Samsung smartwatch users in South Korea will now be able to tap into the tech’s Health Monitoring Application, which includes blood pressure-monitoring capabilities and ECG tracking. This comes after the two new capabilities scored clearance from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in the spring. This isn’t Samsung’s only health-focused tool to be released. A few weeks ago, it debuted a handwashing app.
“The launch of the Samsung Health Monitor app demonstrates Samsung’s dedication to providing accessible and convenient healthcare for all by integrating advanced hardware and best-in-class software technology,” TaeJong Jay Yang, corporate SVP and head of the health team for mobile communications business at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement. “We’re delighted that Galaxy Watch Active2 users in Korea can now access the new app and receive insights to help them manage their health. We look forward to expanding the app to all future Galaxy Watch products.”
Last week, Apple announced that healthcare providers will now be able to tap into their patients' Apple Watching ECG readings for remote care visits. This comes after an FDA guidance okayed noninvasive patient-monitoring during the coronavirus pandemic.
During a telemedicine visit, a doctor can ask that the patient take an ECG recording via the ECG app on their watch. The patient can then send that to the doctor, along with any symptoms. Patients can send a PDF to a doctor through secure messaging. Apple notes that this system isn’t designed to triage urgent conditions.
January.ai, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to discover health insights and change health behaviors in patients with metabolic syndrome conditions, emerged out of stealth last weekend with the reveal of its Sugar Challenge study at the 80th American Diabetes Association Scientific Studies virtual conference.
This effort released the company's algorithm on 1,022 participants' data collected from food and medication logs, heart rate monitors and CGMs. According to the company's poster presentation, the tool was able to predict the Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes patients' glucose response to future meals – potentially filling in a gap for when CGM use is inconsistent.
“We believe AI-enabled technology can be used to deliver a very scalable program that helps people make positive behavior modifications through solid, science-based personalization," Noosheen Hashemi, founder and CEO, said in a statement. "The results of this initial study are just the beginning of that journey for us.”
January.ai was founded in March 2017 and quietly closed a $10.7 million seed round in July 2019 with contributions from Marc Benioff, Jerry Yang, Steve Chen, Marissa Mayer, Funds Felicis Ventures and SignalFire.
RapidAI, a health tech company focused on stroke imaging, launched a new analytics platform called RapidAI Insights. The new tool is focused on collecting a variety of data, including treatment and outcomes, in order to help hospitals make business decisions. Hospitals are able to monitor the return on investment of Rapid’s tools, and can customize reports about stroke care.
“At RapidAI we focus on helping hospitals save lives, save time and save money," said Don Listwin, CEO of RapidAI. “Developed with intelligence from over 1,500 sites already using Rapid, RapidAI Insights utilizes the massive amount of critical site and system-wide stroke imaging data to deliver hospitals a best-in-class analytic tool that informs their patient care, as well as the economics of their stroke care business. RapidAI Insights addresses the needs of clinicians, IT departments, and hospital administrators."
