Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) AI Glasses Debut in India with 3K Video, Hindi AI, and UPI Payments

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) AI glasses will be available in India starting today, bringing sharper video capture, significantly improved battery life, upgraded Meta AI experiences, and refreshed styles that blend iconic design with everyday utility. The collection will be available nationwide at Ray-Ban India and leading optical and eyewear retailers, with prices starting at INR 39,900.

Next-Generation AI Glasses for Every Lifestyle

Building on the success of the first-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) delivers sharper 3K Ultra HD video capture, ultrawide HDR, and upgraded Meta AI experiences. With up to 8 hours of battery life, fast charging to 50% in 20 minutes, and a charging case providing an additional 48 hours of power, Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) is designed to keep up from sunrise to sundown. New capture modes like hyperlapse and slow motion will roll out through software updates later, making storytelling even more creative and immersive.

New Styles, Colors, and Limited Editions

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 arrives in the legendary Wayfarer, the modern Skyler, and the popular Headliner styles. This year’s lineup introduces seasonal colors such as Shiny Cosmic Blue, Shiny Mystic Violet, and Shiny Asteroid Grey.

Smarter, More Helpful Meta AI

Meta AI becomes more useful across everyday scenarios. Users can say “Hey Meta” to get instant answers, recommendations, or creative prompts. Conversation Focus enhances voices in loud settings and Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) now supports full Hindi interaction, allowing users to speak naturally to Meta AI for tasks like asking questions, capturing photos and videos, controlling media, and responding to messages.

Meta AI Now Has Celebrity AI Voice

Recently, Meta AI introduced Celebrity AI Voice, enabling users to interact with the assistant in natural spoken conversation. People can now interact with Deepika Padukone’s AI voice. She joined Meta AI’s global lineup of voices for the assistant, including many other recognizable celebrity voices to choose from.

Testing UPI-Lite payments

Soon, you’ll be able to experience a new feature that allows you to make secure UPI QR-code payments directly from your Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses. Simply look at a QR code while wearing your glasses and say, “Hey Meta, scan and pay” to complete a UPI Lite payment – no need to reach for your phone. Payments will be processed through your WhatsApp-linked bank account, making everyday transactions quicker and more seamless than ever.

IIT Mandi Creates Super-Flexible Material for Future Wearable Gadgets

• The findings lay a strong foundation for building flexible electronics, wearable medical sensors, lightweight solar cells, next-generation strain sensors, and tunable optical devices.
• This study addresses one of the major challenges faced in the field of atomically thin materials: poor stability in air and difficulties in flexible device fabrication.
• This Work has published in advanced functional Materials

Globally, there is a major push toward flexible and wearable electronics, ranging from bendable smartphones to medical sensors that can monitor health in real-time. The success of these technologies depends heavily on advanced materials research. Graphene, a thin two-dimensional (2D) material with extraordinary properties, predicted to be the foundation for next-generation devices such as photodetectors, sensors, supercapacitors, and flexible electronics.

However, graphene has many limitations. Over a four-year period, oxidation and degradation of such thin 2D materials (WS2) were observed, leading to poor device efficiency. In addition, transfer techniques like those used for 2D materials often damaged the delicate flakes, resulting in slippage, weak adhesion, and loss of optical or electrical properties.

 

To address this, researchers at IIT Mandi developed a ground-breaking WS₂–PDMS composite fabrication. A long-lasting and flexible material that could power the next generation of wearable gadgets, bendable phones, and health-monitoring devices.

The development of WS₂–PDMS composite fabrication

The research, led by Prof. Viswanath Balakrishnan along with Yadu Chandran, Dr. Deepa Thakur, and Anjali Sharma from IIT Mandi, introduces a water-mediated, non-destructive transfer method that enables chemical vapor deposited WS₂ (a widely studied semiconductor) monolayers to be sandwiched within PDMS layers.

Speaking about the breakthrough, Prof. Viswanath Balakrishnan, Associate Professor, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, IIT Mandi, said, “This development a significant milestone toward flexible, wearable electronics from 2D materials. By protecting those atomically thin layers while not giving up their optical or electrical properties, we've defined a scalable, long-lived platform for the next generation of sensors, displays, and health-monitoring.” This research will be helpful in creating wearable health-monitoring sensors, flexible displays and smartphones, solar cells and light-harvesting devices, strain sensors, memristors, optoelectronic systems and quantum technologies such as valleytronics and photon emitters.”

The researchers demonstrated that encapsulating monolayer tungsten disulfide (WS₂) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) maintained stability for over a year without any signs of oxidation and degradation. Furthermore, the vertical stacking of WS₂-PDMS layers enhanced optical absorption by more than fourfold while preserving the intrinsic properties of the monolayers. Additionally, the composite exhibited excellent flexibility and durability, withstanding thousands of bending cycles without delamination and ensuring efficient strain transfer.

Overall, this research addresses a key challenge in using atomically thin materials, their poor stability in air. By developing a simple composite strategy using PDMS, these materials can be preserved for long-term use while maintaining their unique properties. Since they are the foundation for flexible electronics, wearable health monitors, next-generation sensors, and efficient optoelectronic devices, this method directly contributes to technologies that will impact daily life in the near future.

National Importance of the Research

This innovation directly contributes to India’s National Quantum Mission, (an initiative by the Government of India to propel the nation to the forefront of quantum technology research and development with a budget allocation of ₹6,000 crore) by enabling durable 2D materials that are vital for quantum light sources, single-photon emitters, and secure communication technologies. It also aligns with the growing global demand for flexible electronics, wearable healthcare systems, and energy-efficient devices.

This initiative has the potential to establish India as a global leader in quantum computing, secure communications, and advanced quantum materials. Two-dimensional TMDs can play a pivotal role as single-photon emitters, valleytronics platforms, and quantum light sources, crucial elements of quantum computing and communication. The compatibility of such materials with flexible platforms also opens the possibility of integrated quantum devices on bendable and transparent substrates, offering design advantages that traditional bulk materials cannot achieve.

Practical Implications

The findings lay a strong foundation for building flexible electronics, wearable medical sensors, lightweight solar cells, next-generation strain sensors, and tunable optical devices. Since PDMS is biocompatible, the nanocomposite is especially promising for wearable health monitors that can be directly attached to the human body for real-time tracking.

