Health and Wellbeing
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Intelligent Packaging for Time Sensitive Products
September 23, 2006 The boom in intelligent packaging looks set to blossom over the coming years, with recent announcements such as the Programmable Liquid Container, printed electronics, fruit labels that can indicate the ripeness of their contents, Power Plastics to provide electrical power and manufacturing breakthroughs such as Siemens disposable video display and Cypak’s disposable paperboard computer. Now another capability has been incorporated into packaging – a time-keeping mechanism for time-sensitive products to facilitate precise product performance. Designed primarily for use in cosmetic packaging, the timeing system is designed for hair dyes, facial masks, facial hair bleaching, hair removal creams and face peels. The design enables existing packaging to be easily retrofitted with the timers, which are preprogrammed not just to ensure correct usage, but also to beep at you when you open the cosmetics cabinet a month or two down the track when it’s time for the next treatment. (read more...)
Skin for people with a high EQ – fashion of the future
September 21, 2006 As the Digital Age progresses, technology will be available to create masterpieces of all types, and high fashion will find itself with magical new abilities. A garment no longer need be made of earthly materials and can now become a highly complex interactive electronic device, or a biochemical machine responsive to subtle triggers like sensuality, affection and sensation. The SKIN fashion range of dynamic garments developed by the far-future research program at Philips Design came from ongoing research into emerging trends and societal shifts in the area of 'emotional sensing' and demonstrate several possibilities in the way electronics can be incorporated into fabrics and garments to express the emotions and personality of the wearer. The marvellously intricate wearable prototypes include 'Bubelle', a dress surrounded by a delicate 'bubble' illuminated by patterns that changed dependent on skin contact- and 'Frison', a body suit that reacts to being blown on by igniting a private constellation of tiny LEDs. The SKIN research project challenges the notion that our lives are automatically better because they are more digital. It looks at more 'analog' phenomena like emotional sensing and explores technologies that are 'sensitive' rather than 'intelligent'. An extraordinary image gallery with this story. (read more...)
First Bionic Arm fitted to a female patient
September 15, 2006 The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), demonstrated its remarkable engineering and rehabilitation science know-how earlier this week by introducing Claudia Mitchell, the first woman to be successfully fitted with RIC’s Bionic Arm technology. The most advanced prosthesis of its kind, the RIC neuro-controlled Bionic Arm allows an amputee to move his or her prosthetic arm as if it is a real limb simply by thinking. The arm also empowers patients with more natural movement, greater range of motion and restores lost function. Using key learnings from the first successful Bionic Arm recipient, former power lineman and double amputee from Tennessee, Jesse Sullivan, RIC’s Bionic Arm initiative leader Dr. Kuiken and his team also have made significant advancements in the area of sensory feedback so that the patient can actually feel if they are touching hot or cold objects. We have excellent pictures and copies of Dr. Kuiken’s presentation to the media available in the image gallery. That's Claudia at top right in the main pic, the bionic arm bottom right, the nerve ending connections at top left and Dr. Kuiken and the first Bionic Man, Jesse Sullivan at bottom left. (read more...)
The Hydracoach Intelligent Waterbottle
September 12, 2006 The human body is roughly two thirds water, and if we lose just one percent of that water, we get thirsty. Lose more than one percent and things start going quickly wrong, with fatigue and impaired physical performance resulting, though most of us don’t recognise the symptoms as hydration related. Doctors, nutritionists and fitness trainers invariably recommend that we drink more water yet keeping track of the fluids we drink is problematic. Most individuals find it difficult to simply remember to drink fluids on a regular basis, let alone calculate and track their daily intake. HydraCoach hydration monitors are capable of all this and more, allowing users to develop and easily adhere to customized fluid intake plans. The HydraCoach hydration monitor is a small electronic device comprising a low pressure, low volume, liquid flow sensing mechanism linked to an interactive display module. When the unit is inserted between a hydration source and its drinking port, a complete system is created that provides an accurate measurement of fluid intake for proper hydration. There’s also an intelligent HydraCoach water bottle which tracks and calculates your personal hydration needs, tracks your real-time fluid consumption, paces you throughout the day and motivates you to achieve and maintain optimal hydration. Just in case you figure that proper hydration is only for athletes, it’s also imperative for full brain function, people trying to lose weight, the elderly and individuals on medication. The Hydracoach Intelligent Waterbottle will cost just US$30 when it hits the shelves in December. (read more...)
