Technology is playing an increasing role in the day-to-day business of sales reps. In this department, Repertoire will profile the latest developments in software and gadgets that reps can use for work and play.
Technology news
Wise up
The country is getting smarter, according to Research and Markets’ recent report, Global Smart Wearable Healthcare Devices and Services Market 2015-2019.
According to the report, the global smart wearable healthcare devices and services market is expected to grow more than 30 percent from 2015 through 2019, as they continue to play a greater role in tele-home healthcare. The devices, which are designed to help physicians monitor patients remotely and provide proper treatment, are worn or attached to a user’s body to monitor the changes in various organs and body parts. Examples include smart watches, wearable hands, smart diapers, wristbands, pedometers and bionic suits. Often, they are used to monitor heart rate and cardiac function, body temperature, and daily activity, as well as provide sleep statistics and track calories. In addition, the devices can be synced with the user’s smartphone and tablet. An increase in aging populations and chronic diseases is expected to lead to an increased demand for smart wearable healthcare devices, states the report, particularly given the rise in chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, obesity, heart diseases, asthma and COPD. That said, privacy issues and data security remain a key concern for consumers, particularly since the devices are small and can be misplaced. A lost device can be hacked, leading to security breaches and misuse of personal health-related information. Key vendors include Apple, AT&T, EE, Google, Samsung Electronics, Sprint, Telefonica, T-Mobile and more.
Welcome to 3D
Why should your customers settle for a flat set of CT scans when a 3D hologram is possible? Holographic Optical Technologies, a holographic medical imaging company, recently introduced the Voxbox (8-inch display) and Voxbox Pro (22-inch display). The systems are designed to allow consumers to view fully three-dimensional holograms at home. The holograms project out towards the observer in front of the portable Voxbox screen, and viewers can reach into them to intuitively understand their information. The company has also announced its hologram production service, whereby users can submit nearly any set of 3D data to be made into a Voxgram hologram, such as a set of CT scans obtained from a doctor, a user-created 3D model, or a 3D character downloaded from the Internet. Whereas the Voxbox viewer can be used to display holograms on a desk or mounted on a wall, the larger Voxbox Pro is a medical-grade display, designed to be used by physicians to view medical holograms.
Call – or text – home
Smartphone users rely heavily on their phone – but not necessarily for making calls. Informate Mobile Intelligence, a monthly report dedicated to tracking and measuring consumer use of smartphones in 12 countries, points out that while cell phone use is increasing, more often than not, communications are in the form of texts. After measuring smartphone users’ engagement on calls, texting and chat/VOIP, the firm reports that the average American makes or answers six phone calls per day, sends and receives 32 texts, and spends 14 minutes on chat/VOIP. Essentially, smartphone users in the United States spend about 26 minutes a day texting. In fact, compared with other countries, U.S. smartphone users reportedly have the highest average rate of monthly data consumption (19 gigabytes).
Patient-engagement solution
TeleHealth Services, a provider of hospital televisions and interactive patient-engagement solutions, has announced through its partnership with Samsung Electronics America, Inc., the completion of SmarTigr, a patient-engagement solution. To help hospitals and health systems improve both the patient experience and patient-provider communication, the SmarTigr utilizes the smart TV functionality of the Samsung healthcare televisions, combined with the clinical features of TeleHealth’s iTigr patient-engagement solution. The goal is to lower the cost of hospital-patient interactive systems while expanding both clinical and non-clinical applications available, including electronic whiteboards, patient portal registration, internet access, and additional patient education and entertainment options.
Activity tracker
Omron Healthcare, Inc., a manufacturer of personal wellness products, has announced the Alvita Wireless Activity Tracker, a tool designed to help people remain motivated to maintain their fitness goals. The device is designed to allow users to transfer fitness data wirelessly to their smartphone with the free Omron Fitness app. Featuring Bluetooth® Smart technology, the tracker records steps, aerobic steps, distance and calories burned, enabling users to set realistic goals and check progress along the way. At less than a square inch in size, it is compatible with several systems and devices, including iPhone® 4S & higher; iPad® 3 & higher; iOS 7+; Samsung Galaxy S® III & higher; and Android™ OS 4.3+ when the free Omron Fitness mobile app is installed. The tracker displays the current day’s activity on an LCD screen with the tap of a finger, and stores up to 14 days in the device. (MSRP $59.99)
Fore!
Epson America Inc. now offers its M-Tracer™ golf swing analyzer through Epson.com, the Leadbetter Golf Academy and golf specialty retailers (MSRP of $299). The club-mounted golf swing analyzer is said to be lightweight and is designed to capture the golf swing at 1,000 samples per second, sending data to an iOS or Android smartphone in real-time via Bluetooth®. The system’s built-in Inertial Measurement Unit derived from Epson’s industrial sensors enables it to track and record the swing path of the club, club-head speed, club-head path and face angle at the time of impact, tempo and more. The M-Tracer smartphone app shows the golfer’s full swing path in 3D, with the ability to rotate the view and compare one’s swing against previously recorded swings or that of a pro-level golfer. The app also provides comprehensive graphical analysis of the impact zone, shaft rotation, club speed and swing tempo, and offers a built-in freeze frame option halfway-back and at-the-top positions.