Healthtech Pigeon Are we headed for a Microsoft monopoly in health AI?
Mar 29, 2026
A lively rundown of privacy-first cycle tracking, smart menstrual products and using menstrual blood for at-home diagnostics. They explore hybrid biomarkers from wearables to smart toilets and VR eye tests for concussion. The conversation covers Perplexity Health, Microsoft’s distribution edge in health AI and worries about platform dominance. They finish by unpacking NHS EPR training gaps and clinician co-design needs.
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Smart Period Products As A Monthly Biomarker Source
- Belle pitched using menstrual blood as a rich, longitudinal biomarker source to track women's health monthly.
- She mentioned smart tampons/smart pads and longitudinal data utility for conditions like endometriosis.
Hybrid Digital And Physical Biomarkers Are Converging
- Biomarker collection is trending hybrid: wearables plus periodic physical samples for a richer health picture.
- Jessica described companies offering device-hosted cycle tracking and paid period blood sampling as early examples.
Iris Photos Reveal Growth 'Stretch Marks'
- At Rewired Jessica got an iris photo print and Daedalus explained iris rings as growth 'stretch marks' revealing collagen gaps.
- The exhibit prompted a playful comparison of iris rings to tree trunk cross-sections.