CES 2026: Health tech firms showcase wearables, portable gadgets for self-monitoring and care

LAS VEGAS – From smart rings and AI-powered massage chairs to robots that promise to keep your grandparents company – you name it and it was probably on display at CES 2026.

The

world’s largest annual tech trade show

was held in Las Vegas recently, with digital health products a highlight during the massive four-day event that spanned 2.6 million square feet – the size of several convention centres and hotels.

Straits Times tech reporter Sarah Koh showcases five digital health products that could be part of your future healthcare arsenal.

Exoskeleton supports hips and knees

The CES show floor was filled with exoskeletons – but Chinese brand Dnsys attracted long queues of people eager to try out its X1 model, which stood out for its sleek design that also looked the least bulky. It has straps that wrap around a user’s waist and thighs, and curved carbon rods that allow users to bend and rotate their knees comfortably. Weighing 1.6kg, this is one of the lightest models in the market.

A control device at the side recognises the user’s gait and intent in real time. As he or she is about to lift a knee, the motor assists with the upswing to lift the thigh, and pushes the leg through the swing.

This action reduces pressure on the knees when walking, running, or hiking, and helps users conserve up to 50 per cent of energy and reduce joint pain, according to the company.

More than 10,000 units of the X1 have been sold worldwide since Dnsys was founded in 2021, at about US$1,000 (S$1,280) each. The firm has received more than US$3 million through two crowdfunding rounds, which has gone into development and production costs, company representative Li Xiangyu told ST on the show floor.

In its early days, the company was initially focused on selling to businesses such as hospitals, before an experience with a five-year-old patient nudged it to the consumer market, said Ms Li.

“He struggled to walk after undergoing brain surgery and was able to do so after putting on our exoskeleton,” added Ms Li, who noted that the boy refused to return the set afterwards.

While the exoskeleton’s main function is to make movement easier, the company said it can help users recover from injury as they strengthen muscles by increasing resistance levels.

Portable device detects allergens in food

Mr Benedicte Astier’s daughter went into an anaphylactic shock from an allergic response after eating, and the Frenchman resolved to find a way to enable people to test food for allergens.

Enter Allergen Alert – a handheld device that allows users to test food items instantaneously by dropping a small food sample into a single-use pouch, which is then inserted into the device.

Within minutes, the device will alert users on whether the sample contains either gluten or lactose – two of the most common allergens worldwide.

The device, which the firm described as a “pocket-size mini laboratory”, is based on patented technology from bioMerieux laboratory, which specialises in diagnostic instruments and solutions.

The team worked to miniaturise and automate every step of a professional test, which includes sample preparation and protein extraction.

Such tools are important given how common food allergies are worldwide, said marketing representative Stephane Laurain. An estimated 220 million people globally have food allergies, according to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The device is slated to launch in France later in 2026, with international expansion plans to come after. Restaurants in Lyon, France, are already testing and using this device, with chefs using them to test food items when crafting a menu, said Mr Laurain.

Though the device can test for only two allergens currently, the team is working towards expanding this to the “big nine” – which includes wheat, soya, fish, shellfish, eggs, sesame, peanuts and tree nuts. These allergens are behind 80 per cent of allergic reactions.

Beyond food allergies, the firm also has plans to include testing for allergens in cosmetic products, said Mr Laurain.

Smartwatch detects blood glucose levels

Finger pricking and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are widely used by diabetic patients to measure their blood glucose levels – but one Singapore firm is hoping to launch a smartwatch soon that can do the same job in a non-invasive manner.

With optical sensing technology, Sensura’s smartwatch uses light shone into the veins of a user’s wrist, where different substances within, such as glucose, would reflect different electromagnetic spectrums that are picked up and analysed with the use of artificial intelligence.

Clinical trials done at a hospital in China have shown positive outcomes, said Sensura co-founder Rick Liang, adding that the company is in the midst of doing more validation tests with the South-east Asian population.

