As a new holiday shopping season begins, the market has exploded with cutting edge digital devices. Significantly, as mobile devices have permeated our daily lives, portable healthcare devices are capturing an ever increasing market share.

Fitness Trackers

UP by Jawbone has continuous Bluetooth sync to your phone, water resistance, a silent alarm, customizable activity reminders, a calorie counter and activity trackers. The Fitbug Orb provides similar functionality at a significantly lower price point and has the added benefit of never needing to be recharged. Both can be worn clipped to clothes or on wristbands.

Alternative Activity Trackers

While a small clip or wristband may be unobtrusive, it is not ideal in all situations. The o-synce screen eye x visor allows you to monitor your activity without having to look at your phone every few minutes.

The small heads up display shows heart rate, calorie consumption, distance, lap times and speed. The Aiq Bioman Tank provides a unique monitoring solution. The textile electrodes in this shirt monitor your heart rate and activity, sync to your phone via Bluetooth and the garment is still machine washable.

Blood Sugar Monitors

Dario provides a compact monitoring solution for diabetes management. It combines, lancet, test strips and digital glucometer into a single device that connects directly to your phone without additional cables.

Asthma Monitors

Airsonea is essentially a digital stethoscope that monitors your breath sounds for the wheezing associated with asthma. It connects to your phone with Bluetooth and allows you to monitor your asthma along with your Doctor and Pharmacist.

Oxygen Monitors

Masimo ispo2 is a pulse oximeter that measures your heart rate, blood oxygenation and perfusion index and tracks it on your cell phone. The Angel health band measures your pulse, oxygenation, skin temperature, motion and acceleration and is unique in its open software development platform.

Identification wristbands

There are times that sharing information can save a life. Id Wristbands like MyID take the medic alert bracelet a step into the future. It allows you to maintain an online health profile and allows caregivers to access this information by scanning a QR code, making a call or visiting a website. Allowing for appropriate emergency care even when you are unable to respond.

Continued advances in technology are providing unique ways to improve our health, monitor known conditions more effectively and communicate crucial information to caregivers. These gadgets allow us to keep pace with a fast moving world and remain healthier at the same time.