Qualcomm Life unveils SDK, app developer challenge

Qualcomm Life has made two announcements designed to encourage the development of new and innovative apps for its 2net platform.

The San Diego-based company has released a 2net App Software Development Kit (SDK), which is designed to allow developers to work through 2net Connect Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to push out consolidated data streams of biometric data on multiple data-enabled platforms, including Microsoft, Android and iOS. Company officials say the SDK will enable developers to create innovate apps that tap into the 2net ecosystem to help end-users manage their own health data.

"The health and wellness market is ripe for engaging mobile applications that make self-care fun and actually motivate positive health behavior change," said Rick Valencia, vice president and general manager of Qualcomm Life, in a press release. "We have a group of 2net Ecosystem collaborators that are as eager as we are to encourage development of innovative apps that will add value to their existing devices and data, and will ultimately empower consumers to better manage their own care."

Officials said 10 companies, including A&D, FitBit, Nonin and Withings, representing 14 different remote monitoring devices now on the 2net platform, have opened up their data streams on the Qualcomm developer network, also called QDevNet, to encourage new app development. The 2net Connect APIs are designed for consumer-facing application use only.

"The goal of all mHealth innovation is to connect patients and providers, and with the release of 2net, Qualcomm Life allows mHealth to reach that full potential," said Ben Chodor, CEO of Happtique, a mobile health application management company, in the press release. "By enabling the secure collection and sharing of patient data, Happtique certainly sees 2net as a 'game changer' in the world of app certification and prescribing  -  moving health apps from a means of patient engagement to tools for diagnosis and treatment. As providers and payers develop app formularies, I see them demanding this level of secure connectivity and data access. Any developer who wants a serious stake in the future of mHealth should 2net-enable their apps."

To spur the development of new and creative apps, Qualcomm Life has announced the 2net App Developer Challenge. Submissions will be accepted by the company from Sept. 1 through Oct. 1, and the top three 2net-enabled applications will be awarded cash prizes of $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, along with other prizes.

The winners will be announced at the Wireless-Life Sciences Alliance's 3rd Annual Wireless Health Conference, scheduled for Oct. 23 in San Diego. Submission guidelines and evaluation criteria can be found at QDevNet.

Qualcomm unveiled both its Qualcomm Life subsidiary and the 2net platform at last year's mHealth Summit, held last December in Washington, D.C. Since then, the company has announced roughly 100 partners to its 2net ecosystem, which connects wireless devices through cloud-based solutions and allows for the transport, storage, conversion and display of medical device data to device users, healthcare providers and other caregivers.

Qualcomm Life has also announced a partnership with Paris-based Orange Business Services to push the 2net platform to Europe through Orange's M2M Center in Brussels, Belgium.

Eric Wicklund

Editor of mHIMSS.org

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