Categories
Wearables

Smart watch strap enables customized monitoring

Pebble Time and Time Steel will incorporate a charging and data conductor, enabling the use of custom “smartstraps.”  This will empower the wearer to determine–and change–the type of monitoring he or she desires.

External companies will develop compatible straps with various health and fitness tracking capabilities. The Pebble could power the straps, or a second battery could be built into them.  A quick-release mechanism will allow easy changes,  and can automatically launch an app when a specific strap is attached.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Sensors Wearables

Bio-ink pens for “do-it-yourself” sensor monitoring

Led by Joseph Wang, creator of the non-invasive glucose monitor ApplySci described in January, UCSD engineers are developing “do it yourself” sensors, drawn directly on skin and smartphones.  The simple, cheap sensors could be used in the clinic, at home, or on the battlefield.

The bio-inks react with several chemicals, including glucose.  Biocompatible polyethylene glycol is used as a binder. Graphite powder makes the inks conductive to electric current. Chitosan ensures that the ink adheres to any surface. Xylitol stabilizes enzymes that react with chemicals the sensors are designed to monitor.

The team filled ballpoint pens with the inks, and drew sensors on the skin to measure glucose, and on leaves to measure pollution.  They could be drawn directly on smartphones for cheap, personalized health monitoring, on external building walls for monitoring of  pollutants, or on the  battlefield to detect explosives and nerve agents.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

 

Categories
Brain

Skin biopsy could detect Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

University of San Luis Potosi‘s Ildefonso Rodriguez-Leyva is developing  a skin test for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases that detects elevated levels of characteristic proteins.  Based on the hypothesis that that skin is essentially the same as brain tissue, originating from the same source during fetal development, the test might identify biomarkers to help diagnose the diseases early.

Skin samples were taken from 16 people with Parkinson’s disease, 20 with Alzheimer’s disease and 17 with other forms of dementia. Biopsies were also taken from 12 healthy subjects in the same age group.  The samples were tested for abnormal proteins and showed that Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s sufferers had seven times more tau protein than the healthy group.  The Parkinson’s subjects also had eight times more alpha-synuclein protein than the control group.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Cancer

Graphene neutralizes cancer stem cells, leaves healthy cells unharmed

University of Manchester‘s Michael Lisanti, Aravind Vijayaraghavan  and Federica Sotgia have shown that graphene oxide acts as an anti-cancer agent that selectively targets cancer stem cells.  The researchers believe that this could lead to tumor shrinkage and preventing the spread and recurrence of cancer when combined with existing treatments.

The team tested a variety of graphene oxide formulations against breast, pancreatic, lung, brain, ovarian and prostate cancer. The flakes inhibited tumor sphere formation in all six types.  This suggests that graphene oxide can be effective across a large number of different cancers,  blocking processes which take place at the surface of the cells.

According to Sotgia: “These findings show that graphene oxide could possibly be applied as a lavage or rinse during surgery to clear CSCs or as a drug targeted at CSCs.  Our results also show that graphene oxide is not toxic to healthy cells, which suggests that this treatment is likely to have fewer side effects if used as an anti cancer therapy.”

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Conference Infectious Disease mHealth Nanoparticles

Paper test detects Ebola in 10 minutes

MIT‘s Hamad-Schifferli Group and Lee Gehrke have developed a paper strip test that can detect Ebola, Yellow Fever, and Dengue Fever in 10  minutes.  The strips are color coded, using triangular silver nanoparticles, to distinguish among diseases.

The test relies on lateral flow technology,  used in pregnancy tests and for diagnosing strep throat and bacterial infections.  As blood serum flows along the strip, viral proteins that match the antibodies painted on the strips will get caught, becoming visible.  This can be seen by the naked eye or with a mobile phone’s camera.

This is the first time that a multiplexing approach, using multicolored nanoparticles to screen for multiple pathogens, has been done.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Sensors Wearables

Cheap, self powered, wireless, disposable health tracker

The University of Tokyo‘s Hiroshi Fuketa has created a flexible, wireless, self-powered, cheap, disposable continuous vital sign monitor.  The armband’s temperature sensor measure body heat under the arm, piezoelectric speaker provides audible feedback, and amorphous silicon solar cells provide  power.  Its organic ink circuits are printed onto a plastic film.  Other sensors could be incorporated to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, or moisture.  A flexible battery could be included to store solar cells to enable the band to work in darkness.

