Health and Wellbeing
The wrist-worn water bottle
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October 30, 2006 The current global innovation tornado seems to touch every conceivable niche and one which touches us all – keeping the body optimally hydrated – has resulted in some ingenious solutions (no pun intended) of recent times. First there was the GEL-BOT for providing energy and/or hydration during endurance sports, then the recently announced Hydracoach Intelligent Waterbottle. Now HydroSport USA has announced a wrist-worn water bottle developed so runners don’t need to hold their water bottles while they run and it is hence potentially applicable for other activities too. Each HydroSport holds 160 ml of rehydration liquid (aka water, electrolyte drink) and weighs about a half pound (225 gms), a size Hydrosport arrived at after balancing the conflicting aspects of weight at the wrists and the amount of liquid needed by the body. The Hydrosport is strapped on to the wrist and has a pull top and retails for US$10 a pair. Read More
The diagnostic test for your marriage
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October 23, 2006 The online dating scene incorporates about 1500 sites and generates about 1.81% of all web pages served – one in fifty web pages or around 2 percent of the world’s attention while it is online. As this is such a large industry, it is forever trying to come up with more efficient algorithms for putting compatible parties together both time- and cost- efficiently and facilitating effective communication between the parties. Two new web sites named Yesnomayb and eHarmony Marriage joined the ranks recently and both differentiate themselves very effectively in this space. Yesnomayb could be best described as the online equivalent to speed dating – it’s quick and effective and worth a look. Online dating is big business for the major players who have client bases in the ten million range. More people become single every year - 46 percent of all Americans are single, up from just 28% in 1970. Dating site EHarmony focuses on facilitating communication between potential partners and is now extending its relationship skills services to catering to married couples with programmes designed to facilitate a more harmonious marriage. eHarmony’s Marriage program will run a diagnostic personalized assessment of the current state of your marriage, or build a specialised program for you or you and your partner based on your needs (to maintain your level of happiness, get help with minor issues or major problems, to enrich the marriage or to avoid likely divorce). By offering a self-help alternative to marriage counselling, eharmony gets our vote for one of the best product extensions we’ve seen as it targets the other 54% of the population. Read More
The Ypsilon Chair
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October 20, 2006 Being comfortable when you’re working increases your productivity and is good for your state of mind – yet so few of us invest in the technologies to gain those benefits, even though we spend hundreds of hours a month slaving over a keyboard. A few thousand dollars might significantly increase workplace comfort and there’s a tangible ROI via the productivity. Our favourite seating solutions for office applications are the Bionomic Chair, the MYPCE workstation, the Plasma 2System, the Netsurferand the NeThrone and the Ypsilon office chair designed by Mario and Claudio Bellini just slipped into that elite category of executive seating. With ten different adjustments possible, Ypsilon can be individually adapted to the size, weight and the body of the sitter, following his or her movements, and providing support without constricting. It has a sensitive motion mechanism and extremely wide backward angle, enabling it to offer a viable lounge working position. The flexible backrest is like a sail. Frameless and fixed only on the corner points, it has a burred texture that encourages pleasant air circulation. The soft cushioning of the headrest and armrests and the patented ClimaSeat offer additional comfort and create an agreeable sitting climate for extended periods. Read More
Can the Musical Toothbrush become the next big music format?
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October 23, 2006 Parents are always up for another trick to get their children to develop good dental hygiene habits and we suspect this new Toothtunes toothbrush will become a two-edged sword. On one hand the ability to get your child to brush when the toothbrush plays great music from top artists (Black Eyed Peas, Hilary Duff, Destiny’s Child, KISS, Kelly Clarkson and The Cheetah Girls) is a winner, but we suspect the US$10 one-song-per toothbrush model will be found ill conceived in the longer term because US$10 a song is just too much. But they have a captive market and it might be some time before we see an MP3 toothbrush using the same Toothtunes patented technology which transmits songs and music vibrations through the teeth, which are then heard in the inner ear and they hence control this new musical medium. From vinyl to tape to CD-ROM, check out this fascinating Karl Hartig chart showing how we have consumed our music over the years. The chart finishes in 1998 and hence doesn’t include the MP3 phenomena. Hartig produces some of the most information-intense graphics the world has ever seen. His ability to visualise and who what's happening from large amounts of information is a beaty to behold - every school should have these charts on the wall. Some charts that will take your breath away include U.S. Population Changes, the Information Age, the history of Consumer Electronics, this 3D graph showing America's immigration patterns, energy production versus energy consumption, and business cycles.
