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Zensorium launches Tinké cardiorespiratory health and stress monitor for iOS devices (video)
Planning a gluttonous holiday season and then a health kick in the New Year to balance it out? Well, when you start on the latter, you might want one of Zensorium's Tinké cardiorespiratory monitors to track your progress. The sensor is compatible with any of your old-fashioned 30-pin iOS devices (it'll work with the Lightning adapter, too), and with the press of a thumb, it can measure heart rate, blood oxygenation and respiratory rate using light. All this data is fed into the free companion app, which generates an overall fitness score called the "Vita Index" and logs it for later comparison. Stress levels can also be assessed, using fluctuations in your heart rate to score the "Zen Index." Sharing how unfit and stressed you are can be done via Facebook or Tinké's own network, which also allows you to compare results with other users worldwide. The monitor will set you back $119 and is available now from Zensorium (link below) in a choice of four colors. If you'd like to start improving your Zen Index right now, then check out the soothing acoustic sounds in the product walkthrough video below the fold.
Alt-week 9.8.12: Moon farming, self powered health monitors and bringing a 50,000 year-old girl to life
Alt-week peels back the covers on some of the more curious sci-tech stories from the last seven days. Some weeks things get a little science heavy, sometimes it's a little on their weird side, and there's usually a bit of space travel involved, but these week's trend seems to be "mind-blowing." Want to grow carrots on the Moon? We got you covered. How about bringing a 50,000 year-old ancient human back to life? Sure, no biggie. Oh but what about a solar eruption that reaches some half a million miles in height. We've got the video. No, really we have. Mind blown? This is alt-week.
GumPack wearable vitals monitor: the new MedicAlert bracelet?
It may not have the charm or good looks of, say, the uBOT-5, but a new wearable vital signs monitor could cut back on doctor's visits for the chronically ill. Produced by a Kansas State University student, the GumPack -- known as such for its size -- is a multi-sensor monitoring device that fits in the palm of your hand and relays vital stats to your doctor via the internet. Along with a built-in camera and microphone for record keeping, as well as WiFi capabilities for connectivity, the battery-powered GumPack will sport various sensors, like a reflectance pulse oximeter or a two-thumb ECG. The monitor is still in the concept stage, and will likely not be available for mass-market distribution for years -- if ever -- but with technology like this in the works, the "I've fallen and I can't get up" lady might as well start looking for a new gig.
Family Nanny robot is just five years and $1,500 away from being your new best friend
While Japan's busy preparing its robotic invasion on the moon, China's Siasun Robot & Automation Co., Ltd. has its eyes on Planet Earth instead. Meet Family Nanny, a two-foot-seven, 55-pound robot that can talk, email, text, detect gas leaks, and run around on its two wheels for eight hours on a single two-hour charge. No, this Teletubby-like bot won't be cooking for you, but it'll make great chatty company for the elderly while it relays vital stats back to health monitoring systems. In case of emergencies such as a gas leak, the Family Nanny will alert the owner via text and email. Not bad for ¥10,000 ($1,465), we'd say, but we'll remain skeptical on its chatting skills until it launches -- supposedly sometime around 2015. An early video of two prototypes in action after the break.
Japanese group introduces wearable 'human recorder system'
Looking to keep watch on a few more vitals than something like the Fitbit provides? Then you might just be a candidate for this all-seeing, all-knowing "human recorder system" developed by a group of researchers from the University of Tokyo, and now offered by the non-profit WIN Human Recorder Co. Unlike the Fitbit, you have to affix this one directly to your chest, but that will let you monitor things like heart rate and body surface temperature in addition to movement with the aid of a three-axis acceleration sensor. What's more, you'll also be able to keep continuous watch on all that data via your cellphone of computer, but that won't exactly come cheap -- the sensor itself runs $330, to which you'll also have to add $110 a month for the monitoring service.
