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Health
Implantable sensor simplifies blood pressure readings
By Darren Quick
23:34 January 27, 2009 PST
High blood pressure is a major health risk and as the world’s population ages, that risk continues to climb. It can be a trial of patience for doctors and for sufferers, whose blood pressure often has to be consistently monitored over a long time until it can be regulated. A new sensor being developed by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft researchers together with the “Hyper-IMS” (Intravascular Monitoring System for Hypertension Patients) company aims to make this monitoring easier. To monitor blood pressure patients have traditionally had to wear a small case containing a blood pressure meter close to their body. An inflatable sleeve on their arm records their blood pressure values, for which it is regularly pumped up and deflated. This can prove to be a bit of a hassle, particularly at night but now the whole process is now due to become significantly simpler thanks to a tiny implant that can achieve the same result. Read More
The Playpump – innovation and inspiration conspire to solve myriad problems
By Mike Hanlon
23:30 January 27, 2009 PST
The Playpump is a playground merry-go-round that uses the boundless energy of children to pump water out of the ground. More than 1000 such pumps have been installed in schools in South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia and apart from bringing joy to children, and providing easy access to clean drinking water for the local community, the simple installation of the playpump has catalyzed improvements in health, education, economic development and even gender equality. The PlayPump system also provides one of the only ways to reach rural and peri-urban communities with potentially life saving public health messages. Read More
How to double your chance of giving up smoking
By Mike Hanlon
23:29 January 25, 2009 PST
January 26, 2009 About one third of the male adult global population smokes, two thirds in Asia where tobacco advertising is largely still legal. Among teens aged 13 to 15, about one in five smokes worldwide. Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death. Smoking related-diseases currently kill one in 10 adults globally, and on current trends, one in six of ALL people two decades from now. New UK research has found that smokers are twice as likely to kick the habit if they use a support group rather than trying to give up alone. Read More
4D technique promises new insights into brain function
By Darren Quick
19:14 January 22, 2009 PST
January 23, 2009 It’s kind of ironic that the very organ that gives us our intelligence and understanding of the world around us is also the one we understand the least. Now a novel 4D colorimetric technique developed by researchers at Florida Atlantic University, (FAU), that simultaneously maps four dimensions of brain data, (magnitude, 2D of cortical surface and time), in EEG signals could dramatically change the way neuroscientists are able to understand how the brain operates. The technique makes it possible to observe and interpret oscillatory activity of the entire brain as it evolves in time, millisecond by millisecond, so that for the first time, true episodes of brain coordination can be spotted directly in EEG records and carefully analyzed. Read More
The washable, bacteria-retardant keyboard
By Kyle Sherer
15:58 December 21, 2008 PST
We’ve encountered washable computer accessories before, but the Silver Seal keyboard adds a new level of protection against germs. In addition to being machine-washable and functioning even when wet, the Silver Seal contains built-in silver ion protection, which inhibits the growth of bacteria like E. Coli and Staph. Read More
GAMEROX gaming chair gets kids moving while sitting down
By Darren Quick
18:41 December 14, 2008 PST
If there’s one thing most parent’s hate seeing, it’s their offspring slumped in from of the TV, video game controller in hand, ruining their posture and getting fatter by the second. This is one of the many reasons Nintendo’s Wii has proven so popular and now a company with a new concept in game seating is also hoping to do its bit for poor childhood posture and inactivity by getting kids moving and improving their posture while they sit playing video games. The GAMEROX chair is designed to promote movement during game play to deliver health benefits through improved circulation, movement and exercise by taking advantage of children’s natural tendency to move with the onscreen action. Read More
Wound care management camera in testing
By Emily Clark
19:44 December 4, 2008 PST
IP2Biz has released details of a new camera that determines and captures wound boundaries and wound area using proprietary software and low-cost hardware. A prototype of the hand-held device is currently being tested by wound specialty nurses at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More
Innovative Lunar Baby Thermometer design
By Jude Garvey
17:50 November 24, 2008 PST
