The walking stick is evolving, thanks to designer Egle Uginataite from Lithuania, who recently introduced a high-tech cane that keeps track of your vitals, such as blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature, while communicating directions via a pair of headphones.
Reported on health website Health.infoniac.com on July 6, the designer won Fujitsu's 2011 design award, an international award based in Japan, for the concept, dubbed The Aid cane.
Additional features of the cane are an emergency button that dials a help center, and built-in navigator and LCD display.
Other high-tech devices serving double duty include a new watch by Singapore-based HealthSTATS International that keeps time while also keeping tabs on your blood pressure. The product is still undergoing medical trials with HP's Mobile Health (mHealth) Monitoring Solution, a cloud-based healthcare system. By monitoring blood pressure 24/7, the system aims to improve detection, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular conditions.
Learn more about the watch: http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2011/apr-jun/mobile_health-monitoring_solution.html
Learn more about the smart cane: http://www.fujitsu.com/global/news/pr/archives/month/2011/20110520-01.html
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