For the first time ever, a healthcare company delivered a major keynote with Abbott Laboratories CEO and Board Chair Robert Ford providing the closing presentation which, somewhat ironically, shifted from an in-person presentation to virtual. While Abbott also delivered a valuable service to the show by providing multiple complimentary rapid COVID tests to all registered CES attendees, the Illinois-based pharma giant was only one of an estimated 100 health-focused companies to share the spotlight at the show. 

 A stroll through the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall provided CES patrons with broad cross section of health care products, accessories, analytical systems and service providers, all bonded together under the title of Digital Health Marketplace. With booths profiling vendors large and small, the lineup of exhibitors also included representatives from several health systems, including Ascension, Providence Health, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

In many ways, COVID was both the show’s overarching nemesis and a catalyst for much of what companies showcased throughout the week. While COVID has certainly exposed - really for the first time - the capability for dozens of healthcare providers to leverage virtual care, it has also provided stimulus for companies ranging from medication monitors and pain sensors to air purification manufacturers, each of whom offers one opportunity or another to deal with issues, both pandemic-related and otherwise.

While much of the pre-show attention focused on the big-name tech companies that withdrew from CES, med-tech companies still fought the good fight, with no more than a handful abandoning their onsite presence. In addition to Abbott, such major players as Dassault Systemes, SleepScore Labs, Keeson Technology, Satisfyer and others remained entrenched in the show, joined by dozens of other, smaller enterprises whose relative recent emergence qualified them to exhibit at the show’s Eureka Park Marketplace for startups and emerging entities.

Several of the companies showcased were truly innovative, including many that introduced first-to-market products or services within their genres.  The most notable among them included:

• Vivoo - Powered by advanced image processing and machine learning algorithms, this at-home wellness tracker analyses the user’s urine to deliver personalised, easy-to-understand lifestyle and nutrition advice, helping individuals make smart health decisions. The product tracks a wide range of parameters crucial for optimal health: hydration, urine pH level, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, UTIs, and organ wellness, amongst others.
• The Y-Brush - A patented Y-shaped toothbrush, developed by dentists, set to revolutionise the world of oral healthcare with a product that simultaneously brushes all upper and then lower teeth through vigorous vibration in just 10 seconds.

• Cubtale - A care coordination platform that uses palm-sized smart buttons called Cubs to deliver a simple way to track and manage your baby’s daily care activities - such as breastfeeding sessions, bottle amounts, medicine intakes, sleep durations and more.
• Care Wear - A CE approved and FDA registered wearable therapeutics product that deploys light therapy for management of pain, treatment of soft tissue injury, wrinkles and acne. When paired with a digital health infrastructure, the product allows clinicians to select treatment parameters and outcome indicators, to issue real-time reports through a mobile application.
• Every Dose -  A digital health company created after the founder noticed a loved one struggling with medication management, Every Dose’s AI-powered platform helps patients stay on track with their medications while driving lower costs, better outcomes, and higher quality measures for healthcare stakeholders.
• Humetrix - An AI-powered technology platform which has supported the national response to the pandemic. The Humetrix ETL and Analytics platform is a powerful Precision Public Health platform that has enabled the identification and local mapping of populations at higher risk for severe COVID-19 and monitoring of the vaccination program.

“Technology improves our lives in so many ways, and that is especially clear in the health sector,” said Gary Shapiro, Consumer Technology Association president and CEO. “While the pandemic spurred rapid innovation from digital health companies across the globe who continue to find ways to make our lives safer, happier and longer, the overall healthcare technology revolution continually empowers people to actively engage in their own health. We’re thrilled with health technology’s strong presence at CES 2022 and look forward to its continued growth in the years ahead.”