New products at CES: iHealth blood pressure monitor, data-syncing Health Tablet

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This year's International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 6-9, will spotlight mobile health innovations at the Digital Health Summit, zeroing in on the burgeoning trend of DIY, at-home medical devices. Among the new products to look for: the iHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, announced January 4.

The new device comprises a hardware dock, blood pressure arm cuff, and iHealth App to allow users to self-monitor their blood pressure and heart rate at home, and then share the results with their doctors. The iHealth Blood Pressure Monitoring System (battery-powered docking station and blood pressure arm cuff) is available for $99.95 (about €74) from iHealth99.com.

Announced on January 3, CES attendees can also catch a glimpse of Bluetooth-enabled eHealth technologies aimed for at-home use, such as a Bluetooth blood pressure cuff and weight scale from A&D and a Bluetooth pulse oximeter from Nonin Medical, allowing consumers to monitor chronic conditions at home and wirelessly transfer data to their health care providers.

Other new products in the health arena include the IDEAL LIFE Health Tablet, announced on January 4 and deemed the first tablet that automatically syncs data between healthcare provider information systems and patients' health records. The device will work on any cellular network, connecting consumers with their own health records when they need them, and is designed to help manage chronic illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

The day-long Digital Health Summit conference, held on January 7, will also feature talks from industry leaders and will showcase companies utilizing technology to improve patient care. New techonologies on display will include telehealth systems, therapeutic and diagnostic medical devices, medication monitoring equipment, mobile health devices, remote monitoring devices, robotic prosthetics, and secured wireless communication medical devices.

Dozens of speakers will share their ideas and insights, including headliner Colonel Ron Propatich, MD, deputy director of Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center of the US Army. Also: Eric Taub, health writer at The New York Times; Andrew Arroyo, vice president of information technology of eCardo; Brian Bischoff, president and CEO of Healthsense; as well as top executives or medical directors from such companies as Cisco Systems, Qualcomm, BlueTooth Special Interest Group, Dell, Humana, and Texas Instruments, among many others.

This year, CES will also introduce the "Fitness TechZone," an area dedicated to showcasing high-tech innovations and tools for sports enthusiasts, for the first time. Look for devices such as digital weight scales, pedometers and fitness companions, software programs and applications, and peripherals and games for gaming systems.

Every year the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) features thousands of exhibitors, and last year's event attracted more than 120,000 attendees.

http://www.cesweb.org/
http://digitalhealthsummit.com/