Technology News: Med Tech

Monday - May 5, 2008

Bioengineering professor Boris Rubinsky has what he hopes is the perfect antidote to bulky, expensive, hard-to-use medical machines: the mobile phone. The University of California professor says that by reducing a complex electromagnetic imaging machine to a portable electromagnetic scanner that can work in tandem with a regular cell phone and a computer, he has essentially replicated a $10,000 piece of equipment for just hundreds of dollars. The mobile scanner plugs into the phone, which beams the data to the computer, generating an image that can be transmitted to a doctor. [More...]

Helping Addicts Cope Through Virtual Immersion

Friday - May 2, 2008

Scientists believe that virtual worlds can help patients in therapy to overcome addictions. A new study by University of Houston associate professor Patrick Bordnick reveals that a virtual reality environment can provide a safe haven in which patients can practice how to say "no" when offered drugs or alcohol. [More...]

Longevity as a Commodity

Friday - May 2, 2008

Last week, GlaxoSmithKline announced it will buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals for $720 million, giving weight to the claim that antiaging biotech firms can be a good bet. This is good news for Americans, given that a recent Harvard-affiliated study showed that some parts of the country have seen declines in expected longevity. [More...]

The World's Smartest End Table, Smoking Your Phone, Document Standards Gone Wild

Friday - April 4, 2008

Last year, Microsoft successfully mated a touch-screen PC with one of those old Ms. Pacman games you might see at your typical dive bar. Thus the Microsoft Surface -- the world's smartest end table -- was born. At first, it spent most of its time finger painting and identifying objects placed on top of it. [More...]

The Beginning of the Longevity Revolution

Friday - April 4, 2008

At last week's Aging in America conference in Washington, attendees were greeted with multiple displays of technology aiming to help older people live better. A technological divide exists between the "oldest old" and the "recently old" baby boomers, but technologies developed for both groups may also be able to help younger generations fight aging. [More...]

Better Monitoring With Smart Medical Devices

Tuesday - April 1, 2008

About 90 million people in the U.S. suffer from one or multiple chronic conditions, with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory conditions having the highest prevalence. These conditions are also the most suitable for medical monitoring devices. Glucose meters and test strips are a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. [More...]

Doctor Suggests Cell Phones May Be Riskier Than Cigarettes

Monday - March 31, 2008

The dangers associated with cell phones could far outweigh those tied to asbestos and smoking, an Australian doctor recently warned in a new report. In a paper, Vini G. Khurana, a staff specialist neurosurgeon at the Canberra Hospital, summarizes a study in which he reviewed previous studies on the effects of mobile phone usage. [More...]

Tech Market of the Future: The Brain

Friday - March 21, 2008

The Alzheimer's Association recently reported that one out of eight baby boomers is expected to get Alzheimer's disease, creating a total of 10 million victims. This staggering prediction underscores the need for brain health and augmentation, a new market that tech players are fortunately beginning to enter. [More...]

Flash Sticks: Medical Data's New Home

Saturday - March 15, 2008

Having already pushed floppy disks and zip drives into obsolescence, USB flash drives could soon replace another device past its prime: The medical bracelet. One Lakeland, Fla., startup plans to help spur the transition. InfoMed Technologies has launched a line of USB devices that give doctors and rescue workers fast access to the owner's medical information. [More...]

Researchers: Implanted Medical Devices Open to Hack Attacks

Wednesday - March 12, 2008

A common new technology for monitoring defibrillators is vulnerable to hacking and even to reprogramming that could stop the devices from delivering a lifesaving shock, according to research to be released Wednesday. In the past couple years, more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. alone have been implanted with newer devices that reduce medical visits by sending information on a patient to a doctor. [More...]

Helping Patients Wiihabilitate

Saturday - February 16, 2008

Some call it "Wiihabilitation." Nintendo's Wii video game system, whose popularity already extends beyond the teen gaming set, is fast becoming a craze in rehab therapy for patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery and even combat injuries. The usual stretching and lifting exercises that help the sick or injured regain strength can be painful, repetitive and downright boring. [More...]

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