Jawbone UP: Finally, One Fitness Platform to Sync Them All

After learning about and testing various wearable devices (including the Nike FuelBand, the Fitbit One, the Basis, etc.) I settled on the Jawbone UP band for myself.

Today, Jawbone announced that it will acquire BodyMedia (which had a large presence at CES this year), as well as open the UP platform so that developers can create apps and tools to integrate with the current Jawbone software. The approximate $100 million acquisition of BodyMedia will give Jawbone access to their wireless wearables and VUE Patch technology, further cementing Jawbone’s place in the health and wellness space. The UP platform opened today with ten partners, including Withings and RunKeeper. The open API will soon follow. This new integration will sync your data from various applications onto the UP platform where everything (your weight, blood pressure, running distance, etc.) can be viewed in one place. I’m very pleased with this type of application management system and I know that I made the right choice in using Jawbone as my main health tracker.

MC10: Smart, Ultrathin and Flexible Wearable Sensors

MC10 uses stretchable circuit technology to make lightweight and flexible body monitoring patches. These patches can bend, stretch and move with the human skin they are applied on and can monitor anything from blood pressure to brain activity and muscle function. These patches transmit data to the users’ mobile device so monitoring can be done wirelessly and in real-time. The patches are powered in various ways including using thin film batteries and built-in inductive power capabilities. While the company is currently focused on athletes (i.e. health and fitness applications and partnerships with Reebok and McKesson), their products have wide and scalable possibilities ranging from monitoring babies to people with chronic disorders. MC10 raised additional capital last week.

IntelligentM: Preventing Healthcare Acquired Infections with Wearables

IntelligentM is creating a wearable tracking device to remind and encourage healthcare professionals to practice good hygiene in hospitals and outpatient settings. Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAIs) cost the US Healthcare system roughly $30 billion a year – and on average over 10% of most hospital systems’ operating budgets are spent on controlling the spread of infections. IntelligentM’s smart bracelet will be able to track proper hand washing and can also notify the user if he or she did not comply with hygiene rules. The video below explains the importance of reducing HAIs and how iM is solving the problem. I look forward to seeing the working device and hearing hospital feedback.

Omada Health: Preventative Medicine, Starting with Diabetes

Omada Health is changing the way people reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Through their Prevent program, built on research in behavior change and disease prevention, members use personalized coaching, community support and tracking tools to create and continue healthy behaviors. From weight loss to lifestyle changes, Prevent hopes to stop the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes. The Prevent website mentions that “on average, our participants lose 6% of their body weight in just 16 weeks, exceeding clinical results and putting them on the path toward lifelong health.” Additionally, these preventative measures decrease the financial burden of chronic diseases for participants as well as for the overall healthcare system. Omada partners with employers, providers and health plans to deliver the Prevent experience and the company is actively working on other solutions to prevent additional chronic diseases.

You can sign up for the Prevent 16-week program online.

Reebok Fitness: Create Your Own Workout Program

Reebok Fitness is a fitness app that lets you create your own 6 to 12 week workout program. The app sends you reminders for your workouts as well as instructions on new moves and tips / tutorials from fitness professionals. I especially like that you can sync workout details to your phone’s calendar. The app and the exclusive Reebok trainer tips and videos are free to the public and provides a good platform for starting a workout routine.