You can help the blind see with this app

I came across the Be My Eyes service very recently, when scanning some Innovation awards entries.

In summary, it’s an app that helps blind people solve everyday tasks and problems with the help of a sighted volunteer, via videochat on your smartphone or tablet. You can sign up from any country, but you can set (or indeed add) any languages you speak in the Settings of the app.

It’s remarkably easy to use and it took me, ooh, 30 seconds to sign up as a sighte volunteer.. The app is up for multiple innovation awards as is the founder Hans Jørgen Wiberg. You can download the app from either of the major App stores so take a look at the video below and get involved!

 

 

What can a doctor do with your fitness tracker’s data?

• Who is this post for? Anyone who has or is thinking of buying a fitness tracker
• What does it discuss? The growing notion that doctor’s can make a meaningful analysis of your data to diagnose your health
• How does it benefit you? Fresh perspective

I bought a fitness tracker earlier in the year. I have used it sporadically and find the data interesting to look at but to be completely truthful it’s affected neither my weight or my fitness levels.  I have however found it intriguing that devices like smart watches and wristbands can measure my heart rate, maybe helping me to avoid a heart attack and potentially sending data to my doctor.

I say I find it ‘intriguing’ because I always wonder what a doctor would actually do with this data. So I’m happy to point you in the direction of an article I read last week, asking doctors what they do when people show up with reams of personal fitness data. Clearly we have some way to go before our data is a) meaningful to any health experts (clearly there is a difference with fitness experts) and b) our data is connected to any centralised system that monitors the data itself.  We’ll get back to you on this one in 2020!

Read the piece from Forbes here

 

 

6 ways to improve life for those with dementia

• Who is this post for? Anyone who is responsible for caring for those suffering from symptoms of dementia
• What does it discuss? Gadgets and products that can help relieve burden, worry and stress
• How does it benefit you? Make life at least a little easier and less stressful

Suffering from dementia in old age runs in my family. I know that my parents and I are more likely to suffer from symptoms of dementia or Alzheimers than not. 1 in 3 seniors are likely to die with some symptoms of dementia and Alzheimers is the sixth-leading cause of death in the UK.

I’ve witnessed first hand through grandparents and their own relatives what this looks like and it can be incredibly stressful for those looking after their loved ones.

Thus I was delighted to come across an article on Mashable listing 6 ways (including some excellent, simple to use gadgets) to help improve life for those suffering. I won’t steal the article’s thunder, I simply hope it proves useful to many of you. Read it here

How to deal with abuse on social media

• Who is this post for? Anyone who regularly expresses thoughts and opinions online
• What does it discuss? How to deal with abuse on social media
• How does it benefit you? Know how to react without expending fear or negative energy

Recently I was struck by a story about Holly Brockwell, who was asked to write an article by the BBC’s 100 Women project about why she wanted to be sterilised. The abuse she received was extraordinarily vile and no need to sensationalise it by reproducing it on this site, but if you wish to read Holly’s story you can do so here

I was waiting for a helpful follow-up to the story regarding what people can do if they encounter such abuse. Sadly there was none, so here are 5 tips we’d recommend if you are unfortunate enough find yourself in a situation such as Holly’s:

1. There is no need to interact. Take a step back, calm down and ask yourself if there is anything to gain from yourself melting down online. There very likely isn’t and you’re only providing the response that the abuser wants in the first place. Nobody fair-minded or balanced will think you are weak for not responding!
2. Think about the true nature of what has been said. If someone is disagreeing with you, even if it is in a passionate way, then you’ll just have to get used to it if you want to have a voice online. However if the words are genuinely threatening – for example threatening to find and harm you or your children – then you should report the abuse to the site owner and the relevant authorities. It doesn’t matter whether it’s online or not, it’s still a genuine threat.
3. Did you incite the response in any way? If you have a passionate view about something then you should expect someone out there to be equally passionate with the exact opposite opinion. Disagreement does not equal abuse.
4. You can block people. You are not a news outlet, this isn’t censorship! There are no obligations on you to be fair and balanced or spend your time and energy dealing with negative emotion and behaviour.
5. Learn how to use your privacy controls.  Be selective about what you reveal online or use controls present in most social media to hide your profile or contact details from strangers.

Do you have any tips for dealing with abuse online? Did you have any negative experiences and have experience to share?  If so we’d love to hear from you!

3D Printing That Helps Animals To Walk

 

• Who is this post for? Animal lovers
• What does it discuss? Life changing applications for 3D Printing
• How does it benefit you? Potential health benefits for you and those around you, even your pets

The benefits of 3D Printing have usually been confined to designers or engineers, but new applications are showing truly life changing uses.

Vincent the cat is a perfect example –  born without rear tibias the month-old kitten was rescued by an animal shelter in the US and was luckily introduced to Dr. Mary Sarah Bergh at the Iowa State veterinary hospital. She had the idea to use 3D Printing to create bespoke prosthetics, and by working with veterinary orthopedics company BioMedtrix was able to construct implants which were then inserted into the femur bones of Vincent’s legs and come out through the skin.

Vincent’s recovery has been long, but his future looks bright. He already walks around very well, and his hind legs will continue to be lengthened until they are as long as his front legs. Dr. Bergh says he will even be jumping and doing other normal cat activities soon.

Do you know of any other new technologies having such a big impact on our animal companions? Or do you know any pets who may benefit from such an advancement? Let us know. 

