6. Can your Smart Watch do this?

Researchers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and the Stanford School of Medicine have developed a smartwatch that uses electrochemical analysis to track levels of a drug in the body by analyzing a patient’s sweat.

The watch works by stimulating sweat glands in the underlying skin through an electric current. The device can then analyze the sweat and can identify the electrochemical signature of specific drugs using a voltammetric sensing interface. The result is real-time continuous measurement of drug levels.

“This technology is a game-changer and a significant step forward for realizing personalized medicine,” said Ronald W. Davis, aresearcher involved in the study.

“Emerging pharmacogenomic solutions, which allow us to select drugs based on the genetic makeup of individuals, have already shown to be useful in improving the efficacy of treatments. So, in combination with our wearable solution, which helps us to optimize the drug dosages for each individual, we can now truly personalize our approaches to pharmacotherapy.”

You can read more about the research behind the project here.  Noninvasive wearable electroactive pharmaceutical monitoring for personalized therapeutics

5. Meet Thinklabs One. a Covid friendly Stethoscope

We’re not too sure about this one. Nothing says, “Trust me, I’m a Doctor” quite like a stethoscope dangling around your neck. It is however pandemic season and given that, this redesign of the classic stethoscope may just take off. It also kicks some serious butt when it comes to amplification and the Thinklabs One is a lot more than just a stethoscope.

One of the devices patients immediately associate with check-ups is the stethoscope – a tool not only for assessment, but for bringing a sense of connection between doctors and patients. Thinklabs Medical has created leading electronic stethoscope technology, which the company believes has helped mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Clive Smith, the CEO and Founder of the company, was the inventor behind designing the electronic stethoscope: Thinklabs One, the company claims, is the smallest and most powerful stethoscope in the healthcare industry with over 100X amplification, compared to a typical acoustic stethoscope. Since it has a standard headphone jack, small off-the shelf Bluetooth transmitters can be used to connect to it and beam auscultation sounds from the patient to the doctor’s headphones.

During the ongoing pandemic, the two can stay at a distance from each other while the physician guides the patient where to position the puck-like stethoscope on the body, all while wearing headphones and listening to the results. The product is obviously perfect for telemedcine and pandemic scenarios and even hooks into your smartphone via an app. Brilliant.

In terms of specifications, this high end piece of simplified tech really delivers.

• Amplification: More than 100x
• Audio Filters: 5 bandpass filters
• Display: Volume, filter, battery LED scale
• Output signal level: Low impedance headphone driver, 3V p-p
• Power input: 5V DC (USB charger compatible)
• Power source: Internal lithium ion cell
• Battery Capacity: > 120 patient exams per charge (2 minutes per patient)
• Transducer: Thinklabs’ patented electromagnetic diaphragm
• Connector: 4-conductor 3.5 mm jack
• Dimensions: 46mm x 28mm
• Weight: 50 g

This post is too short to do the Thinklabs One justice and we highly recommend stopping off at the Thinklabs site to learn more or to order the stethoscope. It is one of the few items in this list that is already commercially available.

4. With Baby? An at home Ultrasound Device for moms

If you’re an Obgyn this one’s for you! PulseNmore At-Home Tele-Ultrasound for Pregnant Women has just launched and we love it. How are you not going to spend the entire day on the couch at home taking ultrasound selfies? Obviously, there are a huge range of medicla benefits to the product as well.

A new device has just been unveiled by PulseNmore, an Israeli firm, that allows patients to perform ultrasound exams themselves and share the results immediately with their sonographers or physicians.

The device is a dock for a smartphone, the bottom being the ultrasound transducer. An app on the smartphone provides training and guidance to the patient so that a scan is performed to achieve high-quality results. Captured images are then shared with the patient’s clinical team and those can be used to guide further decisions.

The people behind PulseNmore hope that the new tele-ultrasound will help clinicians to provide optimal care for their patients while reducing the chance of viral transmission. Israel’s largest HMO, Clalit Health Services, which has over 4 million members, has signed a contract to provide tens of thousands of PulseNmore devices to pregnant women under its management.

To see just how cool this product is, watch the video below.

