Tag: Health

The right music helps pets relax when they’re home alone. And as a research team in Finland recently discovered, music also plays an important role in sport. In the team’s study, 29 participants completed two high-intensity cycling workouts, one without music and one while listening to a playlist they’d selected themselves. In the latter, they kept going at 80%...

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...

Bone breaks can be treated with biodegradable glue. Badly damaged cartilage often means joints need to be replaced. Now, a US-based startup is focusing on the ‘pre-replacement’ stage and has developed a round implant with a multi-layered lattice structure to heal smaller injuries. It is available in three sizes and is 3D-printed from a nylon composite base material. Using...

Even jellyfish have culinary potential. But those undergoing radio- or chemotherapy often lose their sense of taste and smell. Enter a Swiss startup aiming to support those affected, in the process reducing the risk of malnutrition and helping cancer patients rediscover their love of food. An olfactory kit first establishes which aromas and scents patients can still perceive and...

Cardamom provides protection against pathogens. And, as an Australia-based research team recently discovered, pathogens can also be held at bay using peppermint essential oil. This could be particularly important in the context of medical devices. In an initial test, plasma was used to apply an extremely thin film of peppermint oil to a urinary catheter. Enabling the oil molecules...

Both blood sugar and blood pressure can be measured by smartphone. Now a research team in Japan is using the devices to determine radiation levels on-site in the event of a catastrophe. The team’s mobile solution comprises a foldable scanner with integrated LED light and a radiochromic film (similar to those used in CT scanners). The film changes colour...

A smart mask analyses the breath to diagnose illnesses. It could also measure alcohol levels. Now a French startup is offering a simpler way to test our ability to drive. Its chip-like device fits easily onto a key ring. One touch of a button and its patented sensors detect alcohol indicators present on users’ skin, which are used to...