Tag: Cardiology

Eko’s Newest CORE 500 Stethoscope: A Review

Arriving in two boxes reminiscent of Apple product packaging – one for the chest piece (the part that contacts the body), and another for the detachable earpiece (tubes + ear tips) – the CORE 500 is clearly an upgrade from the Eko DUO stethoscope. Similar to its predecessor, the CORE 500 can be used with […]

Shear-Thinning Biomaterial for Embolic Applications: Interview with Upma Sharma, President and CEO of Arsenal Medical

Arsenal Medical, a medtech company based in Massachusetts, has developed Neocast, an embolic biomaterial designed for catheter-mediated embolization procedures. Conventional materials for embolization can have several limitations, including a lack of radiopacity, catheter clogging, catheter entrapment at the delivery site, solvent-mediated pain at (Read more...)

Ultrasound-Equipped Bra Monitors for Breast Cancer

Researchers at MIT have developed a wearable ultrasound system that is intended to allow women at high risk of breast cancer to perform an ultrasound scan on themselves at home, and may also let patients with early-stage malignancy or suspicious lesions to monitor how they are progressing. The technology can help patients to avoid having […]

3D Printed Heart Muscle Beats

Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a technique that allows them to 3D print a heart ventricle, that can then go on to beat rhythmically. The technology could allow researchers to create heart models to test new cardiac drugs and may even pave the way for […]

Wireless Patch Monitors, Paces Heart and then Biodegrades

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a cardiac monitoring device that is intended for use in patients who have suffered a cardiac event. The soft and flexible patch can be affixed to the outside of the heart during a routine procedure, but does not require a second procedure to remove the device later, as it […]

Photonic Radar Monitors Breathing from a Distance

Engineers at the University of Sydney have developed a photonic radar that allows them to monitor breathing rates without the need to attach equipment to a patient’s skin. Wired or more invasive systems may not be suitable for everyone – for instance, burn patients with damaged skin or infants with a tiny body surface area […]

Nanomagnet Patch Measures Muscle Movements

Researchers at UCLA have developed a wearable patch that can measure muscle movements in underlying tissues. The patch contains nanomagnets, and movements in underlying muscles can deform the resulting magnetic fields, creating an electric current. This both provides a readable signal for the system, and also means that the system is self-powered a (Read more...)

Heart Valves Made in Minutes

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a technique that lets them create biomaterial heart valves in a matter of minutes. The approach, called ‘Focused Rotary Jet Spinning’, has been described by the researchers as ‘a cotton-candy machine with a hair dryer behind it.’ Essentially, the technique involves using jets (Read more...)

Conductive Polymer Electrode is Metal-Free

Researchers at MIT have developed a metal-free electrode using conductive polymers. The electrode is flexible and strong enough for long-term implantation in the body. The device is intended as an advanced replacement for rigid metal electrodes that can cause tissue damage and scarring over the long term, leading to device failure. The new technolo (Read more...)

Scientists Grow Electrodes Inside The Body

Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have developed a method whereby the body can ‘grow its own’ electrodes. The minimally invasive technique involves injecting a hydrogel that is laden with enzymes into target tissues. The enzymes interact with molecules that are present in the tissue to change the structure of the gel an (Read more...)

Tiny Patch for Cardiac Ultrasound Imaging

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a wearable ultrasound system for cardiac imaging. The postage stamp-sized patch can be worn on the skin of the chest and uses AI and ultrasound waves to perform advanced imaging of the heart. The technology can even be worn to perform cardiac ultrasound imaging during […]

Belt Monitors Heart Failure Patients

Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have developed a belt that can monitor heart failure patients for signs of disease progression. The wearable device measures heart rate, thoracic impedance, electrocardiogram, and motion, all of which can provide information on a heart failure patient’s status and potentially enable early detection o (Read more...)

Camera Measures Blood Pressure with Quick Look

At the University of South Australia, researchers designed a system that allows them to measure a patient’s blood pressure with a camera. The camera visualizes the patient’s forehead and focuses on two regions in particular to optically determine photoplethysmographic signals that AI algorithms then convert to blood pressure data. The r (Read more...)

Monitoring Congestive Heart Failure Through Speech: Interview with Tamir Tal, CEO of Cordio Medical

Cordio Medical, a medtech company based in Israel, has developed HearO, an app that can assist in monitoring congestive heart failure. The technology is based on the phenomenon whereby congestive heart failure patients demonstrate changes in their voice as their disease progresses or in advance of disease exacerbation. This includes lung sounds, su (Read more...)

Device Measures Hemoglobin More Accurately in Dark Skin

Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington, in collaboration with Shani Biotechnologies, a local firm, have created a point-of-care device that can accurately measure hemoglobin levels and perform pulse oximetry in individuals with dark skin. At present, methods to determine hemoglobin levels at the point of care, such as pulse oximetry, a (Read more...)

Battery-Free Light-Powered Pacemaker Now a Reality

Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a battery-free light-powered pacemaker that uses optogenetic stimulation of cardiomyocytes to achieve heart pacing. With conventional pacemakers, the leads of the device are anchored into the wall of the heart, using invasive hooks or screws. Small electrical shocks are then sent through the e (Read more...)

Low Temperature Graphene Coating for Enhanced Wearables

Researchers at Caltech came up with a technique to coat flexible electronic circuits with graphene to enhance their durability on folding, as well as to improve their resistance to sweat (in the case of graphene-coated gold) and their conductivity. The method could enhance the flexible electronics that are employed in many medical wearables. The ap (Read more...)