A new class of smart devices that wirelessly link to smartphones and tablets will begin to gain traction over the next few years, with health and fitness leading the way, according to Juniper Research. According to the report, intelligent accessories that focus on training, weight managemen and healthcare monitoring of chronic disease will dominate the market, reaching 110 million units in 2017, up from 10 million in 2012.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and subscribe to our free periodic newsletters
As an example, Israeli engineering LifeWatch Technologies has developed a medical smartphone called LifeWatch V. It is still in in the process of regulatory approvals in Israel, Europe and the United States, but the phone performs and analyzes a range of self-tests and generates medical reports. The Android-based phone has embedded sensors to analyze everything from blood glucose levels to body fat percentage.
All data is sent automatically and securely to a remote server in the cloud for analysis by the company’s proprietary algorithms. Results and trend data are shared with the user and, if desired, with a third party (parent or healthcare provider, for example) via email or text message.
Juniper’s report also observes that companies such as Nike, Jawbone Up and others are familiarizing the market with how “smart hardware” can use the processing power of the smartphone to analyze and relay information.
The bet is that smart wireless accessories will become an important tool for the self-management of chronic disease, although more complex m-Health ecosystems will require bespoke devices, partly because the smartphone is not yet seen as a medical tool.
