Within 10 years, 50% of Americans over 55 years old will use wearable devices daily to forecast life-threatening health risks, predicts consulting firm ScienceSoft in a new study based on an analysis of statistical platforms, consumer surveys and other research from sources like PubMed, MDPI and ScienceDirect.
While acknowledging that older generations have been slower than younger ones to adopt wearables, ScienceSoft said interest is growing, with the adoption rate in 2023 below 25% for those over 65, but 30% for those between 55 and 65.
Barriers to growth, the consultancy said, include perceived complexity, subpar user experience, discomfort, inaccurate data, and concerns about such physical harm as radiation. As a result, wearable marketers should "focus on addressing these concerns and effectively communicate the benefits of wearables to seniors and their family members," wrote Dr. Gala Batsishcha, ScienceSoft healthcare IT consultant.
One key to future growth, Dr. Batsishcha said, will be expansion of machine learning beyond the "low-key AI" currently found in such devices as the Apple Watch.
While it's already been proven that "monitoring vital signs, such as heart rate, can support the early detection of health risks and potentially reduce reliance on traditional in-person medical examinations," predictive algorithms can also uncover other complex health connections. Notably, the researcher said, such algorithms "have shown the highest accuracy in detecting atrial fibrillation (96,9%), cardiovascular disease (96%), Alzheimer's disease (80%-82%), and diabetes (77%).
Some of the latest developments in wearable technology can be found at this week's CES show in Las Vegas, including:
-- PieX AI pendant. By combining measurement of stress indicators like heart rate variability with an assessment of the user's emotional state through conversational speech tone, this device is said to "build a personalized emotion database for each user." AI uses all this info to provide "life coaching, guided breathing exercises, and comprehensive health monitoring."
-- Lumia earpiece. More than five times smaller than an Apple Airpod, this device tracks a user's blood flow to the head "to help people better understand and self-manage chronic symptoms of dizziness, brain fog, fatigue, and fainting made worse by standing." At CES, Luma is running demos for attendees "to experience what dizziness feels like for those with chronic brain blood flow illnesses such as POTS, dysautonomia, orthostatic hypotension, long COVID, ME/CFS, and orthostatic intolerance."
-- isaac by PreEvnt. Of particular usefulness to people with diabetes or pre-diabetes, isaac -- a watch-size device designed to be worn around the neck with a lanyard or clipped on to clothing -- measures blood glucose levels from a person's breath, If levels rise, isaac alerts a connected app.
-- SolidddVision smartglasses. Touted as providing "the first true vision correction and, indeed, sight restoration -- for people living with vision loss due to macular degeneration," this virtual reality product from Soliddd Corp. projects multiple separate images to undamaged areas of the retina. Soliddd says that this results in the brain constructing a 3D single full-field image "with good acuity that feels like normal, in-focus sight." The company says that 20 million Americans live with distorted and even severe vision loss due to macular degeneration.