Hasta La Gadget!

Forget those “sporting” Halls of Fame — the real HOF is right here. Since 2003, the Robot Hall of Fame has been honoring robots and creators at an exhibit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now we’re seeing the latest handful of noteworthy creatures take their rightful place in history. For those unaware, the Robot HOF is maintained by Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Science Center, and an international jury of researchers, writers, and designers has just selected five new bots to join the cast: Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, the T-800 Terminator (yes, that Terminator), the Da Vinci surgical system, iRobot’s Roomba and ‘Huey, Dewey, and Louie’ from the 1972 sci-fi flick Silent Running. Could you have imagined a more fitting five? If so, sound off below!

Filed under: Robots

Robot Hall of Fame expands to include Da Vinci, Terminator, Roomba originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 May 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Putting a new twist on inhalers, Cambridge Consultants this week announced a new Vena platform for medical apparatuses. It’s comprised of two wireless standards, Bluetooth Health Device Profile (HDP) and the IR-based IEEE11073, for exchanging data with between devices. The Vena respirator marks the first demo unit and will connect via smartphone or computer to help keep track of when it’s being used and can provide reminders for patients who need to scheduled doses. The information can also be sent to relevant doctors and anonymously to health care specialists who like to mine these numbers and find trends. If you’re looking to see it for yourself and maybe try to smooze your way into a lungs-on, it’ll be at the Respiratory Drug Delivery Europe 2009 conference in Lisbon, Germany later this month.

[Via CNET]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wireless

Vena-enabled asthma inhaler adds IR and Bluetooth connectivity, won’t sync with your headset originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 01:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Merlin.net, a medical monitoring system developed by St. Jude’s Medical has been approved for use in Europe (after previous approval in the US). The system transmits medical information from an implanted pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrilator (ICD), to a Merlin monitoring unit in the patient’s home, which then transmits the information to the hospital or caretaker. Transmitting the data can occur at any time, regardless of whether the patient is even awake, and provides constant monitoring of the patient. If the system detects a possible problem or “event,” it will alert the doctor by text message, email or fax, making possibly emergency situations more easily treatable. Merlin is expected to be marketed to health care provides starting in the spring — which is currently happening — so any day now.

[Via Medgadget]

Filed under: Science

Merlin medical implant monitoring system approved for use in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 May 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Two computer science professors at Washington University have produced a USB ultrasound probe which is compatible with Windows Mobile smartphones. The project, funded by Microsoft, has developed and optimized probe that uses less power, and is enhanced for data transfer rates on cellphones. The devices could be especially useful in on-the-go situations — for ambulances, emergencies, and for use by traveling medical staff. The makers also foresee that the device could positively effect medical practice in the developing world, where equipment and doctors can be scarce, and a small, but cellphone access is ever increasingly prevalent. We don’t know when these might be commercially available, but they are hoping to sell them for around $500 — significantly cheaper than many portable ultrasounds, which can cost almost $30,000.

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets

USB ultrasound device coming to a Windows Mobile phone near you? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Now that every kid on planet Earth is attempting to mimic the once-heroic Michael Phelps, it’s only fair to equip them with the very best in training tools. FINIS, the same firm that’s been cranking out bone conducting underwater MP3 players for years on end, has finally branched out a bit with the introduction of the AquaPulse. By utilizing an Infrared sensor, the device — which straps onto one’s goggles and rests on the temple bone — can continually monitor heart rate and communicate it audibly to the swimmer via bone conduction in customizable intervals. Unfortunately, FINIS didn’t think to integrate music playback into this for moments when it’s not dishing out vitals, but you could also rock one of its dedicated music players on the non-dominant ear. Olympians-to-be can catch it this May for $139.99. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading FINIS AquaPulse monitors, communicates heart rate to swimmers

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

FINIS AquaPulse monitors, communicates heart rate to swimmers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments