All articles tagged with #healthtech
Midjourney unveiled The Midjourney Scanner, a water-based full-body ultrasound system built with Butterfly Network that can generate 3D body images in about 60 seconds to map body composition; plans include a San Francisco spa and a library of shareable scans, with medical uses needing FDA clearance and privacy/data-sharing policies to be announced as the project progresses.
Samsung's June 8 Health app update adds generative AI features that translate complex biometric data into actionable guidance, introducing Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, and Fitness Index, with cross-device support and ties to the upcoming Galaxy Watch 9/Ultra 2 launch.
A Gizmodo tester wears the University of Maryland’s Smart Underwear fart detector for three days, attaching a clip-on sensor to track hydrogen in farts and infer gut microbiome activity. The study aims to establish baselines for normal fart patterns, compare them against diet (including a planned low-FODMAP day), and contribute data to the Human Flatus Atlas. Findings from the test aligned with diary entries, showing variability in fart frequency and suggesting potential uses for personalized gut-health guidance and even cancer-prevention insights, with plans to scale up recruitment and commercialize the tech via Ventoscity LLC.
Samsung’s Galaxy Ring failed to sustain its launch hype, with tepid follow‑through and underwhelming sales, while Oura released Ring 5—smaller, more capable, and priced at $399 with a $5.99/month subscription—leveraging its longer market presence and iPhone compatibility to widen the gap, as Samsung backs off and eyeing a Galaxy Ring 2 around 2027 remains uncertain.
Vitalist Bay in Berkeley showcased a longevity conference-festival where attendees joined mass at-home blood testing by Rythm Health and heard talks from cryopreservation to delaying menopause, highlighting how the field is shifting from a loose movement to a commercial industry. The scene blends hype with real biotech demos, investor presence, and ethical questions as researchers, founders, and enthusiasts push to make anti-aging tech more mainstream.
Apple’s 11-year-old Watch is losing momentum as rivals Whoop, Oura, and Google-backed Fitbit Air push screenless health tracking focused on recovery and sleep. Leadership churn at Apple—retirements and exits across health, hardware, and marketing—amid a push to simplify Health and pursue AI-driven services. Oura’s confidential IPO filing signals competitive pressure, while Apple’s Health app remains cluttered and less actionable. watchOS 27 will be incremental, with heart-rate improvements and AI features drifting into iOS 27 more broadly, and a glucose-monitoring project—once a Jobs-era ambition—still progress-laden. The market is expanding beyond wrists toward glasses and other devices, pressuring Apple to decide whether to lead a screenless, AI-powered health era or risk falling behind.
Ultrahuman’s Ring Pro delivers a polished hardware and software bump—dual-core ML, 250 days storage, and a feature-rich charging case with Power Plugs—for deeper health insights, but at $479 and without a revolutionary leap over rivals like the Oura Ring 4, it feels like a strong yet non-revolutionary step in a maturing smart-ring market.
Whoop will offer U.S. users on‑demand video consultations with licensed clinicians via its app, plus electronic health records via a HealthEx partnership and AI‑powered health guidance. Some features are included with membership, while live consultations will cost extra when launched this summer. The move follows Whoop’s $575 million funding round that valued the company at $10.1 billion. Consultations start with a data-driven health evaluation using device data and, when available, blood work and medical history, and are meant to complement—not replace—existing care. The update also includes AI coaching and proactive reminders, but comes after a previous FDA warning over Blood Pressure Insights; new FDA guidance allows optical BP measurements in wellness devices if no medical‑grade claims are made.
A Harvard Science study shows AI systems outperformed human doctors in emergency department triage using the same electronic health records; AI reached 67% exact/close diagnoses vs 50–55% for humans and performed better on longer-term treatment planning (89% vs 34%). However, the test used only text-based data and did not assess signals like distress or appearance, framing AI as a second-opinion tool rather than a replacement for clinicians. Experts see AI as potentially reshaping medicine while emphasizing accountability and ongoing evaluation.
Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman unveiled Luffu, an AI-powered “intelligent family care system” that ties together health data from apps, portals and devices, learns routines, and flags meaningful changes across family members (and pets). Users can log information via voice, text or photos and ask plain-language questions, with privacy controls and configurable Guardian access to share data. The private-testing startup, about 40 employees, aims to ease the caregiving burden for roughly 63 million U.S. adults and plans to expand into hardware later.
Withings has announced the second-generation Body Scan scale at CES 2026, which now measures 60 biomarkers including heart capacity, cellular health, and hypertension risk, aiming to provide comprehensive health insights and promote healthier lifestyles. The new model features hardware improvements like an integrated display in the ECG handle and is expected to launch in mid-2026 with a price around $600.
Oura, a popular sleep-tracking ring favored by celebrities and CEOs, aims to stay ahead of competitors like Apple and Google by expanding device connectivity, leveraging smartphone integration, and enhancing software with AI. Despite rising competition and the high cost of its device, Oura emphasizes trust, independence, and innovative partnerships to maintain its market position and explore new health monitoring possibilities, including integration with medical data and personalized health insights.
Google has announced plans to launch new Fitbit-branded devices next year, marking a return to Fitbit hardware after a period of no new releases since 2024, coinciding with updates to the Fitbit app and AI coaching features.
Kohler has introduced the Dekoda, a smart toilet attachment that uses sensors and algorithms to analyze waste for insights into hydration and gut health, providing users with health notifications via a mobile app for a subscription fee.
Finnish health tech company Oura has raised $900 million in funding led by Fidelity, valuing it at approximately $11 billion. The company plans to use the funds for AI, product innovation, and global expansion, with recent sales surpassing 5.5 million rings and revenue expected to exceed $1 billion in 2024. Oura is also expanding into health testing services and targeting new demographics, including young women.