W. Kim et al., doi 10.1117/1.JBO.29.8.086005.
OCT otoscope enhances ear disease diagnosis
04.09.2024
A new portable otoscope, developed by the Caruso Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Southern California, integrates optical coherence tomography (OCT) to provide high-resolution imaging of the tympanic membrane (TM) and middle ear (ME). This advancement offers clinicians a more comprehensive view of ear health, significantly improving diagnostic capabilities and patient outcomes.
Andreas Heddergott / TUM
Transmitting the sense of touch over the internet: new HCTI standard
25.06.2024
The Technical University of Munich (TUM), in collaboration with an international consortium, has released the "Haptic Codecs for the Tactile Internet" (HCTI) standard after eight years of work. This standard enables the transmission of the sense of touch over the Internet, similar to JPEG for images or MP3 for audio.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c02289
A Step Forward in Glaucoma Diagnosis: 'Smart' Contact Lens
03.06.2024
Glaucoma remains a major cause of vision loss, affecting millions worldwide. Traditionally, diagnosing this condition early has been challenging due to the subtle changes in eye pressure that are hard to detect continuously. Researchers have now developed a 'smart' contact lens that could change how we monitor and detect this disease.
Enhancing cataract surgery in the global south with AI
25.04.2024
Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn, the Sankara Eye Foundation India, and Microsoft Research India are collaborating to improve cataract surgery outcomes in developing regions. Employing artificial intelligence (AI) for video analysis, their initiative aims to address challenges faced in the Global South.
Jun Chen Lab/UCLA
UCLA engineers develop a new wearable device for voice restoration
02.04.2024
UCLA bioengineers have introduced an AI-assisted wearable device, a significant stride in speech technology for individuals with voice disorders. This adhesive neck patch could change how people with pathological vocal cord conditions or post-laryngeal cancer surgeries communicate, offering a new beacon of hope for those who find speaking a challenge.
Karin Kaiser / MHH
Better diagnostics for enhanced hearing with cochlear implants
23.02.2024
A research team from Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the University of Oldenburg is delving into the intricate processes of how the human brain adapts to electrical hearing through cochlear implants (CIs). The study, part of the Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence, aims to shed light on the diverse mechanisms influencing speech comprehension among CI users.
Contact lenses for early glaucoma detection
31.01.2024
Glaucoma affects approximately 70 million people worldwide and poses a significant threat to vision, often leading to irreversible vision loss if left untreated. Nearly half of those afflicted with this condition remain unaware of its presence. Typically progressing gradually, glaucoma often escapes early detection, making it crucial to develop new tools for its timely diagnosis and treatment.
feelSpace
Wearable for the visually impaired: Vibrations lead the way
14.12.2023
The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have developed a contacting process with which orientation aids - and e-textiles in general - can be produced more economically and conveniently.
Tomáš Belloň / IOCB Prague
Computer model of the ear may help to improve cochlear implants
01.12.2023
Professor Pavel Jungwirth and his colleagues from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the cochlear implant company MED-EL, based in Austria, have come up with a complete computer model of the ear. It can be used to simulate hearing of mammals including humans from the outer ear all the way to the auditory nerve.
Routine Health GmbH
PAMELA – Prevention and management of phantom limb pain via app
24.11.2023
The loss of an arm or leg has a huge impact on quality of life. In addition to the restrictions that an amputation means for daily activities, those affected often suffer from phantom pain, which is difficult to treat.
Desktop Health
MHH produces world’s first patient-specific implants with drug release
22.11.2023
For the first time, the ENT clinic at Hannover Medical School (MHH) has provided an adult patient with a customized implant for the external auditory canal featuring drug release benefits.
Precision sensing technology for enhanced sleep quality – Earable
16.11.2023
A good night’s sleep is a personal experience. The FRENZ Brainband by Earable is a wearable driven by AI, designed to cater to your unique sleep requirements. It combines real-time data analysis, intelligent audio content, and cutting-edge technology to ensure users are well-rested. We did not want to miss the chance to talk to Earable about their newest developments.
Karin Kaiser / MHH
REM sleep study: new ways of early Parkinson's therapy
15.08.2023
Disturbed dream sleep may indicate later Parkinson's disease. Researchers at MHH Neurology are now investigating the preliminary phase of the neurodegenerative disease and are offering places for study participants.
Constructor University
Virtual reality: healthy aging with virtual aids
19.07.2023
Can elderly people really learn how to use new technologies and adapt themselves in learning new tools? The answer, according to researcher Dr. Amir Jahanian Najafabadi and colleagues at Constructor University in Bremen, is yes.