“From our early studies, we don’t think skin colour affects the effectiveness of the device,” said Mr Liang. “But we will need to conduct multiracial tests in order to receive licences from the authorities such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Health Sciences Authority.”

This convenient manner of measuring one’s blood glucose continuously allows patients to keep track of long-term data, and is also preferable to an invasive method such as finger pricking.

A CGM, which is minimally invasive and sits just under the skin, is less painful but needs to be changed every two weeks. A set of monitors that lasts four weeks costs around $150 on average.

A demonstration of the smartwatch showed Mr Liang’s blood glucose to be at 5.9 millimoles per litre, while his CGM device showed his levels to be at 6.1 millimoles per litre.

The team, which has headquarters at the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory at the National University of Singapore, plans to launch its smartwatch later in 2026 after more clinical validation has been completed.

Mr Liang declined to share its retail price but said it would be kept affordable when compared with current measurement methods.

A handheld device that uses the same technology will also be launched in the next three years, said Mr Liang, who added that the firm is in talks with several hospitals in Singapore to trial the device, without naming them.

Smart mirror for continuous vitals monitoring, disease prediction

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the healthiest of them all?

Another product that drew queues of curious attendees was NuraLogix’s newly unveiled Longevity Mirror, which gives users a reading of their health markers just by looking at it.

The mirror, which has a built-in camera at the top and light on its sides, captures a 30-second video of the user’s face and analyses changes in the blood flow within key areas such as the chin, cheeks and forehead.

The results would then show the user’s blood pressure levels, heart rate, stress levels, skin age and predictive measurements such as the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Users are then given a longevity score.

When setting up the mirror, users must first enter their age, height, weight and if they have a history of illnesses such as diabetes. Armed with this information, the mirror would be able to account for other changes, such as weight loss within the facial area over time.

The mirror is priced at US$899 with a US$99 yearly subscription fee after the first year of service. For an extra US$399 per year, users can also get connected with health professionals for further analysis and receive health advice.

Stick-on patches use electrical pulses to reduce pain from period cramps

For women who suffer from heavy bleeding or painful cramps during their menstrual period, a wearable device that sends low electrical pulses to one’s nerves might give some relief.

OhmBody’s US$599 device is touted to help reduce heavy bleeding, discomfort from cramps and the length of menstruation. Hydrogel patches connected to the device via wires are attached to the front and back of the user’s ear, where the vagus and trigeminal nerves are located.

The vagus nerve is known to influence one’s mood and energy levels, while the trigeminal nerve helps to regulate pain. Users are advised to use the device two hours daily when they have their period to feel its effects, and the level of pulses can be controlled via the device.

A peer-reviewed clinical trial was conducted in the US, which involved 16 women with a history of heavy menstrual bleeding. After they wore the patches for two hours daily during menstruation, their blood loss was reduced by 50 per cent, the company said.

Their menstrual duration was also shortened by around 20 per cent, and there was a 45 per cent reduction in discomfort from cramps. Participants also reported improved comfort, sleep quality, mood and productivity.

The device is considered a wellness tool and has not received approval from the FDA.

A larger clinical study involving 80 participants will be done in February to further validate the effectiveness and safety of neurostimulation and menstrual support, said OhmBody vice-president of strategic growth Amy Gaston.

The device is currently available only in the US, with plans for international expansion in 2027.

The next big thing in health tech?

Today, big firms and start-ups alike are working to release products that fit consumers’ health needs while being as unobtrusive as possible. This is a far cry from 2022, when digital health products formed a small footprint on the show floor, said Mr Steve Hummel, the Consumer Technology Association’s director of market research.

“Devices like smartwatches that track health metrics, translate that to data for a practitioner to receive in real time – what we’re really seeing is the democratisation of health overall,” said Mr Hummel, adding that he expects to see this trend continue to grow in the future.

There has also been a rise within the space in agentic AI, which allows agents to understand a user’s needs and routine to recommend health and wellness tips.

A cross between this and the surging popularity of robotics could mean assistive robot caretakers in the long run, which can be especially useful given that many countries are facing ageing populations, said Mr Hummel.