Tag: #166

A robot glove compensates for reduced gripping capacity, while a joystick helps stroke patients strengthen their arms. Now, an Italian startup is aiming to enhance patients’ upper body motor rehabilitation through its certified exoskeleton. Encompassing a chair and attached joints for both arms and shoulders, it allows patients to work on all their upper limbs at once. Sensors determine...

A new shoe sole helps predict falls. Meanwhile the way in which people move may be an indicator of their mental health. That is, according to a recent study conducted by a Texas-based research team. 30 young adults first completed a questionnaire assessing their depression or anxiety levels. Next they were filmed by 16 cameras walking or standing up...

We have octopuses to thank for sustainable suncream. Environmentally-friendly containers for the cosmetics industry, in turn, are the brainchild of a female founder’s startup in London. Their process entails fermenting plant waste and converting it into bio-based synthetic materials. They can be hard or soft, matt or glossy. The products have been certified for home composting by a testing organisation...

For efficiency, the human brain often takes snapshots. But with age, inflamed brain cells can lead to memory loss or dementia. Enter a US-based research team and its nasal spray which can stop or even reverse the process. Made using bio-molecules (microRNAs) developed from neural stem cells, it is delivered via the nose into the wall of the hippocampus....

Paper could replace polystyrene packaging. In Germany, meanwhile, a research team has been developing a process whereby paper bags are made without adhesives. Materials found in paper, you see, already have adhesive properties. First an initial layer of paper is irradiated with a carbon monoxide laser, causing the cellulose and lignin within to break up - similar to melting...

Changing style doesn’t have to mean hitting the shops. Buying second-hand clothing also saves money. Now a Vienna-based startup has developed an app, which allows charity retailers and vintage stores to upload their second-hand stock to selected platforms with greater efficiency. Just supply a photo, and an AI detects the shape and colour of the item to be sold,...