On a number of occasions, we've seen reports suggesting that pacemakers could be sent signals which could instruct them to do all sorts of unwanted things, including shut off completely. Thankfully, the University of Washington's Dr. Tamara Denning has heeded the warnings and created a possible solution. The so-called cloaking device would enable pacemakers to "resist any instructions that come from anyone other than the doctor," though it has yet to be put to the test. in the real world Now, making sure your doc has passed a sufficient amount of background checks is another matter entirely.

[Via Switched]

[Image courtesy of SMH, thanks A.C.E.R.]

In operating rooms today, cancer surgeons are essentially forced to operate without any definitive way of determining whether or not 100% of the diseased tissue has been removed. Thanks to a radical invention by researchers in Massachusetts, that huge limitation could soon be a thing of the past. A new system, dubbed FLARE (Fluorescence-Assisted Resection and Exploration), involves a near-infrared (NIR) imaging system, a video monitor, and a computer. These tools are used to see special chemical dies (christened NIR fluorophores) that are crafted to "target specific structures such as cancer cells when injected into patients." When these dyes are exposed to NIR light, the cancer cells light up, giving doctors an easy look at what they have left to remove. The team is gearing up to showcase the technology at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia -- here's hoping it can be put to good use in the very near future.

Defcon already delivered by exposing California's FasTrak toll system for the security hole that it is, but that's not nearly all that's emerging from the Las Vegas exploitation conference. For starters, a plethora of medical device security researchers have purportedly figured out a way to wirelessly control pacemakers, theoretically allowing those with the proper equipment to "induce the test mode, drain the device battery and turn off therapies." Of course, it's not (quite) as simple as just buzzing a remote and putting someone six feet under, but it's a threat worth paying attention to. In related news, a trio of MIT students who were scheduled to give a speech on how to hack CharlieCards to get free rides on Boston's T subway were stifled by a temporary restraining order that the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority snagged just before the expo. Don't lie, you're intrigued -- hit up the links below for all the nitty-gritty.

Update: MIT published the Defcon presentation in a PDF.

Read - Pacemaker hack
Read - Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority sues MIT hackers
Read - Restraining order on said hackers

Far from the first circuit-laden contact lens we've laid eyes on (ahem), researchers at UC Davis have more than bragging rights in mind with their "smart" contacts. The devices are infused with a "pattern of conductive silver wires, which could be used to measure pressure inside the eye." The material, dubbed polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), would boast antimicrobial properties and could enable scientists to better study glaucoma. How so? By sending pressure data to computers sans wires. Better still, the contacts also include the ability to automatically dispense medication into the eye, making this beneficial in more ways than one. The creators are expected to apply for approval to begin testing the lenses in humans here shortly, and barring any unforeseen (sorry, totally unintentional there) setbacks, we would hope these could be put to use within the next few years.

[Via medGadget]

Giving mere mortals the power to monitor their own health at home isn't a shocking revelation, but LifeSource's new Wellness Connected family takes in-home status checking to another plateau. Three products in the line are being announced: the Wireless Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor, Wireless Precision Scale, and Wireless Activity Monitor. The trifecta utilizes FitLinxx's proprietary wireless technology in order to link together and provide users with information on blood pressure, weight, and "activity" that can be logged and analyzed on a typical computer. Regrettably, no pricing information was mentioned, but we get the sense that this trio won't be coming without a noticeable premium.

[Via medGadget]

We're still a bit gun shy when it comes to surfing over to PEAK Surgical's website after watching that PlasmaBlade demonstration video, but a new release from the outfit affirms that said electrosurgery scalpel has just been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration. The "tissue dissection system," as it's so gruesomely called, has been given 501(k) clearance, meaning that PEAK can now market its tool for use in general surgery. So, anxious to camp out and be the first in the country to get sliced and diced by one of these? Bombard your local hospitals with phone calls starting next month.

[Via MedGadget]

Here's one straight from the bizarro chapters. Dozens of individuals that attended an all night dance party near Moscow have been "partially blinded after a laser light show burned their retinas," according to Russian health officials. Apparently someone responsible for erecting the equipment decided to aim a few lights powerful enough to brighten the night sky down at the crowd (after rain necessitated a makeshift roof, we're told), with some of those who stared too long losing up to "80%" of their vision. We're not exactly sure what will happen to the promoters of the event, but at least now you have a valid excuse to rock those face-engulfing sunglasses (or a welding mask, if you're really paranoid) in every night club you waltz into.

[Via Switched, image courtesy of iGouGo]

Not like we haven't heard of at-home dialysis before, but a pair of researchers from UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System concocted a design which would make the process even more portable. The AWAK (automated, wearable artificial kidney) would "avoid the complications patients often suffer with traditional dialysis" by being bloodless in nature; additionally, it would theoretically "reduce or even eliminate protein loss." Fittingly, UCLA-VA has already inked an agreement with Singapore-based AWAK Technologies in order to develop a commercial version, but there's no mention of how soon the creators expect said device to be widely available.

