ApplySci’s 14th Wearable Tech + Digital Health + Neurotech conference returns to MIT on April 8, 2022. The COVID crisis has emphasized our need for technology to live better, healthier, longer lives. Overcrowded hospitals, cancellations of elective surgeries, and the clear danger associated with face-to-face appointments have brough at-home and continuous health monitoring and treatment […]
Brain
Stanford study: High dose magnetic stimulation eases severe depression
Nolan Williams, Alan Schatzberg, and Stanford colleagues have published a small, double blind study showing that high dose, noninvasive, magnetic brain stimulation alleviated depression symptoms in 80% of participants. Stanford accelerated intelligent neuromodulation therapy (SAINT) is an intensive, individualized form of transcranial magnetic stimulation. Effects were seen within days and lasted months. Side effects included […]
Brain
Passive EEG assessment detects cognitive decline early
George Sothart and University of Bath colleagues have developed a new, EEG + game memory assessment technique which could enable the earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, the underlying cause of around 60% of dementia cases.. The need for early diagnosis tools to help doctors to prescribe lifestyle interventions to slow the rate of cognitive decline […]
Sensors
Candy sensor prototype to monitor electrolytes, ovulation, kidney function through saliva
Korea University professors Beelee Chua and Donghyun Lee have developed a health monitoring sensor using saliva collected from a Tootsie Roll candy to detects salt and electrolyte levels, and monitor ovulation status and kidney health. The easily accessible, low-waste sensor is simply licked. To make the prototype sensor, a Tootsie roll was flattened and crevices […]
Biomarkers
Blood test distinguishes bacterial vs viral infections in 15 minutes
MeMed BV is a blood test which uses the body’s immune response to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. It does not detect the cause of an infection — instead it analyzes the “host response,” measuring levels of three proteins that appear differently, depending on whether the immune system is fighting a virus or bacteria. […]
COVID 19 / Sensors
DNA sensor detects whether virus is present and infectious, including COVID 19
Yi Lu and Benito Marinas at the University of Illinois and University of Texas have developed a sensor that detects both the presence of a virus and whether or not it is infectious, integrating purpose designed DNA fragments and nanopore sensing. They have already studied its potential with the adenovirus and COVID 19. Current PCR […]
Brain
Apple partners with UCLA, Biogen for iPhone mental/cognitive health monitoring
The Apple/UCLA project “Seabreeze” and Apple/Biogen project “Pi” represent a further move into iPhone health monitoring. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is attempting to develop an algorithm to identify depression and cognitive decline from sleep patterns, mobility, and how one uses the phone — for example, how often they look at its clock. […]