Monitoring

Frog populations are a key indicator of an area's ecological health, and one of the best ways of gauging their levels involves estimating the number of frog vocalizations being made at one time. The FrogPhone could make it easier than ever to do so.

An international team of researchers suggests that a wide variety of marine species could be used for monitoring the world's oceans. Using electronic tags, exploiting their natural behavior could fill gaps in our knowledge of the seas.

The most common form of arthritis, arthrosis is caused by wear and tear on joint cartilage. And while some exercise helps, too much just makes things worse. That's where a new "smart" knee bandage will come in, by providing real-time strain readings.

In order to monitor a sick infant's blood oxygen levels, the baby typically has to wear sensors that are hard-wired to a large bedside device. Soon, however, a wireless optical sensor could free such infants up, even allowing them to be taken home.

Beekeepers frequently open up their hives to check on them, but doing so adds to their workload, and it stresses out the bees. A team of Dutch entrepreneurs set out to develop an alternative, resulting in the BEEP base hive-monitoring system.

One of the benefits of driving a "connected" car is the ability to receive warnings of hazardous weather on the road ahead. Toyota is now looking at improving the accuracy of such warnings, by monitoring what vehicles' windshield wipers are up to.

Because of infants' sensitive skin, it's not a good idea to rig them up with biosensors that are taped to their body. Scientists have developed what could be an alternative, in the form a pacifier that measures glucose levels within the saliva.

Although we've seen devices such as wrist bands that warn of UV exposure, users still have to, you know … look at the things. Glatus sunglasses instead verbally notify you, plus they'll reportedly let you know if you're too drowsy to drive.

The Injectsense implant is designed to constantly monitor a glaucoma patient's intraocular pressure, transmitting readings to the cloud.

A new insole is designed to keep diabetic foot ulcers from forming, by monitoring skin pressure and temperature.

Although antibiotic levels are currently measured via blood samples, the task could soon be better-managed using a microneedle skin patch.

It was just last year that we heard how scientists from Stanford University had designed a skin-worn sensor that measures stress via cortisol levels in the sweat. Now, researchers from that same institute have announced a similar sensor that tracks other vital signs.