The Lunar Baby Thermometer presents a simple yet effective solution to the often tricky problem of taking a child's temperature. The thermometer design utilizes the common technique of holding one’s hand on a child’s forehead to check for a fever. Ergonomically shaped to fit neatly and securely into your hand, the thermometer delivers a fast and accurate temperature measurement. Read More
New technology for portable wastewater treatment unveiled
By Emily Clark
15:22 November 16, 2008 PST
In disasters such as hurricane Katrina, dealing with wastewater can be one of the greatest difficulties facing military and relief operations. Nicknamed “DAAB” (Deployable Aqueous Aerobic Bioreactor), this new self-sustaining, portable, and “smart” wastewater treatment system offers a solution to this critical problem. Read More
Side sleeping pillow reduces snoring
By Emily Clark
22:11 November 6, 2008 PST
The Side Solution Pillow from AbsolutelyNew offers relief for the more than 50 percent of the adult population that sleep on their sides. The unique shape is designed to cradle the entire neck, head and shoulders to reduce stiffness and promote better circulation in the arms as well as helping prevent snoring and mild sleep apnea. Read More
Coffee with a healthy spin
By Emily Clark
00:35 November 5, 2008 PST
November 5, 2008 Feng Shui Coffee combines one of the world’s most popular drinks - coffee - with natural medicinal herbs and minerals designed for maintaining health and wellness and ties it in with the ancient Chinese principles of Feng Shui. It strikes us as an odd combination, but it does involve coffee. Read More
A purple tomato a day keeps the oncologist away
By Darren Quick
20:40 October 27, 2008 PDT
It seems purple might just be your new favorite color if you’re interested in staving off cancer. British scientists are reporting in the journal Nature Biotechnology that they have genetically engineered a purple tomato that significantly extended the life of cancer-prone mice. The purple coloring is due to a class of pigments called anthocyanins, which are found in high concentrations in blackberries and blueberries and and have been associated with protection against a broad range of human diseases. Read More
Run while you ride on the elliptiGO bike
By Jude Garvey
17:55 September 25, 2008 PDT
The elliptiGO glide bike offers riders all the best elements of running and cycling in one machine. Whilst running is an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health and general fitness, many runners are plagued with back and leg injuries due to the high impact nature of the sport. Similarly, bike riders often suffer from shoulder and back injuries and saddle-soreness. When you ride the elliptiGO you use the same biomechanics of running but the impact is reduced and the upright position is a much more comfortable way to ride as well as providing greater visibility in traffic. Read More
Measuring your health in dollar terms - study shows short-term ROI of $1.17 per $1.00 spent
By Mike Hanlon
22:01 September 9, 2008 PDT
September 10, 2008 A program to reduce weight and improve health risk factors in obese employees produces a short-term return on investment (ROI) of $1.17 per dollar spent, according to a University of Georgia study. Just as important, the ROI model used in the study provides a relatively simple and inexpensive tool to help companies estimate the dollar benefits of investing in employee wellness programs. The ability to simulate the cost savings associated with reducing employee health risks could help in building a "credible and defensible case" for investment in employee wellness.This story really got us thinking that it might also pay for individuals to begin considering what the ROI for investing in their health would be – if there’s a short term benefit measured in dollars for your employer to pay for you to get healthy, what’s the long term ROI for investing in your optimum health with all those other personal gains to be considered – such as happiness, a feeling of well-being and a few extra years of painless mobility. Read More
The PC monitor designed to cure the wintertime blues
By Loz Blain
00:17 September 4, 2008 PDT
Have you noticed a decline in your energy levels over winter? Find yourself needing more sleep, feeling depressed or overeating? You may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (appropriately abbreviated to SAD), a phenomenon which is becoming better understood through research. The most common form of therapy for SAD is light therapy, in which the patient is exposed to specific wavelength lights to trigger the biological processes that keep us more upbeat in summertime - and this is the theory behind the LightFrame from Philips, a computer monitor with a switchable bright blue-lit frame that gives workers the ability to self-administer a mild form of light therapy as they work. Read More
Medical hydrogel can replace damaged cartilage
By Kyle Sherer
00:36 July 21, 2008 PDT