The method also allows vertical stacking of layers to integrate multiple functionalities on a single compact platform. It is scalable, cost-effective, and free of complications, making it suitable for industrial adoption.

One highlight of this research is that the process avoids harmful chemicals, reducing environmental impact. With its long-term vision, the approach can accelerate the development of durable, high-performance devices that fit seamlessly into smart wearables, healthcare technologies, and energy-efficient systems, ultimately benefiting society at large.

Axis Bank, boAt & Mastercard Launch Smartwatch That Lets You Pay with a Tap—No Wallet Needed

Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector Banks in India, today announced that it has collaborated with boAt, India’s No.1 wearable brand, and Mastercard, a global technology leader in payments, to seamlessly integrate tap & pay NFC enabled payments for its newly launched ‘Wave Fortune’, a cutting-edge smartwatch. Priced competitively at ₹3,299 (₹2,599 during special offers), Wave Fortune is designed to empower users with convenience, security, and a next-level smartwatch experience

Axis Bank cardholders can now securely tokenize and store their debit and credit cards on the WAVE Fortune Smartwatch via Crest Pay, boAt’s official payments app and make contactless payments effortlessly. This feature, powered by Mastercard’s tokenization technology and supported by the robust token requestor infrastructure of TAPPY Technologies, allows single-step payment of up to ₹5,000 on a POS device without entering card PIN, ensuring both speed and security.

Powered by Mastercard, the payment system allows users to securely tokenize and store their cards within the smartwatch strap for quick and seamless transactions. Axis Bank credit and debit cardholders on Mastercard and VISA networks will continue to enjoy the rewards and benefits of their linked card while making payments with the Wave Fortune smartwatch.

Commenting on the partnership, Arnika Dixit, President & Head - Cards, Payments and Wealth Management, Axis Bank, said, “At Axis Bank, we have been continuously working on innovation-led partnership models to offer innovative and secure digital banking solutions to customers. In this effort, we are delighted to have partnered with boAt to truly make payments on-the-go, seamlessly integrating contactless payments into people’s day-to-day lives. Bringing in our expertise in tokenized contactless payments, ‘Wave Fortune’, a cutting-edge smartwatch will allow the users with the highest standards of safety and security, combined with a quick and convenient payment experience.”

Sameer Mehta, Co-founder and CEO, boAt, said, "At boAt, we are always striving to push the boundaries of technology to enhance everyday convenience. Our partnership with Axis Bank brings secure, effortless payments to the wrist, making contactless transactions more accessible than ever."

Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia at Mastercard said, “In the near future, payments will be gesture-based — integrated into our daily routines, with transactions occurring in a frictionless manner. Wearable devices, irrespective of the form factor, will play a key role in this evolution, offering quick and secure payment experiences. As a company committed to shaping this future of commerce, Mastercard is delighted to power the tokenization enabled smartwatch, empowering users to pay with their credit or debit cards.”

Wave Fortune Smartwatch

In addition to its contactless payment functionality, the Wave Fortune smartwatch is designed to keep users connected, stylish, and productive - whether at the gym, on the move, or in business settings. It brings secure, on-the-go payments to the wrist and reflects boAt’s vision of merging convenience with innovation to create lifestyle-driven wearables.

A Display That Shines, Features That Deliver

• Vivid 1.96” HD display with 240x282 resolution and 550 nits brightness for exceptional clarity - even under direct sunlight
• Wake gesture for quick access to time and notifications
• DIY Watch Face Studio to personalize your home screen with images, themes, or artworks

Fitness and Utility 

• Built-InEarn boAt Coins by achieving fitness milestones - redeemable for boAt offers
• Ultra-clear Bluetooth Calling, interactive dial pad, contact saving, and direct access to Crest Pay

The Wave Fortune smartwatch is now available in Active Black on the [boAt website].

Bengaluru's JNCASR Scientists Develop Smart Wearable System That Can Detect Stress

Scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru have developed a novel wearable device that can detect stress.

The device uses a silver wire network on a stretchable material to sense strain and mimic pain perception. This technology adapts its electrical response based on the strain, much like how our bodies respond to repeated pain over time.

A stretchable device that responds to strain much like the human body reacts to pain, emulating adaptive and habituation behaviours to modulate pain responses intelligently.

When this stretchable material is stretched, small gaps appear within the silver network, temporarily breaking the electrical pathway. An electric pulse can then prompt the silver to fill these gaps, reconnecting the network and essentially "remembering" the event. Each time it is stretched and reconnected, the device gradually adjusts its response, much like how our bodies adapt to repeated pain over time. This dynamic process enables the device to mimic memory and adaptation, bringing humans closer to materials that respond intelligently to their environment.

Key Features:

Neuromorphic Device: Inspired by the human nervous system, this device mimics the functions of neurons and synapses

Adaptive Response: The device can sense strain and adjust its response, essentially "remembering" the event each time it is stretched and reconnected.

Potential Applications: This technology could lead to advanced health monitoring systems that provide real-time feedback to doctors or users. It could also improve robotic systems, making them safer and more intuitive to work with humans.

This innovation represents a significant step forward in wearable technology, offering new possibilities for health monitoring and human-machine interactions.

This innovative work is published as a research in the journal Materials Horizons, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) could lead to more advanced health monitoring systems that "feel" stress like the human body and adapt in real-time, giving feedback to doctors or users. Such technology could also improve robotic systems, helping machines become safer and more intuitive to work with humans.

In a First of Its Kind, Samsung Galaxy's Feature Which Detects Signs of Sleep Apnea Gets US FDA Authorization

Samsung Electronics announced that the sleep apnea feature¹ on the Samsung Health Monitor app² has received De Novo authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This feature, which detects signs of sleep apnea using a compatible Samsung Galaxy Watch and phone, was the first of its kind to be authorized by the FDA following previous approval by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), announced last October in Korea.

The sleep apnea feature enables users over the age of 22 who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea to detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) over a two-night monitoring period, a common and chronic sleep condition that often goes undiagnosed and untreated. To utilize the feature, users can simply track their sleep twice for more than four hours within a ten-day period.

OSA causes a person to stop breathing while sleeping and can often result in disruptions in oxygen supply, decreased sleep quality and increased daytime fatigue. Untreated sleep apnea can compound the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia and stroke. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), roughly 25% of men and 10% of women in the U.S. experience OSA. The new feature on the Samsung Health Monitor app is expected to help more people proactively detect moderate or severe forms of OSA, and as a result of the detection seek medical care to reduce the possibility of health-related complications.

Good health is strongly linked to good sleep. Sleep helps bodies and minds recover and empowers people to wake up refreshed and ready for the day ahead. The quality of sleep people get every night has a significant impact on their physical and mental well-being, relationships, performance and more. Samsung recognizes the foundational role that sleep serves in people’s health and well-being by focusing on three key elements for better sleep: understanding sleep patterns, building better habits and creating a sleep-friendly environment.

With the sleep apnea feature, Samsung is taking the next step in its ongoing commitment to provide Galaxy users with the best possible sleep tools to improve their sleep health habits. The feature will be available on the Galaxy Watch series in the U.S. via the Samsung Health Monitor app in the third quarter.³

1 The Sleep Apnea Feature is an over-the-counter (OTC) software-only, mobile medical application operating on a compatible Samsung Galaxy Watch and phone. This feature is intended to detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in the form of significant breathing disruptions in adult users 22 years and older, over a two-night monitoring period. It is intended for on-demand use. This feature is not intended for users who have previously been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Users should not use this feature to replace traditional methods of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified clinician. The data provided by this device is also not intended to assist clinicians in diagnosing sleep disorders.
2 Availability may vary by market or device. Due to market restrictions in obtaining approval/registration as a Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), it only works on watches and phones purchased in the markets where service is currently available (however, service may be restricted when users travel to non-service markets).
3 Availability may vary by market, carrier, model, or paired phone.

Longevity-focused Healthtech Startup Bonatra launches Wearable Smart Rings

Bonatra introduces wearable technology that continuously monitors multiple health parameters, offering a holistic approach to health and well-being

Bonatra, a longevity focused health-tech company that helps people live longer, healthier lives through (Internet of Medical Things) IOMT-enabled and doctor-led lifestyle programs, has launched Wearable Smart Rings. The newly launched Smart Rings are designed to continuously monitor a range of health parameters, empowering users to live longer and healthier lives.

Bonatra's Smart Rings come equipped with advanced features that provide valuable insights into various aspects of health. The device has the capability to track key parameters such as Sleep Score and Readiness Score. The Sleep Score feature employs advanced algorithms to analyze sleep stages, duration, and quality, resulting in improvements in sleep patterns and overall well-being. The Readiness Score provides users with a comprehensive assessment of their body's preparedness for the day, enabling them to make informed decisions about their activities.

Bonatra Smart Ring

Made from aerospace-grade Titanium Alloys, the Smart Ring X1 offers durability and elegance. Weighing just 4 grams, this lightweight accessory is ideal for individuals leading active lifestyles. The hypoallergenic medical-grade resin ensures comfort during prolonged wear, while the IP68 rating makes the Smart Ring X1 suitable for various activities including swimming, deep diving, sailing, surfing, and trekking.

Rahul Kishore Singh, CEO and Co-Founder of Bonatra, said, "At Bonatra, we have always believed that technology can empower people to take a step towards healthier living. Over the last year, we have consistently focused on introducing AI -based, IoMT enabled and doctor-led initiatives to guide people towards achieving their health goals. The launch of our wearable Smart Rings is a step in that direction. This wearable technology isn't just about monitoring health parameters. It's also about empowering individuals with actionable insights for making positive lifestyle changes."

Starting at Rs 9,999/-, with EMI options available, the Smart Ring X1 Offers a comprehensive health solution where users will receive a three-month complimentary Coach Enabled Program, connecting them with certified health coaches and doctors who will guide them in understanding and improving their health based on the data collected by the ring. The Ring can be purchased on Amazon as well.

Bonatra was founded in April 2022 by Rahul Kishore Singh (CEO), Manjari Chandra (CMO), Ramanpreet Singh (COO), and Amit Acharya (CTO). The company takes a distinctive approach by merging technology and personalised care to address chronic diseases. The IoMT devices, including Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) and now the Smart Rings, provide continuous data that feeds into an AI-based algorithm, curating personalised health programs tailored to each individual.

To buy Bonatra Smart Rings, visit https://www.bonatra.com/

About Bonatra:

Bonatra is an IoMT start-up creating a convergence of medical science, data science and technology to help people manage and reverse chronic metabolic diseases and improve their lifestyles, all from the comfort of their homes. Bonatra’s approach uses personalised treatment, which is arrived at after analysing multiple data points and health parameters using various easy-to-use IOMT devices.

The company has raised 5.5 Crores in a Pre-Seed Round round led by ITI Growth Opportunities Fund with participation from marquee angel investors like Jitendra Jagadev, Founder, Nestaway and Helloworld, and Rajesh Yabaji, Founder, Blackbuck.

Compaq Forays into India’s Smartwatch Market with All New QWatch

After winning the hearts of consumers for years with its advanced smart TVs, Compaq has now embarked on a new venture to conquer the Indian smart watch market with QWatch. This is for the first time Compaq, a smart technology brand with massive market repute has entered into the wearable technology segment. The all-new smart watches of Compaq will be exclusively available on the popular e-retail platform, Amazon, from 14 January onwards.

“Our focus has always been to provide everyone with the opportunity to own high-quality and technologically-advanced consumer durables. The smart watches from the atelier of QWatch ensure an exquisite blend of style and technology. Viewing the huge market acceptance of our smart televisions, we are certain that our all-new smart watches will also gain similar popularity among Indian consumers as a phenomenon to cherish and celebrate,”said Amitabh Tiwari, CEO of Ossify Industries Pvt Ltd.

The QWatch range of Compaq smart watches is primarily introduced with three distinguished series – X-Breed, Dimension, and Balance. The smart watches under the X-Breed series fall under the premium segment and are the perfect wearable devices with the best of technology. The Dimension series especially targets youth and the Balance series aptly meets the aspirations of the masses – it offers everything that a consumer would need in a watch and a tad extra, which makes it a perfect buy.

Compaq QWatches are equipped with high-definition display which helps overcome challenges with traditional LED displays. High brightness, wide colour support, and incredible colour accuracy with extraordinary visual experience make QWatches the quality devices. The visual experience is further boosted by unique curved glasses on the QWatches. Compaq smart watches also have advanced features like Bluetooth calling, metal body, 100+ watch faces, wireless charging options, voice assistance, SNS instant messaging notification, media control, turning on display via motion gesture, OTA firmware upgrade, etc. And the icing on the cake is the breathtaking colours of QWatches, specially designed to provide the users with a complete look.

QWatch also comes with a thin 9H hardness glass sheet of protection that makes it tougher and scratch resistant. With the improved damage resistance, the glass can survive pressures, deep cuts and scratches. To cater to the requirements of fitness enthusiasts, QWatch offers health-oriented features like blood oxygen measuring, static/dynamic heart rate monitoring, blood pressure measuring, sleep monitoring, and 120+ Sports modes. Users can also track activities and fitness scores on the watch and phone through which they can count steps/distance covered, and check calories. Compaq QWatches support 50+ exercises for a more accurate report of workouts.

Homegrown Brand PLAY; Teases Its Latest Stunning Fashion Smartwatch; Playfit SLIM2C

The new fashion watch is indeed a smartwatch too & comes with multiple advanced features for enhanced fitness monitoring and is expected to be priced under INR 5,000

India's leading manufacturer of smart, durable, and affordable AioT products, PLAY, is all set to launch its latest fashion smartwatch soon. Updated by PLAY, the latest wearable product has been designed and also manufactured in India. The new, yet to-launched fashion smartwatch shall sport a 1.3” circular dial with a super bright and rich IPS display resolution making up for an all-round visibility of the watch display.

Having seen the new smartwatch, we can assure that the Indian consumers are bound for a fashion treat. Designed in line with the taste of contemporary Indian consumers, this fashion smartwatch design has been kept striking alluring and fashionable yet different from the multiple smartwatch models being launched in India by other competing brands. The design is a blend of traditional looks and modern features to give users a minimalistic yet chic feel while wearing. Despite its slim and sleek design, it’s a true powerhouse with an IP67 rating and should offer a PLAYtime of approximately 5 days.

The smartwatch comes with ultra-modern fitness monitoring features like real-time notifications about heart rate, blood-oxygen (SPO2), blood pressure, sedentary alert, pedometer and sleep monitoring tools to complement the fitness regime of users. It will also be available in two colour variants and is likely to be priced under 5000 and be launching on 22nd of November.

About PLAY

Headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, PLAY was co-founded by Mr. Vikas Jain, co-founder of Micromax, in 2019, along with his school friend Mr. Sandeep Banga. The Indian consumer technology brand aims to design innovative, trendy and best-in-class smart wearables, acoustics and similar AioT products.

PLAY has introduced a wide range of wearable and acoustic products over the last one year and is constantly innovating in product design at their “design-lab” in Pune. The homegrown brand has a robust R&D team in India, which works upon the consumer feedback and analytics received on their digital platforms and from their consumer support teams. PLAY products are currently available only in India and UAE. In India, PLAY has online partnerships with Amazon and Flipkart as well as its own e-store (https://theworldofplay.com/), besides being available in offline stores across the country.

Mega Manufacturing Facility for Hearables, Wearables and IoT Devices Opens in Noida

After grabbing the site for world’s largest robot manufacturing factory, Uttar Pradesh's Noida city now gets mega manufacturing facility for hearables, wearables and IoT devices, inaugurated today by Minister of State for Electronics & IT, Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The new new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, commissioned by Zetwerk Group Company, aims to produce 10 million devices annually.

Spread out over an area of 50,000 sq.ft, the factory comprises 16 manufacturing lines with advanced testers and a world-class innovation lab for product development. With the objective of strengthening India’s manufacturing capabilities in the smart technology space, the factory has been established to create ODMs (Original Design Manufacturer) in hearables, wearables and IOT devices.

Notably, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has coined the coming decade as "Techade". India Techade targets USD 300 billion Electronics manufacturing by 2025-26, and "more EMS,ODM, ESDM Companies are needed to drive this," said the minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a tweet.

We’re excited to announce the unveiling of Zet Town India Pvt Ltd’s mega manufacturing facility for hearables, wearables & IoT devices in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The plant was inaugurated by the esteemed @Rajeev_GoI, Minister of State for Electronics & IT.https://t.co/e0qrWFgPQj pic.twitter.com/zTyIvzcsXf

— ZETWERK (@zetwerk) May 17, 2022

Products manufactured at Zet Town’s new ODM facility are developed using a customizable model that enables the company to control the smart technology in the device by customizing product features and positioning in keeping with the requirements of customers.

Speaking about the new facility, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, said “Over the last 5 years, the Prime Minister has been focusing extensively on bolstering our domestic capabilities in the electronics sector. He recognised this as an incredible growth opportunity for Indian manufacturers prior to the pandemic and over the last two years, that opportunity has grown multi-fold. India has the potential to contribute around US $ 400 billion worth of electronics goods including exports worth US$120 billion, which would account for 9-10% of the overall global value chains, from the current supply potential of 1-2%. Ambitions have been reset and we need more companies like Zetwerk in making this vision a reality. Their model is unique and can be easily scalable. I congratulate Zetwerk for this. They can play a significant role in achieving our objectives of making India a significant player in electronics GVC”

Rahul Sharma, Co-Founder, Zetwerk, said - "As a brand that’s committed to the ethos of Make In India, it has always been our endeavour to find ways to strengthen our capabilities as the world’s next big manufacturing hub and reduce import dependency. Through our manufacturing capabilities at this new facility, we bring a design based product proposition to the Indian market in the wearables and hearables space. This is a unique scalable model that has the potential to effectively disrupt the monopoly of Chinese manufacturers by addressing the export requirements of industries across the world."

"We are pioneering an ODM and EMS offering in the wearables and hearables space with a technology-first, people-first approach. With a focus on design, integration and innovation, we customise our products to cater to the specific needs of various segments. As we scale our business model to meet global demand, we aspire to be amongst the first in India to export Designed & Made in India wearables and hearables products to the world," said Shalabh Srivastava, CEO, Zet Town India.

Zet Town India Pvt Ltd is a leading ODM in India's Hearables and Wearables space with single-point comprehensive product life cycle support, focusing on design and manufacturing services in the larger IoT domain. It has dedicated teams for Research & Development, Design, Sourcing, Assembly & Testing and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Noida with 16 manufacturing lines with advanced testers and a world-class innovation lab for product development.

