[Software] The devices, software and health tech headlines of CES 2021

[_Happy boy]

There was a time when CES' annual takeover of Las Vegas was about as reliable as the passing of seasons, but the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed this year's event into the first all-digital show of the trade convention's decades-long history. In lieu of crowded conference halls, on-stage keynotes and late-night parties, attendees are logging on to watch consumer technology's major names discuss upcoming trends in virtual fireside chats and Brady Bunch-esque roundtables. 

Amidst all of this, companies big and small are again pulling back the curtains from their newest health and wellness technologies, with offerings ranging from remote sensors to smartphone apps to a non-invasive glucose monitor. Read on below for MobiHealthNews' list of CES 2021's product announcements (and check back throughout the week as the reveals keep rolling in).

Omron Healthcare, the maker of a range of medical devices for professional and consumer use, is taking its first stab at remote patient monitoring. 

Called VitalSight, the product is a clinician-provided home kit that includes a connected blood pressure monitor and a data hub. The technology can be integrated into an EHR system, allowing doctors to view patients' data within their records or through a data analysis and automatic notification dashboard built by the company. The company said it will be partnering with Mount Sinai New York and Northwestern Medicine for early rollout of the system.

"OMRON created VitalSight specifically for hypertension management," Jeffrey Ray, Omron's executive director of business and technology, said in a statement. "This new service is designed to encourage more remote monitoring, more communication between the patient and the physician, and more data to make treatment decisions and improve health outcomes."

Omron also took advantage of the virtual show to preview the 2.0 update of its Omron Connect mobile app. A combination of its existing HeartAdvisor and Omron Connect apps, the tool will communicate with the company's various connected blood pressure monitors while feeding users new health insights based on their readings. 

Biometric sensor maker Valencell unveiled a version of its cuffless, calibration-free blood pressure measurement tech that can be embedded into devices worn on the finger and wrist. Previously available only for devices worn in the ear, this tech now allows partner companies to add the feature to their smartwatches, pulse oximeter finger clips and other similar devices. 

To do so, the company's software combines data from photoplethysmography (PPG) and inertial sensors rather than a traditional cuff. According to Valencell, this approach can generate readings throughout the day with similar accuracy to blood pressure cuffs.Meanwhile, Toronto-based NuraLogix came to the show with its own take on blood pressure monitoring: a smartphone app that takes readings within 30 seconds and without physical contact. The Anura app shines a light through the skin and measuring its translucency to understand blood flow. The company is offering the app as a free iOS and Android download for personal use, and offerings SDKs and white-labeled integrations for enterprises. It is available in seven languages.

 

Meanwhile, Toronto-based NuraLogix came to the show with its own take on blood pressure monitoring: a smartphone app that takes readings within 30 seconds and without physical contact. The Anura app shines a light through the skin and measuring its translucency to understand blood flow. The company is offering the app as a free iOS and Android download for personal use, and offerings SDKs and white-labeled integrations for enterprises. It is available in seven languages.