“At home tele-ultrasound scanning is a major leap forward in digital medicine and prenatal health,” added Dr. Elazar Sonnenschein, Founder and CEO of PulseNmore. “We have successfully miniaturized the traditional ultrasound system to create a solution that is both affordable and accessible for expectant families. According to Clalit, pregnant women pay “false” visits to the emergency room more than twice on average with concerns about their baby’s well-being. Our solution provides vital information to healthcare providers to determine if a baby is healthy, helping expectant mothers have peace of mind at home and avoid unnecessary visits to the ER.”

It doesn’t seem as though the product is commercially available yet outside of Israel, but here’s the link to the PulseNmore website that offers email for inquiries.

3. Tron 2.0. Never mind wearing tech, now we can embed it on the skin.

Okay, so you cant buy this to use at home, not yet anyway, but if you don’t think this is awesome, then you probably shouldn’t be reading this article. Drawing Biomedical Electronics directly onto skin is rapidly becoming a reality and will be lifesaving for some patients.

A team of researchers at the University of Houston has developed a way to simply write electronic circuits, including different kinds of body sensors, directly onto the skin. Using this approach, the scientists have created fully functional sensing systems that can measure, with great accuracy and few artifacts, things such as skin hydration, electrophysiological signals, and body temperature.

Other sensors still need to be developed using this technique, but once they’re designed there should simply be a template that the user can follow to generate new ones.

The data obtained using the new sensors seem to be almost completely unaffected by movement, potentially allowing, for the first time, the gathering of highly accurate biomedical data when individuals are performing strenuous physical activities.

One more potential use of this technology is on and around wounds. Running electricity through the inks helps to speed up healing, something the University of Houston researchers have already demonstrated in experiments. Color us impressed.

Follow the progress of this amazing team via the University of Houston website

2. Nothing says you’ve arrived quite like own portable CT Scanner

Wheel this bad boy into a patients room to really make an impression. Siemens’ Somatom On.site portable CT head Scanner has just been FDA cleared.The device can be easily brought directly into patient rooms thanks to its powered wheels and an on-board battery. It evens features inbuilt cameras for parking and hallway navigation!

Normally, patients have to be moved to the CT scanner, wherever it may be in the hospital. With the SOMATOM On.site, patients that need head scans do not have to be unnecessarily disturbed, reducing the potential for injury and further aggravation of a condition during transport. Moreover, since only one person is required to move the new CT scanner from room to room, fewer clinical staff are tied up than when moving a bedridden patient.

On the front of the scanner there’s a built-in camera that lets the person moving it see what’s ahead, helping to avoid people and objects on the way.

Once ready for scanning, the headboard under the patient can be removed and the head positioned inside the scanner. A head holder and shoulder board on the scanner assist in getting the proper alignment for scanning. No cables or tubes that are attached to the patient need be removed for a successful scan.

After the exam, scans are automatically passed to the hospital’s radiological image database and a radiologist can review them right away.

“The SOMATOM On.site transforms the delivery of care for critically ill patients who require a CT head scan,” said Douglas Ryan, VP of Computed Tomography at Siemens Healthineers North America, in the announcement. “The system delivers reliable and consistent image quality demanded by healthcare professionals in the ICU, neurology, and radiology departments. Additionally, bedside imaging helps to reduce patient transports, thereby reducing the risk of infection while improving workforce efficiency.”

Got to have one? You can order it right here from Siemens. SOMATOM On.site

1. If you’re going Mask up, this is how you do it!

They’re annoying, butt ugly, uncomfortable, itchy, sweaty and did we mention ugly? If you’re tired of relying on your eyes to attract a date in public, there is now finally hope. Leaf has come to our rescue with a stylish new range of N99 Masks that are not only transparent, they’re also so cool you wont want to take them off.

Leaf – Self-Sterilizing, Transparent N99+ Mask; face unlocks smartphones and so much more.This mask is our number 1 choice for new tech. It shows how a combination of tech, design and great marketing can add value and we absolutely love it.

From a medical point of view, if you’re engaged with Covid patients, then Leaf is the obvious choice, without a doubt, in terms of the protection it offers. They don’t just make the mask Leaf has also got you covered in terms of sterilizing your goodies, from your laptop to your cell phone, using the Leaf Dock shown below.

