Scientist-led conferences at Harvard, Stanford and MIT
-
Vienna scientists create 3-D human brain tissue from stem cells
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/518716/researchers-grow-3-d-human-brain-tissues/ Scientists at the Austrian Academy of Sciences have turned human stem cells into pea-sized mini-brains with a neural structure similar to the brain of a developing embryo. These “cerebral organoids”, as they are termed formally, are the best living model of a human brain created to date. The researchers have already used their mini-brains to investigate…
-
Human-to-human brain interface – UW researcher controls colleague’s movement
http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/08/27/researcher-controls-colleagues-motions-in-1st-human-brain-to-brain-interface/ University of Washington researchers have performed what they believe is the first noninvasive human-to-human brain interface, with one researcher able to send a brain signal via the Internet to control the hand motions of a fellow researcher. Using electrical brain recordings and a form of magnetic stimulation, Rajesh Rao sent a brain signal to Andrea Stocco on the other…
-
Crowdfunded “smart sock” monitors baby’s breathing
http://www.owletcare.com Owlet Baby Monitors has created a baby “smart sock” with sensors that transmit a child’s heart rate, oxygen levels, skin temperature, sleep quality, and sleep position (rollover alerts) to a parent’s smartphone. The company has launched a crowdfunding campaign as it goes through the FDA approval process.
-
Non-invasive EEG ear device to detect seizures
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/518356/device-could-spot-seizures-by-reading-brainwaves-through-the-ear/ Danilo Mandic at Imperial College in London has developed an EEG device that can be worn inside the ear, like a hearing aid. It will enable scientists to record EEGs for several days at a time, allowing doctors to monitor patients who have recurring problems such as seizures or microsleep. By nestling the EEG inside…
-
Crowdfunded breast exam sensor and software
http://eclipsebreasthealth.com Eclipse Breast Health Technologies has launched a crowdfunding campaign to test and eventually bring to market a wireless sensor meant to aid in the early detection of breast cancer and the tracking of patients being treated for the disease. The campaign is meant to support the company as it goes through the FDA approval process.…
-
Personalized robot companion for seniors
http://cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLER=OFFR_TM_EN&ACTION=D&RCN=11525 A European consortium of research institutes, universities and technology companies has developed a highly customizable robot companion to help seniors to maintain their quality of life, stay healthy and avoid social exclusion. The robot, a mobile wheeled semi-humanoid figure equipped with cameras, sensors, audio, and a touch screen interface, can remind users to take their…
-
Eliminating sugar slows cancer growth
http://www.scotsman.com/news/health/cutting-off-sugar-could-stop-cancer-growth-1-3024411 Old but important news: Eliminating sugar can slow cancer growth. Researchers were aware that all cancer cells are attracted to sugar, grabbing it from the blood before using it to fuel their growth. In breast cancer the process involves binding proteins called CtBPs together to form pairs known as dimers. These in turn help…
-
Elfi-Tech – non-invasive sensor captures more meaningful health data
http://elfi-tech.com Elfi-Tech of Israel, led by Dr. Ilya Fine, has disrupted digital healthcare. They are the only Israeli finalist in the Nokia XCHALLENGE competition, which “envisions a future of access to affordable, personalized healthcare through sophisticated sensing technologies”. The company has developed a sensor that is more suitable as a continuous monitor with minimal discomfort.…
-
MRI identified brain neuromarkers predict response to antipsychotic medications
http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1727437 Dr. Paola Dazzan and researchers at King’s College London have identified neuroimaging markers in the brain which could help predict whether people with psychosis respond to antipsychotic medicatins or not. The team used MRI to scan the brains of 126 people – 80 who had experienced a first episode of psychosis and 46 healthy controls. The scans…
-
Health tracking sensors embedded in commonly used items
http://teddytheguardian.com/fp-sections/about/ Health tracking technology is becoming increasingly accessible and aesthetically pleasing. Examples include Teddy the Guardian, a cute teddy bear used to monitor children’s health. It measures a child’s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature, and sends the data using wireless technologies to a paqrent’s smartphone. Miniature and advanced sensors will continue to…
-
Piezo-Phototronic LEDs may help robots feel
http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nphoton.2013.191.html In a related development to Berkeley’s touch responsive e skin, Georgia Tech Professor Zhong Lin Wang has proposed a new “piezo-phototronic” approach to the human-machine interface. Zinc-oxide nanowires serve as tiny LEDs which have an emission intensity dependent on the local strain put on them. The nanowire array could act as artificial skin for robots to…
-
Angel Health Monitor – Open platform, wearable vital sign sensors
http://www.angelsensor.com/index.html The Angel Health Monitor is an open platform and SDK that senses motion and acceleration, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate. It was created by Eugene Jorov in Israel and will launch a crowdfunding campaign soon. Developers will be able to use Angel to create apps for iPhone, Android, and other devices…
Got any book recommendations?