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Google (Alphabet) has an entire division devoted to health and biotechnology: Calico. Like most mature technology companies, they tackle a wide variety of probl

Google (Alphabet) has an entire division devoted to health and biotechnology: Calico. Like most mature technology companies, they tackle a wide variety of problems well outside their core revenue business.

jfoster 11y ago
That would make perfect sense if it's Calico behind this, but is it?
- dgacmu 11y ago
  The opposite - it makes the most sense for life sciences; it would seem to dovetail well with their existing projects: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Life_Sciences https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Life_Sciences In particular, the contact lenses for glucose sensing, and the "disease-detecting nanoparticle platform," whatever that means. All of these have a flavor of less-invasive monitoring and diagnostics.
  - QuercusMax 11y ago
    Yep, that's right. Andy Conrad, our CEO, says our goal is to build a medical tricorder.
QuercusMax 11y ago
Two divisions, actually: Calico and Google Life Sciences (where I work). We're making all sorts of really cool stuff, like glucose sensing patches for diabetes maintenance[1], solar-powered contact-lenses[2]. Calico is focused on life extension, GLS is much more practical. [1] http://www.mhealthnews.com/news/next-google-glucose-sensing-patch-diabetics http://www.mhealthnews.com/news/next-google-glucose-sensing-... [2]http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2015/10/19/google_patents_smart_wearable_contact_lens_that_monitors_data_and_is_powered.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2015/10/19/googl...
- dzhiurgis 11y ago
  Is there any products that are being produced or is everything still being researched, tested, approved?
  - QuercusMax 11y ago
    We bought LiftWare[1], who make the self-stabilizing utensils for Parkinson's. Everything else is in various stages of development. [1] http://www.liftware.com/ http://www.liftware.com/
- VierScar 11y ago
  That's cool! Can you tell us why Google is putting resources into the medical area? How does this pay off in the business sense? Are Calico/Google Life Sciences profitable?

jfoster 11y ago

That would make perfect sense if it's Calico behind this, but is it?

dgacmu 11y ago
The opposite - it makes the most sense for life sciences; it would seem to dovetail well with their existing projects: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Life_Sciences https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Life_Sciences In particular, the contact lenses for glucose sensing, and the "disease-detecting nanoparticle platform," whatever that means. All of these have a flavor of less-invasive monitoring and diagnostics.
- QuercusMax 11y ago
  Yep, that's right. Andy Conrad, our CEO, says our goal is to build a medical tricorder.

QuercusMax 11y ago

Two divisions, actually: Calico and Google Life Sciences (where I work). We're making all sorts of really cool stuff, like glucose sensing patches for diabetes maintenance[1], solar-powered contact-lenses[2]. Calico is focused on life extension, GLS is much more practical. [1] http://www.mhealthnews.com/news/next-google-glucose-sensing-patch-diabetics http://www.mhealthnews.com/news/next-google-glucose-sensing-... [2]http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2015/10/19/google_patents_smart_wearable_contact_lens_that_monitors_data_and_is_powered.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/business_insider/2015/10/19/googl...

dzhiurgis 11y ago
Is there any products that are being produced or is everything still being researched, tested, approved?
- QuercusMax 11y ago
  We bought LiftWare[1], who make the self-stabilizing utensils for Parkinson's. Everything else is in various stages of development. [1] http://www.liftware.com/ http://www.liftware.com/
VierScar 11y ago
That's cool! Can you tell us why Google is putting resources into the medical area? How does this pay off in the business sense? Are Calico/Google Life Sciences profitable?