Research

Are Humans the New Supercomputer?

The saying of philosopher René Descartes of what makes humans unique is beginning to sound hollow. 'I think - therefore soon I am obsolete' seems more appropriate. When a computer routinely beats us at chess and we can barely navigate without the help of a GPS, have we outlived our place in the world? Not quite. Welcome to the front line of research in cognitive skills, quantum computers and gaming.

Mathematics to Fight Cancer

Mathematicians and physicians at the University of Bonn have developed a new model for immunotherapy of cancer. The method could help to develop new treatment strategies and to understand why some approaches do not work with certain tumors. The study is now appearing in the technical journal Scientific Reports.

High in Calories and Low in Nutrients

A new study from the University of Gothenburg show that adolescents like to present foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients in social media. Previous studies have found that interactions around food in social media can influence adolescents' consumption of candy and their willingness to try unfamiliar foods.

Microsoft's Xbox Kinect Breathes New Life into Respiratory Assessment

Xbox Kinects could be used in the future to assess the health of patients with conditions such as cystic fibrosis. Researchers at the Institute of Digital Healthcare, WMG, University of Warwick and the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham and Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT) have developed a method of using the devices.

Popular Blood Pressure App Misses the Mark

A popular smartphone app purported to accurately measure blood pressure simply by placing a cellphone on the chest with a finger over the built-in camera lens misses high blood pressure in eight out of 10 patients, potentially putting users' health at risk, according to research from Johns Hopkins.

Digital Health Tool Helps Cardiac Rehab Patients

Adding a digital health tool to traditional cardiac rehabilitation appears to help people recovering from a heart attack lose significantly more weight in a relatively short period of time, according to research scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

Activity Monitoring Devices Provide Reliable Records of Activity

Fitbit, the popular physical activity monitoring device, is a valid and reliable way of monitoring physical activity, finds a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Whilst Fitbit-Flex is one of the most popular wearable devices currently available to measure physical activity, very little research has been conducted on its accuracy.

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