One big reason there’s a shortage of face masks that can block the spread of the COVID-19 virus is that they’re single-use devices. The exterior may be contaminated and there’s a good chance that keeping the mask and using it again could transmit the infection, particularly when masks are used around known COVID-19 patients. Because […]
Tag: Public Health
Open Source Face Shield to Help Block COVID-19
While face masks that block particles from coming into the lungs via the nose and mouth are important to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the eyes and the rest of the face can also be a pathway for the disease to find its way into the body. There are now a number of projects around […]
AI Device Listens for Coughs and Sneezes to Monitor and Forecast Pandemics
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a portable AI device that can listen for coughs and sneezes and count the number of people present in public places to make predictions about levels of flu-like illnesses. The system, called “FluSense,” could be useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic in helping researchers to monitor […]
Robots to Greet, Triage Incoming Coronavirus Patients
Because of the COVID 19 situation, clinical facilities are currently faced with the issue of trying to keep interactions between potential patients and staff at a minimum. Face masks and other precautions help, but modern technology is allowing some tasks to be completely performed without human staff. Wegree, a company based in Poland, makes humanoid […]
Print Your Own Hands-Free Door Opener to Contain Spread of Coronavirus
As hospitals around the world are getting swamped with patients due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there are issues with having clinical facilities becoming easy havens for the disease to spread. Something that technicians with access to 3D printers can now quickly do is turn standard door handles into the kind that can be opened with […]
Intel’s Chip Learns to Sniff for Hazardous Chemicals
Researchers at Intel Labs and Cornell University have utilized an unusual “neuromorphic chip” to quickly learn the signature smell of ten different hazardous chemicals and spot their presence quicker than ever before. The Loihi chip, as it is called, mimics how our brains classify and identify unique smells that our noses detect, retaining a memory […]
Everlywell Utilizes Telemedicine and At-Home Lab Testing to Diagnose COVID-19
One of the biggest hurdles for America in its fight against the growing COVID-19 pandemic is a massive shortage of tests to diagnose for the virus. To help in the battle, one of the nation’s leading at-home lab testing companies, Everlywell, has developed an in-home test for COVID-19 that also utilizes telehealth consultations with board-certified […]
ViriMASK Protective Oculo-Respirator for Coronovirus Protection
As the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic continues to spread, there’s an ever greater need for personal protection that works best for this very infectious virus. Face masks, even N95 masks, are not great at preventing the virus from entering the nose, mouth, and the eyes. Spurred by necessity, an Israeli physician designed a protective mask that […]
Cold Plasma Reactor to Kill Airborne Viruses
The ongoing coronavirus outbreak is making it clear that the world needs innovative new tools for slowing the spread of infections. While there are a number of well-known methods of disinfection that are being employed, the air itself serves as a channel through which viruses can spread. Researchers at the University of Michigan and University […]
Improved PCR Flu Diagnostic for Pandemic Response: Interview with Chris Hole of TTP
TTP, a technology company based in Melbourn, UK, is developing a handheld PCR (polymerase chain reaction) diagnostic device that can rapidly detect influenza viruses, and one day other viruses, in samples of nasal mucus. The company claims that the system, which uses a high speed version of traditional RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction), incorporates […]
Smartphone With Laser and Thermal Cameras to Screen Passersby for Fever
The current coronavirus infecting thousands of people in China (COVID-19) is making public health authorities around the world responsible for screening millions of people going through airports, returning from cruises, and crossing borders by land. The number one tool is the thermometer and checking is usually done by placing it against the forehead of every […]
SmartTab Wireless Pill for Targeted Drug Delivery: Interview with CEO Robert Niichel
Velóce Digital Health is working to make pills smarter. The Denver, Colorado company is developing the SmartTab, an ingestible capsule that can be wirelessly controlled via a smartphone to release its contents at precise locations within the gastrointestinal system. “The idea is that [with] the smart capsule, you will have precision medicine and delivered to […]
Portable Nanoplasmonic Imager Detects Sepsis Biomarkers
Sepsis is an incredibly dangerous condition, typically occurring within hospitals. According to a recent study nearly 20% of all deaths worldwide are caused by sepsis, as it is a disease that quickly gets out of control if not treated early and properly. At present, there is no easy way for clinicians to quickly provide a […]
Antimicrobial Layer for Plastic Food Wrap Developed
Bacteria can take a ride and proliferate on the plastic wrap that foods are commonly packaged in. Researchers at Penn State have developed a way to bond a non-toxic transparent antimicrobial material to the ubiquitous polyethylene wrap that meats, vegetables, and mushrooms are sold in. The antimicrobial layer is made of a pullulan-based biopolymer, itself […]
Body Worn Gas Sensor Sticks to Skin
Potential exposure to dangerous chemicals is a reality for many people working in mining and manufacturing, as well as medicine. While spills of liquids are easily detected, many gases are not. Sensitive wearable gas sensors stuck to the skin would be useful for gas exposure detection, but these devices have to be flexible, need a […]
Handheld Device to Capture and Identify Viruses in Minutes
Researchers at Penn State have developed a handheld device called VIRRION that can capture and identify viral particles in samples within minutes. The device contains a “forest” of carbon nanotubes that capture and sort viral particles depending on their size, and then users can identify the viruses using Raman spectroscopy. The technique could help to […]
MolecuLight FDA Cleared to Detect Bacteria Infected Wounds
Knowing whether a wound is infected by a bacterial colony is important for monitoring patients and deciding the course of treatment. Currently, the standard of care is simply to assess the clinical signs and symptoms (CSS) related to the wound in question, but bacterial infections of wounds are typically not obvious until they’re at an […]
DNA Nanoarchitecture Used to Construct Dengue Fever Virus Traps
Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes that carry the Dengue virus. Early detection of an infection is important, but currently it is difficult to achieve in the field. Moreover, treatment options are limited and blood transfusions are required to save many patients. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have now employed “DNA nanoarchitecture,” which is a […]
Smart Microscope Learns to Diagnose Infectious Diseases
Experienced professionals tend to be better than rookies partly because they know how to use the tools of their trade more effectively. Cytologists who evaluate cells under a microscope become more consistent and accurate when they know how to prep their apparatus to produce clear images. Researchers at Duke University have now given a microscope […]
Low Cost Turbidity Measurements Using a Fitness Tracker
Continuous monitoring of bacterial growth is a critical step in the biotechnology industry and in biological labs. These measurements are typically taken using large and bulky spectrophotometers that do not fit into incubators for real-time monitoring. Moreover, continuous monitoring is labor-intensive as it requires multiple samplings. Recent developments by researchers from Cork, Ireland have overcome […]