A telehealth architecture for networked embedded systems: a case study in in vivo health monitoring.

The improvement in processor performance through continuous breakthroughs in transistor technology has resulted in the proliferation of lightweight embedded systems. Advances in wireless technology and embedded systems have enabled remote healthcare and telemedicine. While medical examinations could previously extract only localized symptoms through snapshots, now continuous monitoring can discretely analyze how a patient's lifestyle affects his/her physiological conditions and if additional symptoms occur under various stimuli. We demonstrate how medical applications in particular benefit from a hierarchical networking scheme that will improve the quantity and quality of ubiquitous data collection. Our Telehealth networking infrastructure provides flexibility in terms of functionality and the type of applications that it supports. We specifically present a case study that demonstrates the effectiveness of our networked embedded infrastructure in an in vivo pressure application. Experimental results of the in vivo system demonstrate how it can wirelessly transmit pressure readings measuring from 0 to 1.5 lbf/in (2) with an accuracy of 0.02 lbf/in (2). The challenges in biocompatible packaging, transducer drift, power management, and in vivo signal transmission are also discussed. This research brings researchers a step closer to continuous, real-time systemic monitoring that will allow one to analyze the dynamic human physiology.

Semi-annual oscillations in Saturn's low-latitude stratospheric temperatures.

Observations of oscillations of temperature and wind in planetary atmospheres provide a means of generalizing models for atmospheric dynamics in a diverse set of planets in the Solar System and elsewhere. An equatorial oscillation similar to one in the Earth's atmosphere has been discovered in Jupiter. Here we report the existence of similar oscillations in Saturn's atmosphere, from an analysis of over two decades of spatially resolved observations of its 7.8-microm methane and 12.2-microm ethane stratospheric emissions, where we compare zonal-mean stratospheric brightness temperatures at planetographic latitudes of 3.6 degrees and 15.5 degrees in both the northern and the southern hemispheres. These results support the interpretation of vertical and meridional variability of temperatures in Saturn's stratosphere as a manifestation of a wave phenomenon similar to that on the Earth and in Jupiter. The period of this oscillation is 14.8 +/- 1.2 terrestrial years, roughly half of Saturn's year, suggesting the influence of seasonal forcing, as is the case with the Earth's semi-annual oscillation.

Electronic orthotics shoe: preventing ulceration in diabetic patients.

The improvement in processor performance through continuous breakthroughs in transistor technology has resulted in the proliferation of lightweight embedded systems. Advances in wireless technology and embedded systems have enabled remote healthcare and telemedicine. Continuous and real-time monitoring can discretely analyze how a patient's lifestyle affects his/her physiological conditions and if additional symptoms occur under various stimuli. Diabetes is one of most difficult challenges facing the healthcare industry today. One of the primary afflictions of diabetic patients is peripheral neuropathy (loss of sensation in the foot). As a direct result of this condition, the likelihood of ulcer increases which in many cases leads to to amputation. We have developed a wireless electronic orthotics composed of lightweight embedded systems and non-invasive sensors which can be used by diabetic patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy. Our proposed system monitors feet motion and pressure distribution beneath the feet in real-time and classifies the state of the patient. The proposed system detects the conditions that could potentially cause a foot ulcer. This system enables a continuous feedback mechanism for instance in case of an undesired behavior or condition a preemptive message wirelessly to the patient and the patient's caregiver.