San Jose, California and Boston, MA, USA
Empatica EmbracePlus, designed by Cole Derby and Daniel Cheung of Whipsaw and Matteo Lai and Riccardo Sirtori of Empatica, is the world’s most powerful, compact, and versatile health smartwatch.
EmbracePlus was awarded a 2021 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
A collection of onboard sensors and custom algorithms gives researchers the ability to remotely collect health data and monitor conditions ranging from epilepsy to respiratory infections.
EmbracePlus automatically measures vital physiological functions and sends those health parameters straight from the wrist to the Cloud.
This provides detailed and unprecedented insight into human health conditions.
Healthcare professionals can use EmbracePlus to remotely monitor the health of their patients, and clinical researchers use it to collect physiological data in large-scale clinical trials.
EmbracePlus’ superb adaptability is evident in its design. Its ultra low profile allows it to blend into its users’ lives, making it the missing link between consumer and medical devices.
To date, the most effective way to measure someone’s health remains a visit to a medical clinic.
These visits only offer a snapshot of a patient’s health at that time, however they don’t provide a continuous view of their condition or how it can be affected by changes in their environment, medication or diet.
EmbracePlus features a low-profile design. Its comfortable silicone band is also fully waterproof, meaning the device does not have to be taken off while swimming or taking a shower.
Combined with its long battery life, this means the device can be worn continuously throughout the day and night.
EmbracePlus was designed with patients’ needs in mind.
The simple and sporty design complements a user’s attire, eliminating the stigma of wearing a medical device.
Much of a user’s physiological condition changes at night, and traditional medical wearables do not offer the flexibility to go from daytime use to nighttime data collection.
EmbracePlus can be comfortably worn in bed and reveal nighttime changes in physiology that can be crucial in diagnosing conditions or understanding the impact of a treatment.
The EmbracePlus is the smallest device of its kind to contain such a broad range of sensors (PPG, EDA, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Infrared Thermopile), enabling a broad range of health measurements to take place from the wrist.
The combination of EmbracePlus’ range of sensors, compact size and algorithms makes it an everyday wearable that can detect and monitor a wide range of conditions.
Traditional medical devices are intrusive and often embarrassing or debilitating, meaning users try to cover them up with clothing, avoid going out in public., or are sometimes unable to do so due to wiring.
On top of being the world’s most advanced health smartwatch, EmbracePlus empowers its users through good design, eliminating the stigma that comes with wearing a medical device.
EmbracePlus is easy to use throughout the day. The device is low profile so it doesn’t get in the way of clothes and movement, and the band materials are biocompatible and comfortable to wear all day long.
Charging is also made easy by its magnetic modular charger. Its continuous data collection and streaming reduces the need to visit clinics and hospitals for frequent health monitoring.
Every year, $325 billion is spent on the development of prescription drugs in the US alone, but studies have shown that up to 75% of these drugs don’t have the intended use on patients because it’s difficult to predict or monitor how a patient responds to a drug.
The use of EmbracePlus in clinical trials ensures the collection of continuous, high-quality, and objective data from trial participants, as well as the development of digital biomarkers which enable scientists to identify conditions and changes in a person’s health status through AI.
This provides researchers with reliable digital endpoints that can help advance clinical trials through each phase and enable pharmaceutical companies to better evaluate the efficacy of a treatment.
The need for such a solution is proving even more crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Global trials have been suspended due to social distancing measures, with COVID-19 having a knock-on effect on the advancement in therapeutics for other conditions.
A recent report by EY mentions that the COVID-19 impact on Phase III studies among the top 20 pharma and biopharma companies alone could cost the industry up to US $35 billion by 2024.
With the help of digital technology and cloud applications like Empatica’s, trials can now go virtual and ensure the progress on treatments is not hindered.
Project: Empatica EmbracePlus
Designers: Whipsaw, Inc.
Lead Designers: Cole Derby and Daniel Cheung
Designers: Empatica Inc.
Lead Designers: Matteo Lai and Riccardo Sirtori
Manufacturer: Empatica Inc.