The University of Bradford, together with spin-out Advanced Gel Technology, is developing a cartilage repair gel that could delay the need for invasive surgery for five years or more. The hydrogel, which is not yet ready for clinical trials, is intended for traumatic injuries, including those sustained in car collisions or sports. Read More
Earplugs that fit in your wallet for an aural emergency
By Tim Hanlon
00:22 July 21, 2008 PDT
Sound systems in clubs, pubs and music venues are regularly pushed to obscene levels, requiring conversations to be held at a shouting volume, and often leaving attendees with a ringing sound in their ears indicative of permanent hearing damage. Designer Shing Lo has an ingenious solution that means you will never leave home without ear protection. Read More
See all the small print with Clarity’s i-vu digital magnifier
By Jude Garvey
22:50 July 12, 2008 PDT
When your eyesight starts to fail, it can be extremely frustrating. Now, there is something other than bifocals or reading glasses to help rectify this problem. Clarity's i-vu is a portable, hand-held digital magnifier for people suffering from failing eyesight. The i-vu has 5 - 20x magnification and a 2 inch LCD screen but is very compact and weighs just 4 ozs so it fits easily into the pocket of a shirt or pair of trousers, which makes it portable enough to take to the library, drug store or your favorite restaurant. Read More
The Perch School desk
By Kyle Sherer
13:52 July 7, 2008 PDT
The final design of the Perch system contains a uniquely shaped work surface and a patented seat that flexes to suit the user. It is designed to increase productivity, health and well being, with consideration also given to storage, cleaning, stackability, aesthetics, safety and cost. Read More
Hand-held device offers new hope to migraine sufferers
20:54 June 26, 2008 PDT
June 27, 2008 Researchers at the Ohio State University Medical Center have trailed a portable electronic device designed to stop migraine pain before it starts. The experimental transcranial magnetic stimulator (TMS) unit works by sending a painless, one millisecond magnetic pulse through the neurons in the brain, interrupting the initial "aura phase" of the migraine experienced by many sufferers before it leads to throbbing pain, headaches and nausea. Read More
JORDY head-worn magnifier
By Emily Clark
23:58 June 11, 2008 PDT
The JORDY (Joint Optical Reflective Display) advanced head-worn magnifier from Enhanced Vision assists those with low vision to see objects at a distance, offering up to 30X magnification with auto-focus capabilities. Read More
OSPA: high-fidelity hearing aid design from think/thing
By Jude Garvey
23:14 June 4, 2008 PDT
The OSPA hearing aid is highly proficient at improving sound quality and uses as much of the functioning ear as possible. It is not designed to be hidden from sight, in fact with its streamlined, elegant, magnesium frame it looks more like a fashion accessory than a hearing aid. However there is function within that frame, OSPA uses lasers and optics to read mechanical vibrations and has the potential to provide well-balanced, natural and high resolution sound. Unlike other hearing aids which use a microphone and speaker to amplify sound, OSPA uses the external and middle parts of the ear to enhance the signal sent to the inner ear. Read More
Wii Fit Reviewed
By Tim Hanlon
22:11 May 20, 2008 PDT
Making exercise fun is something that Nintendo has tried before. In 1986, they licensed Bandai's Family Trainer peripheral for the NES and launched it worldwide as the Power Pad. In the 90's, they created the Exertainment system - essentially an exercise bike with a SNES inside. Both products were capable of raising your heart rate, but offered little else in the way of improving your health or building good habits. Wii Fit sees Nintendo's honed skill in software and peripheral development come together for another crack at the holy grail of software - making exercise fun. Read More
Simulated sunrise: the Glo Pillow concept
By Darren Quick
18:39 May 19, 2008 PDT
Designers Eoin McNally and Ian Walton have come up with the concept of a ‘Glo Pillow’ that uses an LED fabric substrate below the surface of the pillow to wake the user with light. Forty five minutes before the alarm is due to activate, the pillow begins to glow. The light intensity increases gradually from 0 lux to 250 lux, simulating a natural sunrise and helping to calibrate the body clock by waking the body naturally. The LED fabric substrate also functions as a display, showing the time on the pillows surface using a grid of LEDs inside the pillow. Read More
Clarity's C420 amplified telephone
By Emily Clark
05:03 April 30, 2008 PDT
Clarity, a division of Plantronics, has developed the C420 amplified telephone to help those who suffer from hearing loss to improve the quality of their conversations. The cordless phone is equipped with Clarity Power, designed to make phone conversations clearer and easier to understand for people with a mild to moderate hearing loss. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
