Friday, May 9, 2008
The Bright-F Translation System for Color Blind
This is a prototype device idea from designer Lifeng Yu, that promises to improve the lives of people with color blindness by empowering them.
Here's what one person at Yanko Design, an excellent design blog, tells Medgadget:
As we know, blind ... can’t see any thing including colors . Though they can feel the shape and material of the object by their fingers, they still can’t feel the color of it by this way. But can’t see the colors doesn’t mean that they don’t need to distinguish them. There are many problems about colors in their daily lives. For example, their clothings always dye each other when they wash them together by washer. Also, blind people like to have beautiful shapes just like common people, but they are always vexed at dressing because of the problem of color assortment. So, the Bright-F is designed to solve these problems. It can help the blind man to distinguish the colors with a in-build color identification system and then tell them through a audio set. Bright-F has a program of practical teaching about colors which can help the blind to know the action of the colors, such as the way of composing garments of different colors, how to avoid clothing dyeing, and how the colors influent people’s motions. Flashlight can bring bright to most people in the dark except the blind people. However, the shape of Bright-F, which comes from the flashlight, can bring the brightness in colors to the blind .By touching the flashlight-like outside of this design, the blind people can easily associate the function of it. This can bring them more confidence about life.
Product page: Bright-F...
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Nose Mask for Allergy Sufferers
Japanese firm Bio International Japan is selling nose filter plugs for people suffering from hay fever, and other environmental allergies. The little pliable filters, being sold in Japan for about $15, are almost invisible save for the little connecting string used to remove the devices. Our take on it? This stuff probably does not work.
(hat tip: DVICE)
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Thursday, April 17, 2008
Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Bottle Wins MDEA Award
Now don't get too excited, boys. Though obviously tremendous effort went into perfecting the shape and texture of the Adiri, this one is not a toy, and not for your age group.
More about the device:
The Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Bottle is 100% polycarbonate-free and bisphenol-A free, and retains the features babies and parents love in the Breastbottle® Nurser, as well as offers the latest high quality materials, a graceful design, and the new Fill, Twist and Feed™ system, engineered so that a parent or caregiver can quickly prepare a bottle, even with a hungry infant under one arm.A sleek cover protects the bottle from getting dirty and keeps the nipple from leaking during transport. The Adiri Natural Nurser comes in three stages for three different flow rates. Each stage holds 8 oz. of fluid and is dishwasher safe! Adiri Natural Nursers can also be boiled or sterilized using a basic sterilizer.
Product page: The Adiri Natural Nurser Baby Bottle...
Press releases: 33 Innovative Products Win Medical Design Excellence Awards...; Adiri(TM) Natural Nurser(TM) Ultimate Bottle Wins Medical Design Excellence Award...
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
At Home Paternity Test Available Over The Counter
Identigene of Salt Lake City is now selling their $150 mail-in DNA paternity tests at RiteAid stores across the wild nation, with the exception of stores in New York state.
"Over-the-counter sales offers a completely new marketing channel for DNA testing. It makes the process more convenient and affordable while ensuring reliability and confidentiality," said Doug Fogg, COO of Identigene. "We learned that people are extremely receptive to the idea of purchasing a DNA paternity test kit while shopping at one of the nation's leading drug store chains." Outside New York state, Rite Aid has 4,363 stores in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Fogg said he anticipates the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kits will be sold in New York state at a later date.In the past, to obtain a DNA paternity test often required involvement of doctors or lawyers, weeks of waiting for results and a cost of multiple hundreds of dollars. "Because of my personal circumstances, the day I left the hospital after my son was born I turned in case papers for a paternity test," said Natalie Maynes of Vancouver, Wash. "Two months went by with no word, so I called. They told me with their waiting list, test results could be up to six months away. That night on the news, I learned I could buy an Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit at Rite Aid. Taking samples was easy, and it was nice to be able to do it ourselves. Five days later, we had our results."
With an Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit, participants of the test collect a DNA sample by rubbing a swab inside their mouth. The samples, along with consent forms and a lab fee are sent in an enclosed postage-paid return envelope to Identigene for processing. Results are available from Identigene within three to five business days of receipt. Customers can choose to receive results by mail, email, or online through a secured Web service. All information remains strictly confidential.
Suggested retail price for an Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit is $29.99, and the laboratory processing fee is $119.
Press release: Identigene Begins Nationwide Over-the-Counter Retail Sales of DNA Paternity Test Kits in Rite Aid Drug Stores...
