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Jawbone's medical plans included a heart attack warning bracelet
Now that Jawbone is making the move from consumer wearables to medical devices, just what is it up to? Bloomberg's sources might have an idea. They've obtained investment pitch documents from October 2016 indicating that Jawbone hoped to draw on technology from Spectros Corp. to build a heart health bracelet based on an existing oximeter. If it borrows similar functionality, the bracelet would use white light to warn you when your tissue isn't getting enough blood, warning you of a potential heart attack or similar failure. And that's not all -- purportedly, Jawbone hoped to land a partnership with Microsoft.
Insert Coin semifinalist: iOximeter is a simple, cross-platform wellness tool
Pulse oximeters that connect to your smartphone aren't exactly new. In fact, a super-hackable Bluetooth model called smARtPULSE wound up as a finalist in our Insert Coin competition early this year out in San Francisco. What sets the iOximeter apart is its cross-platform compatibility and extremely low power requirements. In fact, it's able to draw all the juice it needs from the headphone jack on your phone. The appropriate data is also transferred over a standard issue audio cable and presented in an app on your iOS or Android device. That leaves you free to charge your phone while watching your the oxygen saturation levels in you blood climb. Data is not only presented in real time, but recorded for later analysis. You can see all of the Insert Coin semifinalists here.
Insert Coin finalist: smARtPULSE open source, Bluetooth oximeter hands-on
Dimitri Albino is the proudly self-proclaimed smARtMAKER #1, and he's brought his company's Insert Coin finalist, the smARtPULSE oximeter, here to Expand. Using photodetection tech to produce readings of oxygen levels and pulse. While this is standard functionality, the company claims its advantage is in being able to cheaply deliver the product, and stream the data via Bluetooth to a computer or mobile device. It plans to offer both Bluetooth 2.0 and 4.0 versions of the product, and envisions them being accessible to individuals and other makers who want to build this kind of data into their projects thanks to its open communications protocol. Check below for a few pics of the current mock up and after the break for a video, although the production design is still being finalized.%Gallery-183021% Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Insert Coin semifinalist: smARtPULSE is a hackable Bluetooth oximeter
Oximeters aren't exactly the sexiest gadgets in the world, but they're definitely quite useful. Monitoring pulse and blood oxygen levels are important for patients in hospitals, athletes trying to squeeze every last drop of performance from their body and anyone making a sudden trip to high altitudes. smARtPULSE uses pretty standard photodetection technology for tracking oxygen levels, but its ability to tether to a whole host of other devices via Bluetooth 4.0 is what really sets it apart. There are free Android and iOS apps for those that just want to check their vitals and be done with it, but tinkerers can have a field day with the open-source hardware and upcoming API. At the end of the day, connecting the smARtPULSE to any computer (be it Linux, Windows or OS X) will be pretty simple, and there will even be libraries available for Arduino, Raspberry Pi and Electric Imp. With the prototyping out of the way, now the team is finishing up the API and ironing out the final design. Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!
Masimo iSpO2 hands-on: track your pulse and blood oxygen with your iPhone
Pulse Oximeters are an essential hospital tool and serious athletes rely on them to track the efficiency with which they pump oxygen into their blood stream. Masimo's new iSpO2 puts these rather important health metrics within reach of the consumer by tying the sensor to your favorite iOS device through an app. The device, available now for $249 through Amazon, feeds your blood oxygen level, pulse rate and perfusion index (the rate of blood flow to your finger) to an easy-to-read app. In addition to just large raw numbers, the app also offers a history-tracking graph, along with a confidence rating for the reading -- so you know when the data coming in and out is reliable. The device itself is primarily light soft-touch plastic and rubber, with a slightly glossier clip that goes over your finger. At the opposite end of the device is the standard 30-pin connector for plugging into your old-school iOS devices. Though, frequent upgraders will be happy to hear that Lightning adapters work perfectly fine with the iSpO2. Primarily the monitor is aimed at athletes and aviators who tend to find themselves in unpressurized aircraft. Beyond that, there could be general health applications for those with chronic circulation issues or other blood-related health problems. The sensor even works when under stress from constant movement -- an important feature since Masimo expects runners and hikers are expected actually wear the device when active. For a bit more, check out the gallery below and the video after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Phone Oximeter saves lives, puts Journey's lawyers on red alert (video)
We'll be honest with you, we don't know a lot about marketing healthcare devices to everyday people, so perhaps posting a goofy YouTube video with some re-written classic rock songs is standard practice in the industry. Whatever the case, the University of British Columbia's Electrical & Computer Engineering in Medicine team managed to bring its Phone Oximeter to our attention, and all said, this could be a handy little device for monitoring vitals outside a hospital setting. The meter hooks up to a smartphone -- an iPhone for trials, but we're told it works with Android, Windows, and others -- displaying the wearer's blood oxygen level and heart and respiratory rates, and transmitting the readings to the hospital. The department has already done some field testing with the system, trying it out at the Vancouver General Hospital and bringing it to Uganda, where low cost medical devices and Journey spoofs are in high demand. Video probably only meant for its creators' friends and family after the break. [Thanks, Walter]
GumPack wearable vitals monitor: the new MedicAlert bracelet?
It may not have the charm or good looks of, say, the uBOT-5, but a new wearable vital signs monitor could cut back on doctor's visits for the chronically ill. Produced by a Kansas State University student, the GumPack -- known as such for its size -- is a multi-sensor monitoring device that fits in the palm of your hand and relays vital stats to your doctor via the internet. Along with a built-in camera and microphone for record keeping, as well as WiFi capabilities for connectivity, the battery-powered GumPack will sport various sensors, like a reflectance pulse oximeter or a two-thumb ECG. The monitor is still in the concept stage, and will likely not be available for mass-market distribution for years -- if ever -- but with technology like this in the works, the "I've fallen and I can't get up" lady might as well start looking for a new gig.
