(AFP) – Pillows for better sleep, toilets for home urinalysis, holograms for surgeons: many innovations presented on Tuesday in the run-up to the major electronics trade fair CES in Las Vegas are intended to take care of our bodies.
In view of the pandemic, health will again be a key topic at the event, says tech analyst Avi Greengart. “We should see really interesting health devices that monitor or improve our well-being,” he says.
– Home urine analysis
You don’t have to go to the laboratory for certain urine tests: the French company Withings invented a device called the U-Scan, which is placed on the toilet bowl like a block of deodorant.
Just pee at home as usual. A heat sensor detects the urine and recognizes which member of the household it came from to prevent visiting friends from being analyzed as well.
The liquid is then strained into a cartridge that holds up to 100 tests and lasts about three months. The results are sent to the phone and can be shared with the doctor.
Withings has developed two versions: one designed to follow women’s hormonal cycles, the other for nutrition with information on hydration, PH levels or vitamin C. The company can suggest dietary changes as desired.
A third version was also developed for research projects where, for example, people with kidney stones are likely.
“Having this data on a daily basis allows the user and the doctors to understand the health of the person, since these are not measurements that we take once a year or every two years,” notes Mathieu Letombe, from Withings.
– The anti-snoring pillow
For sleepers who wake their partner up with snoring or are disturbed by their own noises, South Korean company 10minds has developed an inflatable pillow connected to a sound sensor.
“If you start snoring, our system will detect it,” said Daehyun Kim, a company representative, adding that the machine can distinguish sounds from a possible partner or a dog.
The four airbags inside the pillow then inflate or deflate almost silently, “so that your head turns to the side”.
The airways open and the snoring stops.
– The medical massage chair
For those who complain of neck or back pain, South Korean company Bodyfriend markets a $9,500 massage chair that focuses on the neck, with the head held in place by a headband.
The machine also spreads heat down your back and emits pulsed electromagnetic waves designed to relieve muscle pain. Since the feet and calves are also enclosed, the body is enveloped by the tilting chair.
“Our technology helps solve the problems created by technology,” notes Changjoo Kim, the company’s North America manager: Spending time with your phone and other screens can cause back problems.
– Augmented Reality for surgeons
The French company Abys Medical wants to use its software and augmented reality helmet to help orthopedists and trauma surgeons during operations.
Before the act, the medical team can plan the procedure by bringing all of their X-rays and other medical images together on one platform, thus recreating the patient’s skeleton in 3D like a “digital twin”.
In the operating room, the surgeon can access this information at any time via his helmet in the form of a hologram, including, for example, a representation of the spine that he can view from multiple angles with a simple swipe of his finger.
The tool can be particularly beneficial for less experienced surgeons, says Arnaud Destainville, co-founder of the company. It can also prove that the caregiver planned the procedure correctly.