Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one of the world’s leading high-tech applied research institutions, has officially marked its participation in this year’s CES by the introducing new wellness technologies.
According to certain reports, these technologies include iSleePad, an advanced sleep pad based on ITRI’s Low Power Microwave Sensor (LPMS) technology for safe and effective contactless sleep monitoring; iPetSuite, a smart sleep monitoring pad for pets; and KneeBO, a portable knee joint exoskeleton designed for lower-limb muscle training and walking improvement. Furthermore, the list also includes HipBO, a lightweight powered hip joint exoskeleton; and the AI Badminton Trainer, an AI-based badminton training technology.
Talk about some of these technologies on a slightly deeper level, we begin from iSleePad. Now, we referred to how it features ITRI’s LPMS technology for safe and effective contactless sleep monitoring, but what we haven’t mentioned yet is that the solution is specifically designed to track heart rate, breathing, and sleep position without adhesive patches.
On top of that, iSleePad delivers at your disposal real-time alerts for bed exits to enhance safety and promote deep sleep. This it does with its Schumann wave mode. Understood to be lightweight, foldable, and easy to use, the stated solution also comes decked up with contactless sensing and a smartphone app which displays real-time data and long-term physiological records,
To understand the significance of such a development, we must take into account that, according to the World Sleep Day statistics, sleep issues affect up to 45% of the global population. Surely, there are assessments in place that can help you identify such issues, but having said so, they all rely on cumbersome tracking pads or contact devices, something which can impact comfort and accuracy. Fortunately, iSleePad changes this very dynamic.
Next up, we have iPetSuite, which is basically a pet’s version of iSleePad that leverages LPMS technology for pet sleep monitoring. Useful in the case of both cats and dogs,, the solution can track heart rate, breathing, and sleep position. It can also be directly used or installed on existing pet beds. At launch, iPetSuite includes a smartphone app which displays real-time data and long-term physiological records, making it ideal for sleep monitoring and health tracking at home, in veterinary hospitals or pet hotels so to offer insights into the pets’ overall health.
Then, there is KneeBO, which would be a portable knee joint exoskeleton specifically made to facilitate lower-limb muscle training and walking improvement. Going by the available details, the technology provides necessary support and strength for individuals who are suffering knee joint degeneration.
Like other new innovations, KneeBO also boasts a lightweight design of just 1.5 kg, along with quick-release buttons. Mandating no electrodes or sensors, a KneeBO unit can be set up by the user in no more than 30 seconds. In case that wasn’t enough, you can also adjust the device’s intensity settings through its companion mobile application to reach customizable support levels.
Beyond that, the exoskeleton in question can even significantly extend exercise duration for stroke patients or those with knee injuries. In fact, during trials conducted on the technology so far, KneeBO has shown to extend exercise duration from 30 minutes to two hours.
Moving on to ITRI’s HipBO solution, it would be a lightweight hip joint function assistance device meant for enabling people with hip joint functional impairment. Leveraging a compliant control algorithm for power assistance and smooth movements, HipBO provides walking action reminders and guidance and can be used for gait training and leisure sports.
ITRI will take this opportunity to further introduce an AI Badminton Trainer, which banks upon advanced AI image analysis and data inference techniques to enhance players’ training and performance. It arrives on the scene bearing vertically stacked chips that boost signal speed and reduce the need for multiple devices.
There is also a high-speed video camera which captures player movements. The data captured here, including swing posture and hitting position, is sent to a cloud platform, and once that is done, Gen AI then analyzes the skills before providing instant feedback with personalized training programs.