JOIN USHealth gadgets smarter than you
So many of the gadgets that you grew up with are far more intelligent today than you remember. Some of them can even remind you to stay in shape, and alert you or others when there is trouble. Here is a list of five health gadget in their ‘smart’ avatars.
Smart watch
While one of the problems with Apple is that it sucks you into its ecosystem, at a time when competitors are close on its heels, there are a few who trust the brand for niche features it offers. The latest Apple watch, which is in its 5th generation, has received good reviews. It’s health benefits have been widely praised, and these include keeping track of your menstrual cycle, detecting if you fall and calling for help, and alerting you if your heartbeat is abnormal.
Smart weighing machine
There was a time when you as checked your weight on a weighing machine, you were asked to look straight ahead. You needed a bystander’s help because the machine’s results were apparently sensitive to the movement of your head.
Gone are those days. While such machines still exist, they have undergone a “smart” makeover. Those machines, now called body analysers, send a tiny electrical impulse through your body (which can’t be felt) to gauge your body fat, muscle mass and body mass index.
Smart rope
Many Indian schools used to have a slew of skipping ropes in stock. They were a low-key training tool to keep people in shape. Skipping ropes have become ‘smart’ too.
This gadget can be connected to your smart phones, which will tell you how many calories you have burnt. Also, you don’t need to keep track of how many times you have jumped. The machine will show your progress in mid-air.
Smart bottle
Among the latest additions to the ‘smart’ family is the smart bottle. A smart bottle is to a regular water bottle what a smart phone is to a landline. These keep tab on how hydrated you are. They come with bluetooth connectivity and will gently remind you when it is time to take a sip.
Smart shorts
Not yet available in India, the company Mbody has come out with technologically equipped shorts for you to exercise in. Designed to calculate muscle mass percentage, these shorts can tell you how much energy you are spending with each leg, and what the difference in the way you use the two legs is.