BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

CES 2013: The Year of The Quantified Self?

This article is more than 10 years old.

About a year ago, a colleague turned me onto what would be a life changing device. Recently diagnosed with a laundry list of food allergies and struggling with my weight, I purchased a FitBit and a Withings scale to help consciously keep track my healthy (or unhealthy) choices. I wasn't alone, as millions of others had already joined this self-quantified movement. Tim Ferriss' "Four Hour Body", published not much earlier, helped to popularize this phenomenon as well, and other devices like the Jawbone UP and the Nike+ FuelBand were quite popular in 2012 - especially amongst the early adopter and startup types.

As CES starts - and mainstream consumers start to make good on their New Year's resolutions - it's obvious that the quantified self movement is only beginning to now pick up steam, and companies featuring products that offer users the ability to monitor their health may be some off the hottest at this year's show. Companies like Withings, which offer an API that syncs with FitBit, just announced a competitive device called the Smart Activity Tracker. Withings says it is "a powerful and pocket-sized personal tracking tool designed to help users achieve their personal health and fitness goals." While other devices mostly measure steps taken, calories burned, and floors climbed, the Smart Activity Tracker also adds pulse measurement, which could be useful in activities where steps aren't taken (such as spinning and yoga.) The device also syncs via Bluetooth Smart with the Withings Health Mate App where all the data is collected and stored in real time.

Another similar device debuting at CES is BodyMedia's CORE 2, which is the next generation of the activity/health tracker armband used on The Biggest Loser®. This device packs four sensors into a wearable gadget smaller than an iPod Nano, and offers a choice of interchangeable jewelry- like faceplates, straps and cuffs for what BodyMedia calls a "fashionable look". Like Withings' Smart Activity Tracker, it will also feature a new heart rate monitoring option, as well as energy-saving Bluetooth® Smart Ready technology enabling live activity updates on your smartphone or tablet as well as longer battery life.

Also at CES this year, Fitbug is unveiling its first Bluetooth low energy blood pressure monitor that allows its users to send and view their pulse measurement, including Systolic pressure (SYS) and Diastolic pressure (DIA), on their mobile device. We've seen a lot of mobile health technologies at CES over the past few years, but these devices are becoming more accessible to consumers on more popular platforms - and easier to integrate with smartphones using bluetooth sync. (Unfortunately, the Fitbug Luv blood pressure monitor won't be available for consumers until mid-2013.)

With several days left of CES, it's obviously too early to tell exactly what will emerge as the hottest trend of CES. But as I've already logged four miles of walking today on my FitBit (keep in mind it's barely noon - and CES has barely started), the innovation in this niche is undoubtedly exciting for those at CES, burning more calories than the gadgets we can keep up with.

But while all the gadgets at CES are shiny, new and exciting - it's the innovation in the technology that consumers really care about - and are already using - that may really be the winners of CES this year.