In days of yore, the closest thing we had to health tech was a rusty old scale sitting in the corner of our bathroom or one of those classic mercury thermometers that could be easily manipulated with the lightbulb technique. After reading this article it should be very apparent that we have moved light-years beyond these not necessarily outdated, but vastly improved upon tools. It seems like every week we read about some new tech that has emerged providing you with a new problem that needs to be addressed through technology. Here, we’ve assembled a handful of items that we feel could enhance your Beijing experience and your human experience in equal measure, helping to make a more healthy and positive you through technology.
Philips Avance Centrifugal Juicer
Where to buy: Various online stores
Price: Starting from RMB 1,800
So there is this fad, and we’re not sure if you’ve heard about it yet. It’s called juicing. Not to be confused with what is commonly associated with the bodybuilding community, but the act of juicing fruits, and filtering out all of the unessential items so that you are receiving pure nutrition. People around Beijing and beyond are making a small fortune for providing fancy bottled juice cleanses, but maybe you didn’t know that a DIY approach could likely save you buckets of money. There are plenty of resources on the internet on making and developing a perfect juice plan that is catered to your own needs and this item from Philips could be a great start towards achieving that.
Withings Smart Body Analyzer
Where to buy: Taobao.com
Price: Starting from RMB 1,300
Until recently, having access to a device that could calculate your weight, body mass index, and fat percentage was a rarity. But now they seem to be popping up all around, but this example from Withings also includes a couple extra features like heart rate, temperature, and air quality monitoring to sweeten the deal. These features, along with it being able to log eight family members’ data on an app makes this a very useful tool for monitoring the physical condition of everyone in the household.
Awair Air Quality Monitor
Where to buy: Taobao.com
Price: Starting from RMB 1,600
In Beijing, we are no strangers to air quality monitoring systems. It comes with the territory as they say. But while we don’t lack in helpful monitors that tell you whether or not it is safe indoors or out, we do lack in the monitors that provide other helpful information about the air quality in your abode. The Awair does just that, and it isn’t just a clever name. Along with providing you with real-time data about particle matter in your apartment, it also presents info about humidity, temperature, and carbon dioxide levels. This can be essential if you have breathing or skin problems, and there is also a list of presets you can choose from including pregnancy, beauty, wellness, and sleep that provides helpful information about what you need to do to achieve these optimal levels for your living environment.
Muse Brain Sensing Headband
Where to buy: Taobao.com
Price: Starting from RMB 2,500
Stress comes with the territory of living in a city of over 20 million people like Beijing. Meditation can be a useful way of cutting through the noise to find relaxation amidst the chaos, but it can be helpful to have something like this Muse headband to guide you through these mental exercises. With its seven EEG (Electroencephalogram) sensors placed along the scalp, the Muse brain sensing headband measures your brain activity in real time and alerts you to calm and stressed moments, and then guides you through a series of exercises so that you may train yourself to identify distractions. Knowing how and when stress is triggered will give you a better idea of how to counteract these feelings with calming techniques, including guided mediation or breathing exercises.
Lumo Lift
Where to buy: Taobao.com
Price: Starting from RMB 600
It’s no surprise that sitting at your desk all day can wreak havoc on your back and spinal arrangement. But yes, there’s tech for that as well. What a wonderful time to be alive. The Lumo Lift measures what you consider to be the perfect posture and allows you to keep track through pairing it with the app on your smartphone and be notified through a vibration whenever you deviate from this position. Just place the device under your shirt, below your collar bone, using the magnet and calibrate it to your desired posture. It can be a little bit of an annoyance, as it will vibrate whenever you aren’t sitting or standing straight, but so is your mom when she examines your spine to check if you have scoliosis. For people with chronic back pain the Lumo Lift could be a game changer, not to mention that better posture helps you breath more efficiently, increases blood circulation, and is proven to make you look and feel better about yourself.
Withings Thermo: Smart Temporal Thermometer
Where to buy: Taobao.com
Price: Starting from RMB 600
Imagine a thermometer that requires the most minimally invasive method available to check your body temperature within seconds. That’s exactly what this is. Using numerous sensors all you have to do is place this against your temporal artery and it automatically finds the hottest point to take its measurement from. Based on age, fever history, and symptoms the Therma App will give you an advanced interpretation, along with educational information on proper medications and dosages. Not only is this impossible to cheat with the old, hold it up to a lightbulb method, but it also connects directly to your smartphone for tracking this information.
Photos: xiaoyu_qian via Pixabay, courtesy of vendors
This article originally appeared on p 20-21 of beijingkids August 2017 issue.
Download the digital copy here.
