It's been a few months since MobiHealthNews' last crowdfunding roundup and so there are several new digital health-focused campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This month there were a few similar campaigns, including two focused on people with dementia and two smart rings.
Read on for 11 of the latest digital health products to crowdfund their devices:
Nudgu is an app that people can use to record and send reminders to family members or loved ones with dementia. The app allows users to choose a time and day to send a message, which can be recurring. Users then record a message, for example, “Remember to take your blue tablets,” and then choose a recipient. At the appropriate time, the app will call the person's phone. The company explains that the reason the app delivers messages to a home phone is that people with dementia sometimes have trouble using devices that are unfamiliar to them.
Kickstarter backers are able to purchase a subscription to the service. For three months, the service costs about $25 (17 pounds) and estimated delivery is February 2016. With 22 days left in the campaign, the company has raised $120 of its $7,260 goal.
The Mysotis smart watch is designed for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The device tracks stress, activity, location via GPS, and falls. It also provides the user with medication reminders, a personal calendar, a panic button they can press during emergencies, and a memory box that shows the user memories from their past. Some of this data is sent to the user’s caregiver or family member so they can monitor the user’s health. The company plans to test their commercial prototype in April, start production in June, and send out the first shipment of the product in August.
While on Indiegogo the device will cost $199, but it is expected to retail for $299. With 10 days left in the campaign, Mysotis has raised $979 of its $100,000 goal.
PhysNet has developed an app called Triosk that helps users manage their health. The app allows users to store information about their health like doctor appointments and medical records. It also offers users a symptom checker that will recommend certain treatments based on the user’s symptoms. The company plans to use the funds for community outreach surveys, software development, product marketing, and APIs.
The company plans to raise $25,000 and with 59 days left has raised $140. There are a number of perks for contributing to the campaign, but for $50,000, users can get 2 percent ownership of PhysNet.
OneRing is a wearable device that people with Parkinson’s monitor their disease. Users wear the device like a ring all day. Meanwhile, the ring will track the user’s movements and and identify patterns including dyskinesia, bradykinesia, and tremor. It will send this data to a companion app that generates smart patient reports every day.
The company plans to offer rings to medical institutes for Parkinson’s disease to be used with patients, but during the campaign, users can purchase the rings directly. The rings cost $100 through Kickstarter. Estimated delivery is April 2016. With 18 days remaining in the campaign, OneRing has raised $2,472 of its $1,500 goal.
Another health-related smart ring on Kickstarter is the SPO2+ Health Smart Ring. This device tracks blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature, and activity. Data from the device can be synced to a computer software program that helps users learn about the appropriate level of exercise intensity, quality of sleep, and stress levels.
The device is expected to ship in May 2016 and costs $75 on Kickstarter. The device’s suggested retail price is $159. The company has raised $2,092 of its $20,000 goal with 16 days remaining in the campaign.
FitPal has developed a small adhesive wearable device that tracks the user’s heart rate, resting heart rate, recovery heart rate, and heart rate zones. Data from FitPal is sent to a companion app that tracks users’ stress levels, energy levels, sleep quality, and fitness capacity. The company will use the funds to complete development of the device and the app as well as for operational costs.
On Kickstarter, the device costs $159, which is more than 30 percent off its expected retail value. The device comes with 40 adhesive patches and access to the app. Its estimated delivery date is November 2016. With 46 days to go, the company has raised $45,942 of its $100,000 goal.
Carre Technologies, which does business as Hexoskin launched a crowdfunding campaign for the second generation of its smart shirt offerings, called Hexoskin Smart. One of the main differences between Hexoskin and Hexoskin Smart is that the new shirt is compatible with fitness tracking apps including Strava, Runkeeper, Runtastic, Endomondo, and MapMyRun. Hexoskin also tracks heart rate, breathing, movement, calories burned, fatigue level, and sleep quality.
Users can purchase Hexoskin Smart on Indiegogo for $329. The estimated delivery date for the shirts is April 2016. Hexoskin has now raised $84,537, over its $50,000 goal. There are 36 days left in the campaign. Last month, Hexoskin raised nearly $1 million in VC funding.
Doki Technologies has developed a smartwatch for kids, aged 6 to 12, that is 3G enabled. The device allows children to call others, send out an SOS alert, and track their fitness. Parents can use the device, which is GPS enabled, to track the child’s location. One of the features on the watch, called dokiPet, is a virtual pet that doubles as a fitness tracking offering. The pet urges the child to stay active. When kids exercise more, the pet grows larger. Kids will also receive badges that they earn for walking more.
The device costs $99 on Kickstarter, but it will retail for $179. Doki Technologies has raised $153,959, significantly over its $20,000 goal, with 16 days remaining in the campaign.
South Korea-based Namu launched a Kickstarter for a posture-correcting wearable, called Alex. The device sits on the back of the user’s neck, hooked around the users ears, and senses changes to the user’s posture. If the user has poor posture for more than a few minutes, the device vibrates to remind users to fix their position. From a companion app, users can adjust the amount of time before the device buzzes and the intensity of the vibration. They can also use the app to view their progress over time.
Namu is selling Alex for $49, with $10 shipping to the US. With 29 days to go, the company has raised $3,339 of its $50,000 goal. Delivery to backers is expected to begin in March 2016.
AllerGuarder, a wristworn device, helps parents make sure that their children do not come in contact with foods they are allergic to. Parents use the companion app to create a network with other parents in their community to view their child’s food allergy information and emergency contact information. Then, when the child wears the device and they are in the vicinity of someone in their network who has the app, the device alerts that user.
On Kickstarter, the device costs $30, but it is expected to retail at $54.99. The campaign has 29 days to go and so far AllerGuarder has raised $859 of its $25,000 goal.
QTemp is a small device that measures UV and temperature and sends that data to a companion app via Bluetooth. Based on the user’s location, the device also estimates sun safe times to be outside using the temperature, UV, and the user’s skin tone. On the app, users also have the option to share data on the QTemp map with other users. With 13 days to go in the campaign, QTemp has raised $26,218 of its $26,184 goal.