Masson-Simon
Brain: a varied life boosts functional networks
18.07.2023
The findings in mice provide unprecedented insights into the complexity of large-scale neural networks and brain plasticity. Moreover, they could pave the way for new brain-inspired artificial intelligence methods.
lassedesignen/Shutterstock
Multiple sclerosis: new biomarker for early diagnosis
12.07.2023
A study conducted by researchers from the Department of Neurology at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna has demonstrated for the first time that diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be significantly improved by additionally measuring the thickness of retinal layers in the eye.
mstandret
AI in eye scans: improved diagnosis of inherited disease of the retina
14.06.2023
Researchers from the UK and Germany have used artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a system that they believe will enable more widespread provision of testing, together with improved efficiency.
RUB, Marquard
Effects of brain stimulation amenable to conditioning
28.04.2023
Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, have successfully implemented a special form of classical conditioning. They showed on a group of 75 people that effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be triggered solely by listening to a tone.
microgen
Computer-assisted procedure classifies Ataxia-related speech disturbances
25.04.2023
Researchers at DZNE and the University Hospital Bonn, together with the Berlin-based company PeakProfiling GmbH, have developed a computer-assisted method that recognizes the severity of speech disturbances resulting from ataxia, a brain disease, with great accuracy.
Oana Graur
Patent: high-tech glasses replace guide dog
07.04.2023
The technology of “the glasses that replace the guide dog” has just been patented in the USA. The European Union patent will follow, and it could well be introduced to the market during the course of next year.
Fraunhofer ISC
Innovative in vitro eye irritation test to replace standard animal testing
10.03.2023
Researchers at the Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT of the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC want to work with partners to replace animal testing.
MBExC/spförtner
Optical cochlea implant: ERC Proof of Concept Grant for Tobias Moser
02.03.2023
In the ImageTox project, the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security are pooling their expertise in the fields of drug discovery and artificial intelligence (AI).
GabiStock
ENT surgery – Interventions for speech and hearing
27.02.2023
Speaking and hearing are the two most important abilities that connect humans to their environment. If they get limited through disease or injury, it is all the more important to restore them as broadly as possible. Depending on the cause for their limitation, there are different surgical treatment possibilities. We take a look at current methods in our Topic of the Month.
towfiqu98
Vocal cord paresis: surgical treatment to reverse paralysis
27.02.2023
The paralysis of the vocal folds, the vocal fold paresis (also known as vocal cord paralysis) is a condition in which most patients cannot control the movement of the muscles that control the voice. This can make it hard to speak, prompting a reduction in speech volume that makes it challenging to understand the person. Some patients may even have difficulty breathing.
EPO
Low brain pressure could be a risk factor for developing glaucoma
20.02.2023
An international team of researchers led by Lithuanian scientists provide additional evidence that intracranial pressure plays an important role in normal-tension glaucoma, which accounts for up to 50 per cent of all glaucoma cases.
POSTECH
Treating cornea ulcers with diagnostic light instead of corneal transplantation
08.02.2023
Recently, a Korean joint research team from POSTECH-KKU has developed a new tissue adhesive that restores the damaged cornea by simply filling it and exposing it to light.
Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
Contact lenses to treat dry eye syndrome
06.02.2023
A collaborative team from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) has developed a contact lens prototype that is specifically designed to prevent contact lens-induced dry eye (CLIDE).
Kaunas University of Technology (KTU)
Altered speech may be the first sign of Parkinson’s disease
31.01.2023
Lithuanian researcher from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Rytis Maskeliūnas, together with colleagues from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), tried to identify early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease using voice data.
Beachbumledford
Controlled manufacture, storage and freezing of artificial retinal cells
25.01.2023
Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a new method for the production and clinical application of stem-cell-based retinal implants, which could contribute towards the successful treatment of AMD.
In the think tank – Tour at MEDICA START-UP PARK
15.11.2022
For young companies there is a central contact point at MEDICA: the MEDICA START-UP PARK. Start-ups are given the opportunity here to present their ideas around the healthcare of the future and to get in touch with potential partners and investors. We talked to some of the start-ups during our highlight tour.
halfpoint
Novel sensor system with AI-driven biomarkers for patients with heart failure
07.10.2022
UNISONO aims to develop a novel system combining an ear-worn sensor with speech recognition.
microgen@gmail.com
Digital nose facilitates early detection and diagnosis
22.06.2022
Many diseases can be treated successfully if they are diagnosed early. Research into a “digital (electronic) nose” is one promising development to facilitate early detection and diagnosis. That’s because body odors and their molecular composition are an early indicator of various diseases that often remain undetected in the early stages.
