing and upcoming Intel hardware to supply the heavy dose of computer power needed. Alibaba is providing the cloud computing technology.

“We are proud to partner with Intel on the first-ever AI-powered 3D athlete tracking technology where Alibaba contributes its best-in-class cloud computing capability and algorithmic design,” said Chris Tung, CMO, Alibaba Group.

“With our technological advancements, Alibaba is transforming the sports media and broadcasting industries.

This collaboration is set to usher the Olympic Games into the digital era. For more info on the partnership and 3D Athlete Tracking Technology head over to Intel’s website.

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Essential reading: Ten gadgets for advanced sleep monitoring

The Toronto wearable startup is a big name in the high-tech meditation space. They offer a head-style device that gives users real-time feedback on what is happening inside their brain while they meditate. The first generation device detects changes by using seven EEG sensors along the scalp. Muse 2 slaps on a heart rate monitor, accelerometer for body movement and breath for even better tracking.

While you meditate, the headband measures whether your mind is calm or active, and translates that data into sound that you can hear. When you’re calm, you’ll hear the sound of peaceful weather. If Muse senses your mind wandering, you’ll hear the weather sounds get stronger, gently guiding you back to calm.

The upcoming Softband tackles sleep issues by using guided meditation to help you fall asleep faster. Unlike its predecessors, this one comes in the form of a flexible soft band. This is necessary as you’re meant to wear it in bed.

You’ll be able to ask Alexa to play a meditation soundtrack, or simply use a regular speaker or a pair of earbuds. Softband automatically detect when you’ve fallen asleep and turns off the sound.

For the rest of the night the brain-sensing tech will track your sleep behavior. In the morning, the accompanying Muse app spits out info on how well you’ve slept including wake time, REM/Light/Deep sleep, heart rate, respiration rate and movement. It also gives tips on how to improve sleep patterns.

Muse is aiming for a Q4 2019 launch. Softband is expected to retail in the $250 price range.

Source: Digital Trends; TechCrunch; Muse

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Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

The UK domiciled startup displayed its system at CES 2019 this week. The outfit hopes to revolutionize the direct to consumer healthcare diagnostics market with a reliable and non-invasive alternative to costly and time-consuming doctor visits.

You can buy tests for pregnancy, urinary tract infection and glucose levels at just $4 each and they’ll arrive embedded on a postcard (in sets of three). In the future tests to screen for prostate cancer and sexually transmitted infections will also be sold.

Each strip is equipped with a QR code as well as a few tiny, multi-colored, square pads. The user simply applies urine to a strip or dips it in a cup they’ve already peed into.

Results are obtained by holding a mobile device above the TestCard. This enables the smartphone app to scan the QR code and colored squares with the in-app camera. It takes just 20 seconds to obtain a reading.

Everything is interpreted in simple to understand language and the app will also warn if the test is out of date or invalid in any way. The whole system sounds incredibly easy, discreet and useful as an early detection tool.

A few years in the making TestCard is nearly ready to launch. You’ll be able to purchase the kit in the UK from April and the US from July.

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