 Leaf’s shell is made of optical grade, soft, fire-retardant, Reusable, self-defogging and UV proof Silicone. LEAF comes in different transparent, translucent and solid colors with 3 variants HEPA, UV and PRO. LEAF-HEPA has the patent pending signature “Leaf” design coupled with U-Series HEPA-filtration, known as the Gold standard of HEPA filtration as small as 0.3 Micron (with 99.9997% Filtration)

LEAF-UV is high performance contained UV-C sterilization built into the rechargeable filter housing destroying pathogens at DNA level at “light” speed and Active-Carbon filtration to eliminate odors & organic substances. With disposable masks raising an impending threat to nature, active sterilization makes the filters to last for up-to a month.

LEAF-PRO adds active ventilation & air quality sensing. LEAF-PRO actively senses, user’s metabolism, particle count on included Air-Manager, Smartphone app, which automatically commands the Sterilization and Ventilation system. Deploying all that cutting-edge tech allows the LEAF PRO to deliver a paramount safe breathing experience. Indeed,the private jet of Face masks

UPDDATE: 19 Dec, 2020. Leaf has now achieved FDA approval and the masks are available to order. Follow the link below. Medika does not profit from or refer readers for financial remuneration.

To learn more about Leaf or to order visit their website. www.leaf.healthcare.

The post I want one! Six of The Coolest New Medical Gadgets on the Market appeared first on Medika Life.

Editors Note / 11 Oct 2020: It has come to our attention that manufacture and delivery of the Leaf Healthcare Mask (Redcliffe Medical Devices) has been thrown into doubt, despite large amounts of capital raised through crowdfunding. We advise potential investors to proceed with caution and will post a full article investigating allegations against Redcliffe. We have invited comment from the company.

It’s what every trendy doctor is wearing if the press hype is to be believed. Masks are no longer simply an integral part of a doctor or nurse theater apparel, they’re now defacto garb for every medical professional engaged in the war against Covid-19. In fact, according to the science, they will save your life.

So how does the average ER clinician ensure they can look both stylish and comfortable, whilst remaining safe? Until recently, they haven’t been able to. Older masks weren’t designed for extended use, in an out of the theater, around the hospital, and then onto the golf course.

Masks, particularly N95 masks, were designed to eliminate airborne particles. Minute ones. That was it. Their design parameters didn’t incorporate comfort, extended use, or any of the things we now expect a mask to provide. Companies stepped up to the challenge and the last few weeks have seen a spate of new products released.

Here then is a list of these products, with links to their products and websites. Whilst Joe Public can purchase these, and many people no doubt will, these particular masks have been created specifically for the medical industry with a few key elements in mind, namely but not limited to;

1. Visibility, without fogging or condensation. Masks are now clear, a move which will probably be emulated in the wider market as facial recognition software and phones struggle to see through conventional masks.
2. Comfort, comfort, and more comfort. Wear something long enough and it chafes, rubs and generally annoys, particularly on areas of our skin that aren’t used to the pressure. Masks worn for extended periods need to be comfortable.
3. Re-usable. If you’re paying over the odds for a product, you need to get your money’s worth out of it. No problem now, as most of the new designs feature interchangeable filters and some masks are even sold with their own disinfecting UV chambers to sterilize your mask.

So who has skin in the game, in terms of trying to corner this new market that has emerged overnight. Let’s look at some of the players. We’ll start with my favorite, for a number of reasons, Leaf Healthcare (Redcliffe Medical)

Leaf Healthcare

This company, in my humble opinion, is way ahead of the curve. If masks were cellphones, Leaf would be the Apple of masks. Their masks not only look the business, they also sport a whole lot of tech noticeably absent from their competitors. You actually WANT to wear this mask it looks so cool.

Add to that, recent FDA approval and you get an idea of just how far ahead of the curve Leaf is in terms of innovation.

According to one of their recent press releases;

At long last, a reliable option closest to the experience of not having a mask on is here. The lightweight, inventive gear, developed by Detroit-based Redcliffe Medical, is called the LEAF Mask. It’s the world’s first FDA-registered transparent mask with N99-quality air filtering and self-sterilizing qualities, and was built using aerospace technology with 100-percent recyclable optical-grade materials.

LEAF’s unibody mask is designed with clear medical-grade silicone, offering a universal fit and, finally, literal transparency in communicating, with the N99+ HEPA\HEPA-Carbon filters strategically placed around the chin to keep the bottom half of your face visible. It also means you will be able to unlock your smartphone without removing your face mask.

