Underestimating it as a hollow option would be a gaffe for it is definitely capable of assisting you whilst exercising and commuting at the same time. And if you are worried that those huge SUVs would muscle pass you on the open roads, you are highly mistaken as it is not easy to ignore the treadmill bike because of its elevated design. The tires are good enough for any terrain so just get set and rolling on the treadmill bike, putting the guzzlers to shame.

Via: gizmowatch.com

The company behind this futuristic Jacket/Shirt is Biodevices, S.A., a spin-off from IEETA (Institute of Electronics and Telematics Engineering of Aveiro / University of Aveiro, Portugal) with the mission of developing and commercializing biomedical solutions for diagnosis and monitoring support.

The Vital JacketR is a wearable vital signs monitoring system that joins textiles with microelectronics. It was designed and developed to be a usable pragmatic approach for different clinical and normal life scenarios, in hospitals, home or on the move, that need continuous or frequent high quality vital signs monitoring.

The benefit of Bio-monitoring clothing is obvious: more freedom of movement and independence from stationary treatment for patients or elderly who need special care and quality data collection in high performance sport as well as for fitness enthusiasts.

There are currently two versions available, the HWM100 that stores data on a SD memory card for post-analysis on a PC. This version allows long term monitoring. Users can define heart rate limits and will be alerted through a vibration alarm embedded in the T-Shirt.

The second version is the HWM200 that allows realtime visualization where data is sent via Bluetooth to a PDA or smart phone.

Both VitalJacket versions are ready for pre-order at a price of $635.44 (excluding PDA) on VitalJacket's Website. Shipment is indicated as begin of 2008 so it should be very soon.

Via: talk2myshirt.com

The U.S. medical system faces an imminent crisis as baby boomers age into retirement, but an army of little helper robots might soften the blow.

Researchers designed a two-wheeled robot, known as uBOT-5, with two arms capable of picking up small objects, using a stethoscope and even dialing 9-1-1. Sensors near its video-screen head can also figure out if someone has fallen.

"For the first time, robots are safe enough and inexpensive enough to do meaningful work in a residential environment," said Rod Grupen, a computer scientist at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst.

Grupen helped develop uBOT-5 in response to the growing crisis faced by the U.S. medical system as almost 78 million baby boomers begin joining the 65-and-older crowd during the next three decades.

He noted that it costs about $65,000 to build a single robot in the lab, but told LiveScience that manufacturers have said it might cost only a "couple of thousand" to mass-produce the automatons. A part-time, human in-home caregiver can cost more than $1,500 per week.

Aside from its life-saving abilities, uBOT-5 can also remind people to take their medication, pick up packages and do some cleaning and shopping. It can even administer virtual house calls from doctors using a Web cam, microphone, touch-sensitive LCD screen and Internet connection - tools that Grupen said clients should find other uses for.

"Grandma can take the robot's hand, lead it out into the garden and have a virtual visit with a grandchild who is living on the opposite coast," Grupen said.

UMass computer scientists Allen Hanson and Edward Riseman helped Grupen design and build uBOT-5, along with graduate students Patrick Deegan, Emily Horrell, Shichao Ou, Sharaj Sen, Brian Thibodeau, Adam Williams and Dan Xie.

Via: livescience.com

Two successful operations to implant the device into the eyes of two blind patients have been conducted at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

The device — the first of its kind — incorporates a video camera and transmitter mounted on a pair of glasses. This is linked to an artificial retina, which transmits moving images along the optic nerve to the brain and enables the patient to discriminate rudimentary images of motion, light and dark.

The operations were conducted as part of an international clinical trial of the technology, known as the Argus II retinal implant, which has already proved successful in restoring rudimentary vision to patients who have become blind because of common conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa.

American researchers are hoping to develop a camera the size of a pea that could be implanted within the eyeball, replacing natural tissue with artificial technology.

Surgeons hope that the implant could be available to NHS patients within three to five years.

The Argus II uses a video camera to capture images. These are converted into electrical signals, which are transmitted wirelessly to the implant behind the retina. The electrodes in the implant unscramble the signal to create a crude black-and-white picture that is relayed along the optic nerve to the brain. The brain can then perceive patterns of light and dark spots corresponding to the electrodes stimulated.