Daysago – for tracking how long a jar has been open
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October 19, 2006 When something makes the pages of i4u, Kitchen Contraptions, Gizmodo and Shiny Shiny in the same fortnight, it’s obviously got something going for it – and it has. It’s a small timer which keeps track of how long a jar has been open so you know when to throw it in the trash without having to stick your nose into an olfactory minefield. DaysAgo counters have a simple LCD display and can attach with either a magnet or suction cup and although it’s a ripper device, we can’t help but feel that at US$12, it’s a bit exey to be used in a large household – doing a rough count of open jars in our household, we’d need US$250 worth of daysagos. Read More
The Save My Face Pillowette
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October 19, 2006 In the United States, between the end of World War II and 1964, 76 million Baby Boomers were born. They are now entering middle age and changing the demographics of the entire population, along with consumer needs, since they spend more money than any generation in history. Every 7.5 seconds, a Boomer turns 50! Aging boomers have caused a unique explosion in the beauty, health, and anti-aging markets (see previous report here). This product is aimed squarely at the boomer market plus all those people who have a vested interest in looking after their face, be it surgery related, vanity related or work related. The “Save My Face!” Pillowette is claimed to prevent wrinkling, improve nasal air flow (and hence increase oxygenation of the body), ease aches and pains, and aid in cosmetic surgery recovery. In addition it is claimed to enhance the affects of expensive anti-aging facial creams and serums. Nothing is rubbed off on your sleep surface. The double crescent-shaped design supports the head comfortably while elevating the face during sleep or rest. This prevents compression of skin tissues and muscles in the face and forehead. It also provides proper support for the neck, shoulders, and back. The Pillowette is available in two sizes, a full-sized US$90 Le Grande model and a smaller US$40 La Petite model ideal for travel. Read More
Nanotech thermoregulator fabric developed
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October 17, 2006 It sounds like the type of product found in a sci-fi novel, but French fabric house Avelana and Roudiere, has created a “thermoregulator” fabric line, which absorbs ambient thermal changes and offers a garment which keeps its wearer at a similar temperature regardless of the weather – much cooler in summer or much warmer in winter. The new Klimeo process involves the application of a treatment to pure or mixed wool fabrics and is ideal for traditional woven textile markets, and is beneficial for knitwear used in active outdoor and sports markets, as well as other next-to-skin applications. Though it adds remarkable new qualities to fabrics, Klimeo is invisible to the naked eye, and does not change the aesthetics, fall or texture of fabrics, and retains its new properties even after machine washing and dry cleaning.To create Klimeo, microcapsules are grafted to the fabric. These capsules change their phase depending on the temperature. The substance in the microcapsules is solid when you are in a cold environment and it is liquid when you are in a warm environment. Read More
Enviga – the calorie-burning soft drink
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October 13, 2006 The diet soda market has traditionally been a place where the soft drinks didn’t add as many calories as non-diet brethren, but Coca Cola is now readying a product for the U.S. market that is proven to burn calories. Enviga hits the Northeast in November and will roll out across the U.S. in January 2007. Enviga is a sparkling tea containing green tea extracts, calcium, and caffeine, and was conceived by Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW), a joint venture between Nestle and Coca-Cola. Research shows that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant present in green tea, has the ability to speed up metabolism and increase energy use, especially when combined with caffeine. Studies have shown that when EGCG and caffeine are present at the levels comparable to that in three cans of Enviga, healthy subjects in the lean to normal weight range can experience an average increase in calorie burning by 60 – 100 calories. Read More
New insight into skin-tanning process suggests novel way of preventing skin cancer
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October 9, 2006 Though synthetic images and contrived looks help to shape our ideas of what’s attractive and what’s passe, we suspect the suntanned look triggers recognition of a healthy, robust outdoorsy person and no matter what shape the Ozone Layer is in, the bronzed look is still likely to be fashionable for a long time yet. Which makes the following great news for the sun worshippers of the world. Findings from a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital in Boston have rewritten science's understanding of the process of skin tanning – an insight that has enabled them to develop a promising way of protecting fair-skinned people from skin cancer caused by exposure to sunlight. Read More
Father-son Nobel Prize Quinella
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October 6, 2006 One of the feel-good stories of the week was Stanford University’s Roger Kornberg winning the 2006 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, completing a rare father-son Nobel Prize quinella. Forty-seven years ago, the then twelve-year-old Kornberg (top right) was in Stockholm to see his father (centre right), Arthur Kornberg, receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1959) for his studies of how genetic information is transferred from one DNA-molecule to another. Given that only 763 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to individuals in history, the chance of two members of the same family winning is not as small as you might think. Indeed, there have been four people who have won the prize twice, four married couples, one mother and daughter, one father and daughter, six father and son combinations and one pair of brothers who have one the prize. The most prolific Nobel Laureate family is without doubt the Curies – husband-wife team Marie and Pierre Curie won the Physics prize in 1903, Marie won again for Chemistry in 1911, then their daughter Irene Joliot-Curie and her husband Frederic Joliot won for Chemistry in 1935. Stanford shared a second Nobel Prize this week when Andrew Fire shared this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Craig Mello. Read More
