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GoogleX developed a spoon that will help people with tremor, especially those who suffer from Parkinson’s, eat properly. In fact, the high-tech soon is the product of Lift Labs, a start-up bought by Google in September for an undisclosed sum. In trials, the product manage to cancel tremor effects in more than 75 percent of the cases, returning the mundane activity to its origin for people who exhibit tremor. According to the company, up to 100 algorithms have been tested in the last two years before a final version was produced.
“We want to help people in their daily lives today and hopefully increase understanding of disease in the long run,” Google spokeswoman Katelin Jabbari said.
The spoon is equipped with the latest technology, which is condensed in one end of the utensil. Instead of a spoon, users can attach a fork.
The new product does not come very cheap, but for people who encounter the problem on a daily basis, it can be an affordable life-changing device. Liftware spoon, the engine of the device, costs $295. The actual spoon and fork attachments can each be purchased for $19.95 each.
Using the device is easy. Basically, various sensors detect tremor and counter them on the spot, without any settings. It comes with a rechargeable battery, a major advantage. Liftware counters mild, medium, and severe tremor.
Lift Labs said they are working on a keyholder as another accessory for Liftware.
Lift Labs is now a part of GoogleX Life Sciences, the tech giant division oriented toward providing futuristic solutions to health problems. Priorly, Liftlabs has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and Rock Health.
Earlier this year, scientists at GoogleX announced they are working on a smart contact lens to measure glucose levels by analyzing tears. Another project focuses on developing nanoparticles that will detect disease while running through the bloodstream.
Between seven and 10 million people from around the world live with Parkinson’s. Each year around 60,000 people are diagnosed with the disease in the U.S., according to Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder, suffers from tremor as well. Brin, who’s medical condition increases the chances of developing Parkinson’s, donated $50 million to scientists searching for a cure. But the latest acquisition is not related to Brin’s condition, a Google spokeswoman said.
