Brain-Computer Interface Enables People with Paralysis to Control Tablet Devices
Tablets and other mobile computing devices are part of everyday life, but using them can be difficult for people with paralysis. New research from the BrainGate consortium shows that a brain-computer interface (BCI) can enable people with paralysis to directly operate an off-the-shelf tablet device just by thinking about making cursor movements and clicks.
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New China and US Studies Back Use of Pulse Oximeters for Assessing Blood Pressure
Fast and easy blood pressure monitoring could soon be at your fingertips - literally - thanks to new University of British Columbia research that showed blood pressure (BP) can be assessed by a fingertip oximeter, a tool not generally used for that purpose. Hypertension or high blood pressure is linked to 1,100 deaths each day in the U.S. alone, so it's critical to regularly monitor people at risk. The challenge is that current BP monitoring methods have their limitations.
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New Epilepsy Warning Device could Save Thousands of Lives
A new high-tech bracelet, developed by scientists from the Netherlands detects 85 percent of all severe night-time epilepsy seizures. That is a much better score than any other technology currently available. The researchers involved think that this bracelet, called Nightwatch, can reduce the worldwide number of unexpected night-time fatalities in epilepsy patients. They published the results of a prospective trial in the scientific journal Neurology.
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Online Program Helps Prevent Teen Depression
Although up to 20 percent of adolescents experience a depressive episode each year, the medical community has struggled to implement programs that effectively prevent depression. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have worked to fill this gap in pediatric primary care by conducting clinical trials to evaluate and compare interventions.
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Breakthrough Neurotechnology for Treating Paralysis
Three paraplegics who sustained cervical spinal cord injuries many years ago are now able to walk with the aid of crutches or a walker thanks to new rehabilitation protocols that combine targeted electrical stimulation of the lumbar spinal cord and weight-assisted therapy. This latest study, called STIMO (STImulation Movement Overground), establishes a new therapeutic framework to improve recovery from spinal cord injury.
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Stanford, Apple Describe Heart Study with over 400,000 Participants
A clinical trial to determine whether a smartwatch app that analyzes pulse-rate data can screen for a heart-rhythm disorder has enrolled more than 400,000 participants. Researchers at Stanford Medicine, in collaboration with Apple, launched the Apple Heart Study last November to determine whether a mobile app that uses the optical sensor on the Apple Watch to analyze pulse rate data can identify atrial fibrillation.
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Robotic Arm may Help to Rehabilitate Chronic Stroke Victims
New research published in Frontiers in Neurology finds that robotic arm rehabilitation in chronic stroke patients with aphasia, the loss of ability to understand or express speech, may promote speech and language function recovery. Robotic arm rehabilitation is a commonly-used intervention for treating impaired motor function in the arm, wrist, or shoulder subsequent to stroke.
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