The Tech Museum of Innovation, a.k.a. “The Tech” is a special attraction in San Jose, California. With beginnings reaching as far back as 1978, The Tech has grown and evolved with the ever-changing Silicon Valley landscape and has been a de facto showcase for some of the best of Silicon Valley’s history and innovation. The [&helli (Read more...)
Author: Medgadged
Virtual Reality to Treat PTSD: Interview with Todd Richmond, Director of USC’s Mixed Reality Lab
While PTSD is a significant issue for many of those serving in the military and others who work in traumatic situations, it also affects huge numbers of ordinary people who experience traumatic events such as assaults or natural disasters. Nearly 24 million Americans suffer from PTSD at any given time, and women are twice as […]
Apple Heart Study Launches: Anyone with Apple Watch Can Participate
Apple has now officially launched its previously announced Apple Heart Study with the release of the Heart Study app. In partnership with Stanford University, the Apple Heart Study aims to see if the Apple Watch can accurately identify arrhythmias with its heart rate tracking technology and notify users of possible atrial fibrillation. Unlike (Read more...)
Nanoparticles Laden with Tapeworm Drug Stop Activity of Cancer Stem Cells
Researchers at the University of Illinois are working on preventing the metastasis of cancer by using nanoparticles laden with drugs to deactivate cancer stem cells. Cancers often spread via cancer stem cells that can reappear and grow new tumors long after a patient has been in remission. The Illini researchers managed to target these cells [&hell (Read more...)
Ultrasound Imaging Needle Set to Transform Heart Surgery
Researchers in London have published details of a revolutionary new cardiology needle capable of imaging the heart’s soft tissues from within. The team from University College London (UCL) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) used the new all-optical ultrasound imaging system for heart surgery in pigs, successfully capturing high-resolu (Read more...)
Accurate Health Monitoring On The Go: Interview with Dr. Shourjya Sanyal, CEO of Think Biosolution
Think Biosolution is an Irish-based wearable technology company that was co-founded by Dr. Shourjya Sanyal and Koushik Kumar Nundy in March 2016. Their first product, the QuasaR, can measure heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation more accurately than any other photodiode-based sensor technology available o (Read more...)
Vibrator Detects Protein Biomarkers of Disease, Already Tried as Concussion Detector
Scientists at Purdue University have developed a novel new way of detecting biomarkers within blood and other bodily fluids, potentially opening the possibility of being able to quickly and easily detect a wide variety of diseases and monitor their progress. The team’s microelectromechanical system (MEMS) relies on vibration to spot a looked- (Read more...)
KardiaBand for The Apple Watch Records ECG, Detects Atrial Fibrillation
Watching the rhythm of your heart is getting quite a bit easier. AliveCor, the originators of the to-go ECG smartphone market, have announced FDA clearance of the KardiaBand single-lead ECG device for the Apple Watch. The device is capable of detecting atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder that’s difficult to diagnose, and (Read more...)
RICOH MEG Magnetoencephalography System Wins FDA Clearance
Ricoh, a large Japanese industrial company, won FDA clearance for its RICOH MEG magnetoencephalography system. The device is able to detect electrical signals within the brain by measuring the magnetic fields produced as electric currents move within the brain. According to the company, the device was developed to provide “deeper m (Read more...)
War on Cancer: A Patient’s Journey, Comes to London
On November 21st The Economist newspaper declared War on Cancer for the third time in London, drawing world experts in oncology policy, clinical practice, and innovation together in the unique and fitting venue of the Honorable Artillery Company. With over 200 known types of cancer and each patient’s unique physiology leading to huge var (Read more...)
Amputees Move Robotic Arms by Power of Thought
Scientists at the University of Chicago have shown that it is possible to implant brain-computer interfaces and let amputees control robotic arms, even years after their amputations. Similar research has previously focused on paralyzed people and whether they can benefit from technology that lets them move external devices by simply willing and thi (Read more...)
Carefully Controlled Light Pulses Can Trigger Neurons to Fire
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a technique of using a flurry of very short light pulses of different wavelengths to control how mouse neurons fire. Eventually, the technique might be useful for influencing cells in the body that respond to light, such as those in the retina, to treat light-sensitive circadian or […]
(Read more...)Duke University Heart Patch Shows Promise in Repairing Cardiac Tissue Damage
Researchers at Duke University have developed an artificially-engineered patch consisting of fully functional human heart muscle tissue that can be used to repair damaged areas of the heart. While it’s not the first cardiac tissue to be artificially engineered, it’s significant in that it’s the first that is large enough to be cli (Read more...)
Flosstime Automated Floss Dispenser: A Medgadget Review
In the field of dentistry, gadgets for your pearly whites have tracked along fairly well with advancements in technology. You can now buy Bluetooth-enabled toothbrushes and let a robot drill holes in your mouth to place a dental implant. But one too often overlooked practice that hasn’t yet been modernized is flossing. No matter how [… (Read more...)
Body Monitoring Sensors from Shimmer Help Researchers Get Science Done
The Med in Ireland conference that we recently had a chance to visit, featured Shimmer, a successful body-sensing firm out of Dublin. The company also has offices in Cambridge, MA and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They build a variety of modular sensing devices for clinical studies, product development, and anything else that would require to record [&he (Read more...)
Machine Learning and Computer Simulations to Help Detect Effects of Drugs on Brain
Researchers at University College London are attempting to combine knowledge and models about the brain with clinical trial data, with the ultimate goal of discovering new drug therapies that would otherwise be undetected. The researchers hope to use machine learning techniques that can process lots of data to find correlations that can be spotted (Read more...)
A Shared Vision to Improve Clinical Trial Technology: Interview with Bracket’s Adam Butler on mProve Health Acquisition
Last month, Bracket, a clinical trial technology and specialty service provider, shared the announcement that it had acquired mProve Health, a mobile technology company whose offerings include an Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePRO) platform. The news represented a compelling success story amidst recent pessimism regarding the digi (Read more...)
Meet Versius, Cambridge Medical Robotics’ More Portable and Cost Effective Robot for Minimal Access Surgery
Cambridge Medical Robotics (CMR), based in the UK, is working on revolutionizing the world of surgery by delivering what the firm believes is the next generation surgical robot. More versatile, affordable, and easier to use than other robots on the market, CMR’s Versius system is already generating significant interest. The company announced (Read more...)
Ocular Drug Delivery Implant Treats Glaucoma From Inside the Eye
Glaucoma is an eye disease that can damage the optic nerve and lead to irreversible vision loss. It affects an estimated 60 million people around the world, but is one of the most easily treatable diseases, typically only requiring medicated drops. Unfortunately, prescription eye drops are one of the most difficult drug delivery methods to [&hellip (Read more...)
Ultrathin and Flexible Microfiber Sensor for Healthcare Monitoring and Diagnosis
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed an ultrathin, flexible microfiber sensor that can be worn on or placed next to the skin. The device can provide information on heart rate, blood pressure, and stiffness in blood vessels, and may one day replace bulky blood pressure and heart rate monitors. The technology might [&hel (Read more...)