[Via Physorg]

There are literally entire stores devoted to devices that detect drink spiking (okay, maybe not stores), but what about those of us concerned over food-borne pathogens? A crew of European researchers are addressing said worries by "creating one of only two prototype systems in the world that prepare samples and perform DNA tests on bacteria in a portable, easy-to-use and cost-effective chip." Essentially, the EU-funded OptoLabCard project is aiming to concoct a small, disposable laboratory that humans could carry around and use to detect diseases such as campylobacter and salmonella before ingesting contaminated grub. Team members are suggesting that a commercial product could be ready to roll within three years, with prices for each "lab" reaching as low as $0.50. 'Til then, always make your buddy have the first bite.

[Via Physorg]

From the get-go, Nintendo's latest console was seen as a dream come true for folks who'd love to lose a few pounds, yet would rather log a few hours on the couch rather than the track. Shortly after the Wii Fit's launch, we're already seeing another wave of dedicated users reporting weight loss, and the trend is even bleeding into the medical field. According to Sue Stanley-Green, a professor of athletic training at Florida Southern College, the Wii Fit and other fitness-related games have "great potential for core strengthening and rehabilitation and may boost compliance with rehabilitation exercises." She also noted that these games were "being used more and more in nursing homes," and particularly with youngsters, titles such as Wii Fit are the only ones that stand a chance at getting them active. We can't decide if that's a positive thing or just downright depressing.

[Thanks, Juergen]

Read - Wii Fit in rehab
Read - Wii Fit weight loss

Eileen Brown doesn't have any full-fledged robotic phalanges or anything, but she is slowly but surely becoming what most would consider a bionic woman. Mrs. Brown has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis since her 20s, and now that she's 49, countless operations have replaced every joint in her body with artificial alternatives save for her elbow and left hip -- the latter of which is set to be swapped out before the month's end. Currently, the determined dame lives with a lot of pain, but she refuses to let a few aches ruin her livelihood. In all honesty, the most amazing part of this isn't the ability of metal (enough to set off an airport detector) to hold a person together, it's the will to soldier on. Kudos, Eileen.

[Via Digg]

Around 1.5 years ago, we got wind of researchers in the UK working up a battery-free pacemaker. Fast forward to now, and we've got yet another breakthrough in the field. Purportedly, a crew of Osaka University scientists have created the "world's first optical pacemaker," and in an article published in Optics Express, the team details how "powerful, but very short, laser pulses can help control the beating of heart muscle cells." In theory, this discovery provides the means for dictating said cells within a controlled setting, which could help researchers "better understand the mechanism of heart muscle contraction." As amazing as we're sure this is to the science world, throwing "lasers" and "heart" into the same sentence just doesn't elicit warm / fuzzy feelings.

[Via Primidi]

Frighteningly enough, this isn't the first (or second) time that we've seen scientists pat themselves on the back for creating a mind-reading machine, but a dedicated team from Carnegie Mellon has just announced a computer that "has been trained to read people's minds by looking at scans of their brains as they thought about specific words." In a completely unsurprising move, gurus familiar with the development are suggesting that the breakthrough could be used to better understand how the brain organizes knowledge, and eventually, treat language disorders and learning disabilities more effectively. That's all gravy from here, but when this stuff starts passing as evidence in court, you'll know it's time to seriously investigate a relocation to Mars.

Before long, hardware-laden undergarments will be a necessity in life. After all, we've already seen underwear that fends off cellphone radiation, and now Philips is looking to create a pair that actually monitors one's blood pressure continually. A recent patent application from the firm details a "wearable" system, but it does point out that "it is particularly suitable for implementation in a continuously wearable undergarment with integrated measuring sensors or electrodes, so as to be directly in contact with the subject's skin." We can only assume that if these actually make it beyond the drawing board that they'll have an integrated wireless module in order to beam out vitals at all hours of the day, but we're personally a little wary about having all this hardware so close to, um, our hardware.

[Via NewScientistTech]

Okay, so we're not exactly doctors, but we couldn't help but be intrigued by PEAK Surgical's announcement today that its PlasmaBlade electrosurgery scalpel had completed preclinical testing with positive results. Unlike traditional electrosurgery tools like the bovie cutter, the PlasmaBlade operates at low temperatures, using pulsed plasma energy to cut tissue and control bleeding. Then, stupidly, we watched the video. Let's just say now that it no longer matters to us that surgeons using the PEAK PlasmaBlade produce "minimal collateral damage" to tissue and that bleeding was reduced. Sure, it's great for the surgeons, but our eyes? Not going to be the same.

[Via MedGadget]

Read - PEAK PlasmaBlade press release
Watch - PEAK PlasmaBlade demo video (WARNING: not for the squeamish, we mean it!)