Tag: Assistance

An armband concept detects and prevents hot flushes. Meanwhile, an Irish startup is focused on females of other species. The team’s sensor recognises the start of contractions in pregnant cows and heifers, denoted by specific movements of the tail. The sensor is registered in an app and connected with two telephone numbers. 3-4 days before calving it’s attached to...

Lions and farm animals can co-exist peacefully. Now, an autonomous system developed in Sweden is protecting wildlife and infrastructure alike. The startup’s battery- or solar-powered device identifies species and creates acoustic noises accordingly in real time. On hearing these unexpected sounds, wild animals move away from airports, railway lines and agricultural areas. The system comprises a night-vision camera, motion...

Smart glasses can protect blind people from collisions. Dogs are not immune to losing their sight either. Which is why Texas-based students are focusing on a solution that will stop blind dogs injuring themselves while out playing or walking. Their innovation: a smart vest with a hood. Attached to it at eye level are two cameras, with 8 vibrating...

Algae can be used as cement, and help injuries to heal. Coral reefs, too, could use a little support. Enter a San Diego research team and its enticing new gel, comprising chemicals from crusty, calcareous algae. Their high levels of calcium carbonate attract coral larvae, which are essential for the growth and maintenance of reefs. Encased in nanoparticles made...

A mini-pacemaker could ensure affected babies have a smooth start in life. In critical situations, endotracheal (ET) tubes are important for people of all ages. Now a female-led startup in Boston has developed a patented support which prevents tubes from slipping or causing injuries. Based on an invention by army therapists, the frame is secured in the mouth through...

A digital pen can convert braille into text, while a glove does the same for sign language. A London-based startup, in turn, has developed a cloud-based platform to translate text, voice and video into British Sign Language. An AI-powered avatar does the signing. Training with data sets incorporated different dialects, contextual language and emotional tone. Comprising deaf members who use...

A simple ring-system enables smart control of electric switches. Smart home devices, which monitor activities based on noise, can be beneficial for health reasons. For older people living alone, for example. Still, integrated microphones are always listening, and when they recognise voices or snatches of conversation it impacts users’ privacy. Enter a university team which has developed a new...

A mobile box turns any space into a classroom. Now a Nigerian-based firm is concentrating on providing IT training to the country’s deaf and hearing-impaired community. A new digital platform will help students with programming or data analysis. All in sign language. With extra video courses teaching Java, SQL and C++. Personalised mentoring programmes ease the transition into professional...