A team of researchers at the University of Buffalo created the 'EarHealth Earbuds,' a smart device capable of diagnosing three common health conditions. Following an extensive testing period, these earbuds were proven to accurately diagnose earwax blockage, ruptured eardrums, and ostitis media, with an accuracy value of 82.6%.
The EarHealth earbuds diagnose conditions through a mix of sonar-style mapping and in-facing microphones. The earbuds emit audio signals into the ear canal and then map out the shape of the canal based on readings from vibrations. In the testing period, EarHealth earbuds were given to patients who were healthy at the start of the test, then wore the earbuds for many months until the earbuds detected a health concern. One notable trait of the EarHealth Earbuds is that they were able to detect these health conditions before they presented dangers for the patient, acting as a form of preventative healthcare.
Ear Condition-Diagnosing Earbuds
The EarHealth Earbuds Diagnose Common Ear Conditions
Trend Themes
1. Smart Hearables for Health Diagnosis - The adoption of smart hearables is disrupting the healthcare sector by offering affordable early diagnostics.
2. Sonar-based Diagnostics - The use of sonar technology for diagnosis is creating new business opportunities for tech companies in the healthcare industry.
3. Preventative Healthcare Wearables - Preventative healthcare wearable devices are changing the way healthcare services are provided by helping patients be proactive in taking care of their health.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - The healthcare industry is being disrupted by the use of smart hearables and wearables for diagnosis and preventative care.
2. Consumer Electronics - The consumer electronics industry has an opportunity for growth in developing and marketing smart earbuds for healthcare diagnostics.
3. Healthtech Startups - Startups in the healthtech industry have an opportunity to develop new innovative products in the hearables and wearables market for preventative healthcare.