AI-Driven Smart Rings: A New Health Era 💍

Hey!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Supermedic, where we explore the latest developments in artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on healthcare.

Let’s dive in!

Victor

TODAY’S MENU

• The Rise of Smart Rings: A New Era of AI-Driven Health Monitoring

• AI Outperforms Clinical Tests at Predicting Progress of Alzheimer’s Disease

• Elon Musk’s Goal to Implant Chips in 1000 humans by 2026 (VIDEO)

• Market Trends: 1 in 3 Digital Health Dollars Going to AI

• Paralyzed Patient Succeeds in Speaking to Speaks Using Brain-Computer Interface

Read time: under 6 minutes

WEARABLES

The Rise of Smart Rings: A New Era of AI-Driven Health Monitoring

Gone are the days where wearables were just watches, monitors or bulky fitness trackers. In recent years, smart rings have emerged as a significant player in the wearable market, offering a blend of convenience and advanced health monitoring features.

Initially popular for tracking basic metrics like steps and sleep, smart rings have evolved to provide comprehensive health insights such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate variability, and even detect early signs of chronic diseases.

Two significant announcements were made this week on this 'niche market', with the unveiling of Oura Advisor and the new Galaxy Ring from Samsung.

Here is what you need to know:

• Oura Ring Gets an AI-Powered Feature That Offers Personalised Insights

  ‎

  Oura just unveiled a new AI-powered health coach called Oura Advisor, aiming to help users make sense of and act on the data from the company’s wearable rings. Oura Advisor functions within the Oura app, offering contextualized insights and actionable advice from wearable data. The chatbot-like format provides guidance on sleep, activity, recovery, and more, with communication styles that can be supportive, mentoring, or goal-oriented. Users can input personal health context, which the AI factors in when providing insights.

  

  ‎

• Samsung’s Galaxy Ring Could Be the One Ring to Rule an Ecosystem

  ‎

  Samsung's announcement of the Galaxy Ring marks a significant addition to the smart ring landscape as it is the first tech giant to enter this market. The Galaxy Ring has capabilities similar to the Oura Ring, with some additions like FDA-approved sleep apnea detection and diabetes tracking. Unlike the Oura Ring, the Galaxy Ring does not require a subscription and it may benefit from integration with Samsung’s broader ecosystem of health devices.

Why it matters: The emergence of AI-integrated smart rings signifies the dawn of a new era in personal health management. These devices not only enable continuous health monitoring but also provide personalized, actionable insights, transforming how we approach health and wellness. Soon, having a personal AI health coach via a wearable will be commonplace, empowering individuals to proactively manage their health and well-being. This shift opens up vast possibilities for healthcare professionals to deliver more personalized, data-driven care, heralding a future where technology and health are seamlessly intertwined.

NEUROLOGY

Artificial Intelligence Outperforms Clinical Tests at Predicting Progress of Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers from Cambridge University have developed a machine learning model able to predict whether patients with mild cognitive impairment will progress to Alzheimer’s disease with over 80% accuracy.

How It Works

• Data Analysis: The AI model uses cognitive assessments and MRI scans, avoiding costly and invasive procedures like PET scans and spinal taps.

• Patient Categorization: Patients are grouped into three categories: stable, slow progression, and rapid decline.

• Accuracy and Reduced Misdiagnosis: The AI identified 82% of cases progressing to Alzheimer’s and 81% remaining stable, three times more accurate than current clinical methods, significantly reducing misdiagnosis rates.

• Global Validation: Validated with 6 years of follow-up data and tested in multiple countries, proving its global application.

Why it matters: With dementia cases expected to triple in the next 50 years, early detection is crucial for effective treatment. This AI tool could usher in a new era of proactive treatment for cognitive decline.

THEY SUPPORT US 🩵

Learn AI in 5 Minutes a Day

AI Tool Report is one of the fastest-growing and most respected newsletters in the world, with over 550,000 readers from companies like OpenAI, Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft, and more.

Our research team spends hundreds of hours a week summarizing the latest news, and finding you the best opportunities to save time and earn more using AI.

Sign up with 1-Click

TO WATCH

Elon Musk’s Goal to Implant Chips in 1000 humans by 2026

Neuralink’s Livestreaming Update:

During a recent Neuralink’s livestream on X, Elon Musk and Neuralink team revealed exciting updates for their brain implants with potential telepathic and limb control integrations with Tesla’s Optimus robots, new patient testing, and Elon Musk's goal to implant chips in 1,000 humans by 2026 👇

Heads up: Elon Musk is a visionary with big dreams, but his predictions aren't always spot-on. Remember, his ambitious timelines for Tesla's robot taxi and SpaceX's Mars mission have shifted in the past. While his projects are game-changers, take his predictions with a pinch of salt.

MARKET TRENDS

1 in 3 digital health dollars going to AI

In the first half of 2024, U.S. digital health startups secured $5.7 billion across 266 deals, signaling strong growth after a challenging year. According to Rock Health's report, early-stage investments and AI-driven startups are leading this surge.

Key Trends:

• Early-stage funding (seed, series A, and series B) made up 84% of all deals.

• AI-driven health startups received 34% of total funding.

• Mental health remains the top-funded area with $682 million raised.

The digital health IPO market is also showing signs of revival, with three companies going public in the second quarter (Nuvo, Tempus AI & Waystar). Analysts suggest the sector is moving towards more sustainable venture patterns, despite lingering uncertainties.

NEUROSCIENCE

Paralyzed Patient Speaks With Power of Thoughts Using Brain-Computer Interface

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center have achieved a breakthrough in brain-computer interface technology, allowing a patient to 'speak' using only the power of thought. In their experiment, a participant with implanted depth electrodes imagined saying two different syllables. A computer then translated the brain's electrical signals into vocalized sounds.

Study’s details

• The study involved an epilepsy patient with depth electrodes implanted for treatment purposes.

• Researchers trained AI models to identify specific brain cell activity associated with speaking /a/ and /e/ syllables.

• The computer successfully translated the patient's imagined speech into pre-recorded sounds.

While currently limited to two syllables, the technology could potentially enable basic yes/no communication for completely paralyzed patients.

What’s next?
The researchers aim to expand this technology to encompass complete speech, potentially allowing patients to communicate more complex thoughts in the future. This study marks a significant step towards developing brain-computer interfaces that can restore voluntary communication for those who have lost this ability.

Must-Read AI Healthcare News This Week

• Business: Huma secures $80M to supercharge its AI health platform, revolutionizing patient care and digital health.

• Cardiology: AI creates accurate 4D heart scans in seconds.

• Digital Safety: Beware of fake TV doctors! Deepfakes are now pushing health scams on social media.

• Hospitals AI Index: CB Insights ranks top hospitals for AI innovation, spotlighting Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic for their pioneering AI projects.

• Medical Imaging: AI drastically reduces leg length measurement time by 87% for radiologist, enhancing accuracy in orthopedic assessments.

• Rehabilitation: Post-stroke recovery gets a boost with AI-driven BCI therapy, showing remarkable hand movement improvements.

• Research Collaboration: OpenAI is partnering with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the lab responsible for building the world’s first nuclear weapon, to experiment with the use of AI in bioscience research.

Thanks for reading!