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Court awards disability claim to RF-exposed AT&T worker
It's still largely unclear just what the heck cellphone-sized doses of radiation do to the human body -- but whatever happens, you've gotta figure those effects are multiplied many times for folks spending their days standing in front of carriers' antenna arrays. An Alaskan equipment installer working for AT&T filed a disability claim against his employer for unspecified health problems caused by ongoing exposure to RF levels above FCC recommendations; eventually, the claim ended up on the docket of the state's Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the employee. We imagine the decision will likely get tied up in further appeals, but if the law ultimately sides with the afflicted worker, this could all spell trouble for carriers whose installers spend much of their time blasted with all manner of airwaves. In the interest of health (or not getting sued, as the case may be), are we looking at more blackouts down the road as transceivers get turned off for maintenance?
Using virtual reality to induce out-of-body experience
Yeah, we've seen bizarre apparatuses that bring about otherworldly feelings, but new studies have reportedly been able to induce out-of-body experiences with just a set of "virtual reality goggles, a camera, and a stick." Apparently, the "research reveals that the sense of having a body, of being in a bodily self, is actually constructed from multiple sensory streams," and when the newfangled system forces individuals to peer at "an illusory image of themselves" while the stick prods them "in a certain way," the guinea pigs said they felt as if they had been removed from their bodies. Of course, it seems the real purpose here circles more around the science of the brain rather than hashing out a DIY guide to accomplish this on your own, and no, so far as we can tell, it (unfortunately) does not play Doom.
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LifeSigns resurfaces at GC
It's easy to forget about LifeSigns, since it seems to keep coming and going, but the medical sim showed a few signs of life in Leipzig, and the good folks at IGN got in a little hands-on time. All signs point to good, with heavy realism in the surgery department, and the same sort of ass-kickery we've come to expect from surgery games. Thank you, Trauma Center. At least in LifeSigns, players don't have to choose their own tools -- it's done automatically -- so that's one less step for us to screw up while we're sweating over someone's heart operation.The most recent word is that the game is for-really-real scheduled for October ... but since we've seen dates both in June and this very week slip past, we're not holding our breath. We just hope it comes out eventually.
DIY pervasive health monitor keeps tabs on your vitals
If you think your heart rate-monitoring wristwatch is hot stuff, a homegrown creation from the Berkeley Institute of Design is apt to put that to shame. Dubbed the pervasive health monitoring system, this project involves a TI microcontroller, a Bluetooth interface, audio amplifier, and a trio of low power "instrumentation amplifiers," which creates an apparatus that can communicate wirelessly with your Windows Mobile-based handset (and PC, too). The device is rigged up to record ECG (heart rhythms), EMG (muscle tension), GSR (skin resistance), body temperature and movement information, and while we could certainly attempt to transcribe the creator, why not take a look at the informative video posted after the jump for all the data you could ever desire about this (admittedly fresh) invention.[Via Hack-A-Day]
ARANZ Medical works up handheld wound monitor
While the sheer thought of gauging the depth of a flesh wound may make some folks queasy, ARANZ Medical is making the entire process a whole lot easier for nurses and patients alike. Thanks to the Silhouette Mobile, medical personnel are now able to receive data about a wound's width and depth without using any sort of physical probe, as the $6,000 handheld is able to extract the aforementioned information via lasers. Additionally, the measurements can be stored and charted, which enables a patient and his / her caregivers to easily track the progress of an injury. Interestingly enough, the Silhouette camera was previously used to "help digitize and animate Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, which easily makes this one of the most bizarre industry leaps that our feeble minds can recall.[Via MedGadget]Read - Film technology applied to woundsRead - Video of the Silhouette Mobile in action
Charmr concept transforms glucose monitoring
Just three days ago, we saw the nifty GlucoPhone receive the FDA's coveted stamp of approval, and now Adaptive Path has conjured up a conceptual device of its own that could transform the way diabetics are forced to live out their lives. The Charmr itself is a small wirelessly-enabled thumb drive (of sorts) that can be worn anywhere you prefer, and boasts a display that continuously shows glucose levels and stores trend data for future PC analysis. The unit would purportedly interface with a waterproof patch that includes an insulin reservoir, a glucose sensor, an insertion needle, and a wireless transmitter to speak to the Charmr. Currently, the design is still waiting for a pharmaceutical company to pick it up and actually bring it to market, but be sure and check out the demonstrative video after the jump.[Via DiabetesMine, thanks Allison B.]
