An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
There seems to be a new collaboration in town. Apple and Google and…healthcare?
Recently, Google has announced its smart contact lens project, which could have a profound impact on the monitoring of glucose levels for diabetes patients. But Google isn’t alone in its dreams to venture into healthcare. Apple too, has announced plans to introduce an iWatch that will also monitor health concerns.
Image Source: Enfuzed.com
That’s right: Apple has plans to expand its arsenal of products to wearable computers and medical sensor devices. Fans of Apple have been looking forward to this kind of wearable tech for awhile now, but this time, the company plans to increase its focus and resources on the project. And it was just recently that Apple had the chance to collaborate with engineers, scientists, and managers skill in biomedical technologies, fitness, and glucose sensors.
In addition to hiring a new time of specialists, Apple has also met with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials. This development, coupled with the rumors of the new technology, could indicate the direction in which Apple is heading.
While it’s still in the developmental stages, designers of the iWatch are aiming for a 1.5-inch display with “full” iOS, biometrics and other sensors, and a 4-5 day battery life. If all goes according to plan, we might be hearing about a release date for late 2014.
And what’s a device without an app? Jeff Williams, Senior Vice President of Operations at Apple, and the Vice President of Software Technologies, Bud Tribble, met with FDA officials late last year to talk about developing mobile medical applications.
Apple is also said to be working on a product labeled “Healthbook,” which will be designed specifically for tracking health metrics. Supposedly, it will be able to store personal health statistics, such as a person’s blood pressure and heart rate. It could possibly be included in the next major iOS release and become a part of Apple’s wearable technology line.
But Apple isn’t the only company that is meeting with the FDA. Just weeks before Apple’s meeting, Google also met with officials to discuss their medical-related contact lenses. Google has said that their goal is to get other manufacturers involved in their endeavor and bringing the concept to life and into the market.
According to Brian Otis and Babak Parviz, the co-founders of the project, they hope that these smart contacts will help relieve affected patients from the pressure of managing their own diabetes. Most of the glucose monitors on the market today require drops of blood in order to test their blood sugar levels, but Google wants to attempt to humanize the process without inflicting pain on the patient whatsoever– with natural tears.
Image Source: TheNextWeb.com
Between Google and Apple, there seems to be an emerging trend of glucose monitoring and new health-related products. Will their new technology change the face of healthcare? Only time will tell, but with more and more individuals becoming more aware of the importance of their own health, this is more than just “news”– it’s the future!
Megan Ritter is a writer with a passion for all things tech and business, and she is happy to have had the opportunity to share her knowledge about the future of the healthcare industry. She sometimes contributes to the blog on VirtualPhone-Number.com, which covers business communications, internet telephony and VoIP.