The WinePod micro winery kitchen appliance
September 5, 2006 Man has been making wine for more than 10,000 years but never has it been this easy. The WinePod is a new domestic device for artisan winemaking – a US$2000 micro winery just being readied for launch and seeking international distributors and we see this as a winner because it is just sooooo sophisticated. The insulated, self-cleaning, fully computerised, three foot tall, metallic urn-shaped appliance includes everything required to make 75 litres of the wine of your choice and is above all, easy to use. It wirelessly connects to your PC/Mac, which monitors Brix, pH and temperature to keep things happening exactly as they should and the WineCoach software mentors you through the wine-making process to obtain the best results for the particular variety of grapes you choose. Wine Coach enables you to collaborate with professional winemakers who are dedicated to the different wine types so you can learn the fine art of winemaking from your own personal consulting enologist. The software also enables you to compare notes and interact with fellow wine enthusiasts using the system and it can all be self-contained in an apartment or in a cupboard with the obvious rewards that the final product will bring. The waiting list already runs to April 2007 but a few orders might prompt an increase in production and we’re very bullish about the prospects for this baby. (read more...)
The glowing Martini
September 2, 2006 In a society obsessed with anti-aging, it seems somehow appropriate that Olay's new Definity anti-aging line should be a sponsor of the TV Guide After Party for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, where several of the presenters were so pumped full of botox that they could have been mistaken for hand-puppets. At the afterparty, Olay Definity hosted a where the Olay Defini-tini, a signature drink was served exclusively. Inspired by Olay's new anti-aging line, Definity, which tackles the signs of aging beyond fine lines and wrinkles by addressing even skin tone and luminosity, the Defini-tini is a glowing cocktail created by celebrity mixologist and 2004 International Bartender of the Year, Alex Ott. Attempts to find out what made the cocktails luminous have not drawn a response but we don know they came in two flavours - Pear and Luscious Lemonade. (read more...)
Close-proximity wireless technology set to improve the management of diabetes
August 24, 2006 Cambridge Consultants today revealed an innovative medical device concept for managing diabetes that uses NFC, the close-proximity wireless communications standard, to integrate glucometers and insulin pumps. The prototype device, developed in conjunction with Philips, demonstrates how NFC can be exploited to simplify treatment for millions of diabetics worldwide, and could be the first of a new generation of medical devices that use close-proximity wireless communications. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diabetes is officially classified as a worldwide epidemic with the number of people with the disease to double to 366m by 2030. To tackle this growing global problem, the Cambridge Consultants concept device uses the unique characteristics of NFC to streamline treatment, by wirelessly linking a glucometer with an insulin pump. The glucometer records the blood sugar reading and then recommends a bolus dose of insulin. If the patient accepts the dose, then they simply swipe the glucometer against the insulin pump, which could be located beneath clothing, and the drug is delivered. This confirmation feature, which Cambridge Consultants dubs 'patient-in-the-loop dosing', enhances confidence and security, and allows the user to modify dosage calculations for lifestyle reasons. (read more...)
The WheelChair Mover - an Ergonomic Mobility Solution
August 16, 2006 With a workforce that is growing older and both patients and facilities that are growing larger, hospitals and nursing home caregivers are enduring the highest rate of injury of any occupation. That’s the broad thinking that resulted in Dane Technologies’ WheelChair Mover, the healthcare industry's first power-assist device making patient wheelchair transport safe, smooth and easy. (read more...)
The science of facial rejuvenation
August 16, 2006 You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly take a good guess at when it was printed, and with the wealthiest generation in history heading for old age, it’s not surprising that massive effort is being focussed on anti-aging technologies. Since 1997 there has been a five-fold increase in the number of cosmetic procedures in the United States, with 11.5 million performed last year. The numbers are quite remarkable – over 90% of procedures were performed on women, and a similar percentage were focussed on the face – the cover that is obviously being adjudged too old: last year 3.3 million people had Botox injections, 1.6 million had Laser hair removal, 1.2 million had Hyaluronic acid treatments, 1.0 million had dermabrasion, 556,000 had chemical peels, 231,000 had Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery) and 201,000 had nose jobs (Rhinoplasty). With US$12.4 billion spent on cosmetic surgey, and more than US$10 billion spent on facial procedures, you'd think we wouldn't be surprised that a conference such as The Aging Face Conference exists ... and yet we are. (read more...)
