Man Builds Smartphone Dock in Prosthetic Arm

man born without his left arm devised a prosthetic limb to contain his smartphone, highlighting technology's increasingly important role in assisting the disabled.

Nokia C7

Trevor Prideaux of Somerset, England, asked medical and communications experts to build him a plastic arm that contained a cradle for his Nokia C7 smartphone.

"Now when I get call I can either hold my arm up to my ear or put it on speaker phone. I can also take it out if I need to. Texting is also much easier and a lot safer," said Prideaux.

The 50-year-old catering manager says it was difficult to text with just one hand, prompting him to seek assistance from technicians at Exeter Mobility Centre.

Prideaux adds he contacted Apple, requesting a blank iPhone casing to test out his idea, but says the company refused, so he chose to use a Nokia phone instead.

Prideaux' idea follows other breakthroughs in technological aids for the disabled, like the Vanderbilt leg.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University created an artificial leg from smartphone parts, reasoning that the mini-computers, with their sensors, motors and batteries, will be better able to give amputees a more natural gait.

The leg is light and holds power for three days, a breakthrough compared to other prosthetic limbs.

Also, services like the JayBee system from Txtlocal and Time Is Limited help disabled people text more easily using hand, head and eye movements.

JayBee even translates texts into voice commands as needed to signify "I need help" or "Come quickly."

An iPhone app created by Singapore's Republic Polytechnic School of Engineering reads signals from handicapped users' brains to help them move wheelchairs without physical force.

Prideaux, along with countless other disabled people, may benefit as mobile technology continues to claim a place in medical science, in both breakthrough advances and improvements for everyday living.

Smartphone Ultrasound Hits Market After Regulatory Delays

A smartphone-enabled ultrasound device is on the market after lengthy regulatory delays, showing an emerging need for balance between federal regulators, medical device manufacturers, and the pace of technology.

The device allows healthcare professionals to perform ultrasounds using a smartphone with a plug-in wand. It received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February, after a lengthy wait, and then it took manufacturer Mobisante eight months to implement FDA-mandated controls.

Due to the gap between conception and commercial debut of Mobisante's mobile ultrasound, the device only works with the two-year-old Toshiba Windows Mobile TG01 phone and requires a USB 2.0 probe for the port. As a result, it isn't compatible with widely used iPhones and Android phones.

In July, the FDA released guidelines regarding the use of medical apps in practicing medicine, basically saying that these apps turn smartphones and tablets into "medical devices," which are then subject to the regulatory body's approval process.

The FDA's main regulatory aim is public safety, a desire that's shared by device makers and healthcare professionals alike. However, a disconnect may be growing as a lengthy approval process goes head-to-head with lightning-fast advances in mobile technology.

The FDA approval process for drugs and medical devices has been known to take years and be costly for manufacturers. The FDA clearance process for the Mobisante device may have cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Use of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices is increasing in health and hospital settings. At the same time, health costs are growing and large hospital systems, clinics and private practices are looking for ways to save money, creating a market for mobile medical device makers estimated to be worth $2 billion.

The smartphone-enabled ultrasound costs just under $7,500 for the Toshiba smartphone, probe and software, as compared to full-size machines that can cost in excess of $100,000. It can also send images wirelessly for consultation or storage.

Mobisante co-founder and CTO David Zar said the development and approval process for the mobile ultrasound imaging system took "a lot longer than expected."

But, he also admitted the extra time and additional protocols imposed by federal regulators allowed them to refine the product and were ultimately positive.

Medical device companies are eager to get new products out and jump into a growing market created by the widespread use of mobile technology. As the pace of innovation picks up, pressure on federal regulators to speed the approval process is likely to increase as well.

Richard Clarkson’s Rotary Mechanical Smartphone

Think of a smart phone that has Rotary dialer like old telephones. Can not guess? Designer Richard Clarkson comes to the rescue. He has created a conceptual Smartphone with a rotary dial. The Rotary Mechanical Smartphone combines a digital touch-screen on the front with interchangeable mechanical dials on the back. The painted surface of the case will wear away in time to reveal the electroplated copper beneath. It is a concept that combines and synthesizes digital technologies and physical mechanical systems in order to elicit more value in our everyday objects. Rotary mechanical is a question not only about the ever increasing ‘digital take-over’ of everything in our lives but also what is lost when this happens. There are two interchangeable brass dials, a true rotary dial and a button dial, the act of changing these is inspired from changing the lenses on a camera. The body is electroplated copper which is then painted and designed to improve aesthetically as is wears. The design of the phone references both steampunk and minimalistic genres to combine and contrast the different forms and surface finishes. A cool phone, that blends future with past.