About Zetwerk:

Zetwerk is a managed marketplace for contract manufacturing. Zetwerk partners with the world’s leading industrial and consumer enterprises to get their products manufactured via a global network of small manufacturers, where Zetwerk helps with supplier selection, pricing and fulfilment of orders. Zetwerk offers manufacturing solutions across a diverse range of industries such as Oil & Gas, Renewables, Aerospace, Infrastructure, Apparel, Electronics and Retail. For customers, Zetwerk’s global manufacturing network ensures products are manufactured faster, at competitive prices and with world-class quality.

In addition, Zetwerk’s in-house Manufacturing Operating System software, ZISO, enables digital selection of supply, real-time tracking across stages, visual updates of products getting made, seamless communication across stakeholders and quality assurance of the final product, thereby offering customers peace of mind. For manufacturing partners, Zetwerk drives higher utilization of manufacturing capacities and offers various portfolio services (including logistics, raw material procurement, working capital access) to drive revenue growth and optimize manufacturing costs.

Metabolic Fitness Platform Ultrahuman Acquires Lazyco, A Consumer-focused Wearable Company

Acquisition marks the first step by Ultrahuman to expand the biomarkers complementing its current wearable, the Ultrahuman M1. Creators of the popular Aina Ring, LazyCo founders Apoorv Shankar and Yogansh Namdeo to join Ultrahuman to lead hardware product development. 

Ultrahuman, the world’s most advanced metabolic fitness platform, has today announced the acquisition of consumer-focused wearable company LazyCo famed for creating the Aina ring wearable.

LazyCo will integrate with Ultrahuman’s global in-house hardware development team as they seek opportunities to enhance the user experience and help improve global metabolic health standards. Ultrahuman will leverage the LazyCo team’s expertise to generate deeper metabolic insights and better overall health insights for consumers.

The metabolic health crisis is unarguably one of the largest healthcare crises that exist today. Over a billion people in the world suffer from a metabolic health disorder which contributes to almost 85% of all chronic diseases in the world. By helping people understand how food and exercise affect their metabolic health, people would be able to make informed choices about what they eat and their activity levels. The approach is a geography/diet agnostic way to help people eat and exercise better.

Measuring a powerful biomarker like glucose can reveal so much about how a particular food item affects the user’s metabolic health by measuring the glucose response. This response is unique to an individual and it depends on various factors like their gut microbiome diversity, stress levels, time of the day, food ingredient quality, etc. With this acquisition, the idea would be to expand the set of real-time biomarkers that could provide unique health insights upon correlation.

LazyCo was founded by engineers turned product designers, Apoorv Shankar and Yogansh Namdeo in 2017. The company focused on building hardware products that made daily life easier. One of the notable products included the Aina Ring - an AI-powered smart ring designed to predict and automate daily tasks without the need to take the phone out of the pocket. Digital tasks such as booking cabs, controlling smart home devices, activating SOS alerts, and taking phone calls, were 7x faster and easier through the ring. LazyCo completed a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019 and won several design and startup awards from the likes of Alibaba and Qualcomm.

“Ultrahuman’s vision of making health more personalized and impactful for people syncs with LazyCo’s vision of building products that solve problems for people in the most effortless ways. Together, we can create a deeper impact on the overall health of the world,” said Apoorv Shankar, Co-Founder and CEO, LazyCo. 

Ultrahuman launched with a wearable (the “Ultrahuman M1”) - a metabolic health tracking platform that provides intelligent nudges based on glucose biomarkers. This helps people optimize their exercise, sleep and nutrition based on deep insights from the platform. The M1 tracks the wearer’s metabolism as they go about their day. It triggers timely nudges to the user such as alerts to a high blood glucose event and suggestions to take a walk for  optimizing their glucose levels.

“We want to make it easy to get healthy. At Ultrahuman, we’re deep believers in passive personalized health, specifically in a health platform that requires very minimal effort from a user’s perspective. This perfectly aligns with the philosophy of LazyCo.” said Mohit Kumar, Founder and CEO, Ultrahuman. 

Ultrahuman was started by Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal who were also co-founders at Runnr which later merged with India’s largest food delivery service Zomato. Mohit is an avid cyclist, biohacker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast. Vatsal is a cross-fit enthusiast and a biohacker. Mohit was training at one of the largest MMA Camps in the world (Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand). There, he observed athletes train smartly via the usage of data, recovery tools and protocols. He got together with Vatsal and they came up with a vision for Ultrahuman where they can make the journey of fitness for people more personalized and impactful. 

Ultrahuman is a venture-backed startup that has raised $25m to date. Their investors include Alpha Wave Incubation (AWI), which is backed by DisruptAD and managed by Falcon Edge, Steadview Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Blume Ventures and Utsav Somani’s iSeed fund, and a range of marquee founders and angel investors including Tiger Global’s Scott Schleifer. 

About Ultrahuman

Ultrahuman is the world's most advanced metabolic fitness platform. By using glucose and other biomarkers, Ultrahuman is helping people improve their energy levels, lose fat and avoid metabolic disorders. For more information and updates on Ultrahuman, please visit ultrahuman.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

​Fire-Boltt Introduces Ninja 2, an Affordable Smartwatch to Aide Health & Lifestyle

Fire-Boltt, the undisputed leader in the Indian wearable space that made it to the top in 2021, owing to its back-to-back smartwatch launches, has in the New Year unveiled its latest offering – Ninja 2 – an upgrade from its predecessor and the brand’s most affordable timepiece till date Ninja. Fire-Boltt Ninja 2, which comes in three elegant-yet-vibrant colour options – blue, pink and black – is currently available at an introductory price of Rs 1,899/-, exclusively on leading e-commerce platform Amazon.

Fire-Boltt Ninja 2

The smartwatch from the house of home-grown Fire-Boltt is loaded with 1.3” full touch display, ensuring a 240x240 pixels display. In an industry first feature, Ninja 2 is equipped with as many as 30 unique and different sports modes such as cycling, badminton, running, cricket, kabaddi and aerobics, among others. This is in addition to the multiple watch faces that can be customized to go with the attire or one’s personality.

