Popular types of wearable technology in healthcare

What is a healthcare wearable device?

Healthcare wearable devices are worn on the body to measure various health metrics and activities. In an editorial published in The New England Journal of Medicine in November 2023, researchers describe wearable digital health technology as "a broad range of tools, platforms, forms of technology, and devices to monitor physiology and health conditions, enable remote care delivery, and potentially improve health outcomes."

As these technologies have evolved, they have become more sophisticated. Not only are the tools able to capture more accurate data, but the types of tools have expanded to capture a wide range of metrics, from vital signs to physical activity.

Tracking this data can help clinicians detect patient deterioration in hospital settings. For example, health systems like Houston Methodist are using continuous inpatient monitoring solutions to capture multiple data points, including heart rate at rest, respiratory rate at rest, skin temperature and contextual biometric measurements, such as activity level, sleep tracking and gait analysis.

Similarly, consumer-facing wearable devices are helping patients improve their daily health and lifestyle habits.

A 2022 Deloitte survey of 2,005 U.S. healthcare consumers revealed that 90% of those who own healthcare wearable devices use them to track fitness and monitor health. The top health metrics consumers track using wearables are pulse rate (59 %), calories and nutrition (42 %), heart health (40 %), sleep quality and duration (39 %), and breathing rate (30 %).

Types of healthcare wearables and their use cases

Here are five common types of wearable devices used to enhance patient outcomes and well-being:

Wearable and ingestible sensors

Sensors are among the most widely used wearable technologies in healthcare. According to a review published in 2023, they capture real-time bio-signals and transform them into electrical impulses that are transmitted to a data platform for analysis.

In 2023, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers announced that they had created a wireless wearable skin sensor that can detect glucose concentrations, blood pressure, heart rate and physical activity. The sensor is attached to the skin like a Band-Aid and does not include chips or batteries.

Along the same lines, the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering developed a flexible, stretchable computing chip in 2022, which is placed directly on patients' skin to collect health data. The engineers used polymers to give the chip the needed flexibility and ability to integrate seamlessly with the skin.

Within hospital settings, sensors attached to the skin are proving popular, with numerous health systems striking partnerships with BioIntelliSense, a company that provides a coin-sized, disposable device that sticks to patient skin. The BioIntelliSense BioButton collects various health measures, reducing the risk of adverse events and enhancing clinical decision-making.

Another example of wireless sensor-based devices placed on patients' skin is Flosonics Medical's FloPatch device. Sutter Health recently implemented the wearable Doppler ultrasound device for sepsis management in its intensive care units.

The University of Texas at Austin took the concept of a wearable kin sensor one step further, announcing in May 2023 that it has developed an electronic tattoo device that allows for consistent heart disease monitoring through sensors attached to the chest. The e-tattoo, which is 2.5 grams in weight and contains a penny-sized battery, collects electrocardiogram (ECG) and seismocardiogram measurements.

Sensors can also be integrated into various devices, including wristbands and belts. For instance, Florida Atlantic University announced the development of a belt device prototype in 2022 that used sensors to continuously monitor various heart failure indicators. The belt monitors thoracic impedance, ECG, heart rate and motion, which are among the key indicators of heart failure.

Research further shows that wrist-worn sensors can help clinicians measure gross and fine motor function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In a 2023 study, researchers used accelerometer data from sensors worn on the wrist and ankles to extract various types of movement features. They used these features to create two supervised machine-learning approaches to produce composite measures of overall motor impairment.

Not only that, but healthcare researchers are also exploring the potential of ingestible sensors. Researchers from Mass General Brigham developed sensors in the form of pills integrated with a radiofrequency transmitter that emits a signal detectable by a device outside the body. They are studying the efficacy of these ingestible sensors in improving medication adherence among psychiatric care patients.

Fitness trackers

Healthcare wearable technology is most commonly associated with fitness and activity trackers, such as Fitbits and smartwatches from Apple and Samsung. These consumer-facing devices are typically worn on the wrist or as rings around fingers. They track the wearer's movements, including daily steps, distance covered, calories burned, heart rate and sleep patterns.

The data gleaned from fitness trackers can be used to determine various health metrics, according to research published in 2022. The study examined activity tracker-obtained data for individuals with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The data included health-related quality of life assessments, heart rate measurements and results from the six-minute walk distance test.

Using this data, the researchers determined several metrics linked to physical and cardiovascular health.

Research also shows that fitness trackers can help boost physical activity, especially when combined with personalized support and encouragement.

