Abbott’s new biowearables offer “window to body” for personalized nutrition

11 Jan 2022 --- Abbott is developing a new category of consumer biowearables dubbed Lingo, slated to launch across Europe later this year. The healthtech giant aims to tap into personalization trends, ranging from health and wellness, sports nutrition and weight loss. 

“Lingo biowearables are being designed to measure biomarkers like glucose, ketones and lactate. Our vision is that it will go far beyond today’s biowearables for consumers. This personalized information can help consumers make decisions about how to improve energy, lose weight or enhance athletic performance,” a spokesperson for Abbott tells NutritionInsight.

Though the design is still being developed, the company believes the sensory technology can also be utilized to eventually track alcohol levels.

Currently, the launch is currently slated for Europe however Abbott aims to add more locations in the following years.

Harnessing technology
The applications for Lingo range across glucose monitoring, ketones and lactates.The biowearables are based on sensor technology, designed to “translate” signals from the body, such as glucose, to actionable data. The aim is to help individuals track and measure health and wellness. 

“This will be like having a window into your body. It’s a science that you will be able to access at any time so you can understand what your body is telling you and what it needs. Our vision is that Lingo will go far beyond today’s wearables for consumers to help proactively manage health, nutrition and athletic performance,” Abbott chairman and CEO Robert Ford says. 

Lingo is an extension of the sensing technology platform developed by Abbott in 2014, targeting people with diabetes. The technology allows people to monitor their glucose levels with a small sensor on the back of their upper arm.

Technology and artificial intelligence have been spotlighted as “pivotal” for the nutrition industry as demands for personalization are increasingly growing.

“Technology gives us the power to digitize, decentralize and democratize healthcare, create a shared language between you and your doctor – and put more control of your health in your hands,” notes Ford. 

“We’re creating a future that will bring care that’s more personal and precise. It’s happening right now. Its potential is no less than incredible.”

Targeting athletes
In 2020, Abbott turned to the sports space, launching Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biowearable. Targeting athletes specifically, Abbott is now developing Lingo’s lactate biowearable, described as a continuous lactate sensor.

“It is being designed to measure lactate build-up during exercise, which can be used as an indicator of athletic performance.”

The sports nutrition sector has been described as one primed for growth, with opportunities in the future that companies are trying to tap into. 

Interest in the space has increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic as awareness of sports supplements has become more mainstream. With more time on their hands, consumers turned more toward exercise.The item is also targeting athletes.

Wide-ranging applications
Abbott is also developing Lingo’s glucose biowearable, “which will be uniquely tailored for nutrition. It is being designed to translate how glucose patterns affect a broad range of general health benefits.”

“It is known that monitoring glucose can lead to better weight management, sleep, and energy, and help you feel better and think clearer,” the company highlights. 

Also in the pipeline is Lingo Keto, aiming to track ketone levels that can help users determine when they are in ketosis and how to stay in ketosis for longer. “This biowearable is being designed to help people following a keto diet reach their health and weight-loss goals,” highlights Abbott. 

By Andria Kades