Samsung has established a research lab at the University of California San Francisco to work on new consumer oriented health monitoring devices. Researchers at the UCSF-Samsung Digital Health Innovation Lab will develop new mobile health technologies. The lab will act as a test bed for testing new preventive healthcare technologies in addition to creating and commercializing sensors that can be embedded in wearable devices. Digital health technology is still in its nascent stages, and by establishing this research facility, Samsung is ensuring that it is at the forefront of innovation in this field.
Young Sohn, president and chief strategy officer of Samsung Electronics will be leading this project. He said, “harnessing new preventative health technologies to help people live healthier lives is the next great opportunity of our generation.”
Michael Blum, UCSF’s associate vice chancellor for Informatics, stated that medical validation is crucial when creating a new device or sensor. “There are many new sensors and devices coming into the market for consumers, but without medical validation, most of these will have limited impacts on health. Meanwhile, many practitioners also have creative ideas for new devices, but they lack the technological knowledge to fully develop them.” He also said that, “this partnership will bring together these two very different worlds of expertise with the resources needed to accelerate new and disruptive technologies that will truly change lives.”