The positive impact of fitness and activity trackers can even be seen among hospitalized patients. A study published in 2023 assessed whether wearable activity tracker-related interventions amid hospitalization could increase activity levels. The researchers reviewed 15 studies with 1,911 participants, finding a strong correlation between wearable activity tracker-based interventions, higher physical activity and lower levels of sedentary behavior.

Smartwatches

Though initially popularized for its fitness-tracking abilities, smartwatch technology and wrist-worn wearables have advanced considerably in recent years. These devices are worn on the wrist and contain sensors that measure various health indicators.

For instance, some models of the Apple Watch include an electrical heart rate sensor, which, combined with the Apple ECG app, enables users to take an ECG. In 2022, Mayo Clinic researchers adapted a 12-lead ECG algorithm to create an AI algorithm that uses single-lead Apple Watch ECG signals to detect weak heart pumps. Research shows that the single-lead ECG can accurately identify atrial fibrillation, bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias.

Apple has continued its efforts to enhance the Apple Watch's healthcare capabilities, adding atrial fibrillation history recording and medication tracking capabilities in 2022 and a new sleep apnea feature in 2024.

Not to be outdone, Samsung added an ECG feature to its Galaxy Watch in 2020 and, in 2023, launched the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) feature. The Galaxy smartwatch also includes a heart rate and blood pressure monitor. In 2023, the company struck multiple partnerships with health systems to use its smartwatch in research on various conditions.

In addition, research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session 2023 showed that a wrist-worn sensor can determine troponin-I protein levels and obstructed arteries to predict heart attacks accurately.

Amid these advancements, health systems are increasingly utilizing smartwatch technology within their cardiology care programs. Kaiser Permanente leaders previously shared details about the health system's home-based cardiac rehabilitation program, which includes the use of a smartwatch that pairs with a smartphone via Bluetooth. The smartwatch not only monitors the patient's heart rate and activity data, but also tracks their personalized treatment plan and shares exercise reminders with patients.

Virtual reality headsets

VR headsets have been adapted from their original use in gaming to numerous healthcare use cases. Britannica defines VR technologies as devices that use computer modeling and 3D simulations to "immerse the user in a computer-generated environment that simulates reality."

One of the most effective uses of healthcare-based VR is mental and behavioral healthcare delivery. In February 2024, Brennan Spiegel, M.D., professor of medicine and director of health services research at Cedars-Sinai Health System, described a new VR application that provides conversational therapy through a robot avatar. The app creates an audio-visual environment that can help augment the therapeutic experience.

Additionally, VR is being used to provide exposure therapy, which can help treat multiple mental health conditions such as phobias, panic disorders and generalized anxiety. VR can provide a form of in vivo exposure therapy in which clients are immersed in a 3D computer-generated interactive environment of various scenarios related to their mental health condition.

VR's ability to create realistic environments is especially useful in pain management. A study published in 2023 shows that a VR-based intervention effectively distracted burn injury patients from pain during dressing changes. In a podcast interview, Henry Xiang, M.D., Ph.D., a study author and director of the Center for Pediatric Trauma Research at Nationwide Children's Hospital, noted that the distraction from pain helps improve the patient experience.

Smart clothing

Though not quite as common as other healthcare wearables mentioned in this article, smart clothing is nonetheless a growing area of interest in the wearable devices arena.

According to a study published in 2022, smart clothing "contains conductive fibers or sensors that are attached or woven into the fabric." Data gathered by the sensors can be transferred to other devices for analysis.

This category of healthcare wearables shows potential in numerous clinical areas. For example, research shows that these tools could provide continuous data on heart rate, activity levels and blood pressure, which offer opportunities to enhance cardiovascular disease management.

Further, in 2022, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced that its researchers used smart textiles to create a shoe and a mat that could measure and interpret data from the pressure sensors in real time. These tools could be used to develop smart shoes that track a patient's gait as they learn to walk post-injury or socks that monitor pressure on a diabetic patient's foot.

In a 2021 interview, Jamie DeRollo, an athletic trainer and director of sports medicine at Modesto Junior College in California, detailed how a sensor-embedded sleeve helped athletes recover from injuries. The sleeve tracks arm movements, enabling the trainers to design mobility exercises.

Continued advancements in healthcare wearable technology offer novel approaches to improving individual health and well-being and enhancing clinical outcomes. As they become further integrated into healthcare delivery, new models of care will likely emerge, accelerating the digital transformation of healthcare.

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.