Handheld device helps hyperhidrosis sufferers

People who experience excessive sweating can now use an app-linked device to help control and manage the condition.

Developed by a Peruvian entrepreneur who suffers from hyperhidrosis, the condition that results in excessive sweating, often on the hands, feet and in the armpits, the Handrop by Drop is a portable, connected treatment device. Sufferers from the condition must calibrate the tiny machine via the accompanying app. Once a user has indicated the severity of the sweating, each hand is treated with electrical impulses for five to fifteen minutes, several times a week.

The treatment can be undergone as frequently as is necessary, with the rationale being that the electricity counteracts the overactive glands that are causing the sweating. The app can easily link to a user’s calendar to schedule regular treatments, and its small size makes it easy to carry around. Having already raised one round of seed funding, the Handrop is currently in the incubation phase with the company planning to raise additional funds throughout 2018.

Electrics and the body are increasingly connecting as a method of monitoring wellbeing. A battery-free implant has been created that draws energy from the body itself, reducing the need for potentially harmful chemicals in devices such as pacemakers. A smart tattoo made from graphene is capable of tracking electrical activity within the body and could be used as a replacement for traditional ECG monitors, among others. How might wearables like these connect to smart home devices?