Apps

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Heart attack-detecting smartphone app almost as accurate as an ECG

Rich Haridy November 11, 2018

A newly developed smartphone app has shown promise for determining if a person is suffering from a serious heart attack. A study into the app's accuracy revealed it was almost as effective as a traditional electrocardiogram (ECG)​ at identifying a serious form of heart attack.

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Digital Cameras

Pixii rangefinder uses a smartphone for image display and storage

Paul Ridden October 22, 2018

Most camera makers have added Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to their models over the last few years, allowing for wireless image transfer and smartphone-based remote operation. The Pixii does away with the rear panel and gives the job of image display and storage to a paired smartphone.

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Health & Wellbeing

Cornell app looks users in the eye to gauge alertness

Ben Coxworth October 19, 2018

​Given that our level of alertness varies throughout the day, it only makes sense that we should avoid performing attention-demanding tasks when we're at our drowsiest. An experimental new Android app is designed to determine when those times are, by examining users' eyes.

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Holiday Destinations

Image-recognition travel app books trips based on photos

Ben Coxworth October 17, 2018

​At some time, we've probably all seen a photo of some great-looking place and thought "If I knew where that was, I'd go there." Well, the new Look&Book iOS/Android app can reportedly figure out where such photos were taken (within Europe, at least), and it proceeds to plan your flights.

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Music

BandLab makes music production free and easy

Paul Ridden October 15, 2018

​When we first caught up with BandLab – a cloud-based music creation and collaboration platform – the project was in its infancy. A lot has happened since early 2013, so a catchup is long overdue.​

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Medical

$100 smartphone kit can ID pathogens in under an hour

James Holloway September 21, 2018

American scientists have developed a smartphone app that can identify types of bacteria in one hour, down from a typical turnaround of 18 to 28 hours. The reduced detection time should mean faster diagnosis, treatment and recovery for patients, as well as reduced costs.

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Space

NASA celebrates Spitzer's 15th anniversary with VR experience and selfie app

Anthony Wood August 24, 2018

​NASA is marking the 15th launch anniversary of its Spitzer Space Telescope with the release of a VR tour of the TRAPPIST-1 system, and a cosmic selfie app. Spitzer blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on August 25, 2003 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket.

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Health & Wellbeing

Stroke-detecting app could eliminate the guesswork

Ben Coxworth August 13, 2018

We've already seen a couple of apps capable of detecting a heart condition which can cause strokes. Now, Spanish scientists have developed an Android app that lets users know if they've actually just experienced a stroke – and if it turns out that they have, it gets help.

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Health & Wellbeing

Experimental autism treatment reads emotions using Google Glass

Ben Coxworth August 2, 2018

Kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often find it difficult to gauge other people's facial expressions – this can in turn lead to problems in communicating with those people. Scientists at Stanford University, however, are seeing new hope in an approach that utilizes Google Glass smart glasses.

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Health & Wellbeing

Brain training app can improve levels of critical cognition-improving neurochemical

Rich Haridy July 29, 2018

A new study from researchers at McGill University in association with commercial company Posit Science has presented fascinating evidence showing how a particular proprietary brain exercise can directly increase production of a chemical critical to memory and learning.

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