Epson just announced that its Pulsense activity monitor has been chosen for a health promotion project. The Kanagawa Institute of Technology (KAIT) has chosen the Epson products for a program involving 70 students and faculty to start, with more participants to be added each year.
The Epson bands track heart rate in addition to activity and sleep patterns. Participants will also be given a scale that also measures body composition, and a blood pressure gauge. The data will be stored in a secure database that participants can access through a custom portal website. Participants will also be able to monitor their results using a mobile app on their smartphone or tablet. The system will provide individualized advice on ways to improve their lifestyle habits, with the goal of improving their health.
This is just one more instance where an employer, insurance company, or other organization provides individuals with wearable Health Tech devices and supporting services. The expectation is that by helping individuals monitor their behaviors and health, they will make choices that will lead to healthier outcomes and in turn reduce healthcare costs for the employers or insurance companies. This model makes a lot of sense, as the major cost is carried by the entity that stands to gain the most in terms of reducing expenses and improving productivity. It may well turn out that even the fitness band market turns out not to be a consumer device, but part of a business-to-business B2B) service for employers.
