Last year, Lift Labs Design unveiled Liftware Stabilizer, a spoon with an electronic self-stabilizing handle. Liftware makes it easy for people suffering from tremors – such as those with Parkinson’s Disease – to eat on their own. This month Lift Labs is back on Indiegogo, this time not just for itself but to help others as well.
For those who are not familiar with Liftware, its handle has accelerometers that detect motion and actuators to compensate for said motion.
Liftware is used only as a spoon for now, but because all of its electronics are in the handle Lift Labs will release additional attachments in the future, including a fork and a key holder.
Pledge at least $300 (USD) on Indiegogo to get a Liftware as a reward. You can also get the device directly from Lift Labs Design, but as stated in the video above, the company will match all Indiegogo pledges up to $50,000 dollar for dollar. That means for every $295 it collects, the company will donate two Liftware units to the International Essential Tremor Foundation.
There are untold numbers of people that go into surgery around the world every week due to cancer. Cancer surgery can be difficult on the patient and for the surgeon because it is very difficult to know if all of the cancer cells were removed. If any of those cancerous cells are left behind, the cancer can return.
A group of Washington University in St. Louis researchers led by Samuel Achilefu have announced the development of a set of smart glasses that have been used in a surgery this week. The glasses aim to make it easier for surgeons to spot cancer cells. The glasses are used in conjunction with some sort of fluorescent molecular imaging agent. When the doctor looks through the smart glasses, the cancer cells glow blue. The video below shows real-time video of the removal of a cancerous lymph node during the experimental surgery:
This technology should make it much easier to determine if all the cancer cells were removed. The researchers say that while the glasses have been tested in a real surgery, the still require more development before they can be widely used.
Way back during CES 2011 we talked about an interesting health gadget from Withings that let your iPhone take your blood pressure. The catch was that the device needed a cable to be connected between the iPhone and the blood pressure cuff. And if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that wires suck.
Withings was back at CES 2014 with a new and updated version of this iPhone blood pressure machine. It’s called simply enough the Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor. There is now no wire between the smartphone and the cuff to take a reading.
Notice that I said smartphone, as the new wireless monitor works with both the iPhone and Android devices. The app controls the show and swiftly displays blood pressure readings and heart rate. It will even archive your readings for you. The Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor will ship soon for $129.95(USD).
The French, apparently having nothing better to do with their time, are now helping dentists get even richer. That’s because a French company has developed a toothbrush called the Kolibree that connects to your smartphone. It will cost somewhere between $100 to $200, and like other toothbrushes, it won’t stop you from going to the dentist regularly. But it will make you feel cool that you have a connected toothbrush.
The idea is that the toothbrush will be able to teach you to brush the proper way and also make sure you’re brushing long enough. The toothbrush will also be able to talk to other apps on your phone, so I’m sure you will see some brushing games that kids will enjoy too.
The better kids brush, the longer they will keep their teeth. We can only hope that this thing won’t start posting how long we brushed our teeth on our Facebook walls.
Way late in the fitness tracker game, Sony knew it had to come up with something unique in order to stand out from the growing market. If the Wellograph is designed for suits, the Sony SmartBand is designed for narcissists. Yeah, the device can track if you’ve been walking, how many calories you’ve burned etc. but it can also take note of other things you do, which you can then review on an app. It’s like taking a holistic selfie.
Sony has yet to reveal the specific capabilities of the SmartBand, but its official website indicates that the device “can see if you’ve been walking, running, cycling or travelling by train – and how you’ve slept. It also lets you see photos you’ve taken, music you’ve listened to, games you’ve played and how much you’ve socialized with a friend.”
You can then look back on how you spent your day (or days) through the Lifelog app, which seems to be an Android exclusive. The app presents your day as an interactive timeline. The timeline has icons indicating specific actions, such as when you took a picture or listened to music. Of course, you’ll also be able to view your exercise stats for the day but who cares about that when you can check out the exact hour that you Instagrammed that dramatic picture of fallen leaves last Thursday?
Sony also indicates that the SmartBand will have some sort of audio or even video recording capability: “Special moments need special attention. A great restaurant. An amazing song. A beautiful sunset. Press the Life Bookmark key on your SmartBand and everything going on at that moment will be caught and remembered forever.” Shhh. Did you hear that? That’s the sound of the NSA getting aroused.
Knowing that the SmartBand is designed to track your daily life, Sony wisely made the device waterproof and gave it a discreet look. You can even take the electronics (dubbed the “Core”) itself and insert it into another wristband. The SmartBand will come with two wristbands and I’m sure Sony will only be too happy to sell you more wristbands in all sorts of colors and themes.
Ready to spy on yourself? Tom’s Guide says the SmartBand will be available this spring for €99. That’s about $135 (USD), but I wouldn’t be surprised if it launches at $99 in the United States.
