Articles tagged with "Medical"
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Medical hydrogel can replace damaged cartilage
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...)
Self-powered knee sensor for surgery
A researcher at the University of Southampton in the UK has developed a new self-powered sensor that would allow surgeons to monitor progress during knee operations. The Serial In-vivo Transducer (SIT) uses thick film technology and could measure tendon force during Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction; a common procedure among athletes. (read more...)
400th robotic-assisted heart surgery
The rise of robotic surgery has marked a new age in medical science and one of its pioneers has just reached a major milestone. Dr. W. Randolph Chitwood, Jr. has performed his 400th robotic-assisted mitral valve repair at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. (read more...)
Optiscan's Endomicroscope speeds up the fight against cancer
June 24, 2008 In order to view cells at a high enough magnification to identify cancerous and pre-cancerous growths, doctors currently have to perform biopsy surgery - the invasive removal of cells so they can be examined in a laboratory. But a new Australian endoscope technology is about to remove the need for a biopsy altogether by offering doctors the ability to examine tissue at single-cell and sub-cellular magnification levels as the camera moves through the body. Optiscan's miniature endomicroscope offers up to 1000x magnification as opposed to the 40x magnification of traditional endoscopes, and will greatly speed up the detection and diagnosis of cancerous cells. (read more...)
JORDY head-worn magnifier
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...)
Infant Pacifier Thermometer
Shaped like a regular pacifier with a small display screen on the front, the Summer Infant Pacifier Thermometer simplifies the tricky process of taking the temperature of small children. (read more...)
Dissolving glass could aid bone growth
June 9, 2008 Bone growth and joint replacement is a painful process, but British scientists claim that one possible solution for a glass jaw is, well, a jaw made from glass. A porous "bioactive" glass substance that activates the genes responsible for stimulating bone growth has the potential to replace the need for bone transplants. (read more...)
OSPA: high-fidelity hearing aid design from think/thing
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...)
Styla MicroLaser cordless dental laser
May 16, 2008 Promoted as the world’s first microlaser for soft-tissue applications such as treating canker sores or performing incisional biopsies, the Styla from Zap Lasers is a cordless, self-contained laser weighing just 1.9 ounces and measuring only 6.9 inches long. (read more...)
RoboBraille online text translation service
May 13, 2008 Vision impaired users can now access books, news articles and web pages using an email-based service that translates text into Braille and audio recordings. RoboBraille is a free service offering a simple way of converting text without the need for users to operate complicated software and has completed more than 250,000 translations since its launch in January. (read more...)
Mini medical pump design provides accurate dosage
May 8, 2008 Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany have developed an innovative mini medical pump system to administer tiny quantities of liquid such as medicines. What sets this pump apart from standard micro-pumps is its low-maintenance operation and the flexibility of working in both directions that it offers. (read more...)
Free Spirit: the world’s lightest wheelchair
May 13, 2008 Drawing on a background that ranges from experience as an aerospace technician to a stint in research and development on the Williams F1 team, Marcus Cunnington has designed and built the 6.3kg (around 13.9 pounds) Free Spirit - a carbon fiber composite design that claims the mantle of the world's lightest manual rigid wheelchair. (read more...)
Raydiance announces ultrashort laser breakthrough
Raydiance has demonstrated ultrashort laser (USL) technology that has potential applications in genomics, homeland security, advanced manufacturing and medical applications, including cancer cell removal, tattoo removal, eye surgery, and cosmetic treatments. (read more...)
Hybrid device combines hearing aid and cochlear implant
April 18, 2008 To date the the options have been limited for hearing-impaired patients who do not stand to benefit from hearing aids, but for whom cochlear implants are unsuitable because they retain some natural hearing. Now a hybrid hearing device being tested in trials across the US offers a solution to this category of patients by combining the advantages of both hearing aids and implants. (read more...)
Picis real-time dashboard for perioperative departments
The Picis Perioperative Dashboard is a Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) tool designed to to assist hospital surgical departments in the daunting task of logistical management by providing a real-time, easy-to-read snapshot measuring case delays, quality improvement compliance, patient throughput and a range of key indicators. (read more...)
You're a lucky cow Wilhelmina!
