Philips unveils new healthcare products, some made in India

Dutch consumer and well-being electronics giant Royal Philips on Thursday launched a host of products -- from a wearable healthcare watch to air purifiers -- some of which were jointly developed at its India innovation arms in Pune and Bengaluru.

Some of these products also have a "connected" app over cloud to permit personalised diagnostics, analyses and advice to enable users take greater control of their lives, a top Philips official said at the preview of IFA Berlin, the largest consumer electronics fair in Europe.

"Consumers are increasingly engaged in their personal health and they want solutions that can empower them to stay healthy and prevent illnesses," said Pieter Nota, executive vice president and chief executive of the company's personal health vertical.

"They understand that there is a need for active health management to stem the rising tide of chronic diseases and unhealthy lifestyles," Nota said, adding Philips has combined personal health and clinical solutions to speed up diagnosis, treatment, recovery and future care.

Among the products launched on Thursday was wearable health watch with a heart rate sensor and other features for lifestyle tracking -- which can connect wirelessly with the Philips health app that helps in making healthy living easier and motivational.

Then an upper arm and a wrist-based, tubeless blood pressure monitors allow both systolic and diastolic readings along with heart rate. Also unveiled was a body analysis scale to measure a person's fat content, along with readings on body-mass index and analysis.

This apart, an ear thermometer has been launched as an easy-to-use device that is designed both newborns and adults alike, with results as quickly as two seconds. Also on the launch stage were a mobile ultrasound machine, an air purifier, smart shavers and multi-cooker.

Philips officials explained later that the group's innovation and manufacturing centre at Pune and the campus in Bengaluru were responsible for some of the products, adding that they were among the only two such centres in emerging markets out of only six globally.

Some of the products that have been developed include a cath lab for cardiac procedures, an X-ray lab for a wide variety of related diagnostics, and a complete solution for orthopaedic surgical operations, including trauma care and spine management.

Some other innovations that have come out of these centres -- that employ some 2,500 highly skilled professionals -- include a primary and mobile X-ray products with quick results, and mobile obstetrics monitoring solution wih ultrasound. Thy are all for the global markets.

(Arvind Padmanabhan is in Berlin at the invitation of Philips. He can be reached at arvind.p@ian.in)