Residential Care Homes
March 19, 2026
"Experts state that intelligent health devices, powered by technological innovation, are driving a shift in health consumption from passive treatment to active prevention—moving from relying on subjective feelings to assess physical condition to leveraging precise data for proactive management. This is sparking a new wave of consumer spending that covers all population groups and all scenarios.
Industry insiders indicate that with the deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) large models, multimodal sensors, big data technologies, and the health industry, intelligent health devices—including smartwatches—are transforming health management from 'occasional check-ups' to 'long-term tracking.'
In recent years, policy dividends have been steadily released. In April 2025, the 'Special Action Plan for Promoting Health Consumption,' jointly issued by 12 departments including the Ministry of Commerce and the National Health Commission, explicitly stated: 'Strengthen technology empowerment and intelligent applications, and launch compact, portable intelligent fitness and outdoor sports equipment and gear,' and 'place key emphasis on supporting the development and iteration of wearable sports electronic products and sports equipment.' This policy direction has directly stimulated innovation vitality across the entire industrial chain, accelerating the journey of products from laboratories to consumer markets.
From 'Niche Novelty' to 'Essential Public Need' — Breakthroughs in Both Technology and Scenarios
At present, the very meaning of health consumption is being redefined by smart devices. What were once 'niche novelty' intelligent health gadgets have now become essential public necessities covering all demographics and scenarios. Driven by technology manufacturing, intelligent dietary guidance, exercise, mental health, sleep regulation, and coaching services are rapidly integrating with products, becoming new hotspots in the health consumption market.
A representative from JD Health stated: 'We have collaborated with brands to establish an intelligent interconnect ecosystem alliance. Multiple brands have integrated our independently developed medical large model, building a comprehensive smart blood glucose management system that encompasses "monitoring-analysis-intervention-tracking," capable of issuing real-time alerts for abnormal blood sugar levels.'
Experts note that the core breakthrough of intelligent health devices lies in transforming health data from 'single indicators' to 'multimodal fusion,' and from 'data presentation' to 'active intervention,' achieving dual improvements in monitoring accuracy and user experience.
Furthermore, cross-industry integration has opened up new horizons for the industry's development. Sports technology companies are collaborating with apparel brands to develop intelligent compression garments with built-in flexible sensors that can monitor muscle activity and fatigue levels in real time. Home furnishing brands are also partnering with health tech firms to launch smart mattresses and sofas, specifically optimized for post-home-workout recovery, effectively turning furniture into gateways for health management.
Stepping Up AI in Healthcare — Opportunities and Challenges Coexist
Smart devices are extending the reach of health management to grassroots communities and households, breaking down the spatial and temporal limitations of medical resources.
From stress monitoring for the working population, vision protection for students, chronic disease management for the elderly, to health tracking for pregnant and postpartum women—intelligent health devices are penetrating every life stage, forming a comprehensive health management network that covers all scenarios. It is worth noting, however, that some AI health apps pose data leakage risks, which have become a core bottleneck constraining industry growth.
Cross-industry integration continues to deepen. On one hand, there is collaboration between tech companies and medical institutions—for example, Huawei and Xiaomi have co-established health laboratories with top-tier hospitals, feeding clinical data back into device R&D. On the other hand, there is the digital transformation of health services, where smart devices are no longer isolated hardware but serve as entry points connecting health consultations, online consultations, drug delivery, and rehabilitation guidance.
It is important to note that behind the consumption boom, the issue of 'data anxiety' is becoming increasingly prominent. Not long ago, at a press conference held by the National Health Commission, Dr. Wu Hang, Chief Physician at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, explicitly cautioned that smart wearable devices are primarily intended for personal daily monitoring and should not be used as a basis for disease diagnosis or treatment, nor can they replace proper medical examinations and tests.
A psychologist interviewed also acknowledged that some patients repeatedly seek medical attention due to substandard sleep data, falling into a vicious cycle of 'anxiety — worse data — more anxiety.' He emphasized: 'The core of health management is to pay attention to how you actually feel, not to chase perfect numbers. Devices should be "health sentinels," not "sources of anxiety."'
Experts suggest that with continuous technological iteration and ongoing ecosystem improvement, intelligent health devices will become important auxiliary tools for health management. Everyone should become the 'first person responsible' for their own health, embracing a healthier lifestyle driven by data.
This article is a repost from [Xinhua Net].