There’s no shortage of wearablefitnesstrackers on the market right now, but if you’re looking for something that you can wear from the gym straight to the office, check out the Wellograph. Don’t blame me if you stink up its strap though.
The Wellograph’s main components are its heart rate sensor and 9-axis motion sensor. It can keep track of your heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, hours spent idle and active and even show you how fit you are for your age. It can display these stats – as well as both analog and digital watch faces – on its monochrome 1.26″ LCD…
…or you can sync it with your Bluetooth 4.0-compatible iOS or Android device to see and share more in-depth stats:
The watch can even be set to vibrate to nag you if you haven’t been exercising in a while, although I’m not sure how exactly that works. Overall the Wellograph is obviously being marketed not towards gadget freaks or health buffs, but to corporate types with a modest amount of interest in the latest gizmos and in their health. Hence its formal design and watch alter ego.
Even its charging dock is stylish and cleverly holds the watch up using magnets.
Speaking of charging, the Wellograph’s 240mAh battery should last up to 2 weeks per charge or up to 3 months if it’s always in watch mode. The watch also has a stainless steel and aluminum case and a durable sapphire crystal face. Aside from its leather strap it will supposedly come with a NATO strap as well, which is more suited to the outdoors. Here’s a brief hands-on by Mobilegeeks:
In case you didn’t watch the video, the watch will supposedly be released this April for $320 (USD). If I wanted to track my non-existent regimen, I’d just take selfies in the mirror every now and then. But maybe that’s why I’m not in a suit and tie right now. Wait a minute! I’m at home. I could wear a suit and tie to work! I’m too lazy to look for my tie though.
More and more contraptions that charge devices or generate power without needing an electrical outlet are hitting the market. Some, like the PULSE Kinetic Jump Rope, are in their prototype stages, while others like the Voltmaker are ready to be shipped off.
Granted, you’ll be able to get a bit of a workout with both devices. Voltmaker will have you turning its hand crank until your arms are sore, while PULSE will have you jump rope until you’re ready to collapse so you can charge up your phone.
The PULSE kinetic jump rope looks like your typical jump rope on the outside, but the built-in dynamos in the handle make all the difference. Every spin the rope makes generates power that is stored in the embedded rechargeable battery. You can then hook your phone up to the jump rope’s handle in order to charge it.
The PULSE jump rope is currently available in a limited beta test run. Only 100 of these have been made, and each one retails for $129(USD).
A blood transfusion might spell the difference between life and death. This is apparent during emergency situations and in the case of accidents where the victims are in danger of bleeding out. But before any transfusions can be done, the patient’s blood type must be verified.
Lab tests can determine this, but the results can take a while. Working with this in mind, designers Efe Erinç Erdoğdu, Rasim Ispirgil, & Mehrafza Mirzazad Barijugh came up with Emertest.
Short for “emergency test,” the conceptual single-use test kit is meant to determine the patient’s blood type at the scene of the accident or while they’re en route to the hospital. It attaches to the patient’s arm much like a leech, and would provide result information in just minutes.
It’s beyond convenient to have a portable test to determine the patient’s blood type, in a similar speed and manner of other ready-to-use tests available today, like pregnancy kits.
As for the technology behind how the Emertest can determine the blood type on its own remains to be seen.
The thing about exercise is that it’s hard to keep at it if you don’t have anything that’s motivating you to keep going. For some people, it’s fitting into a dress in time for someone’s wedding. For others, it’s simply a lifestyle choice.
Helping people on their path to stronger grips is Muscle Guy.
It’s basically a hand strengthening tool that comes with a comedic inflatable attachment. Each squeeze of Muscle Guy’s legs will transform an otherwise wrinkly-looking Muscle Guy into a figure with a buff and well-sculpted body.
Squeezing the handles to exercise the hand muscles causes air to fill an inner cavity. When the tool is used continuously, the muscle man fully inflates. He deflates when the tool is not used. This psychological hint should encourage regular exercise.
It’s neat in the sense that it gives you a preview of your rewards, should you choose to continue exercising. Muscle Guy is a Red Dot Design Award 2013 winner and was designed by Jia Siyuan, Zheng Dongping, and Xuan Xinle.
I take my phone pretty much everywhere, but it’s true that there is a lot more that it could do, given the right add-ons. Check out the Kinsa accessory, which will not only take your temperature but may also be able to diagnose what’s wrong with you or your kids.
Kinsa is a low-cost thermometer that attaches to your iPhone via the headphone jack. It’s able to record your temperature history, and you can also input your symptoms. The Kinsa app taps into a database to see what kinds of illnesses are going around your local area. If there is a cold outbreak, then it’s possible that other people are suffering from it to. This is by no means a certain diagnosis, and it doesn’t replace a doctor, but it’s an interesting idea. And of course, it only works if there are other users in the area using Kinsa.
Kinsa is not yet available for purchase, but it will be available soon. You can hit up the Kinsa website to be notified of its release.
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