PantherMedia / Marushy99
FFP2, N95, and KN95 masks: Does wearing them affect endurance and athletic performance?
08.04.2022
Does wearing a mask diminish athletic performance? Do we fatigue faster while wearing a face mask during exercise? Our subjective perception might suggest that a mask or face covering restricts us. A study by the University of Wuppertal explored the physiological effects of wearing KN95 or FFP2 (European Union standard) face masks.
Universitätsklinikum Bonn (UKB)/J.F. Saba
Retina chip: Implant helps with age-related macular degeneration
01.03.2022
People who suffer from partial or total loss of vision caused by illness must use assistive technology to replace their sense of sight. In recent years, implants offered hope of restoring limited functional vision. Now an innovative microchip designed to help with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is currently undergoing international testing.
PantherMedia/Meseritsch Herby
Implants for the senses – Hearing and seeing with technology
01.12.2021
We can replace certain functions of the body with implants nowadays, others we cannot. When it comes to the human senses, we are still quite at the beginning. The technologies and materials we can use are way to coarse compared to our nervous system. But implants can also help us to maintain senses.
UMG
Cochlear implants: Using light to improve hearing
01.12.2021
Cochlear implants are devices that partially restore hearing in wearers. Unfortunately, the signal transmission from the implant to the auditory nerve is still rather basic, thus limiting the sound quality. Future implants could be more accurate in this setting by using light versus electrical pulses to stimulate nerve cells in the ear.
PantherMedia/npudov
Implants: When technology makes sense – quite literally
01.12.2021
Disease, injury, or a condition you were born with – reasons why some people must live without one or several of their five senses. Fortunately, there are many modern sensory aids that help replace one sense with another, which is especially the case when it comes to vision and hearing. Given technology's advancements, can artificial or biological implants someday soon be a viable alternative?
Glaucoma: Microimplant monitors intraocular pressure
01.12.2021
Chronic conditions require close monitoring to ensure a successful therapeutic outcome. Unfortunately, patients aren't always able to perform their own measurements and the exam intervals between appointments are frequently too long. An innovative implant is designed to address this gap in glaucoma care and treatment and enable patients to make intraocular pressure measurements on their own.
Vibrosonic GmbH
A contact lens for the ear
15.07.2021
Excessive noise, hearing loss, vascular constriction, old age – hearing difficulties can be caused by many factors. To help improve the quality of life of people with hearing impairment, Mannheim start-up Vibrosonic have developed a new, innovative hearing aid with an integrated loudspeaker that sits directly on the eardrum.
PantherMedia/Med_Photo_Studio
Alzheimer's disease: early detection using an eye exam
22.03.2021
Alzheimer's disease is still incurable, but if detected early enough, countermeasures can improve treatment and slow the progression. Unfortunately, there is still no reliable early detection test at this juncture. This might soon change thanks to a non-invasive spectroscopy of the retina.
Sports medicine - performance values in best health
01.07.2019
Those who integrate physical activities into their own lifestyle live healthier and more balanced. But where are the physical limits? Can health status measurements also be carried out on the road? Discover more about how sports medical examinations contribute to maintain performance and minimize health risks in our Topic of the Month.
Training and rehabilitation: fit thanks to hover technology
01.07.2019
Amateur and professional athletes are susceptible to sports injuries, balance disorders or deficits in motor function and posture. Prevention and the right training can help avoid these incidents, while targeted therapy can support a return to sports after an injury.
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?
panthermedia.net / Lev Dolgachov
mHealth: Atrial fibrillation detection – App supports heart health
08.05.2019
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of persistent cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm). Researchers estimate that 1.8 million Germans are presently affected by this disease. The condition is difficult to diagnose, frequently goes undetected and may result in a stroke. A new smartwatch medical app is designed to help patients detect atrial fibrillation before it’s too late.
Marc Eisele, Universitätsklinikum Dresden
Better living thanks to telemedicine – "TelePark"- project targets patients with Parkinson’s disease
08.01.2019
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that primarily affects movement of patients and makes their everyday lives very challenging. It also makes regular doctor appointments and treatment sessions necessary. "TelePark" - a project that collects different movement-related parameters using sensors and apps is designed to improve the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients.