Health & Wellbeing

Vivy brings the deep heat, in the fight against pain

Vivy brings the deep heat, in the fight against pain
Vivy is reportedly the first wearable short wave diathermy device
Vivy is reportedly the first wearable short wave diathermy device
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Vivy's button controls
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Vivy's button controls
Vivy is reportedly the first wearable short wave diathermy device
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Vivy is reportedly the first wearable short wave diathermy device
Vivy's induction coils
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Vivy's induction coils
The shorter "knee" model
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The shorter "knee" model
Underside and top views of Vivy
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Underside and top views of Vivy
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If you don't know what diathermy is, you're not the only one. It's actually been around since 1907, and involves using high-frequency electromagnetic currents to generate heat in body tissue, accelerating the healing of injuries in the process. While it's previously been limited to clinical settings, ReGear Life Sciences' wearable Vivy device is designed to let people deliver their own treatments, wherever they happen to be.

Announced at CES, Vivy takes the form of a belt that contains a rechargeable battery, a control module, and induction coils that create the heat. By contrast, traditional diathermy machines are relatively large, and must be operated by trained clinicians.

Users wrap Vivy around the injured body part, power it up, then use its button controls to set the duration of the session. From there it goes to work delivering a deep-heat treatment, letting the user know when it's finished. There's also a companion smartphone app, on which users can create a treatment schedule, track the results of their sessions, and access other information.

Underside and top views of Vivy
Underside and top views of Vivy

While diathermy is currently used in applications ranging from physiotherapy to surgery, ReGear appears to be aiming Vivy mainly at people who suffer from chronic pain – this could include individuals with arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia or muscle/joint injuries. It is currently classed as an investigational device, and is not yet for sale.

That said, the company is planning to raise productions funds through a crowdfunding campaign, beginning next month. Interested parties can check in to see when it begins, via the link below. Pricing has yet to be determined, although a rep tells us that it will be available in different lengths, each one intended for use on specific body parts such as the back or knee.

Source: Vivy

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2 comments
2 comments
Dan Parker
With my luck I'd strap one of these things on my shoulder and turn it into the human equivalent of a Boston butt roast.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
This would put so-called EM hazards into perspective!