Express News Service
From a bandage that uses sensors to monitor wound healing, to a device that tells you when and how much to rehydrate while exercising, and an AI-powered headband that uses nano feedback signals to help you get good sleep, health gadgets are getting smarter by the day. As well-being takes centre stage and people harness technology to monitor their day-to-day health, here’s a line-up of some quirky devices launched this year.
Auto-adjusting pillow
While the hugging pillow is designed to help people feel calmer, another traditional-looking pillow called Motion Pillow by Nose Metal helps reduce snoring. It detects snores through a smart sensor and directs the pillow to change its shape for the head to lie comfortably. The sensor also detects any motion and uses that as a cue to adjust the shape of the pillow for a more relaxing and quieter night’s sleep. It’s available for Rs 54,000 approximately.
Anxiety-relieving pillow
Hugging a pillow in moments of anguish or emptiness is common. Maybe the product developers of the ‘breathing’ pillow took a cue from it. Designed to help one relax when feeling distressed—the pillow has ‘regular’ and ‘deep’ intensity for different moods—the cloud-shaped Fufuly sends calming vibrations across the body when hugged. The idea is to simulate being held by someone with a comforting presence.
Yukai Engineering, the creators of Fufuly, perfected the rhythmic pulsations with the help of the University of Tokyo. The company previously released smart stuffed toys such as a headless robo-cat with a self-wagging tail and a puppy-shaped plushy that bites your fingers to create a soothing sensation. The price has not been disclosed yet.
Timeless timepiece
Countless aphorisms talk about the value of time, but Nowatch is selling watches that don’t tell time. Instead, these watches (or rather, watch-shaped bracelets) have gemstones with mesmerising designs. Nowatch’s founder Hylke Muntinga conceived the watch after the deaths of several friends compelled him to think about the importance of being present in the moment.
Despite its inanimate looks, the Nowatch is more than just a dumb stone strapped to the wrist. It is packed with sensors that tell you the number of steps, your sleep cycle, stress and physical recovery. This data syncs up with any Android or iOS device in real-time. It comes at a hefty price of $500 (roughly Rs 41,000).
Pee analyser
The U-Scan by French health and fitness gadgets company Withings may sound like a wacky idea, but it claims to be a life-saver. Touted as a ‘miniaturised lab’, the pebble-shaped smart sensor hangs down the toilet bowl and analyses the chemical composition of urine—complete with pH, ketone and Vitamin C levels—and delivers results on a dedicated app on the phone.
The U-Scan is self-equipped to collect and analyse pee samples and uses cartridges that last for up to three months. These expendable cartridges come in two variations—one to analyse general hydration and nutrition levels, and another specifically to help women keep track of their menstrual cycle by using LH (Luteinising Hormone) as a biomarker.
Owning the pee sensor will, however, not be as easy pee-sy. The rechargeable cradle is sold for 500 euros (approximately Rs 45,000), and subscription or cartridge replacements won’t come cheap either.
