WATCH: AI-Powered Wearable Replaces Opioids To Treat Chronic Pain

NeuroMetrix is out with its latest wearable to treat chronic pain: Quell 2.0. It uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide customized care that blocks pain without any drugs. However, what’s even more interesting is the way the company uses the data it collects.

“So we have 70,000 users who contribute to the Quell Health Cloud and we’ve used that to publish papers in some of the major pain medicine scientific conferences. We’re also using AI to help improve the effectiveness of future users,” said Frank McGillin, Chief Commercial Officer at NeuroMetrix, a digital medicine company based in Waltham, Mass.

The system, which originally launched in 2015, is comprised of a rechargeable neurostimulator that is worn in a neoprene band.

“What it’s doing is sending gentle neural pulses to the brain, triggering the release of endogenous opioids, or natural pain blockers,” said McGillin.

The latest version is 50 percent smaller than the original. It’s the first wearable to use machine learning to provide customized care for chronic pain. According to the Journal of Pain Research, 67 percent of users reported a reduction in their pain medication use.

The device comes as the adoption of wearable technology continues to grow. Thirty-three percent of U.S. consumers currently use a wearable, according to Accenture, and 80 percent of consumers say they’re willing to use technology that measures their health.

For more coverage, watch the video included in this article.