Next Safety developing nicotine-delivery device to curb smoking
Nah, Next Safety's approach to curbing smoking isn't nearly as fun as puffing on Golden Dragon's Ruyan e-cigarettes, but it just might do the trick. Reportedly, this North Carolina-based startup plans to bring a "nicotine-delivery product" to market which would actually "deliver nicotine to the brain faster and safer than cigarettes," all while protecting children and nonsmokers from secondhand smoke. Interestingly, the pulmonary drug-deliverer (which works similarly to a medical inhaler) is said to provide "a stronger kick" than smoking, but actually administers a smaller amount of nicotine to the body than your average Marlboro. Currently, the firm is hoping to release it into less restricted overseas markets by the year's end, but analysts here in America are questioning its ability to pass through all the red tape required for it to hit our shelves.[Via MedGadget]Read - New nicotine-delivery device is safer than smoking, NC company saysRead - Next Safety's Pulmonary Drug Delivery System
Moonwalk treadmill trains brain-injured patients to walk
Though there's been plenty of inventions that help brain-injured individuals regain a somewhat normal gait, a split-belt treadmill that oftentimes "pushes people into sloppy versions of Michael Jackson's moonwalk" is certainly one of the most bizarre. The device enables one foot to move up to four times faster than the other or throw one leg into reverse whilst the other moves forward, essentially forcing one's brain to make an "unconscious adjustment" in order to keep him / her from falling down. The goal, now, however, is to figure out how to make the temporary fixes instituted by the moonwalk machine permanent -- without forcing the disabled to live out their lives with Thriller running through their headphones.[Via ShortNews]
HealthPia's GlucoPhone gets FDA approval
While the idea of a diabetes phone is far from new, a company dubbed HealthPia is well on its way to actually delivering such a product. Reportedly, the firm has "obtained FDA approval for its patent-pending technology that integrates a blood glucose meter with a standard-issue cellphone." Interestingly, it not only allows you to send results over the air, but specially equipped mobiles will actually be fitted with a GlucoPack that enables you to test yourself as you would with any other (more traditional) meter. During last week's AADE conference, the company supposedly announced that Verizon's LG5200 would be the first to sport such technology, and for those who think this could make their lives a whole lot easier, grab your specs and hit the read link for more.[Thanks, Clement S.]
IBM launches RFID-based ePedigree drug tracking system
IBM's own anti-counterfeiting technology that was unveiled last year for use in the drug industry is finally launching. The electronic pedigree system (ePedigree for short) aims to "help drug companies create electronic certificates of authenticity for medications -- down to the individual bottle -- as they move from manufacturers and distributors to pharmacies and hospitals." It was also noted that some states, particularly California in 2009, are looking to pass a law that will require "any medication distributed in the state have its life history attached to it," so until then, make sure you don't procure any sketchy brown bottles from the nearest street vendor, cool?[Image courtesy of SpyChips]
'GPS techniques' help surgeons carry out delicate procedures
While some courageous individuals may not mind a lifeless being slicing them up in the name of health, there remains a number of us who'd still rather have a human counterpart handling their operation. Thankfully, even skilled doctors could soon be given a hand by GPS location techniques, which have already assisted in some joint-replacement procedures. Essentially, the technology dishes out a "three-dimensional view of the joint area on a television monitor," and enables the knife wielder to make "more accurate cuts and place prostheses much more accurately." The signals are generated by a trio of tiny satellites that are inserted into the surgical incision and "triangulate the exact position of surgical instruments and the anatomy of the patient." Just be careful one of those things don't get sewn up in you, or else you'll likely be a walking beacon for the rest of your days.[Via TGDaily, image courtesy of AVHaspen]
Four-armed surgical robot joins Edmonton hospital staff
While dexterous robots have been helping surgeons in America for some time, Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital is finally getting with the program. Beginning in September, a four-armed surgical robot will be used in procedures to treat prostate cancer, and should provide a much improved in-depth view of the body as well as boosting overall agility while operating. One of the diminutive arms will grasp a camera while the others wield the tools, and trained surgeons will be controlling the action from a three-dimensional screen positioned at a nearby base. Notably, one of the primary reasons Canada has been slower to adopt this type of technology is the price, and while it did cost some $4 million to purchase and retrofit the system into the OR, the shorter recovery time and improved precision whilst operating will certainly prove worthwhile to the average patient.
HD surgery provides gruesome level of detail
High-definition capture and monitoring equipment has long been available for medical uses, but for whatever reason, widespread use has yet to catch on. Now, however, you people will be able to um, partake, in viewing the "first HDTV surgery ever broadcast" as National Geographic HD airs a special presentation of the 1080p system in action. According to a doctor that actually got to experience the technology first-hand, the KSEA HDTV Surgical System provides a widescreen, Full HD look at what's going on within, employs a 3CCD camera with an acquisition resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, and outputs an image that is progressively scanned and displayed at 60 full frames-per-second. We'd recommend you tune in to the aforementioned show on September 16th if the channel is available in your neck of the woods, but you may want to click on and see a few stills of the KSEA in action before subjecting yourself (read: your weak stomach) to the real deal.[Thanks, Dr. Steven P.]