The masks are available in various configurations, The entry-level HEPA model features N99+ U15, HEPA Filtration. See-through design. N95 Filtered Exhausts, Biocompatible proprietary shape fit Silicone and starts at $49 or you can opt for the Pro shown below.

Masks, however, are not the only trick Leaf have up their designer sleeve. Say hello to the coolest looking UV disinfecting and sterilizing unit known to man. Its called the Leaf Dock and although it won’t charge your phone, it will definitely sterilize it in 14 seconds flat.

The Dock, with a massive sterilization volume of 50cm X 35cm X 30cm, doubles up as a sterilization station for everything from Leaf Mask itself to smartphones, laptops, purses, wallets etc. Leaf Dock retails from $299 and if you’re serious about offering your family the best protection money can buy, Leaf is in our opinion, the best choice.

UM Systems

Our second choice is UM Systems, a Colorado company founded in 2016 as one of Measure Inc.’s global brands. With its phenomenal debut on Kickstarter on June 25, UV Mask, an antiviral and anti-pollution UV-C face mask with the most advanced protection efficiency, continues its successful journey mounting its funding and crossing $2,500,000 in just 6 weeks.

According to their press release;

UV Mask is a next generation reusable face mask equipped with a double-protection system.

The first layer of protection is a high-efficiency CE-FFP2 disposable air-filter that purifies the air from 95% of particles as small as 0.3 microns (smoke, dust, pollen, etc.).

The second layer of protection is the groundbreaking patent-pending Sterile-Vortex, which inactivates all airborne pathogens and bacteria down to 0.1 microns using the ultra-high intensity UV-C light, providing total protection in real-time as you breathe.

Although the product promises very high efficacy, its comfort and visual appeal are questionable. Its early days and any claims made with regards to whose product is more effective would need to be viewed rather skeptically. What we do know for certain is that these new masks are a huge step up in terms of protection for a regular N95 mask.

How does it work?

The UV Mask uses UV-C light in real-time to filter the air as you breathe it in. According to the companies spec on Kickstarter;

We use two state-of-the-art 265nm pure UV-C LEDs in the Sterile-Vortex, which are ozone free, ultra-safe, and durable. As you breathe, the air is sent through the vortex and purified under two 25,000μW/cm² UV-C LEDs that are connected by a quartz chamber wall, making the total UV-C intensity 50,000μW/cm² throughout. Enjoy two high-efficiency layers of protection. Beyond purifying, our cool mask filters the air from dust, pollen, tobacco, bushfire smoke, and air pollutants

Although not as stylish or groundbreaking as Leaf, UV Mask offers real benefits and definite increases in levels of safety and air purity over existing masks. Click onto the Kickstarter link above to stay in the loop in terms of availability and pricing.

purMe

Is a gas mask. It is sold as one, looks like one, and performs like one.

Lost in translation? Perhaps. This mask looks like it would be more at home on the battlefield than a local ER. This is what the manufacturer has to say in terms of the mask’s performance in their most recent press release.

The standard filter is rated at KN95 for particular protection with provision to upgrade into the P100 level. It will filter out pollution particles, allergens, bacteria and viruses, and block out harmful droplets. It is available in crystal clear color, so people can see a person’s face, and facial recognition will work.

urME’s LFGB-approved silicone facepiece will seal off droplets, water splash and pollutants when it is put on. It is supple and shaped to fit people of all face profiles comfortably. The material is fully machine-washable in hot water; it takes just 20 seconds to disassemble for cleaning or swapping filters. It is like a gas mask but with only one-third of its weight and size.

Inside the mask is a pair of inhalation and exhalation valves, ensuring one-way airflow. This will maximize the useful life of the filter and keep the mask cool and dry, as excess humidity and heat are breathed out every time someone exhales. Ten KN95-certified filters are included with each mask, each lasting up to 50 hours. More filters are available as add-ons.

You can follow their progress on their IndieGoGo webpage where the technology the mask uses is discussed in detail and the purMe mask can be pre-ordered starting from $34 with 10 filters for an essential package (50% off MSRP) to a $78 special pack that includes two masks of the buyer’s choice and bags.

The post The Latest Technology Offerings in Covid-19 N95+ Masks appeared first on Medika Life.