The Smart World Series With SiliconANGLE

This week’s Smart Health roundup features a new technology addiction, a yoga mat that tells you if you’re doing the right poses, and a seat cushion that checks more than your posture.

Study reveals Google Glass addiction

A paper published in the professional journal Addictive Behavior reveals what may be the first ever case of Google Glass addiction. The focus of the study is Internet addiction disorder (IAD), described as the problematic use of online video games, computers, and handheld devices. But as technology progresses, the scope of this disorder also broadens to wearable devices. A 31-year old Navy employee exhibited problematic use of Google Glass, which includes dependence on the device, showing signs of frustration and irritation when not permitted to wear Google Glass, formation of habits such as tapping the right temple even when not wearing the device, and poor short term memory.

The Navy employee underwent a 35-day residential treatment and showed improvements such as reduction in irritability, reduction in motor movements to turn on the device, improved short-term memory, and clarity of thought process. The researchers believe that it is the first reported case of IAD that involves the use of Google Glass.

SmartMat

SmartMat is a responsive yoga mat that connects to your smartphone or tablet to delivers audio and visual indicators regarding your yoga poses. The smartMat has three modes to suit your lifestyle: In Home Private, In Class Assist, and Zen Mode. SmartMat analyzes your pose and delivers micro corrections on balance and alignment when needed, tracks your performance, learns new types of yoga, perfects your pose, and records and reviews your entire session in a just minutes.

Users can also connect to the SmartMat network so they can improve their poses, but it will also come with the SmartMat Marketplace where users can choose from various lessons suitable for beginners or advanced practitioners. The SmartMat team plans on “Yogrammers,” yoga programmers, who will record the class visual, audio and corrections, so every session feels like the instructor is right there with you.

Right now SmartMat is a project on Indiegogo Inc. which has already surpassed its funding goal of $110,000, now at $227K+, with nine more days to go.

Darma

It’s easy to forget about your posture when you’re sitting at a desk, swamped with work. You could wear a posture corrector, but that can be quite uncomfortable when worn for long periods. Now, there’s a way to correct your sitting posture, while learning about your sitting habits.

Called Darma, this posture-aid looks like a simple cushion but is laced with sensors. It uses algorithms to determine if you’re sitting correctly, stressed, or if you’ve been sitting for too long. Darma is able to collect data such as the sitter’s posture, heartbeat, respiration and stress level, and using Bluetooth 4.0 Darma transfers the gathered data to its app for live feedback, so you can immediately correct your posture or get up for a stretch.

Darma aims to help improve a user’s lifestyle to prevent health conditions associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Darma is currently on Kickstarter Inc. and has raised more than $202K with 22 more days to go.

photo credit: Janitors via photopin cc