HealthTech wearables to major at CES 2019

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 kicks off in Las Vegas today, and will feature some advances in healthtech wearables. Amongst these are a collaboration between Garmin and Daimler, and a new product launch from Flint Rehab.

Garmin is teaming up with Daimler to enhance the Mercedes Benz driver experience. Daimler will introduce a Mercedes-Benz branded version of the Garmin vívoactive 3 GPS smartwatch. Realtime heart rate and stress data is then sent directly from the watch to the Mercedes me App. The Mercedes app can also access the full range of all-day wellness data. With this data, it can get a better picture of the driver’s well-being to improve the overall experience. Daimler is quick to note that the integration is also intended to help with driver road awareness.

Some of the promised benefits include enabling drivers to select less stressful routes from the navigation system; playing stimulating or soothing music; seat massages; and the ability to manipulate fragrance and suitable ambience lighting within the vehicle. And, of course, the Mercedes-Benz vívoactive 3 will have custom-branded materials and display.

Flint Rehab, which makes devices to help stroke survivors recover, is launching the MiGo, a wearable tracker designed specifically to help in rehabilitation following a stroke. Stroke is the largest cause of adult disability, and a large proportion of stroke survivors experience hemiparesis – or impaired movement on one side of their body – for the rest of their lives. 

One of the leading causes of this lifelong disability is a phenomenon called “learned non-use,” where stroke survivors neglect to use their impaired arm or leg, causing their brain to lose the ability to control those limbs altogether. Conversely, neuroscience research has shown that if stroke survivors focus on using their impaired limbs every day, they can regain their lost abilities over time, even reaching full recovery.

Flint Rehab claims that the MiGo addresses the problem of learned non-use by motivating stroke survivors to use their impaired side as much as possible. In line with its other products, MusicGlove and FitMi, the MiGo uses gamification to track activity throughout the day, set new goals, and provide encouragement.