Google Acquires Maker Of Spoon For Parkinson’s Patients

ByInigo Monzon

Sep 12, 2014 06:56 AM EDT

Google has recently acquired Lift Labs, the biotech firm responsible for making a special spoon specially designed for those afflicted with Parkinson's disease, BBC reported.

As part of the business deal, Lift Labs will fall under Google's research division, Google X. This department is responsible for the company's cutting-edge technological advancements such as the driverless car, Google Glass and recently, Google's delivery drone known as Project Wing.

Lift Labs' spoon contains sensors which detects tremors from the hand holding it. It then cancels out up to 70% of the tremors and stabilizes the spoon. This enables those with Parkinson's disease to eat with ease, according to CNBC.

The technology used in Lift Labs' spoon is similar to the one used in most cameras. The image stabilization feature of these devices can compensate for the shaky hands holding the camera.

According to Google, it aims to further develop Lift Lab's invention through the acquisition. In addition, the biotech company's partnership with Google X will pave the way for the development for more high-tech assistive medical devices.

"Today we're welcoming the Lift Labs team into Google X," the company said. "Their tremor-cancelling device could improve the quality of millions of people."

In response, Lift Labs expressed its enthusiasm in working with Google through a press statement. The company believes partnering with a major corporation in the tech industry can help it bring its products to a wider consumer-base, Business Insider reported.

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

Google's acquisition of Lift Labs marks the company growing expansion into the medical industry.

Last year, the company established Calico, a research and development biotech firm dedicated to prolonging lifespan. Then, just recently, Calico partnered with the pharmaceutical research company AbbVie.

The $1.5 billion partnership aims to develop and market drugs designed to combat diseases that affect the elderly such as cancer and Alzheimer's.