Google buys rights to Parkinson's spoon

Google has bought out a firm that created a spoon to help make life easier for those with Parkinson's disease.

This tremor-cancelling product, developed by biotech firm Lift Labs, will improve the lives of many people, it is hoped. It has a rechargeable battery and stabilising technology that helps to reduce the impact of any shaking.

While only a spoon attachment is available at the moment, there are plans to develop a fork, soup spoon, keyholder and more in the near future.

Tremors are cancelled by as much as 70 per cent, thanks to the device. This happens by using similar technology to image stabilisation features in camera, which make up for the shaky hands the photographer may have. 

Lift Labs said: "Google will enable us to reach even more people living with Parkinson's or essential tremors who could benefit from using tremor-cancelling devices every day."

A statement from the California search engine giant welcomed the firm into the Google family, adding how it could improve the quality of life "for millions of people".

"We're also going to explore how their technology could be used in other ways to improve the understanding and management of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor," Google added. 

This marks another foray into the health products market for Google, which also became the main investor in Calico - a company that works on developing treatments and medicines to increase one's lifespan. 

It is believed one in 500 people in the UK have Parkinson's disease, which equates to 127,000 individuals in total. 

There is no cure currently available, but researchers are working hard to try to change this. In the meantime, a number of treatments and drugs - and innovative devices such as this spoon - are on the market to help patients deal with the symptoms.

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