However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.

Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.

200+ innovations will shape the healthcare industry

According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the healthcare industry using innovation intensity models built on over 443,000 patents, there are 200+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Within the emerging innovation stage, specimen collection devices, ultrasound imaging system, and automated laboratory systems are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Biological sampling devices, endoscopic ultrasound tomography, and NMR imaging systems are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are doppler ultrasound imaging and CT-guided surgery, which are now well established in the industry.

Innovation S-curve for the healthcare industry

Sleep pods is a key innovation area in healthcare

Sleep pods are specific sorts of structures or seats that allow fatigued personnel to slumber and replenish energy in the healthcare industry, owing to long, demanding working hours. Nap pods, napping pods, and nap capsules are other names for them. Users utilise the pods for private sleep breaks, which are frequently supported by technology and ambient factors.

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 20 companies, spanning technology vendors, established healthcare companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of sleep pods.

Key players in sleep pods – a disruptive innovation in the healthcare industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.

Patent volumes related to sleep pods

Company	Total patents (2010 - 2021)	Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Aliphcom	63	Unlock company profile
Koninklijke Philips	48	Unlock company profile
Delos Living	32	Unlock company profile
International Business Machines	17	Unlock company profile
LG	16	Unlock company profile
Beijing Electronics Holding	13	Unlock company profile
Sana Health	11	Unlock company profile
JK-Holding	9	Unlock company profile
Oncomfort	9	Unlock company profile
Apollo Neuroscience	9	Unlock company profile
Panasonic	9	Unlock company profile
Daikin Industries	8	Unlock company profile
Akili	8	Unlock company profile
MedRhythms	7	Unlock company profile
Samsung Group	7	Unlock company profile
Korrus	7	Unlock company profile
Fujifilm Holdings	6	Unlock company profile
Samvardhana Motherson International	6	Unlock company profile
Neuroenhancement Lab	6	Unlock company profile
Hi	5	Unlock company profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Aliphcom is one of the leading patent filers in the field of Sleeping Pods. Some other key patent filers in the field include Koninklijke Philips, Delos Living and LG.

In terms of application diversity, JK leads the pack, followed by Aliphcom and Akili, respectively. By means of geographic reach, JK held the top position, while OnComfort and Akili are in second and third spots.

The scope of sleeping pods has been increased widely over past few years. The technology increases the deep sleep by 30-40% which leads to better sleep and overall health of users. The awareness of these pods among patients having trouble to get optimal amounts of deep sleep each night has increased. This technology not only improves the sleep activity but also increases daytime energy and heart rate variability, resulting in better learning and memory, recovery from exercise, immunity, metabolism and improved cardiovascular health.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the healthcare industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Healthcare.

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.