Google today announced a new Fitbit Web API to facilitate health providers’ access to their patients’ AFib data. Many Fitbit and Pixel devices can analyze users’ heart rhythms while they’re still or sleeping. Fitbit rolled out heart-health-tracking smartwatches with AFib detection in 2022. However, the device users previously had to export and share their Afib […]
‘Love, yet fear’ — how medtech is stepping into the digital sphere
Dr. Rajiv Sethi likes to compare the implementation of digital technologies and automation in medtech to the automation in an airplane. If the pilots experienced an issue with their technology or the weather, for instance, they could manually interject, he says. But, the “vast majority of the work” goes down to automation. Sethi serves as […]
Asensus Surgical to collaborate with Google Cloud on machine learning for surgical robots
Asensus Surgical (NYSE:ASXC) announced today that it entered into a multi-year collaboration with Google Cloud. The collaboration integrates Google Cloud’s secure cloud data architecture and machine learning into the Asensus surgical robot platform. It further expands the capabilities of Asensus’ performance-guided surgery framework through its Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU). Research Triangle Park, North Carolina–based Asensus […]
Verily lays off 15% of workforce
Google’s (NSDQ:GOOGL) Verily announced this week that, as part of a refined strategy, it eliminated 15% of its workforce. Verily has more than 1,600 employees, so the layoff would be more than 200 workers, according to media sites. On Jan. 11, CEO Stephen Gillett issued a letter to all Verily employees. Gillett took over the […]
How Dexcom uses wearables to deliver differentiated diabetes management
Dexcom (Nasdaq:DXCM) is one of the leaders in the diabetes technology space with its continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology. The company’s current-generation Dexcom G6 CGM remains one of the biggest players in the CGM space. Meanwhile, its next-generation Dexcom G7 CGM has already launched in a number of countries overseas. The wearable device — which […]
Google, Fitbit unveil smartwatch that can detect AFib
Google today unveiled its first full-featured premium smartwatch developed with Fitbit’s health and fitness expertise. In August, Google unveiled its new Fall lineup that included The Fitbit Sense 2. Google said at the time that it marks the company’s “most advanced health-focused smartwatch.” It features more than six days of battery life. The watch aims to […]
Verily receives $1B investment led by Alphabet, promotes president to corner office
Google’s (NSDQ:GOOGL) Verily announced today that it received a $1 billion investment led by parent company Alphabet. South San Francisco, California-based Verily plans to use the funds to expand its businesses focused on precision health. New capital will go toward a variety of its core initiatives. Those include real-world evidence generation, healthcare data, research and […]
Fitbit unveils fall lineup that includes AFib-detecting smartwatch
Google’s Fitbit has announced its upcoming releases this fall, with one health-focused offering providing heart health tracking capabilities. According to a blog post presenting the new offerings, the new Inspire 3, Versa 4 and Sense 2 — the latter of which being the heart health tracker — are all thinner and more comfortable than previous […]
Verily’s Onduo, Sword Health collaborate on virtual care
Onduo announced today that it entered into a strategic collaboration with Sword Health to broaden virtual care for diabetes and other conditions. Sword Health, a digital musculoskeletal (MSK) care provider, will work with Onduo by Verily, an Alphabet sister company of Google. The idea is to offer complementary solutions, broadening access to virtual care benefits for […]
FDA clears iRhythm’s ZEUS system for Zio Watch
iRhythm Technologies (Nasdaq:IRTC) announced today that it received FDA 510(k) clearance for its ZEUS (Zio ECG Utilization Software) system. ZEUS, produced in partnership with Google’s life sciences sister company Verily, combines deep-learned algorithms with iRhythm’s cardiac arrhythmia service, providing the AI algorithm component for the Zio Watch sensor-based wearable for non-invasive, clinical-grade, long-term continuous monitoring […]
Google Health hires FDA’s chief digital health officer
Former FDA Chief Digital Health Officer of Global Strategy and Innovation Bakul Patel has started a new job with Google after 13 years with the regulatory agency. Patel became senior director, global digital health strategy and regulatory for Google Health earlier this month, he said on LinkedIn. Patel recounted highlights of his “incredible journey since […]
