iMedicalApps Highlights Three Clinically-Backed Health Apps Ahead of IPO Filing
Aug 07, 2015 08:09
CST Updated
08:09
Generally, I am not very optimistic about health apps. Most of them boast about their powerful features in public descriptions but deliver very little in practice. However, a recent article in the popular science magazine Scientific American has changed my perspective. It highlighted three health apps that are not only intriguing but also backed by academic research and currently undergoing clinical trials—features that most health apps lack.
ApneaApp：This is, in my opinion, the most thrilling app mentioned in the article. ApneaApp, developed by researchers at the University of Washington, is designed to diagnose sleep apnea syndrome using an unconventional approach: it transforms your smartphone into an active sonar device without requiring any additional hardware. (In layman’s terms: similar to how bats emit ultrasonic waves while flying—actively “shouting” to detect whether there are obstacles ahead—this active sonar reveals its own position when emitting signals.)
During initial testing, ApneaApp captured 98% of the sleep apnea events detected by hospital-based polysomnography. The team now plans to conduct home-based trials; if the sonar algorithm delivers comparable results, the app will send shockwaves through the industry. Traditionally, sleep apnea testing has required patients to stay overnight at a hospital or clinic, incurring substantial costs. This app promises to disrupt the status quo and redefine the landscape of sleep apnea diagnostics.
PRIORI:This app is specifically designed for patients with depression, using voice analysis during phone calls to detect episodes of the condition. It can also send alerts to healthcare professionals when an episode is detected. The project has currently received funding support from the University of Michigan.
ResApp:Developed by researchers at the University of Queensland, this app monitors cough sounds to determine the severity of respiratory diseases. It has also received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I first followed their research about five years ago, and I am pleased to see it finally enter the testing phase today. However, I remain quite skeptical about its actual benefits, given that it took an excessively long time to progress from research to testing.
Compiled by Zhang Lantao | Edited by Mo Renying
ApneaApp：This is, in my opinion, the most thrilling app mentioned in the article. ApneaApp, developed by researchers at the University of Washington, is designed to diagnose sleep apnea syndrome using an unconventional approach: it transforms your smartphone into an active sonar device without requiring any additional hardware. (In layman’s terms: similar to how bats emit ultrasonic waves while flying—actively “shouting” to detect whether there are obstacles ahead—this active sonar reveals its own position when emitting signals.)
During initial testing, ApneaApp captured 98% of the sleep apnea events detected by hospital-based polysomnography. The team now plans to conduct home-based trials; if the sonar algorithm delivers comparable results, the app will send shockwaves through the industry. Traditionally, sleep apnea testing has required patients to stay overnight at a hospital or clinic, incurring substantial costs. This app promises to disrupt the status quo and redefine the landscape of sleep apnea diagnostics.
PRIORI:This app is specifically designed for patients with depression, using voice analysis during phone calls to detect episodes of the condition. It can also send alerts to healthcare professionals when an episode is detected. The project has currently received funding support from the University of Michigan.
ResApp:Developed by researchers at the University of Queensland, this app monitors cough sounds to determine the severity of respiratory diseases. It has also received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I first followed their research about five years ago, and I am pleased to see it finally enter the testing phase today. However, I remain quite skeptical about its actual benefits, given that it took an excessively long time to progress from research to testing.
Compiled by Zhang Lantao | Edited by Mo Renying