Wearables: an intelligent health care product for on the go
23/02/2021
A project at Landshut University of Applied Sciences is aiming to improve wearables for medical applications and to enable the portable minicomputers to make more accurate measurements.
Wearables: skin patch as an all-in-one health monitor
17/02/2021
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft, stretchy skin patch that can be worn on the neck to continuously track blood pressure and heart rate while measuring the wearer's levels of glucose as well as lactate, alcohol or caffeine. It is the first wearable device that monitors cardiovascular signals and multiple biochemical levels in the human body at the same time.
AI can predict death risk from ultrasound images
12/02/2021
Researchers at Geisinger have found that a computer algorithm developed using echocardiogram videos of the heart can predict mortality within a year.
Using wearable tech to keep babies, pregnant women healthy
01/02/2021
Doctors' opinions vary widely when it comes to exercise during pregnancy because research into pregnant women's fitness has been scarce. But with a new study, Shon Rowan - an associate professor with the West Virginia University School of Medicine - is using wearable technology to fill that knowledge gap.
Cardiovascular diseases: new computer model improves therapy
25/01/2021
Using mathematical image processing, scientists at the BioTechMed-Graz research cooperation have found a way to create digital twins from human hearts. The method opens up completely new possibilities in clinical diagnostics.
Nanodroplets and ultrasound 'drills' tackle tough blood clots
12/01/2021
Engineering researchers have developed a new technique for eliminating particularly tough blood clots, using engineered nanodroplets and an ultrasound "drill" to break up the clots from the inside out. The technique has not yet gone through clinical testing. In vitro testing has shown promising results.
Atrial fibrillation: better outcomes with diamonds
15/12/2020
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots and trigger strokes. To correct the condition, physicians use medication or surgical intervention by means of catheter ablation. This surgical method on the beating heart is a standard and safe procedure but there is always room for improvement.
Wearables: electronic skin has a strong future stretching ahead
30/11/2020
A material that mimics human skin in strength, stretchability and sensitivity could be used to collect biological data in real time. Electronic skin, or e-skin, may play an important role in next-generation prosthetics, personalized medicine, soft robotics and artificial intelligence.
Stroke care: When every minute counts
02/06/2020
Stroke can affect anyone – older as well as younger people. The minutes after the stroke determine whether disability or death is the result. Only if acute care, inpatient treatment and rehabilitation are carried out in a targeted and effective manner, the chances are greater that only minor damage remains or that impairments even recede.
Mobile stroke units: improved outcomes for ischemic stroke
02/06/2020
If someone is having a stroke, you call an ambulance. But getting to the hospital can be time-consuming. To prevent long-term disabilities and death, patients need to be treated as quickly as possible. According to a recent study by the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, mobile stroke units play a key role in this setting.
Molecular Imaging: fast and reliable stroke detection
02/06/2020
After a stroke, a patient’s life depends on getting acute care at a hospital. Vital monitoring systems ensure safe and effective treatment. An innovative tomographic imaging system is designed to help prevent the patient’s risky journey to radiology and to enable bedside monitoring of cerebral blood flow.
In-ear sensors for monitoring vital parameters
22/04/2020
Wearables offer practical solutions for the flexible measurement of data. The sensor from cosinuss° is worn directly in the ear and offers a precise monitoring of vital parameters.
Cardiovascular diseases: using AI to navigate the catheter
09/03/2020
Treatment of a heart attack or stroke caused by vascular occlusion must be prompt to prevent further damage to vital tissue. Unfortunately, the actual treatment is often preceded by a lengthy catheter-based procedure where the cardiologist manually guides the catheter to the affected vessel. AI might perform this task in the future.
Cardiology: digital solutions support those coping with chronic illness
03/02/2020
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. Acute events such as heart attacks and strokes stand out in this setting. Chronic heart diseases can also be a debilitating condition for many patients. If cardiology uses digital methods and tools, it can reach more affected people.
Digital cardiology: analyzing data beat by beat
03/02/2020
Chronic cardiovascular diseases are a growing burden worldwide. Most of them are diseases of civilization that spread, where lifestyle is improving or where it is good already. But the healthcare systems are not growing equally to keep up with this development. We can make up for this by making cardiological care smarter with eHealth and mHealth.
Cardisiography: A Non-Invasive Heart Screening Test
03/02/2020
Coronary heart disease can come as a complete surprise and occur suddenly. Cardisiography was designed to lower the risk and make faster intervention possible. As a non-invasive heart screening test, cardisiography offers the possibility of early detection for heart diseases.
MEDICA TECH FORUM: light-based imaging technique OCT
04/11/2019
Since its inception, MEDICA TECH FORUM has focused on the implementation of innovations and new technologies into clinical practice. 2019 marks the tenth year of the Forum. In honor of its anniversary, we will brighten things up a bit, as one of the focal points will highlight how optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses light to produce images.
Sports medicine – keep moving to stay healthy
01/07/2019
Physical activity plays a big role in today's society. Whether you are an amateur or professional athlete – incorporating exercise into your life positively impacts your mental and physical health. Ideally, sport should be fun, pressure-free and not overburden you. But can you measure individual performance and align it with sports?
Cardiac arrhythmia: treatment in the linear accelerator
08/04/2019
Cardiac arrhythmia is a group of conditions where nerve cells trigger uncontrolled contractions of the heart muscle. They are treated with either medicine or catheter ablation of the tissue. In an interdisciplinary collaboration, cardiologists and radiotherapists took a different approach and used high-precision radiation therapy to treat a patient for whom the other options proved unfeasible.
WAKE-UP study a wake-up call for acute stroke care
08/08/2018
Some solutions are simple, though not necessarily obvious. The WAKE-UP study, which included 70 participating European stroke centers, has now studied a relatively simple procedure to manage the acute care of stroke patients and avoid potential long-term effects. Best of all, it is available wherever MRI is offered.
Ventricular fibrillation – Using ultrasound to detect its causes
17/05/2018
Ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the heart muscle exhibits a rapid, erratic beat. The cause might be a circulatory system disease or heart attack. Researchers in Göttingen are now developing an ultrasound technique to get to the bottom of ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrhythmias and facilitate better treatment options.
Tissue engineering: how to grow a bypass
23/04/2018
A bypass is a complicated structure. It is either made of synthetic materials that can cause blood clots and infections or created by using the patient’s veins. However, the latter often does not yield adequate material. A newly developed bioreactor could solve this problem in the future. It is designed to tissue engineer vascular grafts by using the body’s own material.
Between austerity measures and growth pressure - Latin America's medical market
03/04/2018
A region whose states make up the world's third largest economy and which has few linguistic differences - Latin America is an attractive market for foreign companies at first glance. This also applies to the medical market. However, various factors are contributing to the fact that this market is growing only slowly in most countries.
"Spray-On" muscle fibers for biomimetic surfaces
08/01/2018
Few patients with heart failure are fortunate enough to receive a donor's heart. Ventricular assist devices (or heart pumps) have been around for several years and are designed to buy time as patients wait for a transplant. Unfortunately, the body doesn't always tolerate these devices.