Mark Humayun, Professor of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering at the Doheny Eye Institute in Los Angeles, California, which developed the technology, said: “The camera is very, very small, and very low power, so it can go inside your eye and couple your eye movement to where the camera is. With the kind of missing information the brain can fill in, this field is really blossoming. In the next four to five years I hope, and we all hope, that we see technology that’s much more advanced.”

Linda Moorfoot is one of a few American patients to be fitted with the current version of the implant. She had been totally blind for more than a decade with the inherited condition retinitis pigmentosa. With the aid of the camera mounted on a pair of sunglasses, she can now see a rough image of the world made up of light and dark blocks. She told Sky News: “When I go to the grandkids’ hockey game or soccer game I can see which direction the game is moving in. I can shoot baskets with my grandson, and I can see my granddaughter dancing across the stage. It’s wonderful.”

Ms Moorfoot’s implant has just 16 electrodes but the US surgeons have helped to fit a more advanced device, with 60 electrodes, to the two British patients to give clearer images. In California, scientists are developing an implant with 1,000 electrodes, which should allow facial recognition.

The identities of the British patients have been concealed while doctors monitor their progress.

Lyndon da Cruz, the consultant retinal surgeon who carried out the operations with his team, said: “Moorfields is proud to have been one of only three sites in Europe chosen to be part of evolving this exciting technology. The devices were implanted successfully in both patients and they are recovering well from the operations.

“It is very special to be part of a programme developing a totally new type of treatment for patients who would otherwise have no chance of visual improvement.”

John Marshall, of St Thomas’ Hospital in London, and the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society, gave warning that it was still “very early days” for the technology.

He said: “It is very, very good news that devices have been developed. It is very good news that in experimental trials some individuals have had these inserted. However, the general public should not run away with the idea that this is going to be routine surgery for blind people in the immediate future because there is an enormous amount to learn.”

Via: timesonline.co.uk

CardioArm is a jointed robot, allowing you to control its head while the rest of its joints follow exactly where the head has been to avoid any accidental internal injuries. The robot wraps itself around the heart until it finds what it's sent inside the body for (i.e., to remove damaged tissues). The only problem is that being jointed, the CardioArm will have size constraints. As of current, the smallest prototype made measures 12 mm in diameter and 300 mm in length. The end goal, however, is to create a robot tiny enough to fit inside blood vessels. 

Other end goals for this future surgical medicine technology constitute modifications for truly non-invasive surgeries. These modifications include the ability of the robot to pass through natural openings like the mouth, as well creating a model with multiple tentacles able to enter through a single opening, but branch out to where they're supposed to go once inside the body.

It looks scary, doesn't it? 

Via: inventorspot.com

The Slimstick is available in several designer colors and finishes for around $60-70, but is currently available only in Japan.

Via: dvice.com

Quote from geekologie.com: 

I got a pair for my grandma and she loves them. ISN'T THAT RIGHT GRANDMA? I SAID "ISN'T THAT RIGHT?" Damn she still can't hear for shit. Oh, it looks like she dozed off. And is drooling. On my couch. Awesome.

Via: geekologie.com

But I've got news for you -- it's that 0.01% of germs that'll kill you. No, seriously -- those are the ones that are so tough nothing can faze them. It's actually funny that I found this online because an ex-neighbor of mine had one of these and swore by it. He wouldn't touch anything without blasting it with UV first. So you know what I did? I coughed all over the back of the handle when he was out of the room. And then you know what he did? He died. Yeah, apparently he had some sort of disease that made regular germs fatal. Oops. I feel really bad too because the couple that bought his house are a-holes who I can't stand and they don't even keep the yard looking nice.

Via: geekologie.com

It releases positively and negatively charged ions, which supposedly neutralize breakouts. Here are the instructions to cure pimples: Touch the device to the offending area as you listen to tunes, flip the switch to Minus, and hold for five to 10 minutes. Allegedly, the negative ions open pores and replenish moisture. Then, flip it to Positive and hold to reduce oil and close your pores back up.

The MPION MP3 player is a Japanese Mp3 player having a storage capacity of 128mb and weighs just 1.2-ounces. It is priced at around $200. For more information about the product have a look at the product page.

Via bizzntech.com

Key in basic details - gender, height, weight, etc - and the monitor will calculate your BMI in around 30 seconds. It goes on sale in Japan in February 2008 and will retail for around $3,010. Oh, and let us give praise to the Modelizer-on-High for using a pretty model and not a Sumo wrestler in the picture.

