The health technology space is full of sensationalized claims these days – devices promising better sleep, faster recovery, or biohacking your way to peak performance. Sadly enough, not all of these claims hold up to scrutiny. Many products rely on flashy marketing rather than science, so it can become difficult to separate true innovation from mere hype.
That’s why we’re here – to provide you with science-backed insights that will help you decide whether one or another health device or app is worth your while.
At Cybernews, we use a research-based approach to analyzing health technology. Our team of experts doesn’t just look at manufacturer promises – we put each device through very detailed vetting process where we evaluate research studies, user reviews, and testing (when applicable) to assess its effectiveness, usability, and how well it works in real life.
In the sections below, we'll walk you through how we research and test health tech devices, tools, and apps, how we establish our criteria, and why you can count on our reviews.
Why should you trust Cybernews health tech reviews?
At Cybernews, we aim to publish honest, evidence-based reviews of health tech products. With markets full of bold claims and dazzling adverts, we make it our business to dig through the hype to provide you with credible, unbiased insight that makes informed choices possible. We function on 4 key principles:
- Transparency and expertise. We believe that our review process should be totally transparent. We outline our methodology, criteria, and sources of our ratings so that our audience is aware of how we assess each product or service, be it health tech or other vertical. We also make our affiliation disclosure up front to make sure that we can remain objective and unbiased. Our research is guided by skilled health tech, digital health trends, and consumer tech analysis experts. We consult professionals with a background in life sciences and medicine, and data protection advisors.
- Independent research and analysis. While we do not test each product hands-on, we conduct thorough unbiased analysis by considering peer-reviewed scientific literature, consumer ratings, expert opinions, and regulatory approvals. When we test products, we follow a systematic process of verifying technology, effectiveness, usability, and long-term value. We also compare devices against competitors to determine whether they truly stand out or fall short of expectations.
- Continuous improvement. Health tech is constantly evolving, and our reviewing process is evolving right along with it. We update our content frequently through up-to-date research, product updates, and our users' feedback. We try to provide our audience with updated, relevant, and helpful information that is reflective of today's industry trends.
- Consistency and reliability. We apply strict review criteria to each health tech product, making fair comparisons possible. Readers can rest assured that our reviews are fact-checked, unbiased, and free of marketing hype. Whether shopping around for a sleep tracker, post excercise recovery device, or well-being app, Cybernews will provide you with facts to make your informed choice on what is right for you.
How we start our research process
Before we try out any health tech gadget or app, we always look at the bigger picture. Our priority is understanding our audience's needs – whether that’s keeping tabs on sleep routines, calming muscle tension, or boosting focus. At the same time, we scan the market to learn what’s trending, what’s cutting edge, and what emerging brands we need to know.
Next, we carefully select what products we test, making sure that products are relevant, easily available, and backed by scientific evidence. A product that is specifically targeted to athletes, for example, is likely not suitable for people starting their fitness journey. For that reason, we consider the most suitable products for the different needs of our target audience.
Once we have our initial list of products, we dig deeper into health claims by each product’s manufacturer, evaluate peer-reviewed literature , and make sure that there is enough scientific evidence behind the technology and its application to the intended purpose. All of that legwork is what our hands-on tests are built upon, where we test each product out in real situations to see how well it actually performs.
Overview of what we evaluate in health tech
Health technology promises better sleep, stress management, improved focus, and more – but how many actually work? To cut through the noise, we analyze each product based on real-world performance, ease of use, and sufficient scientific backing. Our tests go beyond marketing claims to determine whether a device or an app is truly beneficial, safe, and worth your investment. Here’s an overview of how we evaluate and select health technology products and services:
- Scientific validity and research-backed claims
- Effectiveness and real-world performance
- Usability and user experience
- Data privacy and security: what happens to your personal information?
- Value for money and long-term benefits
Scientific validity and research-backed claims
Health tech products often label themselves as scientifically proven or clinically tested but these could be just sensational marketing tactics. To properly inform our audience, we thoroughly vet each product’s supporting evidence. We start by checking out credible and reliable sources of supporting scientific literature – peer-reviewed journal articles, and official guidelines by reputable institutions like:
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- European Medicines Agency (EMA)
We prioritize systematic reviews and meta-analyses, where evidence is collected from numerous studies to reduce bias. When there is only one small supporting scientific study, we scrutinize its methodology closely. Was it randomized? How big was its sample size? Are the statistical findings meaningful and applicable to the real world scenarios
Animal and cell studies most of the time are not enough to determine efficacy of health technologies in humans, so when possible, we focus on human trials that have real-world applicability. We also screen to make sure that researchers have no financial stakes, for example, funding by the product company. By employing these filters, we aim to check only evidence-based health tech makes it through our tests.
