Categories
Wearables

Smart belt measures waist size, eating, sitting, steps taken

As health sensors are increasingly integrated into everyday items, Samsung has announced a multi parameter monitoring belt, which will debut at CES next week.  WELT records one’s waist size, eating habits, steps taken,  and the amount of time spent sitting.  Data is sent to an accompanying app.  It is speculated that the smart belt will use the Bio-Processor described by ApplySci last month.

The belt was developed in Samsung’s Creative Lab (C-Lab), where employees are encouraged to pitch ideas with creative or altruistic elements. Winners are given time off  to develop their ideas.

Other C-Lab releases will include TipTalk, which allows smartwatch listening from touching a finger to the ear, and rink, a VR motion controller.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

2nd Annual Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Sensors Wearables

Comprehensive health wearable chip; no external processing required

Samsung’s Bio-Processor is an “all-in-one health solution chip” that includes multiple control and sensor units and does not require external processing.  The self sufficient chip integrates  Analog Front Ends, a microcontroller unit, a power management integrated circuit, a digital signal processor,  and eFlash memory.

The five AFEs include bioelectrical impedance analysis, PPG, ECG, and galvanic skin response.  This enables the tracking of  body fat, skin temperature, and heart rate, among other measures.

 

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

2nd Annual Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Babies

Baby wearable gauges development, suggests interactions

ApplySci predicts significant growth in the use of wearables for babies, toddlers, and  pregnant moms.  The Smilables system combines a baby-worn ankle bracelet with an app for parents that suggests structured interactions.

The baby is monitored in real-time to identify the times that he/she would be most receptive to interventions.  Caregivers are alerted throughout the day.    The lesson modules are customized by age. The baby’s progress against childhood development standards are monitored and benchmarked.

The company, founded by former NeuroFocus (Nielsen Neuroscience) head A.K. Pradeep, has not yet unveiled details of its technology or child development benchmarks.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

The 2nd Annual Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Wearables

Wearables monitor health, safety at work

Portrait of Engineer

IBM Research in Haifa, Israel, is developing wearable tech to monitor health and safety at work. Sensors will be integrated into helmets, vests, and gloves, to track worker activity and location.  Data can identify risky situations, such as exposure to extreme temperatures, noise, and gas.  Lifting angles that can injure the spine, overexertion and hydration can also be monitored. The worker and control center can be notified before an accident happens, and treatment can be hastened in the event of a accident.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Cancer Respiratory

Respiratory motion system for improved lung tumor imaging

U of T professor Shouyi Wang has developed a mathematical model based, personalized respiratory motion system for more precise lung tumor imaging.

Respiratory gating, or a patient’s motion breath-by-breath, is monitored,  and the data is used to focus a radiology beam on the target when the chest cavity is relaxed.  This is the stage that provides the best picture of a cancerous site.

Current techniques depend on expensive, uncomfortable, scanning equipment pressed on a patient’s chest.  This often produces only moderately accurate images.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Brain

CTE/sports head trauma link examined

BU, Cleveland Clinic, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Brigham and Women’s have received a $16 million NIH grant to improve the detection and diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and examine risk factors for the disease.

The study is the first to examine CTE in living patients, with the goal of understanding the  link between CTE and head trauma.  The degenerative brain disease is linked to repeated head hits in contact sports. It is characterized by changes in behavior, mood and cognition, including the development of dementia. Currently it can only be diagnosed post-mortem.

 

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Seniors Sensors

“X ray” vision for fall prevention, motion detection

Dina Katabi and MIT colleagues are using radio signal based software to recognize human silhouettes through walls, and track movements.  The technology is intended to help monitor children and the elderly, and could be used by the military and the police.

The signal is displayed on a screen, where movements are tracked in real time. The person is shown as a red dot, and can be seen moving around a room, sitting in a chair, or moving faster or slower.  Breathing and heart rate can be monitored (with out the use of a wearable), and people can be identified based on their skeleton.  In the event of a fall, caregivers are notified by text or email.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Eyes Robotics Sensors

Robotic “glove” helps sight-impaired navigate, sense, grab objects

University of Nevada’s Yantao Shen is developing a hand-worn robotic device to help blind and sight impaired people navigate around obstacles, or locate, sense and grasp objects.  Examples include picking up a glass or operating a door handle. The technology combines vision, tactile, force, temperature and audio sensors.

According to Shen: “The visual sensors, very high resolution cameras, will first notify the wearer of the location and shape, and the proximity touch sensors kick in as the hand gets closer to the object. The multiple sensors and touch actuators array will help to dynamically ‘describe’ the shape of the object to the hand when the hand is close to the object, allowing people with vision loss to have more independence and ability to navigate and to safely grasp and manipulate.”

 

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Brain

Study: Thalamus stimulation alters activity, alertness

Stanford researchers have used optogenetic lasers targeted at the thalamus to turn whole-brain activity on and off in rats.  They hope that this will lead to improved optogenetic therapy for humans, as the thalamus controls memory, attention, and sleep.  The study was led by Jin Hyung Lee,  Hyun Joo Lee, Jia Liu, Andrew Weitz and Zhongnan Fang.

By flashing high-frequency optogenetic lasers at the thalamus, the team woke sleeping rats and cause widespread brain activity. When they flashed the laser at 10 pulses per second,  the activity of the brain’s sensory cortex was suppressed, and the and  rats entered a seizure-like state of unconsciousness.

A combination of optogenetics, fMRI, EEG and single-unit cell recordings  detected overall effects on the brain.

According to Lee,  “using targeted, temporally precise ontogenetic stimulation allowed us to selectively excite a single group of neuronal elements and identify their specific role in creating distinct modes of network function. ” This could not previously be achieved with conventional electrode stimulation.

The results suggest that the central thalamus can either power the brain to an “awake” state or promote a state of unconsciousness, depending on how rapidly its neurons are stimulated.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
AI Diabetes

AI for diabetes management

Novo Nordisk  and IBM Watson are partnering to create an AI system to help diabetes patients better manage their disease.

Data from continuous blood sugar monitors will be analyzed and used to inform treatment decisions, such as insulin dosage.  Food intake, exercise and the timing and dosage of insulin injections could also be added to the equation.

The company believes that incorporating large amounts of data into self-care decisions can enable better choices.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Cancer Sensors

Mobile 3D imaging for early breast cancer detection

Vayyar is a 3D imaging company that aims to turn every mobile device into an advanced imaging system.  The company, which focuses on breast cancer detection, among other applications, claims that it can better detect anomalies, at an earlier stage, than traditional methods.    The technology will be demonstrated at CES next month.  ApplySci looks forward to more detail about its sensors, as well as clinical study results.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Wearables

Multi-function wearable tracks steps, sleep, ovulation

Many who wear multiple wearables like the idea of streamlined, multi-function devices. Leaf by Bellabeat is one such monitor, designed for women.  It tracks steps taken, sleep quality, menstruation and ovulation, and  offers guided breathing exercises to reduce stress. The attractive device can be worn as a pendant around the neck, as a bracelet on the wrist, or clipped to a collar or hem.

ApplySci sees this trend  of niche, customized, modular, multi-function wearables increasing in 2016.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences