Tag: Technology

A wristband could help menopausal women cool down. Breast cancer can affect young people, too, and the earlier it’s treated, the better. Which is why an MIT research team has developed a wearable ultrasound scanner to be incorporated into a bra. The device is an egg-shaped, honeycomb-like patch with six magnetic slots spread across it; a small tracker containing...

Anomalies in network traffic can be detected aurally. The amount of electronics in cars, however, is making them more and more exposed to hacking or theft. But, thanks to a US research team, there could soon be an easy solution. Drivers would simply plug the team’s device into the car’s auxiliary power outlet, which is directly connected to the...

Edible furniture can supply important energy in emergencies. Our digestive system is crucial and requires regular examination - whether it’s by ultrasound, colonoscopy, or a mini camera that can be swallowed. Now, an Italian research team has developed an edible prototype to replace the metal batteries used in these devices. Acting as anode and cathode respectively, Vitamin B2 and...

Sweating can help power smartwatches. Sweat itself contains proteins, which provide information about our general health. Enter a Californian research team, which has developed a wearable sensor aimed at detecting inflammation. Inside the device, a graphene layer and gold nanoparticles are embedded with antibodies which react to the protein CRP, a biochemical marker secreted by the liver. Additional molecules...

Cell phones could double as pocket microscopes, while smartphone videos supply information on breathing and pulse rates. Regularly monitoring one’s blood pressure is also important - for everyone. Particularly in remote areas, it can be difficult to get a reliable measurement. Which is why a new clip and app that use a smartphone’s camera could be a winner -...

We’ve seen seaweed make lemonade, and AI harnessed in the quest for the perfect beer. Now a San Francisco-based startup is looking to pull pints from treated wastewater. Buildings use only 14% of drinkable water, but generally don’t re-use it. The team used the recycled greywater - water with no faecal contamination - from a high-rise apartment building. The...

A cooling helmet helps prevent hair loss during chemotherapy. Hot flushes, which afflict women during the menopause, are equally undesirable. But thanks to a young designer from England and his startup, these episodes could soon be a thing of the past. His armband with integrated sensors detects hot flushes as they develop and activates a patch which cools the...

Salvia can speak volumes on oral cancer. Brain tumours, however, are harder to spot, and are usually only discovered at an advanced stage, when patients’ speech or movement becomes affected. Enter a research team from Japan and their non-invasive test to detect brain tumours through our urine. The team discovered particles with special characteristics. The so-called extracellular vesicles are...