So Humana is using data they collect on their insureds to group them by “personas” as a means to tailor care in a more personalized manner. Personas are not new. They are used all the time in sales and marketing to help companies position their products in ways that will best appeal to people with […]
Heart Defibrillation Using Light 09/14/2016
Many recent technological advances in medicine and in other areas have been achieved by harnessing light in some manner. I have written on a number of occasions how I believe that this century’s innovations will be driven by finding new ways to control and apply light energy. The most recent news on this front comes […]
Needle Free Medical Device 09/13/2016
We all know that one person, the one who gets squeamish around needles and blood. They see the needle or the blood being drawn, and their face just goes pale while their eyes get huge. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t like needle going inside me anymore than the next person. My arm veins […]
Micro-invasive Surgery 09/08/2016
Minimally invasive surgery is relatively common. Many procedures are done laparoscopically, with only a few small slits in the body required. On the horizon now is micro-invasive surgery – internal surgeries accomplished without having to disturb the dermis at all. One experimental approach being studied is using the body’s natural orifices through which to introduce […]
Heart Disease and Hugs 09/08/2016
Many people in the United States either suffer from heart failure or have a family member die from it. Did you know that, according to the Center for Disease Control, that one in every four deaths is due to heart disease and that it is also the leading cause of death in both men and […]
Regenerative Bandages and Diabetic Ulcers 09/06/2016
Did you know that the leading cause of lower body amputations is from infected ulcers caused by diabetes? Foot ulcers triggered by diabetes contribute to increased medical costs, hours of pain, and a lower quality of life for the patient. Now, biomedical engineers working at Northwestern University have developed a product to help address this […]
Sleep Quality and Your Health 09/01/2016
Everyone knows that getting the right amount of sleep is one of the most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that 35% of U.S. adults do NOT get their recommended 7 hours of sleep each night? Unfortunately, having a sleep deficit is a common problem for a lot of adults and […]
Virtual Reality and Spinal Cord Injuries 08/30/2016
Imagine being a paraplegic patient for years, then being able to learn to regain some control and feeling in your legs without undergoing invasive surgery. Well a group of eight people with the help of the Walk Again Project were recently able to achieve this! Since 2013, they have been conducting a study in Brazil […]
Holograms in Medical Application 08/25/2016
Imagine performing surgery on a patient using a headset that incorporates “mixed reality” holograms into the procedure. Well this may be something you are able to do in the near future! Microsoft has developed a device called the Hololens, and they are currently developing a holographic anatomy education program with Cleveland Clinic and Case Western […]
Surgery With Magnets 08/23/2016
One of the prospective technologies that I have been monitoring is that of non-invasive surgery using magnetics or injectable robots. A device that moves surgery in that direction has just received CE approval and De Novo FDA clearance. Levita Magnetics has developed a laparoscopic instrument that has a tip that can be detached from the […]