One of things that makes this wearables matchup between a smart bra for cancer detection and a cloud phone for seniors a bit challenging is their subtle approach to solving a problem. They are also both passive so that means they easily fit into the users routine. But how big is the need they address?
In the public vote, the Cloud Phone 3G from Ollo Mobile triumphed over the smart bra from First Warning Systems.
First Warning’s smart bra to alert wearers to breast cancer earlier is clearly tackling a killer disease. About 40,000 women will die from breast cancer. But if you think about breast cancer detection and remote monitoring devices, there are already some devices that address these areas. Mammographies, although not perfect, are designed to detect breast cancer and annual exams improve the likelihood of tumors being spotted earlier. On the other hand First Warning’s embedded breast cell tracking device is designed to reduce false positives that lead to biopsies. The company also claims that its technology is a more affordable way to detect early signs of breast cancer. The bra is currently in late stage clinical trials.
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Theoretically if adult children wanted to check on their parents they could simply call them. Having a cloud phone adds an extra layer of assurance that they could be reached when the signal is poor. But it’s more about giving elderly parents the ability to reach out to their children or other caretakers if they need to. There’s also a fall monitor and calls can be done with voice activation.
I respect Ollo Mobile’s approach and think it has a lot of merit and it’s currently available. But I think that First Warning Systems would have a bigger impact on healthcare if it clears clinical trials. It will be interesting to see how the bra technology progresses through clinical trials.
Winner: Smart bra from First Warning Systems