OSIM releases US$600 horseback riding exercise machine
August 15, 2006 Singapore’s Osim is in the business of making a range of high quality exercise and health related machinery and it certainly didn’t take the company long to come out with a rival for the Panasonic Joba which has been under development for several years and captivated Gizmag's female readers when we first wrote about it in early 2005 because it’s a perfect machine for maintaining a trim figure. The OSIM iGallop appears to work in exactly the same way as the Joba, working on the body’s core to shape and tone the tummy, hips, seat and thighs. It’s a zero impact exercise machine, and works the body by requiring multidirectional movements to maintain balance, with this constant balancing engaging certain muscle groups, and helping to improve balance, coordination and posture. The new iGallop starts shipping today at Brookstone, and the really good news is that it comes in at US$600, waaay less than Panasonic’s US$2000. (read more...)
New Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) enables flexible, comfortable armor
August 13, 2006 Since warfare began, developing armor has been a balance between the need for protection and the need for comfort, flexibility and light weight. A new nanotechnology known as Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) created by scientists at ARL and UDTC looks set to provide the next generation of armor. STF has the ability to make ballistic fabrics highly resistant to penetration when impacted by a spike, knife or bullet without compromising their weight, comfort or flexibility. The potential applications of STF include a wide range of products such as body armor, vehicle armor, helmets, gloves and bomb blankets to protect soldiers and law enforcement officials plus myriad industrial safety applications all thr way through to protective clothing for motorcyclists. When the first products become available later this year, soldiers can expect to be much safer as the liquid body armor can be used in sleeves and pants, which are not usually protected by ballistic vests because they must stay flexible. (read more...)
The Alcowatch wristwatch alcohol tester
August 9, 2006 Alcohol and road-use don’t mix, and tens of thousands of human beings a year are maimed or killed due to alcohol-impaired drivers. So if you’re regularly going to drink and drive, which many of us do, then the very least you can do as a responsible human being is to ensure your blood alcohol content is below the legal limit. We’ve already written up the fascinating stand-alone Sobercheck breathalyser and we recently wrote about the LG Breathalyzer mobile phone. Well now there’s a wristwatch with a built-in breathalyser set to hit the market later this month. So die-hard booze hounds now can have their very own breathalyser on the end of their arm to ensure the only person they kill is themselves. (read more...)
Canadian breakthrough promises the ability to regrow teeth
August 8, 2006 A team of researchers from the Canadian University of Alberta researchers has created technology to regrow teeth - the first time scientists have been able to reform human dental tissue. Using low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), scientists have created a miniaturized system-on-a-chip that offers a non-invasive and novel way to stimulate jaw growth and dental tissue healing. The researchers are currently working on turning their prototype into a market-ready model and expect the device to be ready for the public within next two years. (read more...)
Artwork that adapts to suit your mood
August 6, 2006 Computer scientists from Bath and Boston have developed electronic artwork that changes to match the mood of the person who is looking at it. Using images collected through a web cam, special software recognises eight key facial features that characterise the emotional state of the person viewing the artwork, then adapts the colours and brush strokes of the digital artwork to suit the changing mood of the viewer. For example, when the viewer is angry the colours are dark and appear to have been applied to the canvas with more violent brush strokes. If their expression changes to happy, the artwork adapts so that the colours are vibrant and more subtly applied. The project forms part of on-going research looking to develop a range of advanced artwork tools for use in the computer graphics industry. (read more...)
Using three dimensional (3D) computer technology to treat aneurysms
July 31, 2006 Research by Curtin University of Technology’s Discipline of Medical Imaging is set to help surgeons better treat aortic aneurysms in abdominal arteries by using cutting edge three dimensional (3D) computer technology. The project aims to help vascular surgeons improve their treatment skills by increasing their understanding of the 3D relationship between blood vessels, aneurysms and common treatments such as surgery and stent grafts. (read more...)
