Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new ultrasound transducer, or probe, that could dramatically lower the cost of ultrasound scanners to as little as $100. Their patent-pending innovation–no bigger than a Band-Aid–is portable, wearable and can be powered by a smartphone. Conventional ultrasound scanners use piezoelectric crystals to create images of...
Category: <span>Devices</span>
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New NCATS-Supported Test Could Provide Faster Diagnosis of Deadly Disease
Every year, diarrheal disease kills more than 1 million people, mostly children in the developing world. To treat the illness effectively, health care providers need to know its cause. Currently, a diagnosis requires sending a stool sample to a lab for expensive tests, then waiting to find out if the patient has a bacterial or...
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Wearable ultrasound patch monitors blood pressure deep inside body
A new wearable ultrasound patch that non-invasively monitors blood pressure in arteries deep beneath the skin could help people detect cardiovascular problems earlier on and with greater precision. In tests, the patch performed as well as some clinical methods to measure blood pressure. IMAGE: WEARABLE ULTRASOUND PATCH TRACKS BLOOD PRESSURE IN A DEEP ARTERY OR VEIN....
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A pill for delivering biomedical micromotors
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Using tiny micromotors to diagnose and treat disease in the human body could soon be a reality. But keeping these devices intact as they travel through the body remains a hurdle. Now in a study appearing in ACS Nano, scientists report that they have found a way to encapsulate micromotors into pills. The...
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Ultralaser treatment for fibromyalgia yields 75 percent pain reduction when applied to the hands
Medical device with simultaneous laser and ultrasound application was developed in Brazil. Scientists enhanced analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects by moving the treatment’s focus away from the tender points. A new device that combines low-intensity laser light and therapeutic ultrasound considerably reduces the pain experienced by patients with fibromyalgia. A scientific study has shown that application...
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Livio AI Hearing Aids with Physical and Cognitive Health Monitoring
Starkey, one of the big hearing aid firms, is releasing a new device that works as a combination hearing aid, fitness monitor, and, surprisingly, as a tracker of cognitive health. In addition to all this, the new Livio AI hearing aids feature integrated language translation, connectivity to Amazon Alexa devices, and the ability to measure...
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Diagnostic device can prevent strokes and heart attacks
A team of engineers and biochemists at ANU has invented and trialled a bio-optics diagnostic device that can reveal the formation of blood clots and help doctors to identify patients at imminent risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Image: Ph.D. scholar Sherry He, from the ANU ResearchSchool of Engineering, and Dr. Samantha Montague, from the...
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Purdue researchers developing novel biomedical imaging system
System combines optical, ultrasound technology PURDUE UNIVERSITY WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University researchers are developing a novel biomedical imaging system that combines optical and ultrasound technology to improve diagnosis of life-threatening diseases. IMAGE: PURDUE UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING A NOVEL BIOMEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEM THAT COMBINES OPTICAL AND ULTRASOUND TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE DIAGNOSIS OF LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES. THE RESEARCHERS HAVE CREATED A MOTORIZED...
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My robot makes me feel like I haven’t been forgotten
Internet-connected robots that can stream audio and video are increasingly helping housebound sick children and elderly people keep in touch with teachers, family, and friends, combating the scourge of isolation and loneliness. Zoe Johnson, 16, hasn’t been to school since she was 12. She went to the doctor in 2014 “with a bit of a...
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Artificial Retinas Made Of This Ultra-Thin Super Material Could Help Millions See Again
TRULY SUPER. There’s a reason researchers call graphene a “super material.” Even though it’s just a single layer of carbon atoms thick, it’s super strong, super flexible, and super light. It also conducts electricity and is biodegradable. Now an international team of researchers has found a way to use the super material: to create artificial retinas. They presented their work Monday...