New York mHealth company Kinsa this month touted FDA 510(k) clearance for its Kinsa thermometer, the 1st U.S.-approved oral smartphone-connected thermometer.
The thin and compact Kinsa "smart" thermometer connects to the headphone jack of smartphones and other mobile devices. The display shows readings and alerts users if the thermometer slips out of place.
The device is modeled for families, providing child-friendly animations to keep kids distraction while a parent checks the temperature. In future software updates the thermometer may also provide alerts to schools when temperatures hit certain highs.
“With the Kinsa Smart Thermometer, we can transform the way people care for their families," founder & CEO Inder Singh said in prepared remarks. "And by piggy-backing off of the most widespread medical behavior in the world – a parent taking a child’s temperature at the 1st sign of illness, even before scheduling a doctor’s appointment – we can simultaneously create a highly accurate, 1st-of-its-kind system to track the spread of illness, revolutionizing health across the globe."
Kinsa is expected to deliver the device to the public starting in the spring.