Via gizmodo.com.au

The new electricity-generating knee brace takes care of this problem by using the movement of the joint to acquire juice. As the wearer walks, it charges itself up, presumably then allowing you to charge up your cell phone or MP3 player with the power generated by your walking. Cumbersome? Yes, but if you've gotta wear a brace for some reason anyways, you might as well get some free energy out of it.

Physorg, via Engadget

Sound like science fiction?

Turns out this stuff is real, designed for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other memory impairments. They are just some of the latest medical innovations to be showcased in Las Vegas this week at the world's largest technology expo.

Ocean Medical Center in Brick and its parent company, Meridian Health, are excited to finally be presenting their latest digital health technology solutions at the 2008 International CES Show, said Sandra Elliott, Meridian's director of consumer technology and service development.

"Part of our focus has always been to look at what's innovative, creative and what potentially has the ability to change the way in which people can manage their own health," said Elliott, "as well as maybe connect them with us in a very different way - to help us better manage their health conditions."

The items presented at the conference by Meridian tend to focus on some of the more common medical ailments often found throughout Brick's senior population, such as hypertension, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and diabetes.

"We looked specifically at technologies that were easy to use, easy to understand and wouldn't potentially break the bank for people," said Elliott. "We determined whether or not they might be something that would help us, as a health care provider, better enable people to better manage their health."

One of the items Elliott is most eager to present is a new computer optical mouse, built by Cal Health, with built-in blood pressure sensors, allowing individuals to remotely monitor certain medical parameters, such as blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol.

"The great things about that particular technology are a couple of things," said Elliott. "One is it's built into something that many, many people are already used to using, which is a computer mouse. Second, it's not difficult at all to use. You literally just lift up a panel, the finger-cuff comes out, you stick your finger in, then you hit the computer screen where a 'scan now' kind of button comes up from the computer program when you're ready to take your blood pressure, and it literally will take your blood pressure and your pulse, and record it for that day and time."

Combining the ability to accurately monitor a patient's blood pressure with a commonly used device in nearly every home could be a win-win for patients and physicians, said Elliott.

"It's really great because one of the best things about taking more frequent blood pressure is the fact that you're really getting a better understanding what your true blood pressure is," she said. "Many people get 'white coat syndrome' when they go into a doctor's office, for example: you're a little bit more stressed, a little more nervous and people's blood pressure usually isn't what it normally is, it's usually a little higher when it's taken in a physician's office than when it's taken more frequently out in a common environment."

Being able to monitor blood pressure levels in the comfort of one's home and have those results analyzed by a computer could therefore provide physicians with a more accurate reading of a patient's true blood pressure level.

"Over the course of three months, I could take my blood pressure numerous times during the week and print out a report, and show it to my physician when I go to see him, and say, 'here's what my blood pressure looks like,'" said Elliott. "This way they can make better, more informed clinical decisions on medication management, maybe diet management changes that a person may need to employ because they get a better, more complete picture of the person's health."

Often times, when patients learn they have high blood pressure, they'll buy a blood pressure arm-cuff to take their readings. However, Elliott said the bulky contraptions often end up being used for a short duration and then forgotten in the back of a patient's closet over time.

"They're not easy," she said. "The cuffs going around your arms are not necessarily the easiest things to use and get consistent measurements with."

As it awaits final approval from the Federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Ocean Medical Center will be the clinical trial location for the device.

"They're at a very early stage with it, and we (Meridian) are actually going to be assisting them with the FDA approval process," she said.

Another item being showcased at CES, and not dependent on FDA approval, are the latest glowing caps for medication bottles.

"I would say four to six weeks after the show, we will actually be very close to being able to offer it in the market place for people," she said. "We'll go through a small pilot phase to make sure there isn't any kinks in the system, because we'll be getting the new units off of the line. We'll make sure those work extremely well, and then we'll offer them out."

Working off of a small battery with an estimated lifespan of two years, the caps have built-in feedback loop sensors to allow physicians and family members to monitor whether patients are properly taking their medications as prescribed.

"Many seniors aren't necessarily as compliant as they need to be with their medication," said Elliott. "This will enable a lot of the family members to have access to information that's going to tell them whether or not their mom or dad are taking the medications when they're supposed to be."

