The intelligence-wearable company Mobvoi has formed a partnership with the wheelchair manufacturer Permobil to bring together wearables and mobile-health tech in a unique way. Mobvoi’s TicWatch E3 smartwatch can control the SmartDrive power assist of a Permobil wheelchair and perform traditional fitness-tracking functions such as monitoring the wearer’s bio-signals, including heart rate and blood oxygen levels.
The TicWatch 3’s credentials as a fitness tool are impressive. It has more than 100 workout modes that are designed for a wide range of activities including pilates, swimming, ice skating, indoor cycling, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and more — automatically detected by the wearer’s movements with the TicMotion proactive motion tracking. The smartwatch records fitness and health data including the number of calories burned and rates of oxygen consumption, along with the results of 24/7 heart-rate monitoring that are recorded on a weekly graph.
But the TicWatch 3’s ability to interface with a wheelchair is arguably its most eye-catching feature. When connected via Bluetooth to the SmartDrive of a Permobil wheelchair, the TicWatch 3 gives the wearer the ability to direct and drive their wheelchairs in hands-free fashion simply using gestures. The SmartDrive PushTracker app keeps track of distance, coast time, journeys, and battery usage. Plus, users can set goals related to their mobility health and get daily tips to help them stay active.
While the TicWatch 3 is designed with active lifestyles in mind, it’s also packed with health-related features that don’t require breaking a sweat. TicZen is a built-in stress-monitoring app that keeps track of both the vitals of the wearer and the surrounding environment. The TicHear feature “listens” to what’s going on around the wearer and will raise a red flag if signs of stress are detected. If that happens, the wearer can tap to TicBreathe to help them ease into a place of calm. To assist with good sleep, the smartwatch tracks light, deep, and REM sleep, offering insights and suggestions if sleep patterns aren’t quite right. And if a family or circle of loved ones has two or more TicWatch 3 wearers, members can share their health and fitness data with each other via the TicCare feature.
The multi-tasking abilities of wearables to monitor the wearer, while connecting to and controlling smart devices in the wearer’s world, seems to be the future of wearable technology. And we’re waiting to see what they can connect to next.
