At this year’s Wireless Japan Expo, Fujitsu and NTT DoCoMo debuted some new RakuRaku (easy easy) handsets made for aging users who are concerned about their health and want to keep both good records and good communication with health care professionals.
With the F884iES, users can place their fingers over the camera lens, which can determine their heart rate simply by scanning minute movements. This information, along with that from the built-in pedometer, can be input into a personal “health diary”. Below (right side) you can see my finger over the camera lens and a displayed rate of 80 beats per minute.
For more detailed health information, the SH706iw and F1100 can receive information via infrared and bluetooth from Omron products such as the Karada Scan scales and pedometers. Combined with the onboard heart rate monitor, the data can be kept in a diary or sent directly to doctors, health clubs, diet services, or other specialists to help them keep an eye on their patients.
In effect, we’re getting closer and closer to being able to get accurate health information about our bodies in real time. The big question is whether doctors will readily accept this! The technology is here, and there are plenty of aging mobile phone users to use the services, but without support from the medical side of things such technology will have a hard time making inroads.
Michael is CEO and Co-Founder of the 
