-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
IDTechEx Examines the Opportunities for Wearables in Digital Health
April 19, 2024 | IDTechExEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
With every successive year, the lines between medical devices and consumer electronics become increasingly blurred – medtech companies seek to expand their reach beyond patients, and consumer electronics companies have targeted medical applications as a key focus for their wearable products. IDTechEx’s report, “Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence 2024-2034: Trends, Opportunities, and Outlook”, covers this ongoing trend in the consumer health wearables market and includes analysis of the opportunities and roadmap for biometric monitoring.
Consumer devices battle for medical applications
A direction of travel that has been evident in the wearables industry is the increase in health metrics monitored by smartwatches. A key development in February 2024 was the clearance by the US regulatory body, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), of the Samsung Galaxy Watch app for the assessment of sleep apnea risk. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that has significant health implications but is often undiagnosed. The ability to detect silent health conditions via a consumer device has the potential to create improvements in quality of life for a significant population of users. Upcoming consumer electronics, particularly new form factors such as smart rings, promise to bring even more health monitoring capabilities.
Underpinning the sleep apnea detection algorithm are optical sensors capable of detecting the wearer’s blood oxygen levels. While the FDA clearance is significant, the truth is that consumers have been able to check their quality of sleep for signs of sleep apnea, including movement, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen, for several years. The key difference is that with FDA clearance, the devices are no longer categorized as “wellness devices”, which come with major warnings that the data generated are not intended for medical use.
Though there are countless biometrics that can be monitored by smartwatches and other consumer electronics, the reality is that there are only a select few medical conditions that have the potential to drive substantial numbers of new users to these products. When compared to existing diagnostics or monitoring methods, consumer electronics companies will need to prove that comfortable and continuous monitoring provides significant benefit over incumbent technologies, for a large enough market.
The IDTechEx report on digital health discusses opportunities for consumer health wearables, including key value propositions and a roadmap for wearable sensor technology segmented by key biometrics. For additional information on the sensor technologies required for key medical applications in consumer electronics, please refer to the IDTechEx research report Wearable Sensors 2023 – 2033.
Medical device companies eye up the consumer market
On the other end of the spectrum, medtech companies have also been entering the consumer market. Some products, such as the Omron HeartGuide blood pressure monitoring smartwatch launched in 2019, have been specifically designed from the ground up as a consumer health wearable.
However, the key health technology that is making the switch to consumer markets comes in the form of an electronic skin patch. Specifically, the continuous glucose monitor, a majorly disruptive piece of health technology in the Type 1 diabetes market, has been increasingly marketed toward consumers in recent years. These began with niche markets, such as elite athletes competing in endurance sports, but have shifted now to people interested in leveraging data on their metabolism to achieve wellness goals.
Currently, Abbott’s Lingo is available in the UK to help consumers better understand their metabolism and to improve their health. In 2024, rival Dexcom received the first FDA approval to sell a CGM over the counter in the US. Called Stelo, the device will be available in the summer of 2024 and marks a major first step into the digital health for pre- and type 2 diabetes markets. IDTechEx’s report on digital health covers the intersection of the digital health, diabetes, and consumer markets and includes a 10-year forecast for the CGM market from 2024 – 2034.
Suggested Items
SCHMID Group Closes Business Combination, Begins Trading on NASDAQ
05/02/2024 | SCHMID GroupGebr. SCHMID GmbH, a global solutions provider for the high-tech electronic, photovoltaics, glass, and energy systems industries, and Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp. announced the completion of their business combination.
Sanmina's Second Quarter Fiscal 2024 Financial Results
05/02/2024 | Sanmina Corp.Sanmina Corporation, a leading integrated manufacturing solutions company, today reported financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended March 30, 2024 and outlook for its fiscal third quarter ending June 29, 2024.
TTM Technologies Reports First Quarter 2024 Results
05/02/2024 | TTM TechnologiesTTM Technologies, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions including mission systems, radio frequency components and RF microwave/microelectronic assemblies, quick-turn and technologically advanced printed circuit boards , reported results for the first quarter 2024, which ended on April 1, 2024.
Intel Takes Next Step Toward Building Scalable Silicon-Based Quantum Processors
05/02/2024 | BUSINESS WIRENature published an Intel research paper, “Probing single electrons across 300-mm spin qubit wafers,” demonstrating state-of-the-art uniformity, fidelity and measurement statistics of spin qubits.
RTX's Pratt & Whitney Canada and Angola's TAAG Airlines sign Fleet Management Program Agreement for PW150A Engines
05/01/2024 | RTXPratt & Whitney Canada and TAAG Angola Airlines E.P., Angola's state-owned airline, have signed a six-year Fleet Management™ Program (FMP) agreement. The engine maintenance services cover the airline's PW150A engines which power their fleet of Dash 8-400 regional turboprops.