Product page: IDENTIGENE DNA Paternity Test
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Free Radical Enzymatic Device (FRED): We Definitely Are Not Ready
Pulse Health, a Portland, OR company, has secured $2.15M in Series A financing to further develop and market its line of products that "target the antioxidant supplement channel." In case you don't know what the antioxidant supplement channel is, neither do we. (And, you know, we have a pretty diverse group of people around here: some are still in medical school, others in residency, and others are in practice.) To make us more flabbergasted , the company's "flagship" product is a noninvasive breath test device that supposedly "detects free radicals through a colorimetric reaction", and spews out a "free radical level baseline 'number.'"
Now comes the real fluff from the company:
The FRED System allows consumers to measure their metabolic baseline and guide them in a scientifically grounded health and wellness program. FRED tests will be able to help identify the effects of diet, stress, supplements, and everyday living based on free radical levels in individuals. Once armed with this critical information, consumers can create optimal, enhanced lifestyle programs built around stress-reduction techniques like a healthy diet, regular exercise and supplementation.
Are you a skeptic like we are? What do you think?
Product page: FRED...
Press release: Pulse Health Successfully Closes Series "A" Round...
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
MIHARU Home Video Endoscope
For the armchair dentist in you, the MIHARU video endoscope allows getting a checklist ready before seeing the tooth doctor, and can even help going over the work, once you're back at home. The unit runs on a couple of batteries, features an LED light to illuminate the scene, and conveniently plugs into a standard RCA video port found on almost any TV set. The device also includes an adapter for viewing closeups of the skin. So what's the best view? The uvula, of course.
Product page...
(hat tip: Gizmodo)
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Monday, January 28, 2008
Labor'Lert
The Labor'Lert™, a timer of contractions, is described on the product's website as "an excellent device for aiding parents during the final and most exciting moments of their pregnancy."
So, for those that are feeling excited during labor (everyone) and want to press a timer button in between 1-2-3-push-push-push, this device with a mysterious purpose is for you.
Product page: Labor'Lert ...
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Red Savina Powered Gloves for Raynaud's
A good number of people, especially women, suffer from Raynaud's disease or syndrome, a vasospastic condition most prominent during cold weather, that limits blood flow to the extremities. Mountain Hardware, a Richmond, California company, is releasing its new Red Savina gloves powered by lithium polymer batteries that continuously warm the fingers while playing winter sports. Watch the video of a trade show demo showing off the new gloves that should be available for purchase by next winter for $300.
(hat tip: Get Outdoors)
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
Virulite for Cold Sores Expected US Approval
It looks like Virulite, a light-based device that treats cold sores from Virulite, LLC, a Costa Mesa, California company, will probably be coming to the US market.
Virulite, LLC has validated the US market for the Virulite device by successfully completing clinical trials and is presently in the process of obtaining FDA clearance. The Virulite product is successful in the UK and is both approved by the British National Health Service and CE marked.The Virulite product, (patents granted and pending), is a portable, hand held device that uses an invisible, non-thermal band of near-infrared light. Virulite was developed in the UK after ten years of research and development, and has been medically proven in independent clinical trials to reduce the healing time of cold cores by up to one half.
The company completed a US market test of the product through Walgreen's online distribution channel, where Virulite outsold all competing cold sore remedies, including the current market leader, the topical cream Abreva by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
Here's an interesting statement from the company: "While the cold sore treatment is proven, the technology also has shown anecdotal success in treating genital herpes, bacterial infections and warts (clinical trials are underway for the latter two)."
Press release: Innovative Cold Sore Treatment Device Virulite Comes to US
Product page: Virulite Cold Sore Treatment
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Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Gardener's Exoskeleton
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology is actually developing an exoskeleton for aging gardeners.
The "farming robot suit," developed by a team of researchers led by Shigeki Toyama, a professor in the graduate school of the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, has been tested on farms. Researchers hope to have the technology in use in 2 years and develop it into a product and begin selling it in four years.The suit, which is secured with belts, consists of a resin framework with eight motors to assist the movements of the knees, elbows, lower back and shoulders, making farm work easier.
When pulling out a Japanese radish, for example, about 20 kilograms of instantaneous pressure is exerted on the knees and lower back, but when using the robot suit, only about half the force is used.
So what's the next technology on the horizon? In our humble opinion, full body shield for bonsai masters.
More at Mainichi Daily News...
(hat tip: BoingBoing)
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Thursday, January 10, 2008
Testosterone + WheelChair = TANK CHAIR!
A loving husband, inspired by his wife's unfortunate accident, restores her freedom and independence with a gas burnin', mud spittin', mountain conquering bad ass wheel chair.
