Microchip Activated Pet Feeder makes Fido more independent

microchip-feederHaving a pet would mean being responsible for its health and overall well being, and this includes feeding it the recommended amount of food daily. However, there are times when we actually need to be away from the home longer than usual due to an impending deadline at the office, what are you to do to make sure that your pooch or kitty does not get hungry? Self-feeding machines that work using a timer might be a good idea, but the $79.95 Microchip Activated Pet Feeder could be more practical.

Basically, the Microchip Activated Pet Feeder happens to be a lidded pet bowl which will automatically open only when the intended pet approaches, which means that other dogs or cats in the house will not be able to obtain the food there. The included microchip tag would be attached to the pet’s collar, where it will transmit an infrared signal which opens the lid of the bowl whenever the pet comes within a 2′ distance. As the pet walks away, the lid will close. The microchip within happens to be a water-resistant, locket-sized plastic case which will not interfere with the pet’s normal movements. This might not be a good idea with breeds like the Labrador Retriever as it figures out quickly that being near the bowl would equal to food, and knowing its appetite, your food might not last it through a single meal time.

[ Microchip Activated Pet Feeder makes Fido more independent copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

England to mandate dog microchips by 2016

UK to mandate dog microchips by 2016

Thinking about injecting an identification chip in your pooch? If you live in the southern part of the UK, you won’t have a choice. Come 2016, English and Welsh authorities will require all of the country’s pups to have embedded microchips, so they can be returned to their owners if ever they run astray. The United Kingdom’s Environment Department says some 60 percent of the country’s 8 million dogs already have the tags, but beginning in three years, owners who don’t spring for the device could be forced to pay fines of up to £500 (about $780). Cat microchipping will remain optional, since felines are less likely to wander outdoors. And “World’s Cutest Dog” fans need not worry about their precious Boo getting the forced implant — the famed Pomeranian (pictured above) is based in San Francisco, some 5,000 miles from the Queen’s needle.

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Source: AP (Huffington Post)

Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right out of the bloodstream

Jellyfishlike microchip scoops cancer cells right out of the blood stream

If you think the picture above looks like droplets of blood being snared in a sticky tentacle, then you have a scarily active — but in this case accurate — imagination. It’s actually a microfluidic chip that’s been coated with long strands of DNA, which dangle down into the bloodstream and bind to any cancerous proteins floating past — directly imitating the way a jellyfish scoops up grub in the ocean. If required, the chip can release these cells unharmed for later inspection. According to the chip’s designers at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the catch-and-release mechanism can be put to both diagnostic and therapeutic use in the fight against Big C, and can also be used to isolate good things, like fetal cells. The next step will be to test the device on humans — at which point we may owe an even greater debt of gratitude to our gelatinous friends.

[Image credit: Rohit Karnik and Suman Bose]

Continue reading Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right out of the bloodstream

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Jellyfish-mimicking device could snatch cancer cells right out of the bloodstream originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink IEEE Spectrum  |  sourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Discovery News  | Email this | Comments

AMD Piledriver CPU pre-order pricing leaks out

AMD Piledriver CPU preorder pricing leaks out

It’s always just been a matter of “when” and “how much,” but it looks as if PC gamers looking to score a powerplant upgrade can start planning on specific amounts. AMD’s impending FX Piledriver CPUs are now up for pre-order at ShopBLT, an outlet that has proven reliable in the past when it comes to nailing down processor pricing. For those in need of a refresher, these are built using the Vishera design, with the range including between four and eight CPU cores. We’re expecting ’em to best the Bulldozer family, and if all goes well, they could be available to the earliest of adopters in October. Presently, the FX-4300 ($131.62), FX-6300 ($175.77), FX-8320 ($242.05) and FX-8350 ($253.06) are listed, but CPU World seems to think launch day quotes will actually be a bit lower. Only one way to find out, right?

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AMD Piledriver CPU pre-order pricing leaks out originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CPU World  |  sourceShopBLT  | Email this | Comments

FDA approves Proteus Digital Health’s e-pills for dose monitoring

FDA approves Proteus Digital Health's e-pills for dose monitoring

An “ingestible sensor” doesn’t sound like the tastiest of snacks, but soon it might be just what the doctor ordered. A tiny microchip which activates upon contact with stomach acid has recently been given the green light by health regulatory agencies in the US and Europe. When the sensor is swallowed, an external patch picks up its signal and shoots a message over to whoever it’s supposed to. The technology is aimed at tackling an issue known in the healthcare biz as compliance — or, following instructions. Correct timing and dose are important for many drugs, and lax schedules can be responsible for treatment failures or the development of nasty drug-resistant bugs. Although the necessary trials used placebo pills, one pharmaceutical heavyweight has already bagged a license to the technology for real-world applications. If the thought of passing microchips is troubling you more than the thought of eating them, no need to worry — the kamikaze sensors dissolve in your stomach shortly after completing their mission.

Continue reading FDA approves Proteus Digital Health’s e-pills for dose monitoring

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FDA approves Proteus Digital Health’s e-pills for dose monitoring originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDVICE, Proteus Digital Health  | Email this | Comments