RunKeeper is on its way to becoming the data platform for health applications. Last August, they announced the RunKeeper Health Graph with an API to boot, which makes it possible to build a digital map of an individual’s personal health. The platform has enabled various applications and health device manufacturers to start populating their user data directly into the RunKeeper Health Platform. The platform has met with much success with the application directory growing to more than 40 apps and devices and a new Fitness Reports Dashboard.
We are seeing APIs appear in just about every industry this year, from finance to green tech to health care. One industry that clearly seen the value of APIs is the U.S. medical marijuana industry, recognizing thatAPIs can provide the seeds for entirely new strains of business models and applications to grow (pun intended). As more states are legalizing medical marijuana, there has been a subsequent wave of APIs being launched to support the industry and developers who are working to build apps for both patients and growers.
RunKeeper, a maker of health and fitness tracking software, has made its Health Graph API available to the public after a closed beta with a small group of developers. The new API provides access to RunKeeper Health Graph — a system of individual health connections that create digital map of an individual’s personal health. The Health Graph provides a record of the evolution of an individual’s health, including a snapshot of their current physical condition, how this has evolved over time, and how social interactions may have influenced activities and behaviors.
Hackathons have been a staple in Silicon Valley tech culture for quite some time, but recently we have seen seeing hackathons evolve outside of the valley — from Los Angeles to Prague.
The format of the Hackathon is pretty straightforward: You bring together a group of developers in a room, give them a topic to code around, then they break into teams and begin hacking for usually from 24-72 hours. On the final day, theypresent what they’ve built. Winners usually go home with cash, prizes, and of course notoriety.
It seems that the API cleaning has not yet ended at Google. Awhile back, Google announced its decision to shut down its popular translation API, a decision that did not go down favourably with the users. Now Google Health API has been given a negative prognosis and Google PowerMeter API will soon run out of juice.
BodyMedia provides insight into your body’s physical state through four scientific measurements. It uses a pedometer-like device to measure physical motion and steps, but also has galvanic skin response, skin temperature and heat flux measures. The BodyMedia API will give application developers access to all these metrics on your body’s recent activity. FitBit is in a similar space, but FitBit just doesn’t have as many measurements to use in its applications.
Open APIs are being adopted by a wide range of industries, even those outside the Internet sector. Most recently the pharmaceutical industry is realizing the benefits of APIs in sharing information around drug research. Thomson Reuters now provides the Thomson Reuters Pharma API for investigational drugs data. The service provides access the company’s comprehensive source of global pharmaceutical intelligence on drugs.
There is no shortage of great tools out there to help you get in shape and keep track of your progress. You may be familiar with Nike’s Nike+ system, that is heavily integrated with the iOS platform. It offers a great deal of data, but if you’re like me, it wasn’t enough to really rave about. Helpful, yes. Impressive, potentially. But FitBit, with its new FitBit API, has the potential to be much more.
Lawyers and Doctors have a special place in our society. Most of us need them at some time or the other. Avvo is a directory focused on lawyers and doctors, allowing us to search them based on their area, expertise, user ratings and other criteria. Now its Avvo API provides the same functionality to your applications.
Telephony platform Twilio has a long running developer contest, giving Netbooks and Twilio credit to the winners. Recently it had a special contest, in which the winners could meet with Union Square Ventures partners for lunch. The winner of the contest is Asthmapolis, a site that helps track, manage and research asthma.
©ProgrammableWeb.com 2012. All rights reserved.
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