It helps to have friends in high places, even when you’ve got four legs, as a Kansas dairy cow named Wilhelmina recently found out. The 8-year-old Jersey cow ruptured the cruciate ligament in her right knee in a breeding injury but thanks to her owner, she was about to receive a knee reconstruction. Dr. Anderson, professor and head of agricultural practices at Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine replaced the cow’s cruciate ligament using synthetic material called monofilament nylon and dubbed the "Wildcat Power Cord". (read more...)
3-D virtual reality dental simulator
March 27, 2008 Evidence of dentistry has been found dating back as far as 5500 BC however common knowledge tends to only go back as far as the Middle Ages when dental procedures were performed by barbers or general practitioners (with the aid of pliers and a bottle of whisky). These days patient care is of the utmost importance, which is why dentistry researchers at the University of Illinois (UIC) are developing a haptic training simulator called PerioSim, which uses 3-D virtual reality technology to allow dental students to improve their skills before being allowed near real live patients. (read more...)
Alzheimer's detection using near-infrared light
It is estimated that around 4.5 million people in the US are currently living with Alzheimer's and the disease is one of the leading causes of death, accounting for tens of thousands each year. There has been no definitive way of diagnosing the disease on living patients so doctors have had to rely on medical histories, administering physical exams, and neuropsychological assessments. Now, a team of researchers in Massachusetts has developed a way of examining brain tissue with near-infrared light to detect signs of Alzheimer's disease. (read more...)
Humphrey Field Analyzer II-i offers streamlined Glaucoma management
Carl Zeiss Meditec has announced the latest version of its Humphrey Field Analyzer – an automated diagnostic system for Glaucoma management and blindness prevention. By allowing them to closely and easily monitor changes in the eye, the HFA II-i will provide doctors with the ability to prevent irreversible vision loss in patients with Glaucoma – a degenerative disease of the optic nerve that progresses without obvious symptoms, and is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. (read more...)
Game Ready injury treatment system
CoolSystems has released the next generation of its Game Ready injury treatment system combining form-fitting wraps, cold and intermittent compression, and adjustable pressure and temperature settings. The convenient system is designed to be used for treatment of musculoskeletal injuries and post-operative rehabilitation. (read more...)
Bar-coded surgical sponges to increase patient safety
March 6, 2008 We’ve all seen a current affairs program with a victim who found out their doctor left a surgical sponge inside them - it’s a nightmare scenario for all concerned with doctors facing litigation and patients left with potentially life threatening infections ...and the scary thing is that it does actual happen. The Safety-Sponge System from SurgiCount Medical is designed to prevent these types of accidents using bar-code technology to account for all surgical sponges used during medical procedures. (read more...)
New funds for development of high tech prosthetic limb
A team led by the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at Johns Hopkins University has received a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to complete development of a prosthetic arm that will look, feel and perform like a natural limb. (read more...)
Open up and say ahhh: new technique uses laser light to analyze breath for diseases
February 19, 2008 We're familiar with the use of breath testing to determine blood alcohol content, but according to new research the air we exhale could reveal much more about what's happening in our bodies, and in the future, breath testing could become a regular part of visiting the doctor. The research by a team of US scientists has shown that markers for diseases such as asthma or cancer can be determined by analyzing trace molecules in the breath using laser light. Experiments using a pulsed laser aimed into a breath-filled cavity proved that gases such as ammonia, carbon monoxide, and methane could be detected revealing signposts to particular diseases being present in the patient - ammonia, for example, may indicate renal failure. (read more...)
Researchers develop new dark field x-ray technique
February 5, 2008 A breakthrough by European researchers has the potential to expand the application of powerful "dark-field" x-ray imaging using standard medical and industrial imaging equipment. Normally only possible via prohibitively expensive and sophisticated crystal optics, the detailed images produced by "dark-field" x-rays could be applied to diagnose breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease, identify explosives in hand luggage, or pinpoint hairline cracks in airplane wings. (read more...)
i-LIMB bionic hand approaches 100 fittings
January 30, 2008 Touch Bionics has announced that its i-LIMB - the world’s first commercially available bionic hand - is expected to achieve the milestone of 100 patient fittings by the end of February this year, having already reached more than 70 people worldwide since its July 2007 launch. (read more...)
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