Anxiety and depression are inherently tricky conditions to diagnose, with clinicians turning to exams and questionnaires to make their assessments. For this reason, the search is on for clearer, more straightforward ways to identify the conditions, and scientists at the University of Vermont believe they have unearthed another with the help of a newly-developed AI algorithm that can detect telltale […]

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about how living cells can be combined with polymer gels, the mix then being 3D-printed to create biological tissue for use in transplants or experimentation. Such material could soon be getting even more like the real thing, thanks to new ultrasound tech. In natural biological tissue, the cells are aligned in distinct orientations. So […]

Healing large and complex wounds requires vigilant monitoring and frequent dressing changes. This generally means pain, might require general anesthesia, and can even be emotionally disturbing to patients. A less invasive method of wound monitoring, that lets the wounds remain undisturbed, is badly needed. As wounds heal, the chemical composition of their environment changes. A couple of the chemicals whose […]

Constipation is often a hard problem to solve, typically requiring medications to get things moving down there. Medications have side effects, nor do they always work as is hoped for. We, being fans of medical gadgetry, are glad to see that a drug-free pill has been developed capable of shacking up the large intestine and motivating the flow of excrement. […]

People with chronic insomnia will sometimes undergo sleep studies, in which they slumber in a clinic while wired up to various sensors – perhaps not the best way to replicate their typical sleeping environment. Soon, however, they may simply be able to wear special electronic pyjamas, which are currently in development. Led by Dr. Trisha L. Andrew, researchers at the […]

Like a lot of things, skincare products work best if they’re tailored to individual users. Unfortunately, though, such bespoke items tend to be expensive. German startup Skinmade is out to change that, with kiosks that mix and dispense relatively affordable skin creams that are based on each client’s unique needs. Utilizing technology developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering […]

Cocaine used as anesthesia. Heroin as an asthma treatment. Leeches as a remedy for all manners of ailments. Morphine recommended to calm a teething baby. Radium-filled water given for arthritis pain. The history of medicine is filled with extraordinary treatments and theories that today are looked upon as not just kooky, but downright dangerous. The more one learns about the […]

If someone is taking medication for something as important as preventing HIV, it goes without saying that they shouldn’t be lackadaisical about doing so. A new electronically-augmented swallowable capsule is designed to help, by letting patients and physicians know if doses are missed. The capsule is part of the ID-Cap system, developed by Florida-based company etectRx. That system consists of […]

For some time now, we’ve been hearing about implantable scaffolding-like material that helps heal injuries to bones. Scientists have now developed a new type of that material, aimed specifically at difficult-to-treat osteochondral injuries. The long bones in our arms and legs have a layer of smooth, compressible cartilage at each end, which gradually transitions to hard bone underneath. This dual-density […]

In the not-too-distant future, when congestive heart failure patients are being released from hospital, they may be given a special toilet seat to take home. That device would measure their vital signs every time they sit on it, sending alerts if more heart trouble were detected. Developed by a team at the Rochester Institute of Technology, the seat is equipped […]