The world’s most dangerous job?
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October 7, 2006 Next to being a soldier, where it’s part of your job description to have people shooting at you, journalism rates as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Indeed, 75 journalists have been killed so far this year, making 2006 the deadliest year for journalists on record, according to the World Association of Newspapers. Twenty-six of the deaths occurred in Iraq, where journalists continue to be targeted and murdered. The 75 journalists and other media workers killed through September makes 2006 the most deadly year since WAN began keeping records of journalist murders in 1997. Seventy-two journalists were killed in 2004. Read More
Designer Bag makes illness discreet
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October 5, 2006 From time to time, everyone gets to regurgitate, vomit, throw up … whatever you wish to call it, it’s inevitable! Unfortunately, some people such as pregnant women, cancer patients and travellers encounter the problem frequently, and now there's a pretty way to handle it - the Red E Bag. The canvas Red E Bag folds to the size of a small clutch -- or large wallet. When sickness arises, just unsnap and you're ready. A removable black plastic liner opens wide with the bag and holds up to half a gallon of liquid. A zippered pocket on the outside is large enough to carry tissues and mints. Read More
The Wake-up Light
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October 4, 2006 It seems the human body is so attuned to the rhythms of the sun that simulating its dawn is actually highly beneficial. Royal Philips Electronics has utilised the simulation in developing a new, medically proven wake-up lamp, which emits light that gradually increases to the intensity you have selected, simulating the rising sun in your bedroom thus gently preparing your body to wake up. The light falls on your eyes and sends your brain a message to reduce the production of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. Over 30 minutes, the natural light gradually increases to reach the optimal intensity to wake you up at the set time, in a pleasant manner that leaves you feeling energized and ready to wake up. The light intensity can also be adjusted to your own personal preference. The Wake-up Light will be available exclusively in France in October 2006 with a rest-of-Europe roll-out in 2007. Read More
Mobile X-ray unit capture the knee in motion
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October 3, 2006 Walking is a dynamic process, so it might come as a shock to realise that up to now the function of artificial knee joints has been analysed using static images of extended and bent knees. However, these were scarcely able to explain why certain patients’ prostheses were painful again and again. This is a big problem, because about one million artificial knees are implanted each year, 40,000 of them in Switzerland. The situation led researchers at the Institute for Biomechanics to analyse the problem in more detail and a mobile X-ray unit was developed that allows the knee to be x-rayed during normal walking. The purpose of the equipment is to help understand how an implanted artificial knee joint behaves during the everyday movement of walking. Read More
Cell Phones to monitor the air and alert users to harmful chemicals and gases
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October 2, 2006 One wonders what super powers our mobile phones might have a decade from now given the plethora of sensing technologies, miniaturisation and functionality being planned by various companies. Cell-phone-sensor technologies specialist Gentag’s latest patent (7,109,859) for a "Method and Apparatus for Wide Area Surveillance of a Terrorist or Personal Threat" certainly indicates that it won’t be long before our cell phones will be monitoring the air we breathe and alerting us if there’s something we should know regarding allergens, contaminants or harmful bacteria. Gentag also holds patents for the use of RFID readers incorporated into cell phones, which will provide consumers with innovations like smart skin patches to detect health conditions and smart food labels to help consumers to determine the freshness of produce and meat. Gentag also a cell phone with a UV sensor built-in (pictured). Read More
Nanocarriers that can kill tumors with drugs and DNA
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October 2, 2006 Singapore scientists have developed nanoparticles that can carry both small molecular anticancer drugs and nucleic acids simultaneously for improved cancer therapy. The uniqueness of the new technology from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) lies in the design of a special biodegradable carrier (cationic core-shell nanoparticle), which can enclose drug molecules and allow therapeutic nucleic acids to bind onto it. It can efficiently introduce DNA into a cell to be incorporated into its genetic make-up, i.e. induce high gene expression level, especially in both human and mouse breast cancer cell lines, and mouse breast cancer model. The co-delivery of small molecular drugs with nucleic acids can improve gene transfection efficiency, reduce side-effects of these drugs, and achieve the synergistic effect of drug and gene therapy for the more effective treatment of cancer.
Intel shows Mobile Medical Platform
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September 28, 2006 Intel has unveiled a mobile point-of-care platform designed specifically to address the needs of nurses and physicians working on the front line of patient care. The mobile clinical assistant platform is the outcome of hospital workflow studies, nurse and physician interviews, and ethnographic research among nurses at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, California. It focuses on the healthcare community’s needs to enhance patient safety, reduce medication-dispensing errors and ease staff workloads. Products based on the mobile clinical assistant platform could offer a variety of features and technologies including: an exterior casing that can be wiped clean with disinfectant; radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for rapid user and patient identification; and barcode scanning to help reduce medication-dispensing errors. Read More
Intelligent Packaging for Time Sensitive Products
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September 23, 2006 The boom in intelligent packaging looks set to blossom over the coming years, with recent announcements such as the Programmable Liquid Container, printed electronics, fruit labels that can indicate the ripeness of their contents, Power Plastics to provide electrical power and manufacturing breakthroughs such as Siemens disposable video display and Cypak’s disposable paperboard computer. Now another capability has been incorporated into packaging – a time-keeping mechanism for time-sensitive products to facilitate precise product performance. Designed primarily for use in cosmetic packaging, the timeing system is designed for hair dyes, facial masks, facial hair bleaching, hair removal creams and face peels. The design enables existing packaging to be easily retrofitted with the timers, which are preprogrammed not just to ensure correct usage, but also to beep at you when you open the cosmetics cabinet a month or two down the track when it’s time for the next treatment.
Skin for people with a high EQ – fashion of the future
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September 21, 2006 As the Digital Age progresses, technology will be available to create masterpieces of all types, and high fashion will find itself with magical new abilities. A garment no longer need be made of earthly materials and can now become a highly complex interactive electronic device, or a biochemical machine responsive to subtle triggers like sensuality, affection and sensation. The SKIN fashion range of dynamic garments developed by the far-future research program at Philips Design came from ongoing research into emerging trends and societal shifts in the area of 'emotional sensing' and demonstrate several possibilities in the way electronics can be incorporated into fabrics and garments to express the emotions and personality of the wearer. The marvellously intricate wearable prototypes include 'Bubelle', a dress surrounded by a delicate 'bubble' illuminated by patterns that changed dependent on skin contact- and 'Frison', a body suit that reacts to being blown on by igniting a private constellation of tiny LEDs. The SKIN research project challenges the notion that our lives are automatically better because they are more digital. It looks at more 'analog' phenomena like emotional sensing and explores technologies that are 'sensitive' rather than 'intelligent'. An extraordinary image gallery with this story.
First Bionic Arm fitted to a female patient
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September 15, 2006 The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), demonstrated its remarkable engineering and rehabilitation science know-how earlier this week by introducing Claudia Mitchell, the first woman to be successfully fitted with RIC’s Bionic Arm technology. The most advanced prosthesis of its kind, the RIC neuro-controlled Bionic Arm allows an amputee to move his or her prosthetic arm as if it is a real limb simply by thinking. The arm also empowers patients with more natural movement, greater range of motion and restores lost function. Using key learnings from the first successful Bionic Arm recipient, former power lineman and double amputee from Tennessee, Jesse Sullivan, RIC’s Bionic Arm initiative leader Dr. Kuiken and his team also have made significant advancements in the area of sensory feedback so that the patient can actually feel if they are touching hot or cold objects. We have excellent pictures and copies of Dr. Kuiken’s presentation to the media available in the image gallery. That's Claudia at top right in the main pic, the bionic arm bottom right, the nerve ending connections at top left and Dr. Kuiken and the first Bionic Man, Jesse Sullivan at bottom left. Read More
The Hydracoach Intelligent Waterbottle
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September 12, 2006 The human body is roughly two thirds water, and if we lose just one percent of that water, we get thirsty. Lose more than one percent and things start going quickly wrong, with fatigue and impaired physical performance resulting, though most of us don’t recognise the symptoms as hydration related. Doctors, nutritionists and fitness trainers invariably recommend that we drink more water yet keeping track of the fluids we drink is problematic. Most individuals find it difficult to simply remember to drink fluids on a regular basis, let alone calculate and track their daily intake. HydraCoach hydration monitors are capable of all this and more, allowing users to develop and easily adhere to customized fluid intake plans. The HydraCoach hydration monitor is a small electronic device comprising a low pressure, low volume, liquid flow sensing mechanism linked to an interactive display module. When the unit is inserted between a hydration source and its drinking port, a complete system is created that provides an accurate measurement of fluid intake for proper hydration. There’s also an intelligent HydraCoach water bottle which tracks and calculates your personal hydration needs, tracks your real-time fluid consumption, paces you throughout the day and motivates you to achieve and maintain optimal hydration. Just in case you figure that proper hydration is only for athletes, it’s also imperative for full brain function, people trying to lose weight, the elderly and individuals on medication. The Hydracoach Intelligent Waterbottle will cost just US$30 when it hits the shelves in December. Read More
The WinePod micro winery kitchen appliance
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September 5, 2006 Man has been making wine for more than 10,000 years but never has it been this easy. The WinePod is a new domestic device for artisan winemaking – a US$2000 micro winery just being readied for launch and seeking international distributors and we see this as a winner because it is just sooooo sophisticated. The insulated, self-cleaning, fully computerised, three foot tall, metallic urn-shaped appliance includes everything required to make 75 litres of the wine of your choice and is above all, easy to use. It wirelessly connects to your PC/Mac, which monitors Brix, pH and temperature to keep things happening exactly as they should and the WineCoach software mentors you through the wine-making process to obtain the best results for the particular variety of grapes you choose. Wine Coach enables you to collaborate with professional winemakers who are dedicated to the different wine types so you can learn the fine art of winemaking from your own personal consulting enologist. The software also enables you to compare notes and interact with fellow wine enthusiasts using the system and it can all be self-contained in an apartment or in a cupboard with the obvious rewards that the final product will bring. The waiting list already runs to April 2007 but a few orders might prompt an increase in production and we’re very bullish about the prospects for this baby. Read More
The glowing Martini
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September 2, 2006 In a society obsessed with anti-aging, it seems somehow appropriate that Olay's new Definity anti-aging line should be a sponsor of the TV Guide After Party for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, where several of the presenters were so pumped full of botox that they could have been mistaken for hand-puppets. At the afterparty, Olay Definity hosted a where the Olay Defini-tini, a signature drink was served exclusively. Inspired by Olay's new anti-aging line, Definity, which tackles the signs of aging beyond fine lines and wrinkles by addressing even skin tone and luminosity, the Defini-tini is a glowing cocktail created by celebrity mixologist and 2004 International Bartender of the Year, Alex Ott. Attempts to find out what made the cocktails luminous have not drawn a response but we don know they came in two flavours - Pear and Luscious Lemonade. Read More
Close-proximity wireless technology set to improve the management of diabetes
