August 21, 2014

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Parks Associates: 30% of U.S. broadband households own and use at least one connected health device

Playtabase CEO to present on the role of wearable devices in driving better healthcare and independent living at Connected Health Summit

Parks Associates today announced that Playtabase CEO and co-founder Muhammad Abdurrahman,  Ph.D., will share his insights during the Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers session “Healthy Living, Connected Devices, and Wearables,” Thursday, September 4, 8:45 A.M. Parks Associates recently announced new consumer research that nearly 30% of U.S. broadband households own and use at least one connected health device. Mr. Abdurrahman will discuss innovations in connected devices and wearables and their role in enabling independent living, especially for the elderly, the disabled, and patients with chronic conditions.

"Demographic trends and limited availability of long-term care services are driving many people around the world to examine independent living at home technologies," said Harry Wang, Director, Health & Mobile Product Research, Parks Associates. "In the U.S. and Canada in particular, the private sector is the driving force for this market, and new technologies  make independent living both financially viable and technologically feasible. Playtabase brings valuable insight to Connected Health Summit, and we are looking forward to the panel discussion with Mr. Abdurrahman."

Playtabase is also sponsoring the networking break on the first day of the event at 10:15 A.M. The company was recently selected for Microsoft's new business accelerator for start-ups focused on home automation within the Internet of Things. Playtabase’s wearable device, called Reemo™, allows users to control appliances and home automation systems with gestures rather than remotes or mobile phone apps. The device gives users control over their environment, which can be especially useful for those who are disabled but wish to live independently.

"Connection itself is an ongoing macro technology trend for the home, health, and the self," Abdurrahman said. “ We see devices in each of those categories working together to enable previously unrealized activities and better outcomes."

The interactive panel session "Healthy Living, Connected Devices, and Wearables" will also feature speakers from AARP, The American Heart Association, Lowe's, and Masimo.  Speakers will address the integration of healthcare applications and services with connected devices and the role of health insurers and care providers in driving consumer adoption.

The inaugural Connected Health Summit will be held at the Omni Hotel, September 4-5, and feature keynote presentations from Qualcomm Life, Kaiser Permanente, Humana Wellness, Optum, Walgreens, and Ascension Health.

Registration and the summit agenda can be found on the event website www.connectedhealthsummit.com. Connected Health Summit Sponsors include Association Sponsor CEA; Charter Sponsors ADT, Care Innovations, Lowe’s, and Z-Wave; Registration Sponsor Independa; Special Event Sponsor Walgreens; Event Sponsor Masimo; and Break Sponsors Ayla Networks, Playtabase, and Wellness and Prevention, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company.

Information about the Connected Health Summit is available at connectedhealthsummit.com.  Press passes for the event are available at http://www.parksassociates.com/events/connected-health/media. 

About Connected Health Summit: Consumer Engagement and Innovation

Connected Health Summit, hosted by international research firm Parks Associates, is an executive conference focused on the impact of connected devices and IoT healthcare solutions on consumers at home. In its ninth year, Connected Health Summit brings senior industry leaders together from all aspects of the consumer experience ecosystems to provide insights on new business models, IoT technologies, consumer behaviors, and deployments relevant to consumer healthcare solutions.

The conference features Parks Associates quarterly consumer readdresses opportunities for new solutions in the care giving and senior markets and the wellness markets. This includes smart home platforms, on-demand services, voice assistants, and wearables, to empower consumers, caregivers, and providers and to meet the growing demand for services in independent living, chronic care management, remote access to care, and wellness and fitness solutions. www.connectedhealthsummit.com

Follow the event on Twitter at @CONN_Health_Smt.