Students whip up Operation-playing robots
We know the Hippocratic Oath is kind of implied in Asimov's Three Laws, so we're kind of cleared for takeoff when it comes to robots performing surgery on us hapless meatbags. But we imagine no such laws or oaths apply to robots developed by UBC physics students, whose final exam is to build the best machine for playing a life-sized game of Operation. And not a moment too soon, because this case of writer's block is totally killing us -- so we'll just end the post here.
Deep-brain electrical stimulation brings man out of vegetative state
A 38-year-old man who had been in a near-coma for six years was recently awakened via the use of a pacemaker and two electrodes which were deeply implanted in his brain. The electrical device, manufactured by a company called Medtronic, was used to send impulses to the area of the brain regulating consciousness, and researchers believe that the stimulation may be enhancing brain circuits that are still capable of functioning. The man, the first of 12 to undergo the procedure, has gone from a vegetative state to being able to play cards, speak with family members, and take trips outside. While this isn't exactly a new technology -- as doctors have been experimenting with deep-brain stimulation in the treatment of Parkinson's, epilepsy, and brain injuries for some time -- it is a clear sign that there's hope for patients whom the medical community has been, heretofore, unable to treat.
Cellphone lights enable operation to proceed in blackout
Hearing that a cellphone saved someone's life isn't exactly surprising these days, but it was the manner in which a bundle of handsets enabled doctors to continue on in a recent operation that differentiated this one from the rest. Reportedly, the backup generators at the Policlinico Juan D. Peron hospital in Argentina failed to activate after the power went out whilst an appendix surgery was ongoing, but rather than panicking, a family member gathered up a number of phones in order to provide enough light for the surgeons and anesthetists to keep on keepin' on. According to the hospital director, the operation went on without proper lighting for no more than 20 minutes, but thanks to the beaming LCDs, the fellow under the knife came through just fine.[Via Switched, image courtesy of foto8]
"Organic semiconductors" help researchers monitor your heart
Have you ever been halfway through a heart attack and thought "If only my shirt had been laced with wireless sensors that monitored respiration and body temperature, this cheese-stick-related incident might have been prevented"? Well now, next time you have one-too-many wings while tailgating, a fabric developed by researchers at the University of Arkansas might be able to alert medical professionals to your condition before you go code red. The technology, based around an "organic semiconductor" called pentacene (a hydrocarbon molecule) and a comparative instrument known as a Wheatstone bridge, can be embedded in fabrics such as undershirts and coupled with wireless transmitters. In the garments, body temperature is monitored through a thin-film transistor, while respiration is gauged using electrical resistance, but both technologies employ the pentacene as a sensing layer. Researchers hope to further develop the technology so that doctors can get to you long before you eat a fatal piece of cheesecake.[Via Medlaunches, thanks, Geetu]
UK trial allows patients to book doctor visits via remote
Amidst the recent boom in home healthcare gizmos that are enabling the elderly to better care for themselves, it's no surprise to see a trial hit the UK which allows patients to book GP appointments via their TV. The system was devised by EMIS, and was initially available "through the Looking Local portal on the interactive menus on Sky, cable, and Freeview boxes with a modem or broadband connection." Additionally, users could access the menu via WAP-enabled mobile phones, and customers in participating areas were able to "access information from the doctor's receptionist along with a password which allowed them to log in to the system." Results from the pilot program included fewer missed appointments and less time spent chatting with the ill over the phone, but we don't foresee any of these productivity savings being passed along to the consumer in the form of pounds and pence.
Satiety's transoral TOGa stomach stapling procedure
Satiety, Inc. has finally found the funding it needs to push forward with a radical new approach to assisting the obese, as it has rounded up $30 million in financing from a number of venture capitalists who dug the idea. Essentially, the TOGa procedure is a "completely transoral process designed to achieve similar weight loss to restrictive surgeries," and it also claims to be less invasive, require less recovery time, and should create a "dramatically reduced amount of complications." In this system, the physician would "introduce a stapling device transorally and create a restrictive pouch at the entry of the stomach," and moreover, it's considered "non-surgical" in nature, endoscopic, and can be performed by properly trained bariatric surgeons, general endoscopic surgeons, and gastroenterologists. Currently, the firm is moving forward with plans to get the procedure approved by the FDA, and while there's no telling how long such a convoluted process will take, stomach stapling could see an entirely different approach in the years to come if this proves effective.[Via CNET]
Sensei robotic arm pulling off heart operations in the UK
Although the Sensei robot at St. Mary's Hospital in London may just be "one of four in the world," it certainly joins a packed crowd of mechanical colleagues that have been doing this whole "operation" bit for quite some time. As with most similar alternatives, this one operates (quite literally, actually) by responding to a human surgeon's input given via joystick, and the arm is then able to maneuver into more delicate and hard-to-reach locales in order to execute catheter ablation procedures. In the future, however, the Atari-lovin' doctor could be left out of the process entirely, as an automated edition could eventually be programmed to find its own way to the target without any human intervention. Med school graduates losing residency positions to metallic counterparts -- what is the world coming to?
