CES awards innovative health gadgets: soothing robots, invisible hearing aids, fitness trackers

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, new products named most innovative in the health and wellness sector include a robot that plays therapeutic music, tiny hearing aids that fit inside your ear canal, and a high-tech home monitoring system to keep an eye on your loved ones.

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, new products named most innovative in the health and wellness sector include a robot that plays therapeutic music, tiny hearing aids that fit inside your ear canal, and a high-tech home monitoring system to keep an eye on your loved ones.

Except where noted, pricing and release information are not yet available on these brand-new devices.

Personal Sound Amp

Among the winners is Able Planet's just-launched Personal Sound amp, the 'first ever' near-ear canal personal sound ampliflier. Designed to improve sound quality in noisy environments, such as restaurants, the device is almost invisible and can help users enhance the sounds they need while tuning out the others.

http://www.ableplanet.com

Basis

For fitness fans, the Basis is a wrist-worn device that measures the wearer's heart rate, caloric burn, and sleep patterns. Preorder for $199.

http://www.mybasis.com

Lorex Live Connect2

High-tech family video monitoring also earned a nod, with the Lorex Live Connect2 wireless system, which offers easy set up, secure access, and online viewing for checking in on your baby or family members while you're on the go. The device features a handheld color LCD monitor with live video coverage for up to four cameras simultaneously.

http://www.lorextechnology.com

Rydis H1004-II Robot

The Rydis H1004-II robot from Moneaul is designed to roll around a room playing therapeutic music for patients or the elderly, while also providing internet access through its touchscreen head and purifying the air.

http://www.moneual.com

Gaiam Touch

The Gaiam Touch from Oregon Scientific is a slim heart rate monitor featuring a touch screen, allowing for easy navigation between heart rate, calories burned, and workout time with the touch of a finger.

http://us.oregonscientific.com

sportCLIPS II

Another fitness winner is the sportCLIPS II, soon-to-be-launched earbuds featuring a flexible earclip that stays in place while you work out. Plus you can control play, pause, volume, and skip tracks from the remote control on its cord.

http://www.scosche.com

NB639 Fitness Evolved System

The rechargeable New Balance NB639 Fitness Evolved Headphone System measures steps, time, caloric burn, and heart rate and delivers both exercise stats and your music via its earbuds/earhooks. Graph your data using the HeartPal app.

http://www.newbalanceaudio.com

AMP Hearing Aid

Another hearing device earning accolades is the AMP from Starkey, a tiny hearing aid that fits into your ear canal where no one can see it. Designed to work well with many levels of hearing loss, the device is geared especially for first-time hearing aid users.

http://www.starkey.co