11 new innovations to improve your health and well-being

From smart devices that manage heart conditions to mobile thermostats that can warm and cool you, there are countless technological aids to improve physical and mental health, boost performance, or simply enable you to live and feel better. Here is a selection.

Among the hundreds of new product releases, shiny gadgets and digital devices advertised as “smart”, it’s not easy to find reliable solutions that can positively influence your health or lead to better disease prevention. The most crucial step is the first one. If you are healthy, you can choose one area that still requires improvement, such as mindfulness or physical activity. Or why not be inspired by the digital health devices I have listed below.

Here are solutions that picked up awards at CES 2019 (world’s largest Consumer Electronics Show), clinically tested wearables, apps developed with physicians, and equipment reviewed by thousands of users. All 11 innovations are readily available on the market or by preorder.

1. Omron HeartGuide monitors your heart

A clinically accurate, wearable blood pressure monitor that tracks heart data and informs how behavior can impact heart health. The readings are available within 30 seconds. Moreover, the smartwatch track steps, distance, and calories burned, observe sleep patterns, and quality of sleep.

2. Withings BPM Core delivers ECG monitoring at home

A blood pressure monitor that can detect a variety of cardiovascular diseases and help identify early markers of heart conditions. At first sight, it looks like a modern version of a traditional blood pressure monitor worn on the shoulder, composed of an arm cuff and an integrated LED display. But BPM Core can much more: it sends measurement results to a Withings app to analyze the risk of conditions like atrial fibrillation (AFib) and valvular heart disease (VHD). To detect VHD risk precisely, which can remain silent for a long time, BPM Core also has a built-in stethoscope.

3. Y-Brush cleans your teeth perfectly within 10 seconds

Will this smart auto-cleaning electronic toothbrush revolutionize oral hygiene? Y-Brush needs only 10 seconds to clean all your teeth, so it’s 12 times faster than an electric toothbrush, for which the recommended brushing time is 2 minutes. You put it on the upper and lower jaw – all the teeth are brushed simultaneously. Tests have shown that the Y-Brush removes 15% more plaque than a traditional toothbrush. It doesn’t require a special toothpaste, and there are three vibration modes to choose, Y-Brush has replaceable pads in 4 sizes.

4. Personalized sound and hearing protection

The Mimi Music app creates a hearing profile based on the results from the Mimi hearing test (free app) and plays back music adjusted for your ears. This way, you can listen to music (from Spotify, SoundCloud, or iTunes) with more clarity and detail what also means that you can turn the volume down. Mimi Defined™ sound personalization technology is now also available for the selected headphones (beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless, Bragi) and TV systems (Loewe).

5. Diagnose yourself at home with Ada Health

Ada is your personal health guide. Download the app and find out what’s wrong if you or someone you care about is not feeling well. Developed by over 100 doctors and scientists, Ada knows thousands of symptoms and conditions, from a common cold to rare diseases. Alternatively, you can check your symptoms using Symptomate - Symptom checker.

6. Embr Wave cools you down or warms you up

A smart bracelet which allows you to regulate the body temperature you feel. It doesn’t cool down or warm up the entire body but only a small fragment of the skin located on the wrist. But it already makes you feel better and more comfortable overall. Just press a button to restore well-being anywhere you are.

7. Headspace app is your guide to health and happiness

Although the Headspace app was created a few years ago, in 2019, it’s still one of the best meditation apps. If you want to improve your life through mindfulness techniques or effectively manage stress, this app is a good choice. There are hundreds of guided meditations and mindfulness sessions available, from a few to several minutes long. The basic version of Headspace is free.

8. Exercise at home with Kaia to be free from back pain

Developed by doctors, Kaia is a medical exercise therapy app that aims to relieve back pain at home. Users benefit from a pain reduction of over 40 percent, which has been shown in scientific studies. What's more, exercise guidelines prevent back pain from becoming chronic. The app incorporates breathing exercises and relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation.

9. TouchPoint restores calm when you are stressed

This new smart wearable will support your stress resilience. When you feel you need to calm down, push the button to release gentle, alternating micro-vibrations. TouchPoints can be placed where it’s most convenient and comfortable for you, for example, on a wrist, in a pocket or socks. For a personalized and comforting feeling, there are three vibration speed settings.

10. Chronic pain relief system from Quell

Quell – new wearable innovation – offers relief from chronic pain. A cuff worn on a painful place stimulates local nerves to minimize a perceptible level of pain. The effectiveness of the pain therapy has been clinically confirmed, this way Quell has been also approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Quell App allows to personalize treatment and adjust intensity.

11. Clear and allergens-free air at home with Dyson

No doubts, air quality is crucial for health. Dyson can help to create a pollution-free environment at home. The device captures up to 99.97 percent of particle pollutants and purifies the air precisely. An integrated fan distributes clean air in the selected room. It also senses and reports particles and gases. The Dyson Link app monitors air quality indoors and out.