Effectiveness and real-world performance
A health tech product might look great on paper, but is it effective? When measuring effectiveness, we move beyond what is stated by manufacturers and review (and test, when applicable) how well the tech actually performs under real-life conditions.
First, we scan systematic reviews and clinical trials to check whether statistically significant benefits have been demonstrated by the device through human trials. We prefer randomized controlled trials (RCTs), where the product is compared to a control therapy or placebo to minimize bias. When only one or two very small studies have been conducted, we describe evidence as inconclusive and look for consensus among experts (NEJM, The Lancet, JAMA, and other reliable publications).
Next, we evaluate how the product works under real-world conditions. Is it a sleep tracker? Does it align with accepted sleep research? Is it a muscle recovery device? Does it provide quantifiable relief over weeks or months, as seen in studies on recovery technologies (BMJ)? We ensure that the health tech app or device aligns with intended user needs by verifying that supporting studies have tested and reflected similar metrics.
Alongside that, we make sure that our findings are based on objective outcomes rather than subjective experiences, confirming that our recommendations are evidence-based.
Usability and user experience
A health tech product can have scientific evidence behind it, but if it doesn’t reciprocate users’ needs or is frustrating to use, chances are it will have no lasting impact. That’s why our team thoroughly analyzes usability and user journey accordingly.
We start by considering setup and onboarding – how easy is it to set up? Is there complex calibration? We next try out the interface and control. Are buttons, navigating through apps, or settings intuitive, or do they have a sharp learning curve?
We also test usability and practicality for daily use. Worn devices, for example, get a plus for having a lightweight, non-intrusive design, while at-home wellness devices like vagus nerve stimulators should easily integrate into a daily routine. Any kind of maintenance, such as recharging or part replacement, is also critical.
To get a well-rounded view, we cross-check user feedback and independent reviews on Trustpilot and Reddit with our real hands-on experience, when applicable. We flag possible disadvantages of devices that have great ideas but lousy usability so that our audience can see if it’s a good fit for them before making a purchase.
Data privacy and security: what happens to your personal information?
As information security experts, we look into each aspect of how health tech devices and apps handle your private information. Many of these devices harvest very personal information like heart rate, sleep patterns, levels of oxygenation, or even your menstrual cycle. For that reason, we research where that information is actually stored, who has access to it, and how well it is protected.
We start by checking out the company's privacy policy, encryption, and where your data is actually stored – does it use end-to-end encryption? Is your data stored on your device itself, or is it uploaded to distant servers?
Another critical feature is control by the user. Are there options to remove or export your data? Are there clear settings to adjust your options regarding your privacy? We also check compliance with laws like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) within Europe and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) within the US to see if a company complies with the protection of your data.
Finally, we look into past security breaches or vulnerabilities – if a company has a history of leaking user data, we make sure to mention that in our review.
Value for money and long-term benefits
The last part of our testing methodology is to evaluate whether the health tech product, whether it’s a device or some service, price is offering equivalent value for your money and whether it has any long-term benefits for you.
We start by considering cost vs features – does the product have distinct, evidence-based features, or can one achieve the same benefits through lower-priced alternatives? We next assess benefits that will last. For example, whether it’s sustained health benefits or a temporary quick fix?
Durability, warranty, and continuing cost (for example, replacement parts or software subscription fees) also enter our decision-making process. A product that will constantly need to be updated or have unexpected costs may not be worth it after all. By taking everything into account here, we know if a product is actually worth its price tag in the long run.
Our researchers
At Cybernews, our health tech reviews aren’t just surface-level spec sheets – our team of researchers analyze and test these health tech devices and apps, assessing not just how they work, but how they fit into real-life routines.
We make sure our content is clear and accurate, making complex tech easy to understand without dumbing it down. If you think we’ve missed something or have insights to share, we’re always open to the conversation.
Our team of in-house researchers, writers and editors reviews and analyzes health tech products using a research-driven approach. We gather data from multiple sources, fact-check all information, and conduct our research based on peer-reviewed studies, expert opinions, consumer ratings, and regulatory approvals.
You can learn more about how we test health tech products here.
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