The ‘Wellness’ Phone

NTT DoCoMo Inc. has prototyped and presented a “wellness mobile phone” that can measure body fat ratio, pulse, breath odor, how far the user has walked and give health advice.

This was a joint development with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and the company assumes that it will be commercialized in the future, although it has not determined a marketing schedule yet. The company’s booth was filled with many visitors who came to try the prototype.

Based on a mobile phone embedded with a touch panel type LCD, it has sensors to measure various types of biometric information. For example, an infrared sensor measures the pulse using via absorption of hemoglobin. For the measurement of breath odor, a gas sensor set at the bottom of the handset has been used (seems very Japanese to me, but sometimes we all need a reminder!).

A pedometer can sense whether a user is walking, running or climbing up or down stairs. Reflecting such situations, the mobile phone calculates the user’s energy consumption accurately, the company said. Along with an application that monitors and shows the user’s health data in chronological order, the company believes the mobile phone will be used in combination with dietary control services and applications related to fitness management, mental healthcare and the like.

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M-Health forging Ahead

Here are some great articles from mobilehealthnews.com on the uptake of mobile health solutions, particularly using the iphone:

Roche decides it’s time to enter mHealth. Roche Diagnostics inked a deal with Glucose Buddy iPhone app developer Healthagen, because Roche believes that the time to get into the wireless health market is now. While the company’s Accu-Chek educational program for diabetics is a far cry from meter integration for mobiles, Roche plans to work toward integrating glucometers in the future.

Interview: Mayo Clinic forges its mobile strategy. Every major provider of health services and information is trying to figure out how best to go mobile. Scott Eising, director of product management for Mayo Clinic’s Internet Services offered a peek behind the curtain at Mayo to discuss how the not-for-profit, integrated medical practice is planning to do just that. It covers basic functions mhealth is likely to use such as symptom checkers, and find a doctor, as well as more complex things like health and wellness trackers. Great article for anyone going into the mHealth sector. Best quote, “It’s a ways out but the key is not to wait until it gets here“.

Aetna: Ultimate goal is health info on-the-go. Aetna’s Head of Digital Engagement Strategy and Innovation Robert Heyl understands that health decisions mostly occur while people are going about their daily lives, so that’s why his ultimate goal is to take the information in SmartSource, Aetna’s online patient portal, and bring it to the mobile platform.

Interview: Google Health on mobile is criticial. Google Health Product Manager Roni Zeiger makes it clear that mobile phones, connected devices and mHealth applications will become a crucial part of Google’s health plans moving forward.