Category: Gadgets

Wearable devices will be used in new study from the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Intel

Wearable technology may hold some promise when it comes to researching Parkinson’s Disease. The Michael J. Fox Foundation and Intel have teamed together to study how wearable devices could be used to detect data on the various symptoms of the disease. The information will be uploaded into a cloud computer network and this information will be available to researchers for free. Some 60,000 people in the U.S. alone are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease every year and understanding this affliction is beginning to become more important.

Mobile technology is beginning to see more practical uses

Mobile technology plays a significant role in society today, but typically only fills entertainment and social needs. Smartphones allow people to stay in constant contact with one another through the Internet and through a mobile network. Beyond that, mobile technology has only very recently begun to see more attention as a way to gather information about certain medical problems and similar issues.

Study aims to help patients keep track of their symptoms more effectively

Through the study, data concerning the slowness of movement, tremors, and sleep quality of those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease will be collected. Wearable devices may also help patients self-report their symptoms and how these symptoms affect their lives more efficiently. A small-scale study was held earlier this year in which patients used wearable devices to offer up information about their symptoms. Those participating in the study noted that wearable devices kept track of their symptoms more effectively.

Wearable technology has seen little practical use in the past few years, but that may be changing quickly

Wearable technology is gaining popularity, but wearable devices are typically seen as novelty rather than practical tools. Most wearable devices have to do with entertainment in some way, while others exist for social media purposes. There are very few of these devices currently available that represent some practical use. Some smartwatches, for instance, exist that help keep track of health information, but wearable devices have seen little practical use beyond this.

A new tech startup called Changing Environments has invented public seating that uses the sun to charge mobiles.

Changing Environments, a startup based in Massachusetts, has now announced its invention of a public bench that acts as a solar powered smartphone battery charger that could be used by Boston residents and visitors to recharge their mobile devices.

The company is also working on collating data on the setting surrounding that urban area.

The smartphone battery charger bench is called the “Soofa”. It has a built in solar panel that can build up the energy needed for members of the public to be able to charge up their mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets using USB ports. Previous efforts to provide the public with USB ports have come to a halt after there were some serious mobile security concerns voiced regarding the risk of hackers that could use them to spread viruses.

The CEO of the company explained that these solar smartphone battery charger benches are equipped with powerful mobile security.

Chief exec of Changing Environments, Sandra Richter, assures users that the Soofa mobile device charger is equipped with stringent security measures in order to help to prevent attempts to use the USB ports for this type of malicious activities.

The recharging ports are housed within concrete boxes. These boxes are fitted with security screws that, according to Richter, can be opened only by staff from the company. Should brute force be used to try to force the boxes open, it would automatically disable the electronics within the box.

Beyond providing the public with a free mobile device recharging station, the Soofa also has a computer built into it that gathers data with regards to the urban environment in which it has been placed. This information is wirelessly sent over the internet. Among the types of data that are gathered by the benches is the amount of sunshine that is received by the bench. This collected information will soon be expanded to include other environmental details, such as noise levels, air quality, and the flow of pedestrians around the smartphone battery charger benches.