7 years ago life as the Sodens knew it took a turn. Liz and Brad were involved in an accident after their tire blew near Parker, Arizona and the car went flying. Liz broke her back and doctors told her she would never walk again. Prior to that day, Liz had big plans. She was a school bus driver and was working to join the sheriff's department. Now everything was different.What didn't change, however, was the Soden's love of outdoors. Liz and Brad, together, have 5 kids and the 7 of them liked to camp. But before Liz was the "do-er," and now she could do nothing. They would sit her down near the campfire and she would watch. She felt useless and it drove her to tears. In 2002 the Sodens were stay in a cabin in the woods, to their surprise a herd of elk came walking through there camp. The kids having never seen an elk before, woke up and rushed outside. Liz got in her power chair and wanted to see the elk too. As she went outside the elk had moved on about 100 yards and you could not see them through the dense trees. As they started walking closer they had to keep stopping to help Liz get her power chair unstuck from the soft dirt surrounding the cabin. By the time Brad and Liz could get through the trees, the elk had gone. It was at that moment Brad felt compelled to act. "I wanted her to have no obstacles," he says, "we look at it as just 'cause you're disabled doesn't mean you can't have a good time." Brad stepped into his garage to work on a solution that would enable his wife to go where no other wheel chair bound person had gone before. People scoffed, Brad was a plumber and a fireman, how could he come up with a powerful, motorized wheel chair? But somehow Liz knew her husband would do it. Two years later, he did.
It took me 2 years and I tried everything I could think of. Pneumatic tires, bigger wheels, stronger motors, and my favorite, a hellish jet ski/snowmobile looking thing with wheels. The last one was ugly, expensive, and will make someone a strong anchor. My father-in-law was in my garage one day and I was complaining about my latest plight and he said, "Wouldn't it be neat if you could put some tracks on it? Like a tank?"
Best of all, "For every 10 chairs sold, TankChair is going to donate one to a fire department in a rural area so that they can give it away to someone who would not normally be able to afford one."
A round of applause, with our hats off, to you sir.
Tank Chair product page...
(hat tip: Coolest Gadgets)
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Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Sandio 3D Mouse
More news from fabulous Las Vegas. Sandio Technology Corp., a California-based firm, has just introduced at the CES 2008 a new model of its 3D mouse, a device designed for navigation in volumetric environments, primarily in computer games, but also (as the company hopes) in medical imaging.
In anticipation to the emerging robotic industry and personal robotics in the near future, Sandio 3D input device supports Microsoft Robotics Studio. Sandio will demo its 13DOF motion controller during CES 2008.The Sandio 3D Game O2 was developed based on feedback from users and industry analysts. The new unit offers improved hardware quality and software usability as well as auto-loading of key 3D application drivers and plug-ins including Google Earth, Microsoft Virtual Earth, Second Life, Google SketchUp, AutoDesk 3D Studio Max, and AutoCAD. It also comes with 40 pre-programmed game configurations.
The Sandio 3D Game O2 mouse is now available in the U.S., Canada, Japan and China at an MSRP of $79.99 (U.S.).
Press release: Sandio 3D Mouse - Your New Generation Input Device ...
Product page: Sandio 3D mouse...
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Good Phone for Bad Ears
InventorSpot has a review of the latest Clarity™ phone, the C4230 from Plantronics, designed for the hearing impaired. With features like an adjustable sound equalizer to tune the audio to a particular hearing loss type, light ringer, vibrator, and optional bed shaker, the phone seems like a serious attempt to solve a number of hearing related problems.
Read the whole review at InventorSpot...
Product page: Clarity Professional C4230 5.8GHz Cordless Amplified Phone with DCP ...
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Sleep Monitoring Bed Combats Your Sleep Apnea
When you think of a sleep-inducing bed, you don't imagine features such as an iPod dock, an HD projector, internet capability or multiple subwoofers. But what the hell, if you ever do decide to fall asleep, the bed is claimed to feature "military technology" designed to put an end to your spouse's snoring.
Utilizing vibration-detection technology originally developed for military purposes, the anti-snoring system is designed to help alleviate mild to moderate snoring by automatically moving the mattress by seven degrees and then returning the bed to its original position when the snoring stops. Fortunately the separate mattress layout means that you wont have to suffer for the sins of your partner.The mattress can be set to "pre-heat" or "pre-cool" on both sides of the bed (ranging from 68 degrees to 117 degrees Fahrenheit) and the body monitoring system aims to improve sleep over longer periods by measuring your movements during the night and comparing them to a 30-day baseline. Using this data and information gathered on breathing patterns (which indicate relaxation) the system then provides hints on how to improve your sleep quality.
Product Page...
Gizmag...