The team claims that the armband is the first with an organic circuit able to produce sound and the ability to incorporate an organic power supply circuit.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Cancer Sensors Wearables

Patch detects breast cancer temperature patterns

Cyrcadia Health‘s iTBra contains patches that detect circadian temperature changes within breast cells.  The data is sent to a lab via smartphone, and analyzed with Nanyang Technical University developed algorithms.   Abnormal temperature and cellular signaling patterns are immediately sent to one’s doctor.

The technology detects normal circadian cellular baselines, as well as abnormal patterns associated with cancer.  The company claims that the device’s accuracy is similar to that of mammography, and particularly benefits those with dense breast tissue.

A clinical trial will soon begin, studying women wearing the device for different lengths of time.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Wearables

Apple Watch issues put wearable accuracy in spotlight

This week the Wall Street Journal reported Apple’s announcement about its highly anticipated watch not featuring planned health monitoring features.  It is unclear if the glucose tracker ApplySci detailed this month will still be included.

Apple Watch was envisioned as a device  full of sensors that could measure heart rate, stress levels, blood pressure and more.  After testing, many of these sensors performed erratically.  The skin conductivity feature did not work on dry skin or hairy arms, and results varied depending on how tight the watch was worn on the wrist.

This is, actually, great news.  There are many “health” monitors on the market, making claims of accuracy that may or may not be substantiated.  Crowdfunding sites are filled with toys and gadgets that promise the world, and occasionally deliver.  May Apple’s decision not to release its health monitoring features prematurely lead to a world of reliable wearables that can improve or save lives.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
BCI Brain Conference

Implant could direct images to visual cortex, restore sight

DARPA is in the early stages of developing a “cortical modem” which would enable a simple visual display via a direct interface to the visual cortex.  Its projected cost is 10 US Dollars.

The project lead is Dr Phillip Alvelda.  It was built on Karl Deisseroth‘s optogenetics research — studying and controlling specified cells within living tissue by shining light on them.

While exciting, the realization of the technology is far off, having only been tested on animals.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Eyes

Telescopic lens zooms with a wink

EPFL‘s Eric Tremblay and DARPA have developed contact lenses with integrated tiny telescopic lenses to boost vision. The lens is controlled by smart glasses that respond to the winking of an eye, and provides magnification of up to 2.8 times.

This can be a visual aid for Age-related Macular Degeneration and other conditions, in addition to the originally intended military use.

The prototype is .06 in. thick and contains a very thin, reflective, two-part magnifying region that is turned on and off by defined eyelid movements.  It can differentiate between longer, deliberate winks and normal blinks.  The accompanying glasses  allow the wearer to wink with the right eye to zoom in, and wink with the left eye to return to standard vision.

The telescoping lenses are created with larger, rigid scleral lenses, placed on the the white of the eye.  They are made from precision-machined plastic components, tiny aluminum mirrors, and thin polarizing films,  held together with biologically safe adhesives. The necessary constant stream of oxygen is provided by tiny air channels across the structure of the lens.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Cancer Conference Sensors

DNA sensor detects cervical, bladder, kidney cancer

University of Twente MESA+ professor Wilfred van der Wiel is developing an electrode to detect cervical, bladder and kidney cancer in DNA.

NanoGap is a 100 nanometer wide gap in a metal electrode with receptors that provide notifications when urine DNA is degraded.  Hypermethylated DNA is bound to the receptors.  By covering the DNA with metal particles, a live wire on a nanoscale is created, resulting in a short circuit and detectable signal.

According to van der Wiel, “In the current situation we only detect cancer at an advanced stage, when the patient already has symptoms, for example associated with a tumor.  In this study we look for DNA where something has changed, i.e. DNA that is covered by the body with methyl groups. In many cancers excessive methylation of the DNA occurs; this is referred to as hypermethylation. Although medical science does not yet know whether hypermethylation always signifies cancer and in what form, a clear link has been shown.”

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences

Categories
Cancer Sensors

Breath test to detect early stage lung cancer

University of Leicester and Owlstone Nanotech are developing a breath test to detect early stage lung cancer.  Clinical trials for the device will begin soon.  Last year ApplySci described a Cleveland Clinic developed sensor with a similar purpose.  The study is being led by Leicester’s Dr Salman Siddiqui.

LuCID (Lung Cancer Indicator Detection), based on Owlstone’s GC-FAIMS (Gas Chromatography – Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry) works by measuring volatile organic compounds  at low concentrations in breath.

Siddiqui’s goals are to  “identify and evaluate biomarkers to improve the accuracy and reliability of breath diagnostic methods” and to  “establish FAIMS as a faster, less expensive and more portable alternative to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for breath diagnosis applications.”

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences