Samsung Explores Potential of Wearables in Digital Health Collaborations

Samsung is expanding its efforts in health and wellness technologies through new collaborations with universities and academic hospitals.

The company launched an Open Innovation Initiative that aims to revolutionize the digital health ecosystem and pioneer novel approaches to wellness through solutions like wearables, Samsung said in a Thursday (Oct. 5) press release.

“Around the world, innovation and transformational health research are being fostered by leading institutions in collaboration with Samsung,” Hon Pak, vice president and head of the Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics, said in the release.

One of Samsung’s partnerships is with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab and will explore digital profiles for monitoring and enhancing sleep, according to the release. Wearable sleep-tracking solutions have the potential to offer effective remedies for sleep-related issues.

Samsung is also joining forces with Brigham & Women’s Hospital to quantify resilience and frailty, the release said. Leveraging the biometric data collected by the Galaxy Watch, Samsung and the hospital intend to develop personalized health profiles for individuals.

In another collaboration, Samsung partnered with Tulane University School of Medicine to tackle cardiovascular disease, per the release. By using the BioActive sensor of the Galaxy Watch, Samsung aims to gain a deeper understanding of individuals’ daily health.

Additionally, Samsung is engaged in research on multidomain healthcare in collaboration with the Samsung Medical Center, according to the release. The objective is to develop an integrated analysis data platform encompassing heart health, sleep, mindfulness and more.

Through these collaborations, Samsung aims to deliver enhanced health services, the release said.

PYMNTS Intelligence found that consumers’ healthcare app and tool use (a category that includes wearables) grew 21% between November 2021 and November 2022. Health tracking technology is the single most used connected health technology in the United States, according to “Connected Wellness: Tracking the Rise of Health-Tracking Technology,” a PYMNTS and CareCredit collaboration.

In another development in the space, the Oura Ring — a wearable technology that provides health data, insights and guidance — became available at Best Buy in April. Powered by continuous monitoring of the wearer’s biometrics, the smart ring from Oura is designed to foster healthy habits centered on sleep, readiness and activity scores.