Osirix launches radiological image viewer for iPad: Osirix is one of the finest radiological (DICOM) image viewers out there, and best of all it is free and open source. Now you can also enjoy that goodness on your Apple Inc. iPad, with Osirix HD. A (paid) iPhone version has been out for a while, but of course the iPad screen lends itself much better for image viewing than the small iPhone screen. Osirix HD was released just a few days ago as a universal app for iPhone and iPad, and costs $29.99. It can display images from all common imaging modalities, such as ultrasound, CT, MRI or PET scans. It can be used as a complement to the desktop version, providing seamless integration, or by itself connecting to a PACS server to retrieve images over WiFi or 3G. Basic image manipulation can be performed using the common iOS gestures. The main limitations are that images are limited to 1024×1024 pixels (bigger images are down-sampled) and the app is not Food & Drug Administration approved, so you are not supposed to use it for clinical diagnoses.
GreenGoose Sensors turn real life into role-playing: If a longer, more comfortable life isn’t enough motivation for you to make health-conscious decisions, why not turn the tasks into a game? That’s what San-Francisco startup GreenGoose plans to with its innovative lifestyle tracking platform. The company recently raised $100,000 in funding to build the platform, which uses wireless sensors attached to household objects such as a water bottle, toothbrush, or vitamin container. GreenGoose’s service doesn’t just track the number of times each week you pick up your toothbrush; the service is part of a points-based game based on the number of healthy activities you perform. GreenGoose developed adhesive sensors for bottles and containers, a credit-card sized pedometer, and toothbrush sensor, all which communicate with a base station attached to a broadband router. At the moment, the points you earn are not worth anything, but GreenGoose is currently developing an API and seeking partners to help develop the program. For seniors, it could be an enjoyable way to keep up with your medications and stay active. And, for gamers, a level 50 Health Overlord could be only a few miles of exercise and days of flossing away! I found really good reviews for products that you might like from https://reviewsfield.com
Nuance speech recognition to power mobile devices, Watson supercomputer: Burlington, Mass.-based Nuance Communications is now offering its cloud-based clinical speech recognition technology to developers for integration into their applications. Because processing is done externally of the device where speech is captured, powerful voice recognition can be introduced to relatively slow computing devices like tablets and smartphones. Additionally, IBM is partnering with Nuance to couple its victorious Watson supercomputer with medical speech recognition to provide clinical decision making at the point of care.
Under Armour shirt records performance data for NFL recruits: Collegiate and professional football fans probably know that this past weekend was the NFL Scouting Combine, a week-long event in which NFL prospects undergo a series of tests and drills to assess their performance in front of NFL coaches and staff. These prospects know that the results of the NFL Combine will affect their place in the NFL Draft in April, so it’s important that they perform their very best. To help players, their trainers, and NFL staff measure athletic performance, Under Armour has released a new compression shirt, which debuted at the NFL Combine. The shirt contains electronic sensors that measure heart and breathing rates and skin-surface temperature, and a triaxial accelerometer to measure force and direction. The accelerometer is contained in a "bug," a removable sensor pack that’s placed on the sternum and looks something like Iron Man’s arc reactor. The bug communicates with the other sensors in the shirt, and sends out all the data via Bluetooth. The bug also contains 2 gigabytes of storage and a central processor to handle all the information. According to the NFL, the sensor pack, developed by Maryland-based Zephyr Technology (PDF), were given to the trapped Chilean miners to monitor their vitals.
Check out Under Armour’s introduction to their newest performance shirt, the E39:
A weekly roundup of new developments in wireless medical technology and mHealth, by MedGadget.com.