Ninja 2  in Blue Color

Talking about how Ninja 2 is a complete health suit in itself, Fire-Boltt co-founders Aayushi and Arnav Kishore said, “While we have added host of new lifestyle features, we have focused on making Ninja 2 – one of our flagship affordable offerings – a health suit in itself. It tracks your heart rate, monitors sleep and also takes stock of the blood oxygen level. Further laced with features like meditative breathing and female health care, this smartwatch is designed to cater to those who might not want to burn a hole in their pocket, yet desire a companion to keep them aware about their health and aide their lifestyle.”

The IP68 certified waterproof smartwatch also boasts of smart in-built features like alarm, stopwatch, multiple watch faces, smart notifications and weather updates. Besides, its powerful battery prevents the watch from running out of power for 7 consecutive days while offering a standby time of 25 days.

For more information, kindly visit: https://boltt.shop/

Aeofit Launches Range of Smart Wearables at Affordable Prices

Aeofit India, a New Delhi based startup has launched a range of Smart Wearables in India, focussing on Smart Watches and Wireless Earphones. The company's vision - "accessible technology for all" is reflected in its affordable pricing and high-performance product specifications.

In this COVID Era, keeping a tab on Heart Rate, Blood Oxygen, Blood Pressure and Temperature keeps you prepared for any diversions from a healthy lifestyle. Smart Watches by Aeofit focus on these fitness aspects, along with keeping up with the latest style trends. With state-of-the-art sensors, users can keep a track of step counts and sports activities aiming at a holistic approach to fitness.


Aeofit has also launched a range of audio devices under the Aeopods flag. The audio products focus on high fidelity sound and true wireless freedom at accessible prices.

 

Aeofit Smart Wearables Range

The smart watch line comprises of four models, each defining a niche. Noteworthy is the Aeofit Alpha, encased in an aluminium alloy frame, and multiple straps exudes a classy statement at any event. Formal dinner, or an early morning run, this watch is sure to be the star of the show. The Alpha sports a bright, high resolution LCD display and tips the scale only at 60 gm. Customizable watch faces, IP67 water resistance, multiple sport mode and seamless connectivity with BLE 5 make Aeofit Alpha your perfect accessory. The other models namely Orion, Nebula and Polaris are equally impressive with class defining features and deserve a check out.

The Aeopods line comes with two earphones, Echo and Rhythm. The Echo is powered by Qualcomm AptX technology and features one of the largest drivers in its class. True to its wireless freedom sensibilities, Echo is designed for sweat & splash resistance with a battery life to last a movie marathon. Environment Noise Cancellation combined with superior microphones, make them an essential part of your work from home kit. They deliver an excellent gaming performance with ultra-low 150 ms latency and immersive sound.

"Purchasing power in Indian household it not only limited to tier 1 cities but also to deeper rural and semi-urban areas that are yet to explore the digital world. We plan to bring the latest smart wearables tech not only to the young and tech savvy but also to the elderly where checking on vitals becomes a necessity," - Aeofit Spokesperson.

With the special inaugural pricing, you can get your hands on the Smart Watches starting at only Rs. 1999 and Earphones from Rs. 1299. For orders and product specifications, please visit, www.myaeofit.com and amazon.in.

Inbase Introduces Urban Pro and Urban Lite Smartwatches for Fitness Enthusiasts

Equipped with PCB Protection chip by Seiko from Japan; makes it the most reliable, smooth, stable, durable and fast Smartwatch

Inbase, a leading name in the innovative and portable digital product market has expanded its Smartwatch segment by launching 2 new Smart Wearables – “Urban Lite” & “Urban Pro”. With the launch of these products, Inbase will be strengthening its existing portfolio of premium smartwatch line-up.

 

The newly launched Smartwatches are loaded with a plethora of features that allow one to track their health by measuring and monitoring  blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and sleep hours while letting one enable to create their own style statement, inevitably making Inbase new smartwatches a real treat for fitness enthusiasts. 

 

While Urban Lite is available in Champagne Gold, Space Black, Pink Salmon, Space Blue and Space Grey colours, Urban Pro comes with Zinc alloy casing and 2 in-built straps - Brown Vegan Leather and Blue Silicone Strap.

 

Urban Lite & Urban Pro:

 

Both these Smartwatches are equipped with a host of features ensuring the best for their users, it is an apt device to keep a check on daily health activities, i.e. to measure the vitals, Heart Rate, calories, blood oxygen level, blood pressure as well as the steps taken accurately. These smartwatches pack an impressive technological punch as it comes with NORDIC chipset and HSR3333 heart rate sensor. Being equipped with the Japanese Seiko PCB Protection chip makes the wearable smooth, stable, durable and fast. With its advanced Bluetooth connectivity, the Smartwatches connect swiftly with iOS and Android Smartphones.

 

Both Urban Lite and Urban Pro are waterproof and shock-resistant simply due to its IPX 68 and IPX 673 ATM features. These watches come with a full touch TFT LCD Screen with 240*240 resolutions and full-touch sensors respectively through which every information about one’s daily health and fitness activities can be tracked and accessed through the device or the app. The devices come with 7 sports and training modes which are handy while playing basketball, football, badminton or doing regular activities such as running, cycling, walking, etc. Furthermore, one can even access their Social Media and Smartphone notifications via these Smartwatches. With a staggering battery capacity of 170 & 180 mAh, respectively these watches get fully charged in 90 minutes and stay powered up for5-7 Days (use time). While Urban Lite can give a standby of 15 Days, Urban Pro provides a standby time of 30 Days.

 

Pricing and Availability: 

Inbase Urban Lite and Urban Pro are available at an introductory price of INR 5,499/- and INR 6,999/-respectively and are backed with a 12-months warranty. These Smartwatches are available through Urban Official Website (www.gourban.in) as well as on other leading retail outlets.

 

About InBase:

 

Inbasetech, a company formed with the sole purpose of enhancing the mobile experience, by means of accessories that take the consumers a step closer to enhancing the life of their product and staying in vogue at the same time.

 

People at Inbasetech celebrate life with passion and they care about their gadgets as much as you do. Inbasetech is here to achieve an enhanced experience with technology and bring to you products that match the needs of a diversified user base.

 

The brand strives to push the boundaries of innovation just to ensure greater user experience. From Cases and Covers to high-end lifestyle gadgets, the brand has brought in smart Bluetooth audio devices, TWS, earphones, power banks, Air pod accessories, car and bike mounts, tablet accessories, power adapters &cables all under one roof.