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August 24, 2006 Cambridge Consultants today revealed an innovative medical device concept for managing diabetes that uses NFC, the close-proximity wireless communications standard, to integrate glucometers and insulin pumps. The prototype device, developed in conjunction with Philips, demonstrates how NFC can be exploited to simplify treatment for millions of diabetics worldwide, and could be the first of a new generation of medical devices that use close-proximity wireless communications. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diabetes is officially classified as a worldwide epidemic with the number of people with the disease to double to 366m by 2030. To tackle this growing global problem, the Cambridge Consultants concept device uses the unique characteristics of NFC to streamline treatment, by wirelessly linking a glucometer with an insulin pump. The glucometer records the blood sugar reading and then recommends a bolus dose of insulin. If the patient accepts the dose, then they simply swipe the glucometer against the insulin pump, which could be located beneath clothing, and the drug is delivered. This confirmation feature, which Cambridge Consultants dubs 'patient-in-the-loop dosing', enhances confidence and security, and allows the user to modify dosage calculations for lifestyle reasons. Read More
The WheelChair Mover - an Ergonomic Mobility Solution
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August 16, 2006 With a workforce that is growing older and both patients and facilities that are growing larger, hospitals and nursing home caregivers are enduring the highest rate of injury of any occupation. That’s the broad thinking that resulted in Dane Technologies’ WheelChair Mover, the healthcare industry's first power-assist device making patient wheelchair transport safe, smooth and easy. Read More
The science of facial rejuvenation
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August 16, 2006 You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly take a good guess at when it was printed, and with the wealthiest generation in history heading for old age, it’s not surprising that massive effort is being focussed on anti-aging technologies. Since 1997 there has been a five-fold increase in the number of cosmetic procedures in the United States, with 11.5 million performed last year. The numbers are quite remarkable – over 90% of procedures were performed on women, and a similar percentage were focussed on the face – the cover that is obviously being adjudged too old: last year 3.3 million people had Botox injections, 1.6 million had Laser hair removal, 1.2 million had Hyaluronic acid treatments, 1.0 million had dermabrasion, 556,000 had chemical peels, 231,000 had Blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery) and 201,000 had nose jobs (Rhinoplasty). With US$12.4 billion spent on cosmetic surgey, and more than US$10 billion spent on facial procedures, you'd think we wouldn't be surprised that a conference such as The Aging Face Conference exists ... and yet we are. Read More
OSIM releases US$600 horseback riding exercise machine
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August 15, 2006 Singapore’s Osim is in the business of making a range of high quality exercise and health related machinery and it certainly didn’t take the company long to come out with a rival for the Panasonic Joba which has been under development for several years and captivated Gizmag's female readers when we first wrote about it in early 2005 because it’s a perfect machine for maintaining a trim figure. The OSIM iGallop appears to work in exactly the same way as the Joba, working on the body’s core to shape and tone the tummy, hips, seat and thighs. It’s a zero impact exercise machine, and works the body by requiring multidirectional movements to maintain balance, with this constant balancing engaging certain muscle groups, and helping to improve balance, coordination and posture. The new iGallop starts shipping today at Brookstone, and the really good news is that it comes in at US$600, waaay less than Panasonic’s US$2000. Read More
New Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) enables flexible, comfortable armor
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August 13, 2006 Since warfare began, developing armor has been a balance between the need for protection and the need for comfort, flexibility and light weight. A new nanotechnology known as Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) created by scientists at ARL and UDTC looks set to provide the next generation of armor. STF has the ability to make ballistic fabrics highly resistant to penetration when impacted by a spike, knife or bullet without compromising their weight, comfort or flexibility. The potential applications of STF include a wide range of products such as body armor, vehicle armor, helmets, gloves and bomb blankets to protect soldiers and law enforcement officials plus myriad industrial safety applications all thr way through to protective clothing for motorcyclists. When the first products become available later this year, soldiers can expect to be much safer as the liquid body armor can be used in sleeves and pants, which are not usually protected by ballistic vests because they must stay flexible. Read More
The Alcowatch wristwatch alcohol tester
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August 9, 2006 Alcohol and road-use don’t mix, and tens of thousands of human beings a year are maimed or killed due to alcohol-impaired drivers. So if you’re regularly going to drink and drive, which many of us do, then the very least you can do as a responsible human being is to ensure your blood alcohol content is below the legal limit. We’ve already written up the fascinating stand-alone Sobercheck breathalyser and we recently wrote about the LG Breathalyzer mobile phone. Well now there’s a wristwatch with a built-in breathalyser set to hit the market later this month. So die-hard booze hounds now can have their very own breathalyser on the end of their arm to ensure the only person they kill is themselves. Read More