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Thursday, January 3, 2008
ITZBEEN Baby Scheduler
Here's a nifty little device, from Coast Innovations of Woodland, CA, to help new parents track a baby's daily schedule to know what has been overlooked. The device will purportedly track things like sleeping, diaper changes, and even which breast was last used to feed the infant.
Product page...
(hat tip: CrunchGear)
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Thursday, December 13, 2007
Zaky Baby Pillows
A Texas mother, motivated by demands from her newborn son for some comfy peace and quiet, developed the Zaky pillow specifically to give babies the warm touch.
Benefits of the pillow according to the manufacturer:
The size and weight simulates the hand and touch of the parent. It may be used on top, around and under the baby to provide boundaries (except on the face) Babies feel reassured as if someone is touching them, which assists in their need of feeling protected It assists nurses and care givers as she can leave the Zakys with each baby Parents feel as they are leaving their hands with their baby, helping them feel more involved in the care of the patient May be warmed in the towel warmer at hospitals and on the dryer at home It is a transitional item for babies, helping them in different environments. It gives something constant and familiar reducing the baby's anxiety when experiencing different lighting, scents, sounds, temperature, etc.(within the hospital, from the hospital to the house, in the car seat, from the house to someone else's house, to child-care, etc)
(hat tip: Membrana.ru)
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Friday, November 16, 2007
Get Serious and Lose Some Fat with a Remote Monitoring System
What happens to a person who hooks himself up to a remote activity monitoring device, and gets a foodnazi on the other end of the line? According to Aipermon GmbH & Co KG, a company specializing in remote monitoring systems, the person's chances of weight loss more than triple. The company's technologies are on display at the ongoing Medica 2007 in Düsseldorf.
Here's a quick overview of AiperMotion, the company's activity monitor involved in a study that was conducted at the Magdeburg University Clinic (for more products, including company's AiperShirt telemetry monitor, illustrated below, see links at the end of the post):
The AiperMotion is a three-dimensional activity sensor (accelerator) for measuring, recording and motivating everyday activities.The AiperMotion records the physical movement of the user in everyday situations and records these for 7 days. It generates various evaluations, taking personal values into account (sex, age, weight, size, length of step). The device calculates distances and the motoric calorie consumption from the intensity of movement, and distinguishes between various classes of movement:
Passive (physically motionless state, e.g. lying, sitting, standing, and similar)
Active (movement without walking, e.g. work in the home, office or garden)
Slow walking
Fast walking
Sporting activity (for example walking, Nordic walking or jogging)
The AiperMotion is simply attached to the waistband using the bag supplied, and its weight of approx. 70 g enables it to be used as a daily "movement conscience" which you always have with you. The evaluations show how active the user was in the last 60 minutes, the last four hours, the current day and the other six days of the week. Adjustable predefined values on the device help the patient to set targets and to monitor and motivate himself using the variance analyses in the evaluations.
For supervision of the programme, Aipermon provides a convenient option of data transfer with the AiperCoach Home System.
The AiperView software is available to make evaluations. When integrating the AiperMotion into a telemonitoring system, the user transfers his activity data to the Aipermon Service Center at the push of a button (via Bluetooth). The data is stored there to be retrieved by the programme supervisor. The programme supervisor is connected through the AiperView software to the Aipermon Service Center, and from there he can download all data to his PC. Through the AiperView software, he is provided with convenient evaluations. These can be used both for internal analysis and to generate written responses to the programme participants, sent by mail or e-mail.
As a further variation of the AiperView software, a local PC variant is being developed. This will enable the direct data transfer from AiperMotion devices via USB to the PC.
Press release: Remote monitoring triples weight-loss success! ...
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Friday, November 9, 2007
hiREC Product Recorder
Combine a scale with a product scanner, add a little calories and nutritional analysis database, and you get the hiREC Product Recorder. Designed to provide quick and useful information about food and other products purchased, the idea earned a Silver at the Samsung Young Design Awards.
More imagery at Yanko Design...
Samsung Young Design Awards...
(hat tip: Gizmodo)
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The Blind Can See, The Deaf Can Hear...
Another conceptual design that can potentially become a product comes from Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands and Philips. Addressing the need of those with both poor hearing and vision, the system combines glasses, a directional microphone, and audio filtering software to create a product a good number of geriatric patients might one day find quite helpful.
Embedded over the length of each spectacle arm are four tiny microphones which transmit sounds from the front and simultaneously blocks background noise.This creates "directional sensitivity", so sounds coming from the direction of the wearer's gaze are amplified while those from ambient surroundings are dampened. This helps to make conversations clearer in noisy environments where standard hearing aids can often be thwarted by background din.
More from CNET Asia...
(via Sci Fi Tech)
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