 

For more information visit www.gourban.in

Amazon Launches 'Amazon Halo' and 'Amazon Halo Band' - A New Membership based AI-based Health & Wellness Band & Tools

• Amazon Halo combines a suite of AI-powered health tools with an innovative and stylish wrist band
• Body feature uses new computer vision technology to give an accurate body fat percentage measurement from the comfort and privacy of home—as accurately as methods a doctor would use
• Tone feature uses machine learning to help customers get a more complete view of their health and wellness by understanding how they sound to others
• Use Amazon Halo to monitor Activity and Sleep; plus, discover new tips with Labs—guided programs that help customers discover healthier habits with content from Headspace, Orangetheory Fitness, SWEAT, WW, and more.

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) today introduced Amazon Halo, a new service dedicated to helping customers improve their individual health and wellness. Amazon Halo combines a suite of AI-powered health features that provide actionable insights into overall wellness via the new Amazon Halo app with the Amazon Halo Band, which uses multiple advanced sensors to provide the highly accurate information necessary to power Halo insights. Customers in the U.S. can request early access to Amazon Halo starting today, with the Amazon Halo Band and 6 months of Halo membership available for a special price of $64.99. Learn more at www.amazon.com/haloband.

“Despite the rise in digital health services and devices over the last decade, we have not seen a corresponding improvement in population health in the U.S. We are using Amazon’s deep expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer customers a new way to discover, adopt, and maintain personalized wellness habits,” said Dr. Maulik Majmudar, Principal Medical Officer, Amazon Halo. “Health is much more than just the number of steps you take in a day or how many hours you sleep. Amazon Halo combines the latest medical science, highly accurate data via the Halo Band sensors, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to offer a more comprehensive approach to improving your health and wellness.”

Amazon Halo Band—Comfortable, Stylish, and Distraction-Free

Amazon Halo Band is purpose-built to focus on your health and wellness—unlike smartwatches and fitness trackers, it doesn’t have a screen or constant notifications. The small sensor capsule delivers highly accurate data, and includes an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a heart rate monitor, two microphones, an LED indicator light, and a button to turn the microphones on or off, among other functions. Amazon Halo Band is water resistant for all-day wear and the comfortable fit means it won’t snag or irritate at night. Plus, the battery lasts up to seven days and fully charges in under 90 minutes. Customers can choose from three fabric band colors at purchase, with fabric and silicone sport accessory bands available in 15 additional colors.

A More Comprehensive Approach to Health and Wellness

The Amazon Halo app is a suite of five core features designed to give customers a comprehensive understanding of their health and wellness—and the tools to take action to make measurable improvements:

• Activity: Informed by American Heart Association physical activity guidelines and the latest medical research, Amazon Halo awards points based on the intensity and duration of movement, not just the number of steps taken. For example, customers will earn points for walking, but will earn more points for running. Medical guidelines also advise that a sedentary lifestyle can negatively impact health, so Amazon Halo deducts one activity point for every hour over eight hours of sedentary time in a day, outside of sleep. A baseline goal of 150 activity points is set and measured weekly.
• Sleep: The health benefits of consistently good, sufficient sleep are well documented—as are the potential negative health impacts of not enough or consistently poor sleep. Amazon Halo uses motion, heart rate, and temperature to measure time asleep and time awake; time spent in the various phases of sleep including deep, light, and REM; and skin temperature while sleeping. The sensors in the band allow for continuous sleep monitoring, so customers get rich, detailed information without having to charge the band every day. In the morning, Amazon Halo delivers a sleep score out of 100, any deviation from baseline sleep temperature, and a hypnogram showing time spent in each sleep phase.
• Body: Medical research has shown for years that body fat percentage is a better measure of overall health than just weight or body mass index (BMI) alone, but the tools that measure body fat percentage can be expensive or difficult to access. Using new innovations in computer vision and machine learning, Amazon Halo lets customers measure their body fat percentage from the comfort and privacy of their own home, making this important information easily accessible. The Amazon Halo body fat measurement is as accurate as methods a doctor would use—and nearly twice as accurate as leading at-home smart scales. Learn more about the Body feature.
• Tone: The globally accepted definition of health includes not just physical but also social and emotional well-being. The innovative Tone feature uses machine learning to analyze energy and positivity in a customer’s voice so they can better understand how they may sound to others, helping improve their communication and relationships. For example, Tone results may reveal that a difficult work call leads to less positivity in communication with a customer’s family, an indication of the impact of stress on emotional well-being. Learn more about the Tone feature.
• Labs: AmazonHalo Labs are science-backed challenges, experiments, and workouts that allow customers to discover what works best for them specifically, so they can build healthier habits—for example, some customers might discover that cutting out afternoon caffeine improves their sleep quality, or that a certain type of at-home workout is more effective than others. Customers can choose from labs created by Amazon Halo experts, as well as brands and personalities they already know, including 8fit, Aaptiv, American Heart Association, Exhale On Demand, Harvard Health Publishing, Headspace, Julian Treasure, Lifesum, Mayo Clinic, Openfit, Orangetheory Fitness, P.volve, Russell Wilson, Relax Melodies, SWEAT, and WW. Additional content from more providers will be added to Labs regularly.

“The American Heart Association is excited about technology that focuses on new and interesting ways for people to improve their cardiovascular health, quality of life, and healthy life years. We’re thrilled to see companies like Amazon innovating in this space,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer for Prevention, American Heart Association. “The Association is committed to helping people live longer, healthier lives—both physically and mentally. The first step is knowing your current status, and features like Body composition are important advances. Through our Center for Health Technology and Innovation, we are pleased to provide our evidence-based science as part of this solution, which we believe has the potential to drive behavior change towards healthier lives.”

Privacy by Design

Privacy is foundational to Amazon Halo, and multiple layers of privacy and security are built into the service to keep data safe and in customers’ control. Health data is encrypted in transit and in the cloud, and customers can download or delete their data at any time directly from the app. Body scan images are automatically deleted from the cloud after processing, so only the customer sees them. Tone is enabled by creating a personal voice profile, after which it begins capturing short samples of speech and providing insights and daily recaps. Speech samples are always analyzed locally on the customer’s phone and automatically deleted after processing—nobody, not even the customer, ever hears them. Learn more about Amazon Halo privacy features.