Another intriguing item is a body sensor which calculates fitness statistics and calories burned. Used as a wearable sensor, the device allows the Meridian Life fitness staff the ability to remotely monitor member activity and create home-based fitness and wellness programs tailor-made for the individual patient's medical history.

As times change and technology proliferates in all aspects of life, it is now less expensive, easier to distribute and easier to modify. Making it easy to use with no headaches has been a key selling point, as the physicians at Meridian are already welcoming in the new innovations, according to Elliott.

"They're beginning to see that there's a lot of technology that can be implemented in new ways to help them better manage their patients," she said. "They like working with us on this because it's fun, different and they can begin to see how health care will change over the course of the next five to 10 years."

By Keith Hagarty

Via bricktimes.micromediapubs.com

At first glance the SightMate looks very similar to the video glasses that are common for gamers and for watching movies on a simulated big screen. However, the SightMate LV920 has a cyclops like camera in the center of the glasses.

This camera has a 2 megapixel sensor coupled with a 3x optical zoom. Inside the glasses the wearer looks at twin high-resolution 640 x 480 pixel displays that can tilt up to 15 degrees for comfort. The device can also compensate for colorblindness.

The entire system weighs eight ounces and has a controller that weighs less than one pound with the batteries installed.  The controller allows the wearer to zoom in and out on objects and control other functions of the system. According to SightMate clinical trials have shown that people with between 20/70 and 20/200 acuity in their best eye have been able to increase their reading and distance acuity to a range of 20/20 to 20/40.

The device also uses edge detection and color correction in concert with the optical zoom to assist users who suffer from gradual visual loss over the entire field of view. SightMate warns that the device is designed to be used while sitting and not designed for use with anything requiring motion like walking or driving.

Eyetonomy sells the SightMate LV920 for $3,499, which seems expensive considering that similar video glasses go for well under $1,000. The other problem with SightMate is that the device looks quite odd.

It will be hard to get those conscientious about their appearance to use this device. However, for use in the home this may be a good stop gap for people with failing vision until something else, like contact lenses with embedded electronics are available.

Via dailytech.com

Create and customize the widgets in a couple of clicks and put them in your blog, web site, or on-line forum signature. The widgets will display your actual weight, BMI, blood pressure, or glucose level values like it's shown below:

   or    

The widget image files are stored on the UTS Health server and are updated every 15 minutes.

Use UTS Health and have fun! More features are on the way ...

Dubbed an open-standards home health hub, the device reportedly provides remote health monitoring, offers up "in-home benefits" for elders and keeps friends, family and caregivers connected via a fully customizable Health Portal. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of details beyond that, but stay tuned for further developments. We should check how this gadget may be connected to UTSHealth system. 

Via: www.engadget.com

The nightwear, which is produced from a fabric called Dermasilk, can also help reduce the itching endured by sufferers of skin disorders such as eczema and dermatitis. The pyjamas have been developed for Travelodge, the hotel chain, which carried out a survey to discover what kept people awake. The study surveyed 3,000 adults and found that 23 per cent suffer from itchy nightclothes, which stops them from getting a good night's sleep.

Being too hot or cold is a common complaint, with 66 per cent confirming that their body temperature changes constantly throughout the night, which affects their sleep pattern. More people feel too hot, 54 per cent, in comparison to feeling cold, 35 per cent, while sleeping. The sleepwear will be tested by customers at Travelodge hotels at Heathrow airport, Birmingham Fiveways, Bristol Central, Manchester Central and Edinburgh Central.

Revital Cohen, an artist exploring the relationship of man and machine in medical settings where devices like life support are in use, has created an object which feeds data on a patient's health to his or her family in real-time. Called the Telepresence Frame, the device gathers information generated by heart monitors and the like, and sends them to a display in the home of loved ones, so that they can constantly be kept aware of one's condition. If (or when) the patient dies, the box records up until the final moments, then plays back its collected information in a continuous loop. Cheery, right? Somehow, we don't see this one flying off store shelves anytime soon.

Via: www.we-make-money-not-art.com & www.engadget.com

Following medication instructions is important to keep your medicine as effective as possible. The Vibrating Pill Box provides you a discrete method to maintain your regular medication. But there is one more feature that will be useful for anyone on regular medication: a pulse meter. Monitor your heart rate anytime, anywhere. Simply place your finger on the pulse sensor, and within seconds you will know your heart rate.

Does it make sense to unite so many technologies in a single gadget?