Scientist-led conferences at Harvard, Stanford and MIT
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Wearable sensors, data analytics track fertility
https://www.glowing.com http://www.ovuline.com http://www.duofertility.com Several recently launched companies are trying to assist couples conceive by using wearable sensors and big data analytics to pinpoint a woman’s most fertile days.
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Cornell robots anticipate human actions
http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/04/think-ahead-robots-anticipate-human-actions Cornell University researchers have programmed a PR-2 robot to not only carry out everyday tasks, but to anticipate human behavior and adjust its actions. From a database of 120 3-D videos of people performing common household activities, the robot has been trained to identify human activities by tracking the movements of the body – reduced…
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Advanced imaging modalities map neural connections
http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/imaging/a-wiring-diagram-of-the-brain Images of 68 brains from the Human Connectome Project recently became available. The process was powered by highly advanced brain scanning hardware and state of the art image processing and analysis software. To provide multiple perspectives on each brain, researchers employed several methods: 1. MRI scans provided basic structural images of the brain, providing…
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Smartphone as handheld biosensor
http://news.illinois.edu/news/13/0523iphone_biosensor_BrianCunningham.html University of Illinois researchers have developed an iPhone cradle and app that uses its camera and processing power as a biosensor to detect toxins, proteins, bacteria, viruses and other molecules. Professor Brian Cunningham, the team’s leader, discussed healthcare applications: “A lot of medical conditions might be monitored very inexpensively and non-invasively using mobile platforms…
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“Bionic” ear merges electronics with tissue
http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S36/80/19M40/index.xml?section=topstories Princeton Professor Michael McAlpine has created a prototype artificial ear using 3D printing of cells and nanoparticles followed by cell culture to combine a small coil antenna with cartilage. This functional ear can “hear” radio frequencies far beyond the range of normal human capability.
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Wireless, dissolvable circuits could kill bacteria
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130524-zapping-bacteria-the-wireless-way Professor John Rogers of the University of Illinois has created bio-absorbable electronic circuits which could be implanted into wounds and powered wirelessly to destroy bacteria during healing before dissolving harmlessly into body fluids once their job is done. Rogers and others have previously reported biodegradable flexible circuits and electronic devices that can be safely laid directly…
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Multitasking neurons enhance brain’s computational power
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/complex-brain-function-depends-on-flexibility-0519.html Many neurons, especially in brain regions that perform sophisticated functions such as thinking and planning, react differently to a wide variety of stimulation. “We started noticing early on that there are a whole bunch of neurons in the prefrontal cortex that can’t be classified in the traditional way of one message per neuron,” said…
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Another crowdfunded vital sign monitor
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/scanadu-scout-the-first-medical-tricorder As the crowdfunding of remote health devices increases, another vital sign monitor has launched on Indiegogo. Scanadu Scout analyzes and tracks temperature, respiratory rate, blood oxygen, heart rate, blood pressure and stress trends. The company states that it accomplishes this in 10 seconds. The device is still pre-FDA approval but quite promising. They claim…
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Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for brain injuries
http://www.assafh.org/sites/en/Pages/brain-injuries.aspx Tel Aviv University and Assaf Harofeh Medical Center researchers are treating stroke patients with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), high-pressure chambers where oxygen-rich air increases oxygen levels in the body by a factor of ten. Their goal is to reinvigorate dormant neurons and improve patients’ motor function, memory and other abilities that current therapies do…
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Eldercare robots perform essential tasks
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/disruptions-helper-robots-are-steered-tentatively-to-elder-care/ Already popular in Japan, today’s New York Times reports on the developing trend of robotic companions for the elderly. A typical Japanese example is the Tsukuba University created Hybrid Assistive Limb. The battery-powered suit senses and amplifies the wearer’s muscle action when carrying or lifting heavy objects. Caregivers can also use the suit to…
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Watson’s health care capabilities described to lawmakers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/05/17/watson-goes-to-washington-ibm-shows-off-latest-health-care-work-to-lawmakers/ On Capitol Hill, IBM representatives described the supercomputer’s new health-care related features, including the ability to ingest patients’ medical information and synthesize thousands of medical journals and other reference materials along with patient preferences to suggest treatment options. The Watson team has collaborated with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and insurer Well Point to teach…
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Crowdfunding an autonomic nervous system monitor
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/723246920/finally-a-wearable-device-that-can-improve-your-li?ref=category The W/Me sensor has the ability to capture electrical impulses relayed from the sinoatrial (SA) node, a group of specialized cells in the right atrium. It uses a proprietary algorithm to measure heart rate variability, map the autonomic nervous system, and indicate mental state.
Got any book recommendations?