Wearables & Smart Technologies

Wearables – as portable medical devices that support health monitoring and functions, these devices are transforming medical care by collecting vital data around the clock, regardless of location.

Innovative and smart technologies are increasingly finding their way into everyday life and are having a growing impact on the medical field. Devices and systems that record and process important health information are constantly advancing patient care. Advancing digitalization enables more effective treatments, increases efficiency as well as patient safety and promotes preventative healthcare measures.

Such digital solutions are making a significant contribution to the further development of healthcare, for example by incorporating telemedicine, mobile health applications and AI-supported diagnostic tools based on machine learning. In the system of a smart hospital, devices such as wearables can act as a component of the Internet of Things by integrating patient monitoring and care into the hospital's digital infrastructure. Integrated wearables also increase patient mobility and promote networking within the hospital. This for example improves early access to rehabilitation.

The increasing importance of medical wearables in the healthcare system is reflected in the many benefits they offer to healthcare professionals and patients. Their ability to continuously monitor health status and provide early warning of anomalies represents a significant advance. By enabling personalized data analysis, customized treatment plans can be created, significantly improving medical care. You can find out more about the possibilities in our magazine:

In our video "Wireless revolution in neonatal monitoring – Bambi Medical" we show how advanced technology can facilitate and improve neonatal care and monitoring by combining wireless freedom and precise monitoring.

In the interview "Digital biomarkers: a new way to look at diseases?" you will learn how activity and movement patterns measured by sensors help to better understand and treat diseases.

Another article presents a wearable belt that monitors heart failure with sensors – a method of continuously and conveniently monitoring heart health, which can be life-saving for patients with an altered heart rate.

"More than trendy accessories: training optimization with the help of wearables" highlights how wearables are not only shaping the fitness industry, but also supporting therapeutic and rehabilitative applications by tracking precise data for training and recovery.

Finally, the interview "Motion analysis: wearable sensors versus laboratory" offers insights into how wearable sensors enable motion analysis and tracking outside the lab, benefiting patients and professionals alike.

Despite concerns about data protection and data accuracy, the potential of medical wearables to improve healthcare is immense, as impressively demonstrated by the articles and videos mentioned above. Still, the spread of wearables in healthcare is still limited by the cost of the devices, the means to interface them with the digital infrastructure as well as by the lacking study situation – the use of wearables as medical devices has not yet been an object of researched as much as other forms of therapy.

The field of healthcare wearables is evolving rapidly, with innovative trends that enable more precise monitoring and improved healthcare interventions. From smartwatches and smartbands, we have evolved rapidly. The wearables of the future could look like this:

• smart textiles that have durable, yet barely noticeable sensors built into them;
• biosensory patches and smart patches that are worn on the skin over longer periods of time and measure metabolic products on the skin or – as in the case of continuous glucose measurement (CGM) systems – underneath it;

• smart rings that are worn discreetly but can perform the same functions as larger devices;
• in-ear sensors, which can be used, for example, to monitor bodily functions in seriously ill patients in hospital, but also in athletes. A similar application are hearables - hearing aids that receive new functions to act as wearable devices.
• awearables, i.e. devices that no longer need to be worn but instead monitor patients who are simply in the vicinity.

These and other technological developments offer new opportunities to make health monitoring more effective. Even during sleep, for example. Find out more in our video "Precision sensing technology for enhanced sleep quality – Earable". Another exciting new development presented at MEDICA 2024 is a helmet that helps people with visual impairments and sensors installed in cars that monitor vital signs.

Another trend is the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) glasses in the healthcare sector. They help in surgery or in training and therapy, for example.

The healthcare sector is undergoing a remarkable transformation through the use of new smart technologies like near-field communication (NFC). These developments enable personalized, more efficient patient care. Henkel AG shows what digital healthcare can look like with the help of printed electronics. Which devices are already being worn today? We took a closer look for you at the Wearable Technologies Show at MEDICA.

One major challenge of these developments is certainly ensuring data protection so patients can control the use of their data. But the focus is also on seamless integration into existing medical infrastructures, as well as the acceptance of patients, who also need to be introduced to the new health-securing methods. They must not only understand the processes behind them, but also be able to operate the smart devices. They therefore have an additional role to play in the provision of care. The big advantage of these innovative care options: They promise innovative treatment options and improved diagnostic accuracy.

From fall prevention with augmented reality glasses – read our interview  Fall prevention with AR glasses" – to the early detection of cardiac arrhythmia using wearable monitoring systems: Smart healthcare applications offer comprehensive solutions to improve patient care and well-being. Did you know, for example, that a mobile rhythm patch can detect atrial fibrillation? An AI-based wearable can support the early detection and prevention of deep vein thrombosis.

Monitoring sleep problems or respiratory diseases no longer has to take place in a sleep laboratory. It can also be done from home with the right technology. You can read more about this in our interview with Sleepiz, a start-up that has already exhibited at MEDICA. These innovations not only make everyday life easier for those affected, but also optimize care processes, relieve the burden on medical staff and contribute to a comprehensive improvement in patient care.