On September 25th in New York, the Virtual Accelerator phase culminated with the Alexa Diabetes Challenge Demo Day. Nearly 200 attendees joined the finalists and judges at the AWS Pop-up Loft to see the five finalists compete for the $125,000 grand prize.
The finalists presented their concepts to a packed room of industry leaders, demonstrating the future of voice-activated technology in chronic disease management. The solutions captured the complexity of managing type 2 diabetes, spanning services such as a virtual coach and educator that responds to a patient’s mood to a comprehensive care plan that even includes a smart scale and foot scanner.
Tony Alvarez, president, Primary Care Business Line and Customer Strategy at Merck & Co., Inc. delivered the opening remarks to kick off the day. He delved into the challenges facing newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes, asking:
“How can we simplify the many challenges of managing this disease for patients? Advances in technology are creating opportunities in digital health to better support patients in managing chronic disease. Simplifying patient engagement in their health starts with being where patients are, in their homes, integrated in their daily routines.”
– Tony Alvarez, Primary Care Business Line and Customer Strategy at Merck & Co., Inc.
Take a peek inside Demo Day: