Hundreds of new gadgets boasting the latest in health technology were on show at CES 2017 – which ones could help people with Parkinson’s?


The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 showcased hundreds of new electronic inventions across four days in Las Vegas, US. Here, we pick out five with the potential to help people with Parkinson’s.

SmartCane

French technology start-up Nov’in in partnered with cane-makers Fayet – who have handcrafted walking sticks since 1909 ­– to create a ‘smart cane’ that incorporates several movement sensors, including an accelerometer and gyroscope.

The walking stick connects directly to GSM (global system for mobile communication) networks and issues an alert to family members or carers by a call, SMS or email if a fall occurs. It also includes the location of the user via a GPS chip in the device. The walking stick doesn’t need to be paired to any other device to be used.

Smart Cane main image

Learn more about SmartCane here.

Active Protective

Parkinson’s patients who experience ‘freezing’ are susceptible to falls and, as a result, serious injury. Active Protective is a belt that utilises ‘fall-in-progress’ technology, deploying airbag protection around the hip immediately prior to impact – within a fraction of a second.

ActiveProtective belt

Find out more about Active Protective here.

AM-PET Helmet

Meet the world’s first device that can observe and model human brain activity during free movements. It’s the size of a large hat and offers people with neurological conditions a portable alternative to large, clunky and expensive machines, such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanners.

With patients no longer restrained to a lying position, the device moves with the upright person. This enables analysis of a vast array of previously unobservable neurological phenomena in natural behaviours and body movements.

PET Helmet

Discover more about the AM-PET Helmet here.

ZEEQ

Parkinson’s disease can cause problems with your sleep cycle. This ‘smart pillow’ records your natural sleep movements and can also wake you up at the ideal moment in your sleep cycle.

A microphone and motion sensor measure snoring and restlessness, providing data and analysis for the quality of your sleep. The accompanying app lets you check sleep data, see your set alarms, play music, enter diet and exercise regimes.

ZEEQ_pillowFind out more about the ZEEQ pillow here.

Notch 3D motion sensors

This 3D motion sensor pack tracks total body movement by six triangular sensors that can be placed anywhere on the body and visualise the user’s movement in real-time. Each sensor comprises an accelerometer, gyroscope and compass. Parkinson’s physiotherapists could utilise the 3D motion data captured by Notch to help patients who need to improve range of motion.

Notch lead

Visit the Notch website for more information.


Read more: Tremor-reducing GyroGlove set to launch in 2017

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