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The trend in new health technology is coming in many forms. Both devices and implants are being developed to assist with your health and wellness. These new devices get placed on or into your body. The technology is designed to communicate with external devices like your smartphone or deliver medicine, monitor specific health conditions and keep track of body temperature, heart rate, and even insulin all in a non-invasive way.

Many of these technologies come in the form small implants which use near-field communication, or NFC, and Bluetooth technology so that information can be shared back and forth from within your body to larger, more complex devices located outside your body.

One of the more futuristic implants continually monitors your blood through five different sensors built into the small device just under the skin. The various sensors are embedded with a specific enzyme, this allows each sensor to monitor your blood for factors such as lactate, and glucose. Keeping the implant functional is done via an external battery patch, and it uses Bluetooth communication for data transfer. This approach to monitoring blood factors will be a big step forward for people with severe and chronic illnesses.

Another futuristic medical implant that is being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, is an implant that will trigger self-healing, monitor your vital organs and regulate treatments of certain diseases. This implant is known as ElectRX and is currently in development which may take many years before we actually see this implant in large-scale use.

The future of implants and even injectable nano-technology is far from science fiction and becoming a reality at a breakneck pace. These implanted devices are already being used to support insulin-producing cells in people who have Type 1 diabetes and continuously measure vital signs monitoring organ transplant patients.

The world of wearable health devices is very well-known by most of you. The past 10 years have seen the development of fitness trackers, heart monitors and much more. There are a few standouts in this category that you may not be familiar with.

You can now buy a wearable device that can detect subtle changes in your heart rate and breathing patterns, which can indicate an increase in stress and anxiety. The product is called a Spire Stone and is worn on a waistband, sports bra or shirt. The Spire devices sense changes in breath and the rhythm with how your torso and diaphragm contract. Once a change is detected the device vibrates signaling to take a moment and consciously relax, breathing deeply and be mindful. This recognition of your increased stress and the idea to stabilize your emotional state has proven to be effective in reducing anxiety, lowering your heart rate and reducing blood pressure.

Yet another piece of wearable tech that seems more like sci-fi is a device that uses a pulsed electromagnetic field, or PEMF, which promotes areas on your body that are impacted by chronic muscle pain. The Oska Pulse increases blood flow in areas of the body where muscles are stiff and tight, creating pain. The device helps dilate blood vessels leading to a reduction in inflammation, easing pain for better movement and mobility. The wearable technology works with an app and mobile device, so you track your pain management and healing process.

How about a wearable device that can be placed on your fingernail as decoration but monitors your body’s exposure to UV light? That is, in fact, a real piece of technology that measures only 2 mm thick and 9 mm in diameter. L’Oreal’s electronic sensor will help you detect and measure how much exposure you are getting from intense UV sunlight. This small add-on device could help defend against the skin damage and even skin cancer.

The new developments in both implanted and wearable health and medical devices are coming of age. We are now living in a time where self-care and remote health monitoring are merely managed through technology-driven innovation. Your health care providers will soon be able to download data from your wearable or implanted technology or administer your medication through the same devices.

No matter how these new emerging technologies are used, they do come with a fair amount of controversy, perceived and/or real invasion of privacy, along with pitfalls of a new era of medical treatments. All of this is extremely interesting and pretty exciting.

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Judd Jones is a director for The Hagadone Corporation and Certified Health Coach.

www.jhanawellness.com