Medical
Health care reform: Will the medical device tax harm the industry?
February 6, 2013 3:57 pm | by Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief, Medical Design Technology | Blogs | CommentsObviously, the overwhelming majority of the industry is not in favor of the medical device tax associated with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare). There are the remote pockets of support within the industry where people say that the tax, as part of the whole picture, will be a positive.
Telepresence robots: Always on call
February 6, 2013 9:26 am | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | Articles | CommentsThese words from a medical-alert pendant commercial became a humorous catchphrase in pop culture during the 1990s, but Mrs. Fletcher’s plea carries a lot of weight to those who are worried about the elderly or others in need of medical care but without a means of communicating to medical professionals or caregivers.
Top 10 posts for January
February 1, 2013 12:41 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWe had a record-breaking January here at ECN online with our most trafficked month in the history of the website. So, without further delay, here’s a rundown of the most read, most popular, most awesome articles on the web. Take a look at what you missed the first time around or check up on an old favorite to see the conversation in the comments.
Ultra-flexible flat silicon cables designed for telepresence robot applications
January 31, 2013 2:43 pm | Cicoil Corp. | Product Releases | CommentsDesigned for today’s demanding Mobile Video-Conference & Telepresence Robot applications, Cicoil's ultra-flexible flat silicone cables are halogen-free, flame retardant and perform exceptionally well in confined area environments. In addition, Cicoil’s unique designs provide premium current carrying capacity,
Did the Justice Department cause Aaron Swartz’s suicide?
January 31, 2013 9:00 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsAaron Swartz was a 26-year-old computer programmer and online activist who died of apparent suicide on January 11, ahead of a scheduled trial where he was charged with 13 felonies. Swartz, founder of Demand Progress, an online group actively working against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)...
Cradle connector is first of its kind to be designated waterprooof and achieve an IPX7 rating
January 30, 2013 3:57 pm | Yokogawa | Product Releases | CommentsWater spills on a PC charger; chemicals come in contact with a handheld medical device. While once considered inevitable, damaging liquid seepage into cradle connectors can now be prevented. Yokowo’s new male side (cradle) connector is the first of its kind to be designated waterproof and to achieve an IPX7 rating.
These shoes will tell you when it’s time for a new pair
January 28, 2013 3:14 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsApple has a lot of great products: iPhones, iPads, computers, laptops, Apple TV and the potential for many more. (Note the lack of iPad mini on this list because it is a dumb product, but I digress.) It seems the company might be expanding into shoe wear with a sensor that will track your steps and tell you when it’s time for a new pair of kicks.
Will a high-velocity, DNA-tagging police pellet gun deter protesters?
January 24, 2013 3:43 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsGun control is a hot button issue, so it makes sense that police and security firms would look towards expanding effective methods of nonviolent interaction. This becomes particularly important during riot situations with a lot of people and confusion, where police are often outnumbered and overwhelmed.
Study: Digital information can be stored in DNA
January 24, 2013 9:36 am | by MALCOLM RITTER AP Science Writer | News | CommentsIt can store the information from a million CDs in a space no bigger than your little finger, and could keep it safe for centuries. Is this some new electronic gadget? Nope. It's DNA. The genetic material has long held all the information needed to make plants and animals, and now some scientists are saying it could help handle the growing storage needs of today's information society.
Vibrating steering wheel might prevent car accidents
January 23, 2013 9:12 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsI’ve talked a lot about intelligent systems in cars that are steering the industry towards a safer overall product by allow computers to take over where human error would mean an accident.There has been talk of new seatbelts, new braking system, and sensors that communicate with traffic lights and other cars,
“Smart pills” could save firefighters from injury or death
January 22, 2013 11:27 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWhile the idea of “Smart Medication” didn’t go over very well with the ECN crowd, there is a group to which it could be the difference between life and death.Firefighters often battle in extreme environmental conditions that can be pretty tough on the body’s vitals.
Multi-touch bedside terminal wins Taiwan Excellence 2013
January 18, 2013 9:50 am | Product Releases | CommentsIBASE Technology announces that the BST-1850 multi-touch bedside terminal, a multifunctional slim 18.5” panel PC designed especially for bedside medical care applications, wins 2013 Taiwan Excellence Award. The symbol of Taiwan Excellence is a distinctive, proprietary logo and the unique trademark for Taiwan’s innovalue.
Would these “smart” ice cubes change how you drink?
January 17, 2013 2:24 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsSometimes great technology comes out of bad life experiences. Like the time Dhairya Dand from MIT Media Lab was so intoxicated he blacked out, and came up with an idea for a technology that would prevent people from drinking too much.By placing a smart LED inside molds of waterproof, edible jelly...
Designing a smart TV remote using a 2.4GHz RF radio
January 15, 2013 10:13 am | by RamaSai Krishna Vakkantula, Cypress | Cypress | Articles | CommentsToday’s television manufacturers are designing televisions that are smart and have the ability to connect to the Internet so that users can browse web content and socialize. Usually these smart TVs are mounted on the wall and all other entertainment equipment islocated behind the closed doors of an entertainment center.
Could this circuit board prevent 2,000 infant deaths per year?
January 11, 2013 9:23 am | by Editor | Blogs | CommentsSIDS is the leading cause of death among infants between the ages of one month to one year. The most recent statistics put the number of deaths at about 2,226 per year, nearly seven infants per day.In hopes of lowering the number of infants who succumb to SIDS,
Remote module provides fast, easy solution for adding PROFIBUS Master and Slave connectivity to Rockwell Logix controllers
January 9, 2013 11:09 am | Molex | Product Releases | CommentsMolex Incorporated introduces the SST™ IP67 PB3 Remote Module for PROFIBUS*. A linking device with on-board PROFIBUS and Ethernet communication ports, the SST IP67 PB3 remote module provides a fast and easy solution for adding PROFIBUS Master and Slave connectivity to Rockwell Logix controllers (CompactLogix, ControlLogix, SoftLogix†, etc).
Why the computer mouse will soon be obsolete
January 8, 2013 9:04 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsIf you thought being able to “pinch” your iPad screen to zoom was cool, hold on to your hats, because there is something even better coming: a way to use your computer without even touching it.To fully understand why this technology is so awesome, you have to ask yourself about the actual reason the computer mouse is designed the way is it.
Integrated analog front end targets photometry market
January 7, 2013 2:33 pm | Texas Instruments | Product Releases | CommentsTexas Instruments Incorporated (TI) unveiled what is said to be the industry’s first family of fully integrated analog front ends (AFEs) for photometry. According to the company, the AFE44xx family integrates all the front end components and associated timing control circuitry of a typical photometry
Would you like to contribute to our Brainstorm section?
January 2, 2013 4:50 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Blogs | CommentsWe here at ECN love to hear what you have to say, so for our February issue we’re opening up the Brainstorm discussion to our faithful readers. We want to hear your thoughts about consumer electronics and the future of technology. Typically, the Brainstorm is an editorial section consisting of short commentary....
The challenges of miniaturization
December 20, 2012 1:16 pm | by Bruno Fauvel, Segment Manager, Portescap | Portescap | Articles | CommentsWith miniaturization often comes the challenge to produce the same amount of work as in large design, thus creating more power in a smaller envelope. Engineers should look at the different impact of dimension on motor performance criteria (efficiency, power, thermal dissipation, inertia, etc.).
Mind-controlled robotic arm gets closer than ever to human limb
December 17, 2012 10:03 am | by Chris Wickham, Reuters | News | CommentsResearchers in the United States have developed a robotic arm controlled directly by thought with a level of agility closer than ever to a normal human limb. Jan Scheuermann, a 52 year-old woman who was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disorder 13 years ago and is paralyzed from the neck down,
Significant challenges remain for miniaturization of devices
December 14, 2012 4:20 pm | by AJ Smith, Honeywell Sensing and Control | Honeywell Sensing And Control | Articles | CommentsDevice miniaturization is integral to the design and development of a wide range of medical devices, including analytical test equipment, ventilators, and infusion pumps. Making devices smaller and lighter helps conserve valuable real estate in patient rooms, enabling equipment to be placed closer to the patient as well as allowing more space for medical professionals to work.
Got food allergies? Thanks to UCLA, you can test your meal on the spot using a cell phone
December 13, 2012 9:07 am | by Eurekalert! | News | CommentsAre you allergic to peanuts and worried there might be some in that cookie? Now you can find out using a rather unlikely source: your cell phone. A team of researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has developed a lightweight device called the iTube, which attaches to a common cell phone to detect allergens in food samples.
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed host controller IC provides providing 480 Mbit/s capability
December 10, 2012 2:29 pm | Product Releases | CommentsFuture Technology Devices International Limited (FTDI) has strengthened its portfolio of USB semiconductor solutions, with the release of the FT313H host controller IC. This feature-rich device supports USB 2.0 hi-speed (480 Mbits/s), as well as full-speed (12 Mbit/s) and low-speed (1.5 M bit/s) implementations.
Laser-structured, high-performance polymers are ideal combination for miniaturization
December 6, 2012 4:15 pm | by Anthony Verrocchi, Technical Marketing Engineer, Ticona Engineering Polymers | Articles | CommentsAs the requirements for medical devices become more demanding, accessing new technologies and materials to miniaturize components is essential. Miniaturization of medical devices is dependent upon the reliability of their assembled components, which is crucial for proper functioning devices.