Get More with Third Party Program Integrations

Amazon has collaborated with leading health and wellness companies to enable customers to connect their Amazon Halo account to third party programs for even more ways to enhance their health journey. Account linking occurs via the explicit opt-in of the Amazon Halo customer and they can opt back out any time directly from the Halo app.

Members of both WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and Amazon Halo can choose to link their accounts to share Halo Activity information, which the WW app translates to FitPoints. Amazon Halo members also have access to all of WW’s labs any time in the Halo app. WW will offer a variety of promotions, including the ability to get a free Amazon Halo Band and 6 months of membership as part of signing up for a new WW membership. Learn more. “WW is committed to inspiring healthy habits for real life and we are continuously looking for ways to enhance the WW ecosystem. The Amazon Halo Body composition tool is an important complement to weight measurement, and we are thrilled our members will have access to this information on a regular basis from the comfort and privacy of their own homes,” said Mindy Grossman, CEO, WW. “WW members who previewed the Body feature said it was highly motivating in their journey and we are excited to offer WW members a more comprehensive understanding of their wellness through Amazon Halo."

Amazon Halo will be the featured complimentary wearable for the John Hancock Vitality wellness program, including three years of Halo membership. Vitality members can choose to link their Amazon Halo Band to their account to earn Vitality Points for the things they do to try to live longer, healthier lives. Learn more. “At John Hancock, we are committed to helping our customers live longer, healthier lives. We know Amazon shares this goal and are excited to integrate with Amazon Halo and continue to transform the role our industry plays in our customers’ lives,” said Brooks Tingle, President and CEO, John Hancock Insurance. “This strategic endeavor allows us to offer our customers the latest in insights-driven personal health technology that can help them improve their overall wellness. We believe these enhancements will have a positive impact for our customers.”

Amazon Halo is now integrated into Cerner solutions to enable consumers to easily share health information with their care teams and directly into their electronic health record (EHR). Amazon Halo members will be able to share their body fat percentage with participating care providers as well as activity and sleep data with Cerner Consumer Well-being programs. Sharp HealthCare is the first Cerner client to benefit from this collaboration. “For more than 40 years, Cerner has ushered in health care’s digital age by moving medical data from paper to electronic health records. Now we are seeking breakthrough innovation focused on making the health care experience more seamless and insightful,” said Brent Shafer, Chairman and CEO, Cerner. “Integrating the revolutionary body fat percentage measurement from Amazon Halo directly into the EHR provides physicians an actionable and previously hard to obtain health metric without the need for a doctor’s visit or costly technology. We believe our collaboration with Amazon Halo has the potential to improve the health of individuals and populations, reduce health care costs, and increase satisfaction for consumers and clinicians alike.”

Pricing, Availability, and Colors

Customers in the U.S. can request early access to Amazon Halo starting today. Through the early access period, Amazon Halo will be available for a special price of $64.99 including 6 months of Halo membership (regular price: $99.99). The membership automatically renews for $3.99 per month after the initial 6 months. The membership unlocks access to all Amazon Halo features; non-members will have access to the basics, including steps, sleep time, and heart rate.

Customers can choose from three color combinations for their Amazon Halo Band: a Black fabric band with an Onyx sensor capsule, a Blush fabric band with a Rose Gold sensor capsule, or a Winter fabric band with a Silver sensor capsule. Customers can purchase fabric accessory bands for the special early access price of $19.99 each. Six additional fabric color options include: Denim, Hummingbird, Mint Edge, Olive, Unicorn, and Volcano. Customers can purchase sport accessory bands for the special early access price of $15.99 each, with nine color options available: Ash, Black, Dark Mint, Domino, Lavender, Pink Slate, Seafoam, Sunset, and White.

The Amazon Halo app is available on iOS and Android.

SOURCE - Press.AboutAmazon.com

Wearables, Sensors and Chatbots to Help Fight Covid-19 Post Lockdown

Many industries across the world have shut down normal operations and others have significantly scaled back activities in efforts to keep workers safe and prevent COVID-19 from further spreading. But as various regions experience a “flattening of the curve” and in some areas, a decrease in new cases, companies are now beginning to evaluate how to progressively and safely return employees to their various places of work.

As the COVID-19 virus can spread through asymptomatic people who might not realize they are sick, researchers stress that testing and health monitoring is a crucial step as we gradually start the process of resuming our daily work routines. To gather that necessary data, technology is going to continue to play a pivotal role in providing us insights on the current state of our own health.

Numerous practices and technologies are being explored as ways aid in understanding employee and workforce health:

1. WEARABLES

Wearables and smart watches have become popular because they inform us about health vitals like biometrically tracking unusual spikes in heart rates, and monitoring sleep and weight. These same technologies may have the capability to monitor and track COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever or increased heart rates.

“Integration of biomedical sensors on employees’ arms through smart watches, which can be connected through dedicated analytic servers, can help to test if employees are sick or not,” explains IEEE member Ramneek Kalra.

2. SENSORS

Another way to track employee health is through the use of passive sensors.

“The passive data gathering happens when the sensor obtains information without the user intentionally providing it,” says IEEE Senior Member André Leon Gradvohl. “For example, airports are using infrared [technology] to calculate the temperatures of passengers passing through the lobby — this capture was done passively. By combining the data obtained from these different sensors, it is possible to infer the health status of employees.”

IEEE Senior Member Paul Kostek envisions corporations installing sensors in break room and restroom entryways to determine if employees are running a temperature throughout the day. But Kostek does warn that this type of passive data gathering “will raise privacy issues that employers and their employees will need to address.”

3. CHATBOTS

Another way to understand and monitor employee health is through the use of online chatbots or robot doctors.

“Online chatbots or ‘robot doctors’ will eventually be able to collect information, advise on certain conditions and forward cases to medical professionals,” says IEEE Member Antonio Espingardeiro.

“These technologies will recreate virtual assistants through natural language processing, image recognition and machine learning techniques.”

By plugging in or virtually discussing symptoms with a chatbot, employees may be able to seek better guidance on whether or not they should consult a doctor.

In the future, employers face hard decisions about when and how to safely bring remote employees back into offices and facilities. Technology could be a key in helping to monitor companies and workers that need to remain healthy in the age of COVID-19.