Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a wearable that can detect when someone is talking or singing, and tallies this information up to provide a warning when the wearer might be at risk of vocal fatigue. Overusing your voice in a short space of time can lead to vocal fatigue and even injury. This technology […]
Tag: ENT
Point-Of-Care Biosensor to Detect Oral Cancer
Researchers at the University of Florida have created a point-of-care biosensor that can rapidly detect a biomarker for oral cancer. The device uses test strips, such as those used in blood glucose tests, to spot cell proliferation regulating inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A), a protein biomarker that can reveal the presence of oral cance (Read more...)
In-Office Pediatric Ear Tube Procedures: Interview with Preceptis Medical’s Greg Mielke
Preceptis Medical, a medtech company based in Minnesota, created the Hummingbird Tympanostomy Tube System. The device allows ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeons to insert ear tubes in the comfort of their office. The procedure requires only local anesthetic and is intended to be less distressing for pediatric patients than the conventional approac (Read more...)
Smartphone and Cheap Earbuds for Accessible Newborn Hearing Test
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a low-cost hearing test for newborns. Traditionally, the equipment for such testing is quite expensive. As newborns cannot let us know if they can hear something, the test is based on creating a noise within the ear canal and then listening to the vibrations created by the […]
Oil-Based Drug Gels Help Patients with Difficulty Swallowing
Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have developed a series of oil-based gels that are intended to help those with difficulty swallowing to take drugs orally. Some adults and many children have difficulty taking pills, and so developing other forms of medication for oral drugs is important. The gels could be particularly usefu (Read more...)
New Hydrogel Material for Vocal Cord Repair
Researchers at McGill University developed a tough hydrogel that can resist mechanical forces found in the body. However, the material still provides a friendly environment for encapsulated cells to grow and enables the deep perfusion of blood and other tissue fluids. The injectable biomaterial may be useful in repairing tissues that experience con (Read more...)
Battery-Free Device Acts as Artificial Cochlea
Researchers at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China created a battery-free device that could pave the way for an artificial cochlea to aid with hearing loss. The cochlea, a component of the inner ear, converts sound waves into electrical impulses, and the new device performs a similar function. The device consists of [… (Read more...)
Optical Fiber Imaging for Next-Generation Endoscopes
Researchers at the University of Exeter in England have developed a technique to image tissues through an ultrathin optical fiber, potentially allowing for high-resolution imaging of single cells within the body. The optical fibers are as thin as a human hair, and could lead to tiny endoscopes that can be inserted into human tissues to […]
Hummingbird Device for Ear Tube Placement: Interview with Steve Anderson, CEO of Preceptis Medical
In the United States approximately 1 million children undergo ear tube placement every year. The tubes are typically needed when there’s excess fluid in the middle ear and to address chronic ear infections. The tubes help to prevent this fluid build-up but require placement under general anesthesia. General anesthesia can be distressing for c (Read more...)
In-Office Treatment for Chronic Rhinitis: Interview with Brian Shields, Neurent Medical CEO
Neurent Medical, a medtech company based in Galway, Ireland, has developed the NEUROMARK system to treat chronic rhinitis via a simple in-office procedure which targets the nerves responsible for many common symptoms. Chronic rhinitis affects a huge number of people and has been estimated to affect 1 in 4 people in the U.S. Symptoms are […]
OtoSet Automatic Ear Cleaning Device FDA Cleared
SafKan Health, a firm based in Tucson, Arizona, won FDA clearance and is about to release its OtoSet automated ear cleaning system. Designed to address impacted earwax, which affects millions of people and often causes hearing loss, the OtoSet is a pair of headphones with irrigation and suction tips on the inside. These spray water […]
Earwax Sampling Device for Easy Cortisol Measurement
Researchers at University College London and King’s College London have developed a device that allows for easy earwax sampling, with the goal that the wax could be a convenient and reliable way to measure cortisol levels. The device can be used by a patient at home to obtain a sample of earwax and is less […]
SoundWatch Alerts Deaf Users of Nearby Activity
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a watch that can monitor a user’s environment for important sounds, such as a fire alarm or a microwave beeping, identify the sounds, and then inform the user through a subtle vibration. “This technology provides people with a way to experience sounds that require an action &nda (Read more...)
Neurostimulation of Tongue Relieves Tinnitus Symptoms
Tinnitus, the sensation of ringing in the ears, is one of the most common medical conditions. Approximately 15% of the population suffers from it, but the nature of this malady makes it difficult to study and find therapeutic options. Now, a multinational collaboration of researchers has shown that a neurostimulation system made by Neuromod Devices (Read more...)
$1 Hearing Aid for Age-Related Hearing Loss
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed an ultra low-cost hearing aid, for which all the components cost in total less than $1. Designed to be worn by people with age-related hearing loss, the technology provides much of the functionality of conventional hearing aids, but at a tiny fraction of the price. The device may represent […]
Nihon Kohden Releases Video Laryngoscope in U.S. for Faster Intubation During COVID
Critical care facilities around the world are on the front lines of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Intubation is necessary to maintain many critical patients in the ICU, but too often obtaining an airway proves to be challenging. In some patients, intubation can take over a minute or more, potentially leading to serious consequences. Now, Nihon [&h (Read more...)
Colibri Micro Single-Use ENT Endoscope Coming to U.S.
3NT Medical, a company based in Israel, has won FDA clearance to introduce its Colibri Micro ENT Scope in the United States. The single-use device was designed to make surgical procedures a bit easier for otologists. The device features built-in suction for two-handed operation, a 2.2 mm tip, and a light handle that’s easy to […]
Cochlear Implant Turned-On Remotely to Give Child Hearing
All sorts of medical procedures have to wait to be performed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since some procedures are done in several steps, often separated by weeks or months, there are patients out there that cannot complete the next steps of their therapies. Cochlear implants, which stimulate the auditory nerve to produce hearing [&hellip (Read more...)
Olympus High End EVIS X1 Endoscopy System Unveiled
Olympus is unveiling its new top-of-the-line endoscopy system, the EVIS X1. The company hopes that the new features offered on-board the EVIS X1 will help with the diagnosis and management of a variety of GI disorders and bronchial conditions. The system sports a number of advancements, including Extended Depth of Field (EDOF), Red Dichromatic Imag (Read more...)
Clear Face Masks for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing
There are hundreds of groups around the world making face masks as fast as they can to help slow the spread of COVID-19. While face masks can help to block particulates from entering the nose and mouth, they also make it impossible to see the mouth moving when the wearer is talking. This is actually […]