Including an e-bike wheel, recovery patch, and more
Every January, the latest cutting-edge technology across all categories is unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show. To find out whether the new releases will actually follow through on their claims, Furthermore asked Matt Delaney, national manager of innovation for Equinox, to offer his take on each. Here are five products, ranked from most to least promising.
Hycore
The claim: The Hycore wheel transforms any road bike into an e-bike. It also allows you to track your rides thanks to Bluetooth connectivity and an accompanying app.
Delaney's take: “I run around New York City all day, so this one resonates with me. It seems like an innovative, frictionless option for using an electric bike. I would definitely want to give it a try.”
Carewear
The claim: The first FDA-registered patch for post-workout recovery, Carewear claims to speed the process by emitting 3,500 red and blue LEDs onto the skin. The wavelengths reportedly warm the underlying tissues, relax the muscles, increase blood circulation, and reduce inflammation.
Delaney's take: “This reminds me of a high-tech version of the IcyHot patch. Photobiomodulation [a type of light therapy] may help increase localized circulation, which could potentially improve healing. This is a product worth testing.”
DNA Nudge
The claim: Consider it gene testing, with a nutritional focus. After you send in a cheek swab, your DNA report is uploaded onto the app and you receive a bracelet connected to your account. Anytime you're shopping for food, you can scan items' barcodes and your bracelet will light up one of two colors: green (meaning it's a good option for your body) or red (meaning you should skip that item).
Delaney's take: “There are so many questions about this one. Your genes hold your potential, but they aren’t your destiny and there is still much to learn about epigenetics and what turns specific genes on and off. I would be interested in learning more about their process and how they are applying the information outside of the company’s generic recommendations.”
K-FORCE
The claim: These plates measure and analyze specific body metrics to assess your balance and proprioception. When you perform squats, jumps, and other movements while standing on the plates, the K-FORCE app shares details on whether your body weight is evenly distributed, how forcefully you're pressing off the ground, and other stats meant to optimize performance.
Delaney's take: “It has an interesting line of assessment tools, but seems geared more towards sports performance and rehabilitation. For most people, this level of granularity isn’t necessary. Too much information can sometimes become a burden if you aren’t clear on how to apply it.”
BodyEnergy Treadmill
The claim: This treadmill-elliptical hybrid has no motor. Instead, the belt's movement is determined by how powerfully you pump your arms back and forth.
Delaney's take: “The hand position on this treadmill does not mimic natural running biomechanics and could disrupt your gait cycle. The potential risk of injury outweighs the benefit derived from the hand power, so this would be a pass for me.”