RxWare - blog.rxware.com

Welcome

Recent developments in micro-and nanotechnology, low-power computing, wireless communication as well as in information processing have paved the way to non-invasive and mobile biomedical measurements and health monitoring.

via [ rxware ]

Polymer Vision: Organic based rollable displays

Polymer Vision announced its cooperation with Innos to establish the world’s first production facility for organic semiconductor based rollable displays. Manufacturing will start this year to meet the increasing commercial demand for the unique Polymer Vision display technology.

» polymervision.com / PDF download [ Contribute: submit link / submit article / submit company ]

CodeBlue: Wireless Sensor Networks for Medical Care

We are exploring applications of wireless sensor network technology to a range of medical applications, including pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency care, disaster response, and stroke patient rehabilitation.

Recent advances in embedded computing systems have led to the emergence of wireless sensor networks, consisting of small, battery-powered "motes" with limited computation and radio communication capabilities. Sensor networks permit data gathering and computation to be deeply embedded in the physical environment. This technology has the potential to impact the delivery and study of resuscitative care by allowing vital signs to be automatically collected and fully integrated into the patient care record and used for real-time triage, correlation with hospital records, and long-term observation.

» codeblue » spauldingrehab.org / [ PDF ] view document

iPods can make pacemakers malfunction

iPods can cause cardiac implantable pacemakers to malfunction by interfering with the electromagnetic equipment monitoring the heart, according to a study presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday.

The study tested the effect of the portable music devices on 100 patients, whose mean age was 77, outfitted with pacemakers. Electrical interference was detected half of the time when the iPod was held just 2 inches from the patient's chest for 5 to 10 seconds.

The reason why it this hasn't been caught before?
"Most pacemaker patients are not iPod users," Jongnarangsin said.

» reuters.co.uk 

Tags: pacemakers, cardiovascular, hearth+health

Applications of Social Networking to Medical Treatment

Tony Ferraro, President and CEO of 360Hubs and Dr. David Stone, a practicing psychologist, former Harvard Fellow in computer science and now a Visiting Scholar in GSAS joined us at the Berkman Center to speak about applications of social networking technology in the treatment of trauma survivors.

David began the presentation by discussing his experience with clinical services in technology, specifically Second Life. As a practicing psychologist, David has worked in Second Life within specialized communities, and took us on our a tour of Mormon community with a woman named Lois who has multiple sclerosis.

[ MOV ] play video » harvard.edu

Listening to a Fetus's Heartbeat

A device the size of an iPod could give women with high-risk pregnancies a way to monitor the health of the fetus.

Discerning the heartbeat of a baby still in the womb is a bit like making out a murmur in a crowded room. However, researchers at the University of Nottingham have designed a fetal heart monitor that can accurately distinguish a fetus's heart rate from its mother's and from surrounding noises. What's more, they've made the device noninvasive, small, and easy to use in the home. Scientists have also enabled the monitor to transmit heart-rate data to the Internet, where doctors can remotely analyze and watch particularly high-risk pregnancies.

» Technology Review » Monica Healthcare

Quest Diagnostics to Acquire AmeriPath for $2B

Quest Diagnostics, a medical diagnostics testing, information and services provider, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held AmeriPath, a national diagnostic testing company, in an all cash deal valued at $2 billion. AmeriPath had over $800m in revenues last year. The deal is expected to close in Q2 subject to regulatory approval.

Software identifies cancer probability

People with a family history of pancreatic cancer now have a way to predict accurately their chance of carrying a gene that causes the hereditary form of the disease, and their lifetime risk of developing it.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a computer software tool to help determine who would most benefit from early screening for the disease. Scientists estimate that inherited genes cause 10 per cent of aggressive and fatal cases of the disease.

Research: Consumers Prefer The Phone For Rx Reminders

Pharmacy managers at health plans and pharmacy benefit management firms (PBMs) want members to take the medications their doctors prescribe to combat otherwise expensive diseases. And pharmaceutical marketers want consumers to take their prescription drugs, period. That's why it makes sense to remind patients to refill and take their medication. How do consumers most prefer getting these reminders? Via phone. Firms should consider working with vendors like Eliza, PAR3 and Silverlink that have experience in automating outbound calls in healthcare.

» forrester

Research: Which Consumers Share Medical Information?

The virtue of consumers who share their medical information, through applications like personal health records, is clear. These pioneers ease communications among themselves, payers, and physicians and enable their own path toward better health and wellness. Yet, while some people are ready to share their medical information, others are unsure or say they are downright not interested. To understand why some consumers are willing to share their medical information, and for what benefits, market researchers must take notice of the varying attitudes of those willing and not willing to share their medical information.

» forrester

Patient-Centred Health

Prepared by the waerable computing research, smart miniaturized sensors, data processing and communication devices will be embedded in our daily outfit. These components monitor continuously the wearer's vital signs like heart rate, heart rate variability, temperature and motor activities. The combination of vital parameters with the wearer's context, the activity and sleep patterns, social interactions and other health indicators paint a picture of the physiological state.

The classical 'hospital centred healtcare' is moving towards a 'patient-centred health', with emphasis on prevention and early risk detection. The rxwear aims at the design and implementation of several mobile personal Health Assistants (PHA) by combining wearable computing and biomedical related technologies.

Tags

rxware (tm) dot com / Drug Delivery + Body Monitoring

• Patch
• Wearable Body Monitoring
• Wearable Healthcare
• Biomedical Sensing
• Context Sensing
• Health Care
• Wearable Computer
• Fabric Sensors
• Nano-Ttreated Fabrics
• Wearable Medical Monitoring Systems
• Tracking Patients Health

A new concept in healthcare, aimed to provide continuous remote monitoring of the user’s vital signs, is emerging. An innovative system named rxware is presented.

rxware (tm)