Wearable healthcare technology has grown in popularity over the last few years. With advancements in biosensor technology and accuracy, smaller battery sizes, and increased performance, healthcare devices can provide users with high-quality healthcare data that can facilitate health monitoring.
What are wearable health monitoring devices?
Wearable healthcare technology refers to health monitoring devices worn on the body, such as smartwatches, to help monitor the user’s health data. These devices use various detectors, such as biosensors, to collect different data from the patient, such as heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, and activity. These devices analyze, detect anomalies, and report data to the user and their healthcare team, if applicable.
Over the years, medical wearables have become increasingly popular due to the advancements in sensor technology and the ability to make sensors and batteries very small. Furthermore, wearable medical devices can facilitate remote patient monitoring while availing of telehealth services.
Wearable medical technology is used to monitor physiological parameters outside clinical environments such as at home, office, gym, and similar. Many of these devices can store patient health information and provide medication reminders, too.
What sensors are used in wearable healthcare technology?
Medical technology uses biosensors to take health data measurements from the patient. Biosensors use biological molecules like enzymes to detect or measure specific substances like glucose, cholesterol, drugs, or health data, such as heart rate, blood pressure, or breathing rate, which helps monitor general health or certain health conditions.
Biosensors detect biological, chemical, or physical signals such as sweat or muscle contractions. Biosensors convert these signals into measurable electrical or optical signals.
The sensing mechanisms in biosensors often use one or more modalities out of these six different modalities:
- Temperature. Thermistors measure changes in body temperature, which is an indicator of complex metabolic processes.
- Electrochemistry. Electrochemical sensors detect biochemical substances such as glucose levels or lactate in the sweat.
- Ultrasound. Ultrasound sensors can detect signals from deeper tissues. These are commonly used to measure blood pressure.
- Magnetic field. These sensors detect changes in mechanical energy. They can be used on the body at various locations at the same time to detect motion.
- Optoelectronics. These sensors detect changes in the optical properties of the biological molecules. They are useful in measuring blood oxygen and heart rate.
- Pressure. These sensors detect mechanical deformations to quantify physiological signals. These are typically used to detect heart rate and blood pressure.
Health monitoring devices for daily use
Today, several types of health monitoring devices are available, and your primary healthcare provider can help you choose the wearable device right for you. Some devices do not meet the accuracy guidelines. One study found that smartwatches failed to meet predefined accuracy guidelines set by Public Health guidelines when comparing data from a manual cuff to a smartwatch. Hence, consulting your doctor can help you make the right choice.
1. Blood pressure monitors
Blood pressure monitors are placed on the right or left arm to provide the user with a blood pressure reading that can be directly recorded on the user's phone. These devices also measure other cardiac parameters such as pulse rate and mean arterial pressure. Several at-home blood pressure cuffs are clinically validated to meet EU and U.S. standards. Read labels carefully before you purchase the device.
2. Glucose meters
Advanced blood glucose reading devices are helpful for diabetic glucose monitoring and help in achieving better glycemic control. These devices, too, are placed on the upper arm and use a phone sensor to measure the reading from the device. These wearable devices are ideal because they lessen the need for patients to 'prick' their fingers, and the device can be used for 7–14 days at a time.
3. ECG monitors
Wearable ECG monitors help to detect abnormal heart rhythms and accurately provide ECG readings. These devices are useful for individuals who are diagnosed with irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation. Since atrial fibrillation can be episodic, having ECG readings during the episode can be beneficial to develop a treatment plan. While these devices are generally accurate, false readings are possible, i.e., devices may not detect an abnormal rhythm.
4. Fitness trackers
Modern-day fitness trackers have a sleek and compact design that monitors several parameters such as heart rate, temperature, activity, and sleep. The data collected can be viewed on the device (e.g., pulse rate) or the user's smartphone. These devices have a battery life that lasts up to seven days. These fitness trackers are available in the form of wristwatches, wrist belts, or rings.
5. Integrated activewear
Innovative wearable technology has now been integrated into activewear and is available in all different shapes and sizes. This technology uses sensors to gauge muscle movements and uses vibrational cues integrated into the clothing to inform the wearer about their posture and movement. This activewear can lead to achieving better fitness goals.
Why should you use wearable health monitoring devices?
The benefits of wearable technology in healthcare range from preventative care to receiving personalized treatment care plans. Here are a few of them listed:
- Tracking. Wearing a healthcare monitoring device can save time by automatically tracking your health information, such as vital signs.
- Real-time data. Wearable devices are generally convenient and easy to use — some can even relay real-time patient data to healthcare teams.
- Personalized plans. Using these devices, doctors can offer personalized healthcare plans as the devices can monitor patients in real time.
- AI technology. AI integration in medical devices can facilitate adherence to treatment plans (e.g., medication reminders via headphones).
- Predictive analytics. Wearable health monitoring devices help in gathering large amounts of data necessary for predictive analytics in healthcare.
Potential challenges and considerations
As wearable health technology continues to advance, researchers and regulators are getting focused on potential challenges and their solutions. One of the main concerns often expressed is data privacy. The regulatory landscape in the EU and U.S. is changing to ensure the privacy of personal health information. Another concern commonly expressed is data security. Data breaches can compromise data security, and manufacturing companies are making an effort to prevent data breaches. However, more efforts are needed in these areas.
Additionally, researchers have often questioned the validity and reliability of the data collected by these devices. Since user behavior influences the quality of data collected, these devices need to be tested in a variety of conditions before they are marketed to the general public. Research has highlighted a greater need for testing these devices.
What is the future of wearable technology in healthcare?
The future of wearable technology in healthcare looks very promising. Using accurate sensors and technology, manufacturers can provide the user with the best healthcare monitoring. Wearable health technology has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by enabling patients to take a more proactive approach to their health and well-being. However, there is much more to come, and the future of healthcare technology is still in its early stages.
Wearable healthcare monitoring devices on the market allow users to measure large amounts of healthcare data. As artificial intelligence technology advances, these data can be used to make meaningful predictions of diseases and provide actionable insights by healthcare professionals. These devices can further facilitate remote patient monitoring and telehealth services.
In a nutshell, wearable devices, such as smartwatches, rings, or wristbands, can collect physiological data continuously in environments outside clinics, like heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen, glucose levels, activity, and sleep. These data can provide actionable insights to the user and their healthcare team. Using these devices, patients can avail of telehealth facilities or remote patient monitoring, which can help in managing chronic disease with wearables. Consult your physician to discuss your fitness goals or chronic disease management goals. Your healthcare team can suggest a wearable device best suited for your health goals.
📝Healthnews editor's top picks
If you have decided to stay on top of your health, our team has conducted thorough research to bring you top smart devices that cover different types of healthtech to monitor your body metrics and support your wellness journey:
1. RingConn — best smart ring for fitness lovers
- Made from titanium metal
- Stress index monitoring
- No subscription fee
For fitness enthusiasts, RingConn may be the ideal smart ring to keep track of athletic performance, calories, and steps. The best part is that it also monitors key insights into your health, including sleep analysis, stress index, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation.
2. SonoHealth — best pulse oximeter for at-home use
- FDA-cleared device
- Comes with a free app and unlimited cloud storage
- Universal finger size
Whether you are a tech enthusiast or a casual user, SonoHealth’s pulse oximeter delivers a user-friendly device for monitoring your blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate. It allows you to store and sync up to 99 recordings, making it simple to follow your statistics and trends.
3. KardiaMobile® — best FDA-cleared EKG device
- FDA-cleared device
- Provides detailed insights into your heart health
- Convenient and user-friendly
KardiaMobile® stands out as a great option for tracking your EKG conveniently on your smartphone. FDA-cleared, it can record medical-grade single-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) in just seconds, providing insights into your heart rate, rhythm, and overall heart health.
FAQ
What are the examples of wearable biosensors?
Some examples of wearable biosensors are continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart technology clothing. These products can help monitor the physiological variables of those who use them.
How do medical sensors work?
Medical sensors use biosensors that sense changes in temperature, pressure, or optical properties of biological molecules. These signals are then converted into measurable electrical or optical signals.
What are the most popular wearable devices?
There are different makes and models of wearable devices on the market today. The most popular wearable devices are smartwatches that can track activity and sleep. Fitness trackers are widely popular to monitor heart rate, activity, and blood oxygen levels. These trackers are commonly available in the form of wristbands and rings.
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Wearable healthcare technology is healthcare monitoring devices worn on the body to monitor healthcare data through the use of biosensors.
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Wearable healthcare technology has been used to monitor physiological measures such as heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen levels, activity, and sleep.
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Biosensors detect bodily signals using different modalities such as temperature, electrochemical, ultrasound, and pressure.
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As wearable devices technology advances, it can be used to further facilitate personalized medicine and telehealth services.
6 resources
- Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy. Accuracy of commercially available heart rate monitors in athletes: a prospective study.
- Sensors International. Biosensors applications in the medical field: a brief review.
- JMIR mHealth and uHealth. Accuracy of vital signs measurements by a smartwatch and a portable health device: validation study.
- Medicine in Novel Technology and Devices. Flexible, wearable biosensors for digital health.
- Engineering Proceedings. Privacy and regulatory issues in wearable health technology.
- Technologies. Validity and reliability of physiological data in applied settings measured by wearable technology: a rapid systematic review.
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Comments
As these devices keep getting cheaper, smaller, more accurate, and easier to use, more and more medical functions will move down-market from exclusive use by medical practitioners in clinics and hospitals to consumers at home and on the move.
This has the "potential" of reducing overall healthcare spending, but not without major reforms addressing the fact that our nation spends $4.3 trillion/year on health care, which is twice what other rich nations spend -- nations with better average longevity and medical outcomes. Standing in the way of such reforms is our politics and extreme wealth inequality.