Category: Sensors
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Blood vessel aging sensor detects diabetes, arteriosclerosis early
Sharp‘s prototype “Blood Vessel Aging Degree Sensor” can detect diabetes, arteriosclerosis or other diseases at an early stage. The sensor quantifies the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (protein saccharified in blood vessels known to correlate with blood glucose level). AGEs are thought to cause several diseases including diabetes, dementia, cancers, high blood pressure, and arteriosclerosis.…
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Smart sports equipment provides real-time feedback
Sports equipment with embedded sensors enable virtual coaching by analyzing performance and providing real-time feedback and training programs. A few examples follow: The Babolat Play Pure Drive tennis raquet calculates power, impact location, and type and number of strokes with a Piezo sensor in its handle. The sensor measures frame vibration and a microprocessor with…
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Electrode/patch system monitors physical & mental health of soldiers
University at Buffalo professor Albert H. Titus, Sentient Science, and ONR are developing technology to monitor physical and psychological stress levels of soldiers, and send alerts when distress is detected. The wireless system includes electrodes that measure heart rate, brain activity and other vital signs, and are attached to the skin adhesively or sewn into…
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Skin conductance based wearable detects seizures
Embrace by Empatica is a sleek, crowdfunded wearable that detects epileptic seizures. It also tracks movement, sleep, and stress. The technology is based on Rosalind Picard‘s 2008 study showing that seizures produce high levels of skin conductance. Other seizure logging wearables focus on accelerometer tracked motion. Empatica believes that Embrace more accurately measures seizures by combining…
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Smart bike tracks health
Baidu‘s DuBike is equipped with multiple health tracking sensors. It collects information on pedaling frequency, foot pressure, heart rate, velocity and seating pressure. The data is synced with a mobile app and analyzed to provide suggestions to riders. Bike routes and meeting points can be shared socially. A handlebar guidance system tells riders when to turn, and…
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Another smartwatch for seniors
Device makers continue to address the phenomenon of seniors living longer, and independently aging in place. Lively, who last year crowdfunded a senior monitoring sensor system that operates independently of a Wi-Fi network, has released a smartwatch. It relies on the Lively Hub, with its own cellular network. The watch gives medicine reminders, or alerts when medicine…
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Kinect exercises to prevent senior falls
Emma Stanmore and colleagues at the University of Manchester have developed a series of Kinect based “Exergames” designed to reduce the likelihood of falls among seniors. The exercises run on MIRA Rehab’s software platform and use the Kinect sensor to monitor body movements. They are individually programmed based on ability,fatigue, pain, and fear of falling. …
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Nanowire ink printed paper sensor reduces diagnostic cost
University of Tennessee‘s Anming Hu, Southeast University‘s Rhou-Zhou Li and and colleagues are printing conductive ink on paper to create low cost, lightweight, foldable, paper based sensors. The devices, which can be made or used anywhere, respond to touch or specific molecules, such as glucose. Current paper-based diagnostic and DNA tests require complicated, expensive manufacturing. A pattern of silver nanowire ink is printed…
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Pressure ulcer prevention sensor
Pressure ulcers are a sad reality in hospitals, causing pain, infections, and worse. Hospitals struggle to determine when a patient must be moved for prevention. The Leaf patient sensor automates and prioritizes turning schedules for large groups of patients. Its tri-axial accelerometer monitors patient position, alerts when assisted turns are necessary and confirms that adequate turns…
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Samsung moves from fitness tracking to health monitoring
Samsung’s Simband represents the company’s shift from fitness tracking to health monitoring, allowing medical startups and researchers to develop sensor applications. Simband is equipped with six sensors: electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram, galvanic skin response, accelerometer, and thermometer. Developers can also add proprietary sensors. The wearable’s three main functions are called “trends,” “monitor,” and “spot check.” Trends displays one’s data…
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Hundreds of diseases diagnosed with single drop of blood
Dr. Eugene Chan and colleagues at the DNA Medical Institute have won the Nokia XPrize for rHEALTH — a portable handheld device that can diagnose hundreds of diseases using a single drop of blood. Flu, pneumonia or even Ebola can be detected in a few minutes. A vital sign patch monitors EKG, heart rate, body temperature —…
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Contactless sleep and fatigue sensor
Entering the digital health market, Nintendo is developing a contactless device to track a user’s sleep and monitor fatigue. It is based on a non-contact radio frequency sensor which measures breathing, heartbeat and body movement. The company describes the system as five “Non” Sensing elements: 1. “Non-wearable.” Nothing is attached to the body. 2. “Non-contact.” The product…