The bikini that tells you when it’s time to turn over
July 29, 2006 The modern two-piece swimsuit or bikini was invented circa 1945 in Paris, and was subsequently named after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific where the French were testing nuclear weapons. It took another decade or more for the swimsuit to move into regular usage though, with most recognising sex siren Brigitte Bardot’s appearance in the movie “And God created Woman” as the catalyst which saw it accepted into modern culture. Apart from getting significantly smaller, the bikini hasn’t evolved much in its 60 year reign of popularity, selling more than 30 million units a year in the United States and presumably hundreds of millions across the planet. Now a new simple function offered by Solestrum is pointing the way for the future of useful wearable technology – despite some untrue claims elsewhere in the media, the US$140 bikini offers the wearer real time UV readings on a belt-mounted read-out. The belt is the entire unit, and is made from a smart fabric that detects UV and transmits to the display. Next month, Solestrom will release a new version of the suit, which emits a beep at the UV level programmed by the user. (read more...)
Heatworx Gloves – heat protection AND dexterity
July 29, 2006 Having to work with very hot objects during our daily toil is thankfully not something most of us need to endure but it’s commonplace for many plumbers, metal fabricators, welders, steel workers and other industrial workers. Traditional heat gloves are known for protecting hands from high heat and flammable materials, but they're also known for what they can't do, which is to provide touch and feel that enables the user to perform detailed hands-on tasks. Last year performance work glove manufacturer Ironclad showed around a concept glove which promised to change all that and it has now introduced its new Heatworx gloves which combine protection from high heat with exceptional dexterity and performance. The gloves incorporate a proprietary HotShield synthetic palm and Dupont Kevlar fabrics. HotShield has the look, feel and durability of leather, yet is heat and shrink resistant; water and oil repellent; and cut, puncture and abrasion resistant. (read more...)
Electricity to heal wounds
July 28, 2006 Researchers in Aberdeen have made an exciting breakthrough in showing that electricity has a major impact on the healing of wounds. The research team – one of just a handful of groups in the world studying direct current electrical fields in the body and their control over cell behaviours - believe their findings have the potential to open up pioneering methods for treating wounds and other injuries. The University of Aberdeen team detail how electricity works in a wound in a paper which appeared in yesterday's copy of Nature. The team have discovered a couple of proteins and genes within cells which play a key role in steering the cells to heal wounds in response to the naturally occurring electrical signals found at wounds. (read more...)
The Mechanical Advantage Tourniquet (MAT)
July 18, 2006 Recent geo-political and natural disaster events have shown that one of the primary threats to victim’s survival is blood loss. In particular, the global war on terror has demonstrated specific vulnerabilities in critical blood loss due to damaged limbs. In late 2003, American Special Operations Forces requested the urgent supply of a tourniquet with some special requirements including; operation by one-hand, application and occlusion in less than a minute, applicable to trapped limbs, no external power, quick release and reset, weighing less than 230 grams, and having a 10 year shelf-life. Within seven weeks, Cybertech Medical Product Development delivered the first prototype of the Mechanical Advantage Tourniquet (MAT) to the DoD that solved all of their desired requirements, and to-date is the only device to do so. It’s unique modulated constriction makes the MAT safe to use in preventing tissue damage and loss of limb. (read more...)
Avon China recruits 114,000 licensed direct sales promoters in four months
July 17, 2006 We just love a successful business model and when that distinctly American direct sales institution Avon was awarded its direct-selling license by the Direct Selling Administration of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the conditions were just right for a spot of spontaneous combustion. China is embracing some aspects of Western culture most readily, among them the concepts of applied glamour, fashion and beauty contests. In less than four months (to June 30), Avon Products China has recruited and certified more than 114,000 licensed Sales Promoters, and another 31,000 are in various stages of the certification process. Avon's Sales Promoters are the company's direct-selling reps, who provide customers with the one-on-one personal service that Avon is recognized for globally. "The high numbers of licensed Sales Promoters in such a short time reflects the great appeal of the Avon earnings opportunity in the Chinese market," said SK Kao, General Manager, Avon China. (read more...)
