Biometric health innovations for wearables advance towards market

Several companies have unveiled upgrades to their biometrics-powered wearable devices last week.

LifeQ announced a $47 million investment funding round to foster the development of its biometric solutions, and Valencell blood pressure monitoring technology was presented at the American College of Cardiology.

Also, VitalTracer owner and University of Ottawa student Azadeh Dastmalchi was awarded $10,000 by HSBC Bank Canada, and Lumen entered the second phase of its partnership with Garmin.

LifeQ secures $47 million investment

Biometric wearable manufacturer LifeQ has announced a $47 million funding round from a number of investors, including Invenfin, 4Di Capital, Allectus Capital, among others.

According to LifeQ Co-founders Laurence Olivier, CEO, and Dr. Franco du Preez, chief scientist, the company will now utilize the fresh funds to foster the development of biometric wearables for healthcare applications.

“We are in the midst of a global health crisis caused by sedentary lifestyle, increased work demands, and unhealthy foods resulting in rapid increase in chronic illnesses worldwide, many of which are preventable,” Olivier explained.

“The COVID-19 situation has brought this problem into stark focus. LifeQ has already been integrated into some of the world’s most innovative new wearable products to bring consumers the healthcare of the future,” the CEO added.

Several smartphone and wearables manufacturers have already integrated LifeQ’s solutions into their offerings, including Samsung, Xiaomi, Fossil Group.

Valencell presents at the American College of Cardiology

Dr. Steven LeBoeuf, president and co-founder of Valencell, recently presented the findings of a clinical study showcasing the company’s biometric capabilities at the American College of Cardiology.

The study particularly analyzed how Valencell used photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors to estimate blood pressure (BP) with high levels of accuracy.

In other words, how the company analyzed finger PPG data and generated accurate blood pressure measurements without the need for a cuff or user calibration.

The study, which saw the collaboration of over 4000 participants, paves the way for commercial applications of accurate devices to self-monitor blood pressure.

It comes after another study Valencell published in January, focusing on how smartwatch biometrics could detect COVID-19 before symptoms surfaced.

VitalTracer owner named Student Entrepreneur National Champion

The owner of VitalTracer, a company manufacturing medical smartwatches with biometric sensors, has been awarded CA$10,000 (roughly US$8,300) by Enactus Canada and HSBC Bank Canada.

Dastmalchi, who is also a full-time student at the University of Ottawa, also received the title of 2021 Student Entrepreneur National Champion at the Enactus Canada National Exposition.

“At Enactus, we strive to empower the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders,” commented Enactus Canada president Nicole Almond.

“Azadeh exemplifies the qualities we hope to inspire in our future leaders. We are honored to celebrate her accomplishments and help advance VitalTracer through this financial award and recognition,” she concluded.

Lumen launches second phase of partnership with Garmin

Metabolism measurement device manufacturer Lumen has announced the beginning of the second phase of integration with Garmin.

As part of the ongoing collaboration, biometric health and activity data from Garmin will be integrated and collected alongside metabolic data from the Lumen device and app.

“The combination of real-time metabolic data from Lumen and biometric data from Garmin is a powerful tool that lets you make informed decisions about how to fuel your body and achieve your fitness goals faster,” explained Travis Johnson, global product lead for Garmin Health.

The partnership between the companies started in November 2020, with the Lumen metabolism measurement app becoming available for Garmin users.

The second phase of the collaboration will now allow Garmin users to directly correlate their Body Battery, heart rate, and workout activity.

Article Topics

biometric data  |  biometrics  |  fitness tracking  |  heartbeat biometrics  |  monitoring  |  research and development  |  Valencell  |  wearables