Getting children to go through a needle-based immunization can be incredibly frustrating to parents and very scary for the kids. Cheap virtual reality headsets are becoming just the thing to overcome this seemingly perpetual problem and researchers at Florida Atlantic University were looking to prove this out. The group invited a group of kids (Read more...)
Author: Medgadged
Solving the Limitations of Prior Authorization via Blockchain: Interview with Coral Health COO Philip Parker
We’ve been hearing a lot about exciting new opportunities to implement blockchain technology to address critical use cases in healthcare. One particular use case that has caught the attention of healthcare organizations seeking to improve workflow bottlenecks is prior authorization. Prior authorization is a process used to determine if a heal (Read more...)
Insulet Omnipod Dash Wins FDA OK to Make Diabetes Management Easier
Insulet won FDA clearance for its Omnipod Dash insulin management system. The system relies on a tubeless stick-on insulin pump that can stay hidden and discreet under the skin, controlled wirelessly without even having to lift the bottom of a shirt. The system comes with a smartphone-like device that interfaces with the pump and keeps […]
Stretchable, Conductive Hydrogel as a Biomedical Sensor
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology in Saudi Arabia have developed an electrically conductive hydrogel that can flex, stretch, and self-heal when cut and reattached. The versatile material has potential in a variety of applications including wound healing patches, wearable electronics, and touch-sensitive robotics. T (Read more...)
Simulation Software Helps to Repair Diseased Heart Valves
At this week’s Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery conference (CARS 2018) in Berlin, scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Medical Image Computing in Germany will be showing off their unique software that helps to fix cardiac valves. Designed for minimally invasive procedures, which involve placing special rings that correct n (Read more...)
Understanding and Creating Calculators for Medical Diagnoses: Exclusive Interview with MDCalc
MDCalc is a 13-year-old medical reference started by two practicing emergency medicine physicians, Dr. Joe Habboushe and Dr. Graham Walker. A recent survey by EB Medicine has shown that MDCalc’s 370+ tools are now used weekly by 65% of U.S. attending physicians and nearly 80% of U.S. residents, which may make it the most […]
Medtronic Releases Tablet Based Deep Brain Stimulation Clinician Programmer
Medtronic won FDA approval and is releasing its Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Clinician Programmer and Activa Programming Application. The app, loaded on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 tablet, lets neurologists and neurosurgeons program the stimulation using intuitive controls. One significant feature of the new programming capability is that it will (Read more...)
ResQ is Using Games to Fight Opioid Addiction: Interview with Dr. Paul Glimcher
Earlier this year at the Health 2.0 WinterTech Conference, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and Catalyst @ Health 2.0 launched the RWJF Opioid Challenge, an initiative aimed at bringing together healthcare and technology innovators to solve a growing epidemic of addiction in the United States. A panel of 19 judges evaluated 97 initial (Read more...)
Particles Made of Silk Protect Immune System Boosting Drugs to Fight Cancer
Peptides, or strings of amino acids, are being investigated as a way to help activate the immune system to fight cancer and other diseases. Delivering them into the interior of immune system’s cells is difficult because they’re easily broken apart by the body. Now a team of researchers from Switzerland and Germany have developed a [&hel (Read more...)
Dexcom G6 Continous Glucometer Going on Sale in Europe
Dexcom won European regulatory approval to introduce its Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring system wherever the CE Mark applies. We checked out the system recently to get a better idea of its latest features and how it works. It’s indicated for diabetes patients that are two years in age or older, effectively eliminating the need [&helli (Read more...)
EarlySense Live, an Under Mattress Sleep and Health Tracker: Medgadget Review
EarlySense is an Israeli-based company and a market leader in the field of real-time, contact-free health monitoring systems. We at Medgadget have been following the company for more than a decade, starting with the company’s flagship product, EverOn. EarlySense systems were initially developed for use in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. (Read more...)
AngioAnalytics Introduces OCT Angiography, a New View Into Retinal Vasculature
Optovue, based in Fremont, California, received FDA clearance for what it calls “world’s first OCT Angiography metrics” system. The AngioAnalytics system is used to image the eye much like with traditional optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems, but provides visualization of individual vessels of the superficial and deep capil (Read more...)
System for 3D Printing Bioengineered Muscles and Tendons
A team of Swiss researchers has developed a microplate system for printing engineered muscle and tendon tissue. The investigators were able to create a microwell plate that allows tissue to adhere to it and the system constantly monitors progress, screens the growth and selects the desired results. The system may end up being used for […]
Roche Unveils Blood Coagulation Checker with Bluetooth Features
Roche has announced that next month it will be releasing a new device for patients to test their own blood coagulation parameters, the CoaguChek Vantus. The device, which looks like a cellular phone from a few years ago, has Bluetooth connectivity built-in, which lets it dump its INR readings to the patient’s smartphone and then […]
WiFi Radio Signals Let MIT Researchers Track Movements of People
Patients that wander away from their beds are a constant headache for nurses, while those that stay bedridden for too long can create problems of their own. New technology from MIT may soon allow hospital staff to see in real time the location of all the people in the facility. Because the new tech uses […]
ORHub, An Advanced Surgical Software Provider: Interview with Colt Melby, Chairman & CEO
ORHub is a HIPAA compliant, physician-driven digital software company focused on improving profitability and the cost effectiveness of hospitals through real-time smart data and analytics. ORHub provides a cloud-based software solution that captures information before, during, and after surgery, filling a void in the current surgical information in (Read more...)
Device Delivers Drugs Direct to Heart to Help Recover from Heart Attacks
A team of researchers from the U.S. and Ireland have developed a device that can be used to deliver drugs directly to a damaged region of the heart. The capability has the potential to provide a direct therapeutic option to guide how the heart recovers following a heart attack, leading to improved cardiac function. As […]
Thermoresponsive Hydrogel Bandage Conforms to Wound Shape and Stimulates Healing
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a thermoresponsive hydrogel bandage. The hydrogel is liquid at room temperature, but changes into a semi-solid gel at body temperature when in contact with a wound, meaning it conforms to the wound shape. The gel contains an amino acid sequence that stimulates the body’s own healing proces (Read more...)
First High Intensity Focused Ultrasound System for Prostate Ablation Cleared in U.S.
EDAP, based in Lyon, France, now has FDA clearance to bring to the U.S. its Focal One high intensity focused ultrasound system. It’s used to ablate prostate tissue in a non-invasive way, relying on sound waves to resonate tissue apart at the cellular level. A urologist, using the system, combines imagery from previously obtained MRI [… (Read more...)
Personalized Physical Therapy at Home Using Real Specialists and 3D Camera
Artificial hip and knee replacements require quite a bit of physical therapy post surgery to achieve the desired results. In many places and for many people, a rehab clinic may be too far away or time too short to receive regular therapy. At home exercises, even using virtual coaches, are helpful but they probably can’t […]