A commonly used device found in living rooms around the world could be a cheap and effective means of evaluating the walking difficulties of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The Microsoft Kinect is a 3D depth-sensing camera used in interactive video activities such as tennis and dancing. It can be hooked up to an Xbox gaming console or a Windows computer.
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Brain-Machine Interface Triggers Recovery for Paraplegic Patients
During the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, a young Brazilian man, paralyzed from the chest down, delivered the opening kickoff. He used a brain-machine interface, allowing him to control the movements of a lower-limb robotic exoskeleton. This unprecedented scientific demonstration was the work of the Walk Again Project (WAP), a nonprofit, international research consortium
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Low Rate of Internet Use by Seniors for Health Purposes
The sickest, most expensive, and fastest growing segment of the U.S. population are seniors 65 years and older. Digital health technology has been advocated as a solution to improve health care quality, cost, and safety. However, little is known about digital health use among seniors.
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Web-based Technology Improves Pediatric ADHD Care and Patient Outcomes
As cases of ADHD continue to rise among U.S. children, pediatricians at busy community practices are getting a much-needed assist from a web-based technology to improve the quality of ADHD care and patient outcomes. According to a multi-institutional study published online July 26 in Pediatrics, a new web-based software program is helping reduce ADHD behavioral symptoms in children receiving care at community pediatric practices by coordinating care and ensuring patients get the most effective ADHD medications.
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Social Media Linked to More Satisfaction with Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions
Women who engaged on social media after a breast cancer diagnosis expressed more deliberation about their treatment decision and more satisfaction with the path they chose, a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center finds. But the researchers found significant barriers to social media for some women, particularly older women, those with less education and minorities.
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Greater Privacy and Security Measures Needed to Protect Patient Info in Mobile Health Tech
With over two-thirds of U.S. adults owning a smartphone, and the rise in miniaturized sensors and low-power body area networks that are used for remote health monitoring, mobile health (mHealth) is beginning to experience a boom. While the technology has the potential to increase healthcare quality, expand access to services, reduce costs, and improve personal wellness and public health, such benefits may not be fully realized unless greater privacy and security measures are implemented,
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