‘Tis another season for pandemic-inspired gadgets – Politico
You know the pandemic’s gone on too long when we have to think about Covid-inspired health gifts for a second holiday season. But amid the gloom, there’s also hope for a more normal 2022 — and new apps and other digital tools to keep us healthier. We asked leaders in the health and tech field what they’re buying for friends, family and themselves this season.
Christina Farr, principal investor and health tech lead at OMERS Ventures: “I’m eyeing a few things I want to try. The Eight Sleep [smart mattress] is at the top of my list — you can change the temperature around your side of the bed, which is amazing because I like things a lot warmer than my partner. And I’m keen to see how my sleep gets affected by things like booze, exercise, stress, the time I eat, etc.”
Nicholas Genes, director of informatics for the emergency department at NYU Langone Health: “Is sleep cooling a fad? We all could probably improve the quality of our sleep quality by sticking to a schedule, putting down our phones before bed, etc. — but it’s so much more tempting to imagine we’ll always wake up feeling refreshed after investing several hundred dollars on a gadget … An affordable whole-body experience is the bFan, which circulates room air under your covers and can fit most any bed … Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro can be programmed to adjust the mattress topper temperature throughout the night, via app. More affordable, and perhaps just as effective, is a cooling pillow — a lot of pillows use fancy synthetic materials but the Leesa Hybrid offers a removable gel insert to absorb heat.”
Jason Helgerson, founder and CEO of Helgerson Solutions Group: “Bring on the metaverse! I fear another lockdown is coming and last year’s Peloton won’t be enough to save me from social isolation.”
Joel White, executive director of the Health Innovation Alliance: “I got two new iPads for my sons with the condition they use them for educational programming for a set amount of time each week. Covid has taken its toll on tolerance for screen endurance, but iPads and other tablets are useful educational devices, even in a world of distance learning. Last year, I got my mom a remote monitoring device as she got Covid and almost died and had a related fall and couldn’t get to the phone. For me, I used a telehealth app to do routine care appointments, and we just gave my son a Binax at-home test.”
Andrew Tomlinson, director of federal affairs at CHIME: “I’m a big Peloton guy and runner. With in-person races back next year, I’m planning to do my first marathon, and running is chockful of running gadgets. I’m a running shoe addict, so I’ve been intrigued about buying some of these advanced engineered shoes like the Puma Deviate Nitro Elites that Molly Seidel wore when she won her bronze medal. Instagram also appears to think I need a Theragun, and, let me tell you, nothing makes …….
