Situational awareness

The virtual human is here — how much are you willing to share about yourself with the world?

Dr. Christian Jacob with PhD student Timothy Davison working with LINDSAY Virtual Human applications on a display wall in the Visualization Studio at the Digital Library, University of Calgary. University of Calgary photo By Christian … READ MORE

Paint job transforms walls into sensors, interactive surfaces

Smart walls react to human touch, sense activity in room. Researchers at CMU and Disney Research used simple tools and techniques to transform walls so that they will react to touch and sense activity in a room. CMU Byron … READ MORE

Humans and machines learn together to win a competition

People using brain-computer interface are more efficient when both human and machine are allowed to learn. EPFL researchers trained two tetraplegic users to compete in the international Cybathlon BCI race. Both learned incrementally … READ MORE

CTRL-Labs EMG wristbands may spell the end for keyboards and mice

Why type when you can just think about typing? A visualization of what the wristbands “see” as the user’s hands gesture. CTRL-Labs Andrew Tarantola, Engadget April 17, 2018 From the earliest days of punch cards, … READ MORE

Human hair as interactive material

UC Berkeley researcher and artist Eric Paulos and his students continue their explorations of “cosmetic computing” with a new prototype and paper about Human Hair as Interactive Material. If you’d like to coif your … READ MORE

This neural operating system lets paralyzed, voiceless patients communicate

Nuro’s new brain-computer interface uses neurological signals to let incapacitated patients talk to doctors and family. Nuro enables instant communication and computing for millions of people in post-surgeries and ICUs, nursing … READ MORE

Access the Valley project aims for accessibility info

Goal is to gather information that is useful for visitors with mobility issues in one web location. Invermere residents Kate Gibbs and Cassy Campbell would like to make travel to the Columbia Valley easier for visitors with … READ MORE

Sensors to prevent Parkinson’s patients from falling

New EIT Health research project launched on telemedical analysis of gait and falls. Analysing the gait of a Parkinson’s patient with inertial sensors. Kurt Fuchs Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg March 14, 2018 … READ MORE

Radiologist harnesses virtual reality as powerful teaching tool

Physicians, trainees and even lay people can now join an expert radiologist as he performs one of the most difficult medical procedures of its kind — thanks to virtual reality. Ziv Haskal, MD, watches the radiology procedure in … READ MORE

Wearable sensors characterize CP gait

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) facilitate the creation of a gait analysis system that is portable and suited for use in the clinic. Research suggests IMUs can be used to measure clinically important gait metrics in children with … READ MORE

E-skin lets you manipulate objects in real and virtual worlds

Researchers integrate magnetoelectronic sensors into electronic skin that tracks motion. When it comes to virtual reality systems, sensors that ‘fit like a glove’ aren’t good enough anymore. Now, we want such sensors to fit more … READ MORE

We’re not addicted to smartphones, we’re addicted to social interaction

Neurobiology of mobile-device habits stems from a healthy human need to socialize, rooted in evolution, McGill researchers find. Phubbing – Social rules of courtesy for the use of smartphones must be created. Protectora Justin … READ MORE

Augmented reality lets doctors see under a patient’s skin

3D models from CT and MRI scans are projected onto patients as they move, for accuracy in surgery, rehab, and education. ProjectDR is an augmented reality system that allows medical images such as CT scans and MRI data to be displayed … READ MORE

People with tetraplegia gain rapid use of brain-computer interface

A new approach to calibrating the pioneering BrainGate brain-computer interface allowed three clinical trial participants with tetraplegia to gain control of a computer cursor after just one simple calibration step. Brain power. A … READ MORE

Samsung SmartSuit for Olympic Winter Games 2018

Samsung created a SmartSuit to help improve training for Dutch short track speed skaters. Samsung continues its long association with the Olympics as the worldwide Olympic partner of the 2018 Winter Games that take place in … READ MORE

Woman with eye-tracking software communicates with mom for first time since 1996

Using eye-motion camera and tablet software, breakthrough occurred during Christmas Day visit. A Nova Scotia amendment would have protected Joellan Huntley from government clawbacks. CTV News Atlantic Keith Doucette, The Canadian … READ MORE

Engaging older adults through touch tablets

Switched-on seniors. Involving end–users in the design of new technology has worked wonders for older Australians. Swinburne researchers developed an iPad-based, picture-frame system that allows older people to receive photographs … READ MORE

Virtual reality project can boost confidence of new wheelchair users

A group of designers has made a virtual reality system that lets people push a real wheelchair through a virtual world. Fjord, a design and innovation consulting company, began the system as an “empathy project” with the intent of … READ MORE

Autonomous wheelchairs arrive at Japanese airport

It’s part of a wider program to improve accessibility for all. The Uber of wheelchairs at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, people with disabilities will be able to hail autonomous wheelchairs using a smartphone app that lets them select … READ MORE

How magic tricks help children with cerebral palsy

For children with hemiplegia, a common form of cerebral palsy, learning to be a magician is remarkably effective therapy — as attendees at the Breathe Magic summer camp find out. A child at Breathe Magic. Photographs: Graeme … READ MORE

Does smart clothing have a future?

This fall it will be possible to answer a call just by making a simple gesture on your jacket. You will be able to receive GPS directions, skip a song or turn up the music volume without having your mobile phone in your palm. The … READ MORE

Hands-free, wireless control for people with limited mobility

Komodo OpenLab, a company based in Toronto, Canada, released a new device that lets severely paralyzed people operate Android and iOS tablets and smartphones, as well as other devices, using standard accessibility tools such as sip … READ MORE

Glassouse turns your head into a mouse

The Glassouse basically turns your head into a mouse or trackpad. If you can’t use your arms, this means you can finally navigate a computer screen, tablet or cell phone easily, on your own. Glassouse tracks head movements to … READ MORE

Phone app helps people with ALS speak using just their eyes

GazeSpeak runs on a smartphone and uses artificial intelligence to convert eye movements into speech, so a conversation partner can understand what is being said in real time. The eyes say it all. GazeSpeak, Enable Team, Microsoft … READ MORE

MIT’s new wheelchair drives itself

For all the talk of self-driving vehicles revolutionizing transportation, the technology promises to do even more for the elderly and disabled by allowing them to enjoy sustained independence. Autonomous vehicles will allow aging Baby … READ MORE

Singapore pilots autonomous wheelchairs

People living longer, and having fewer kids, means that there’s an issue around being able to hire enough people to perform essential jobs. Not to mention, of course, that the tax base will inevitably shrink, reducing the money … READ MORE

Brain-sensing technology allows typing at 12 words per minute

Stanford University researchers have managed to use an implanted multi-electrode array to read the brain signals of monkeys thinking of typing letters on a screen and to convert those signals into the target letters at a rate of 12 … READ MORE

Study uses GPS technology to predict football injuries

Footballers’ injuries may be predicted by looking at players’ workloads during training and competition, according to new research. Researchers discovered that the greatest injury risk occurred when players accumulated a very high … READ MORE

Big data in healthcare goes far beyond EHR

Big data has applications in medtech that extend far beyond electronic health records. An analytics expert explains how data and algorithms have the potential to create a neuroassistive device to help paralyzed patients. In 2014, Ian … READ MORE

I’m the first quadriplegic person to regain thought-control of my arm

After being paralysed six years ago, Ian Burkhart is now able to swipe a credit card and play the computer game Guitar Hero, thanks to a device that uses machine learning to read his thoughts and stimulate his arm. Ian Burkhart, Ohio … READ MORE

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