Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) recently acquired yet another company. The search giant’s most recent purchase is actually a biotech firm which created a special spoon for patients with Parkinson’s Disease.
A look at Google’s latest purchase
The company is called Liftware and Google hopes to enter the market with smart health-oriented technologies. The tech company released the following statement, “Their tremor-cancelling device could improve quality of life for millions of people. We’re also going to explore how their technology could be used in other ways to improve the understanding and management of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor.”
Like main rival Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Google wants to transform the tech industry with more health-related products. This is not the first time Google added something to its health portfolio, earlier this year it added smart contact lenses which measure glucose levels in those with diabetes. Two months ago, the company announced Baseline Study, a special project that collects anonymous molecular and genetic information which would then be used for creating a picture of ideal health.
Why Google’s founders want to take on the health tech industry
Google’s founder Sergey Brin wants to get into healthcare for personal reasons. His mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He was subsequently tested and discovered he has a higher than average chance of developing the disease. His co-founder Larry Page also suffers from a rare condition that affects his vocal cords. For Google’s founders, taking on the health industry and integrating technology into is a close to the heart matter.
Apple has something similar with the new Health app which is essentially a dashboard that stores health and fitness related information. This handy new feature is one of the key highlights for iOS 8, it features tracking measures for sleep, nutrition, vitals, fitness, and more. Technology is integrate in day-to-day lives so it is not surprising companies are trying to step into the healthcare industry with innovative products.