Canadian breakthrough promises the ability to regrow teeth
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August 8, 2006 A team of researchers from the Canadian University of Alberta researchers has created technology to regrow teeth - the first time scientists have been able to reform human dental tissue. Using low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), scientists have created a miniaturized system-on-a-chip that offers a non-invasive and novel way to stimulate jaw growth and dental tissue healing. The researchers are currently working on turning their prototype into a market-ready model and expect the device to be ready for the public within next two years. Read More
Artwork that adapts to suit your mood
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August 6, 2006 Computer scientists from Bath and Boston have developed electronic artwork that changes to match the mood of the person who is looking at it. Using images collected through a web cam, special software recognises eight key facial features that characterise the emotional state of the person viewing the artwork, then adapts the colours and brush strokes of the digital artwork to suit the changing mood of the viewer. For example, when the viewer is angry the colours are dark and appear to have been applied to the canvas with more violent brush strokes. If their expression changes to happy, the artwork adapts so that the colours are vibrant and more subtly applied. The project forms part of on-going research looking to develop a range of advanced artwork tools for use in the computer graphics industry. Read More
Using three dimensional (3D) computer technology to treat aneurysms
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July 31, 2006 Research by Curtin University of Technology’s Discipline of Medical Imaging is set to help surgeons better treat aortic aneurysms in abdominal arteries by using cutting edge three dimensional (3D) computer technology. The project aims to help vascular surgeons improve their treatment skills by increasing their understanding of the 3D relationship between blood vessels, aneurysms and common treatments such as surgery and stent grafts. Read More
The bikini that tells you when it’s time to turn over
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July 29, 2006 The modern two-piece swimsuit or bikini was invented circa 1945 in Paris, and was subsequently named after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific where the French were testing nuclear weapons. It took another decade or more for the swimsuit to move into regular usage though, with most recognising sex siren Brigitte Bardot’s appearance in the movie “And God created Woman” as the catalyst which saw it accepted into modern culture. Apart from getting significantly smaller, the bikini hasn’t evolved much in its 60 year reign of popularity, selling more than 30 million units a year in the United States and presumably hundreds of millions across the planet. Now a new simple function offered by Solestrum is pointing the way for the future of useful wearable technology – despite some untrue claims elsewhere in the media, the US$140 bikini offers the wearer real time UV readings on a belt-mounted read-out. The belt is the entire unit, and is made from a smart fabric that detects UV and transmits to the display. Next month, Solestrom will release a new version of the suit, which emits a beep at the UV level programmed by the user.
Heatworx Gloves – heat protection AND dexterity
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July 29, 2006 Having to work with very hot objects during our daily toil is thankfully not something most of us need to endure but it’s commonplace for many plumbers, metal fabricators, welders, steel workers and other industrial workers. Traditional heat gloves are known for protecting hands from high heat and flammable materials, but they're also known for what they can't do, which is to provide touch and feel that enables the user to perform detailed hands-on tasks. Last year performance work glove manufacturer Ironclad showed around a concept glove which promised to change all that and it has now introduced its new Heatworx gloves which combine protection from high heat with exceptional dexterity and performance. The gloves incorporate a proprietary HotShield synthetic palm and Dupont Kevlar fabrics. HotShield has the look, feel and durability of leather, yet is heat and shrink resistant; water and oil repellent; and cut, puncture and abrasion resistant.
Electricity to heal wounds
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July 28, 2006 Researchers in Aberdeen have made an exciting breakthrough in showing that electricity has a major impact on the healing of wounds. The research team – one of just a handful of groups in the world studying direct current electrical fields in the body and their control over cell behaviours - believe their findings have the potential to open up pioneering methods for treating wounds and other injuries. The University of Aberdeen team detail how electricity works in a wound in a paper which appeared in yesterday's copy of Nature. The team have discovered a couple of proteins and genes within cells which play a key role in steering the cells to heal wounds in response to the naturally occurring electrical signals found at wounds. Read More
