Smart ring maker Oura has launched its U.S. initial public offering targeting a valuation of up to $15.62 billion, but the company will receive little to none of the $2.2 billion raised as existing investors sell their shares. The Finnish health and fitness wearables company is offering 50 million shares priced between $40 and $44 each.
A Calgary study found emergency department visits for suicide attempts among youth increased 22% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Separately, Boston researchers discovered smartphone check-ins can help predict suicide risk days before an attempt in patients with serious mental illness.
NavigateAI, founded by former Opendoor CEO Eric Wu, emerged from stealth in May with $25 million in funding from Elad Gil and Khosla Ventures. The company is developing AI copilots that provide real-time, hands-free guidance to construction workers through smartphones and Meta's AI glasses.
Plaud Inc. has unveiled the Plaud One Explorer, wireless earbuds that can capture and transcribe conversations, with a charging case featuring an embedded eSIM that enables AI-assisted tasks like drafting documents without requiring a phone connection.
Researchers at Virginia Tech's Department of Biological Systems Engineering have created a penny-sized smart patch designed to automatically detect and respond to fentanyl overdoses, potentially saving lives even when no one else is present to help.
Smart ring maker Oura is facing a proposed class action lawsuit filed in San Francisco alleging the company deceived consumers about the accuracy of its sleep tracking features. The lawsuit challenges whether the ring can identify sleep stages as precisely as clinical equipment.
Researchers demonstrate fingertip sensors can identify physical patterns linked to stress, anxiety and depression, while major wearable companies including Whoop, Oura, and Apple expand into healthcare applications. Amae Health partners with Google Health to integrate Fitbit and voice biomarkers for precision psychiatry.
A health coach experimented with wearing four fitness tracking devices at the same time before ultimately deciding to stop using wearables altogether. The experience highlights growing questions about the utility and accuracy of fitness tracking technology.
Swiss technology innovation center CSEM and biosensing technology company B-Secur announced a partnership to integrate clinically-validated heart monitoring capabilities into health wearables, combining CSEM's PPG-based vital signs monitoring expertise with B-Secur's biosensing technology.
Health tracking bracelets without screens are gaining significant popularity among consumers seeking unobtrusive wellness monitoring, marking a notable shift in the wearable device market toward minimalist health technology.
Penn State engineers have created temporary smart tattoos capable of monitoring brain waves and detecting heart attacks, while UC San Diego researchers developed a smart ring that tracks four biomarkers in sweat simultaneously, representing advances in real-time health monitoring technology.
Garmin has officially announced the cirqa, its first screen-free smart band designed to monitor health and fitness metrics. The launch comes as screen-free wearables like Oura Ring, Whoop, and Fitbit Air gain popularity among consumers seeking health tracking without constant screen interaction.
RayNeo has released the iO smart glasses for $479, featuring a transparent waveguide display that overlays text without cameras or speakers. The device offers live translation, 112-language dictation, and AI memory features, joining a growing trend of privacy-focused smart glasses that diverge from Meta's camera-equipped approach.
Garmin Ltd. has officially released the Cirqa Smart Band, a screenless fitness tracker priced at $200 (£180, S$258) that directly competes with Whoop Inc. but does not require a subscription. The device focuses on health and fitness tracking through a display-free design.
The NHS has announced a long-term strategy to reduce sepsis deaths through earlier detection using wearable technology, remote monitoring, and rapid intervention. The initiative aims to prevent thousands of deaths from the life-threatening condition by 2035.
The FDA has approved Sanofi's Sarclisa (isatuximab) for subcutaneous delivery via a wearable on-body injector, marking the first cancer drug to receive approval for this delivery method. The device offers multiple myeloma patients a less burdensome alternative to intravenous infusions.
A major clinical trial found that real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) significantly improves blood glucose management in adults with type 2 diabetes treated with basal insulin, offering evidence for expanded use of the technology beyond type 1 diabetes.
Researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation developed a smart contact lens that combines real-time intraocular pressure monitoring with responsive drug delivery for glaucoma patients, showing promise in preclinical models.
Multiple developments in wearable health monitoring emerged in late July 2026, including OpenAI's relaunch of ChatGPT Health with expanded U.S. access, UCSD engineers' creation of a multi-biomarker tracking ring, and Penn State's stretchable antenna technology, even as questions about device accuracy and medical reliability continue to be raised.
