menstrual
Latest
Scientists recreate the female menstrual cycle on a chip
Scientists don't understand as much as they'd like about the female reproductive system, both due to their historical exclusion from studies and the challenge in replicating the complexities of that anatomy. At last, however, there's progress. Researchers have developed an organ on a chip that models a woman's entire reproductive system, including menstruation and hormone-induced responses. It clearly doesn't look like the real thing (see above), but numerous key behaviors are present.
Samsung files patent app for fertility measuring phone
Believe it or not, we've seen something like this before -- out of Japan, naturally -- so we're a bit surprised to see a patent app roll in from Samsung for a phone capable of tracking a woman's fertile periods. The idea is to keep the user updated on her "baby" and "no baby" times of the month when she places a call by measuring distance to the eardrum (using either ultrasonic or laser sensors) combined with infrared to get a temperature reading. This corresponds to a woman's basal body temperature cycle, which in turn maps to her menstrual cycle. In Japan, the concept was intended to boost birth rates by keeping couples in the know on exactly when they might have success -- but elsewhere we imagine the intent might be just the opposite. We'll leave it to our readers' active imaginations to decide just when and how the user should be kept abreast of said information.[Via Unwired View]
Falling birth rates? NTT DoCoMo has the answer
If there's two thing we know Japan has, it's a steadily declining birth rate and insanely advanced mobile technology. Doesn't it seem like one could be used to solve the other? (No?) Leave it to the good folks at NTT DoCoMo to have a crack at it, releasing the new D702iF FOMA clamshell from Mitsubishi. It seems innocent enough, but a few keystrokes allows the user to track his or her (hopefully her) menstrual cycle and be notified during the most fertile times of the month. The somewhat unusual function, along with the phone's bullet-shaped design and pastel colors, are the brainchild of Japanese designer Momoko Ikuta. The decidedly feminine phone also features a built-in recipe database (which we hear features a mean white bean chicken chili) and a "camouflage melody" function -- a fancy way of describing a fake ring for those times when you want to completely ignore the people around you.[Via CNET]