Stress Reliever in a pocket
June 26, 2006 Back in November 2004, we tried Freeze-Framer - an interactive program that measures stress levels so the user can better manage their emotional and physical response to stress. Stress is the mind's response to any pressure that disrupts its normal balance. It occurs when our perception of events doesn't meet our expectations and we are unable to manage our reaction. As a response, stress expresses itself as resistance, tension, strain or frustration that throws off our physiological and psychological equilibrium, keeping us out of sync. If our equilibrium is disturbed for long, the stress can become disabling. According to the American Institute of Stress, up to 90% of all health problems are related to stress. Too much stress can contribute to and agitate many health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, depression and sleep disorders. Now the same Freeze-Framer technologies have been incorporated in a mobile handheld device, no bigger than a cell phone, designed to help the user reduce stress anytime, anywhere. Weighing only 2.2 ounces, the US$200 emWave pocket-sized personal stress reliever becomes available tomorrow to assist people in gaining a new sense of inner control. (read more...)
The Operating Room Dashboard
One of the delicate balances of modern technology is delivering all the relevant information in such a way that it can be taken in at a glance – akin to the car dashboard – while still concentrating on the mission-critical task at hand. Last week we covered the latest advances for the information-intensive battlefield and now we’re reporting on what seems like the opposite end of the spectrum – the Operating Room. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York has recently deployed LiveData's OR-Dashboard across its 21 new operating rooms. The new ORs incorporate state-of-the-art medical and information technology that visually integrates information from disparate sources, delivering a complete, real-time view of all relevant patient information on a large, flat panel display that is visible to the entire OR team. (read more...)
The Shumidor ionic shoe deodorizer
June 19, 2006 Each human foot has more than 250,000 sweat glands and in the course of a day can produce as much as a pint of sweat, so it’s not surprising that shoes often smell. Indeed, it’s not so much the sweat that makes shoes smell but the bacteria that thrive in the moist, warm environment sweat creates. Cleaning shoes has traditionally been done on the outside but that of course doesn’t get rid of the smell or the problem. Michael Kritzer is a “designer with well-founded problem identification, process, ideation, and computer skills” whose web site is designed to showcase said skills to potential design company employers. His solution to the eternal smelly shoe problem is the Shumidor, an ingenious ionic shoe deodorizer which caught our eye when we saw it on BornRich, though we must admit that some of Michael’s other products, notably a fully adjustable, hydroponic indoor herb garden named Herbi and a layered table place setting for home or commercial use named StackMe, were equally worthy of mention. (read more...)
Suicide Bomber Detection Unit
June 14, 2006 Suicide attacks have been a common tactic since armed conflict began, as has been the practice of targeting civilians rather than military personnel. But technology has now created a far more effective set of tools which enable one person, as a suicide bomber, to wreak enormous physical, psychological and financial carnage on the population. Attacks on civilians by terrorists increased 35% in 2005, with bombings increasingly conducted in highly populated areas at a time likely to cause the most injury and hence to heighten feelings of vulnerability in the population. Emanating almost exclusively from societies where bombers are seen as cultural heroes, there is every likelihood that suicide bombing will be increasingly seen as the most effective tactic possible by the aggrieved and/or repressed. So the new Sago ST 150 could well be seen as the right product at the right time as it is specifically designed to detect suicide bombs carried on people. The patented imager is radiation-free, portable, and produces high-quality imagery revealing the exact location of the weapon and its size. The ST150 "sees" through clothing providing real-time information critical in preventing terrorist attacks. (read more...)
Barcode and RFID Medication Administration System
June 6, 2006 We just love clever systems that reduce error and make the world a more efficient and safer place, and the devilishly clever VeriScan medication administration system fits the bill perfectly, using a synthesis of bar code and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag readers to track medication directly at the patient's bedside. VeriScan runs on a Pocket PC equipped with a dual RFID and bar code reader. The nurse scans the bar code on the medication package and RFID tags on both the patient's wristband and the nurse's identification badge. Updates or changes to a patient's medication order are available in real-time, providing the nurse instant access to those changes, and the system also automatically charts each medication administration into the patient's Electronic Medical Record (EMR), saving data entry time and reducing the opportunity for human error. RFID technology is used on the patient's wristband and the caregiver's ID badge as it does not require direct contact or line-of-sight necessary for a bar code reader. It was announced yesterday that the US-developed system would be distributed to healthcare organizations in 15 Asian nations. (read more...)
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
