http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21852062 The microchips were designed by Imperial College London professors Chris Toumazou and Sir Stephen Bloom. They will soon be tested in a series of animal trials which could determine whether or not they are a good alternative to weight loss surgery. The intelligent implantable modulators are only a few millimeters wide and will attach to the vagus nerve in […]
All Posts By: lisaweiner
Sonar / Ultrasound
Bats use of sonar applied in medical ultrasound machines
http://news.discovery.com/tech/innovations-inspired-by-animals-130325.htm Bat sonar has long had an edge over man-made sonar and ultrasound devices, but scientists are working to decrease that gap. Nathan Intrator of Tel Aviv University’s Blavatnik School of Computer Science, in collaboration with Brown University’s Jim Simmons, created mathematical models that improve our understanding of the ultrasound process. “Animals explore pings with […]
Brain
MIT’s Boyden wins European prize for Optogenetics research
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/31/health/boyden-brain-map/ Ed Boyden at MIT pioneered Optogenetics–using light to manipulate the brain. ApplySci described MIT’s latest Optogenetics chip in our post of 12/4/12. Today, at least 1,000 neuroscience groups worldwide are using Optogenetics to study the brain. Professor Boyden compares his work to that of a philosopher and is a recipient of the 2013 Grete Lundbeck […]
Venture Capital
Life Science VCs cautious about digital health
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidshaywitz/2013/03/28/life-science-vcs-definitively-indefinite-about-digital-health/commentId=comment_blogAndPostId/blog/comment/1534-1894-625 While the digital health sector is booming, life science VCs have hesitated, fearing a potential bubble and onerous government regulation. Many of the earliest investors in digital health have been tech investors such as Vinod Khosla, who feels that “mobile devices, big data, and artificial intelligence will disrupt healthcare.”
Sensors / Stroke
Sensor detects swallowing problems in stroke patients
http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/stick-on-sensor-detects-trouble-swallowing/ A small, external sensor developed at the University of Pittsburgh records how a person swallows and could result in more efficient and less invasive testing for stroke patients. Dysphagia can have dire consequences like malnutrition, dehydration, pneumonia, and even death. Current evaluation and monitoring methods are often cumbersome and not as effective as they […]
Assistive Technologies / EEG
EPSRC funds 15 creative healthcare engineering projects
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2013/Pages/enghealthcare.aspx The EPSRC is funding technologies in three health areas: 1. Medical Imaging. Projects include technology which could: -lead to better diagnosis and treatment for epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, depression, dementia as well as breast cancers and osteoporosis -reduce risks during brain surgery by creating ultrasound devices in needles -improve therapies for brain injured patients and […]
Brain / Sleep
Study shows babies, children and adults learn in their sleep
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226081155.htm Sleep helps us to learn. It may just be too hard for a brain to take in the flood of new experiences and make sense of them at the same time. Instead, our brains look at the world for a while and then shut out new input and sort through what they have seen. […]
Apps / fitness / Heart / mHealth / Monitoring / Sensors
8 new sensor based health tracking devices
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/gallery/wearable_trackers/ An overview of 8 new sensor based health tracking devices. Some predict that 400 million such products will enter the market by 2014.
mHealth / Monitoring / Sensors
Implantable chip analyzes blood and sends data to doctors
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-03/20/implantable-chip-doctor A multidisciplinary Swiss team has developed a tiny, implantable device that instantly analyses the blood before wirelessly sending the data to a doctor. The device can be used for monitoring general health, but the team also sees immediate applications in monitoring the efficacy of treatments such as chemotherapy in order to tailor drug delivery to a […]
Apps / Heart / mHealth / Monitoring / Sensors
Study charts heart risk in 1M adults in real time
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324323904578368572640617966.html The Health eHeart Study will use smartphone apps, sensors and other devices to gather data on a wide variety of measures associated with cardiovascular health—including blood pressure, physical activity, diet and sleep habits—in real time.