Techno Vest To Help Deaf People ‘Feel’ Sound

A vest that allows the profoundly deaf to “feel” and understand speech is under development at Rice University in the US.

The vest features dozens of embedded sensors that respond to input from a phone or tablet app that isolates speech from ambient sound and then converts it into tactile vibration patterns on the user’s torso to represent words.

The prototype is being tested with positive results, with test subjects, some of them deaf from birth, “listened” to spoken words and wrote them on a white board.

Scott Novich, a doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering who is working on the project comments, “We’ve already run some simple experiments with both hearing and deaf people,” Novich says. “As they use the vest more, they get feedback, and know whether they are right or wrong and start to memorize patterns. People are able to identify words they have never encountered before.”

Do you know of any other technologies available now or under development that may help people who have hearing difficulties please let us know. 

 

 

3D Audio Technology To Help Visually Impaired

• Who is this post for? People who are visually impaired
• What does it discuss? New technology to help independent movement
• How does it benefit you? Help others you know to cope more easily with visual impairment

A complicated project from Microsoft with a simple premise: “Could we enable a person with sight loss to get out and about in a way that would enable you to be more independent.” 

The Cities Unlocked project has been in development for two years, using advanced GPS and smartphone technology to help the visually impaired navigate cities on their own.

Using Bluetooth and Microsoft’s Soundscape app, the user can understand exactly where they are in relation to popular locations and landmarks. The project also uses over-ear headphones by hearing aid maker GN Store Nord that provides a 3D sound component – with a built-in pyrometer and compass that gives the impression of sound coming from different directions.

This is still in planning stages but has great potential to really impact the quality of life for many people.

If you know of any other technology projects that you find inspiring please let us know. 

 

Will you get paid to walk?

• Who is this post for? Anyone interested in earning money just by walking
• What does it discuss? The launch of a new virtual currency and service called Bitwalking
• How does it benefit you? Get fitter, get richer

Walking is good for your health, and it might soon fatten your wallet too. A new virtual currency and smartphone app called Bitwalking has been developed that will pay its users based on the number of miles they walk each day.

The app is launching very soon on Android and iOS in the UK, Kenya, Malawi and Japan and people can request an invite to download the app from the firm’s website right now (I have, what have you got to lose?)

People will need to walk around 5 miles to earn the current equivalent of 1$US. That would mean about an extra £5 in my pocket each week but in less affluent nations, this could seriously affect income in a positive manner. It will be fascinating to see how this is adopted in Kenya and Malawi, Africa’s two launch nations, where rural workers can sometimes earn only about $1 a day. By walking with a tracker in their pocket, they could double their salary.

It has also been suggested that many companies will participate in the scheme, in order to encourage their employees to stay fit and healthy. For a more in-depth look at the service and to evaluate its chances of success, read here.  Let us know what you think of this initiative? Brilliant idea or totatlly harebrained?

Can technology help manage alcohol consumption?

We want to find technology that genuinely benefits us in our real lives, so every week we will be trying to find answers to everyday problems.

This week’s question was, can technology help you manage how much alcohol you consume without compromising how you live your life?

For me, drinking alcohol is about balance. A fun part of my social life on one hand, and weight gain, chronic lack of sleep and hangovers on the other.

So, looking into getting that balance right, we got three recommendations that people have shared.

The Drinkaware’s app

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/app

• Helps calculate units drunk through a diary-like App
• Practical and informative
• Completely free
• Very motivational by showing the calories, and the equivalent time you would need to spend in the gym to run them off!
• Great for getting an overview of your personal consumption

 

The Spruce App

http://www.spruceapp.co.uk

• From the British Liver trust, designed to help you monitor alcohol consumption and set goals to have at least three days without any
• Completely free
• Great for setting goals and sticking to them

 

The NHS Online

http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/Alcohol/Pages/Alcoholhome.aspx

• Great online service – unfussy and non-judgemental
• For serious concerns it can point in the right direction, but for those who just want the information it has it all
• Helps you track your drinking – from your phone with an App or online on the site
• Completely free

 

If you have any experience to share, or if you have a problem you would like to get community advice on then please let us know.

How to avoid going to the doctors surgery

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? How mobile health services are revolutionising healthcare
• How does it benefit you? No waiting for an appointment, quicker diagnosis, reduced travel, reduced time off work

I’ve been a user of the frankly awesome Babylon health service for a few months now. I was getting frustrated just at trying to get through to the local doctors surgery by phone, let alone being given inconvenient appointment times and then having to wait way, way past the appointment time in the surgery itself.

I was talking to a friend about how bad the entire experience is and they recommended I take a look at Babylon Health. As this video explains, you can ask questions, submit pictures etc and within minutes a doctor will talk to you over a video link to discuss diagnosis and next steps. The service doesn’t profess or aim to replace doctors in any way; indeed what it does is find a much better way of quickly connecting you to a helpful, needed, human doctor!

It’s a subscription service which you access via a smartphone app. For a monthly subscription of £4.99 ($7.55/€7.99) you get unlimited medical consultations by text and video. Once you’ve had the online exchange, a doctor can text a prescription to your nearest pharmacy and if necessary, arrange a referral for a real-world consultation.

Take a look at the video http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34900170/embed

and if you want to read an extended article, do so here

Do share your experience of Babylon Health or let us know of any other services that have reduced inconvenience when it comes to healthcare.