IEEE Pulse 

About: IEEE Pulse is an academic journal published by IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Computer science. It has an ISSN identifier of 2154-2287. Over the lifetime, 696 publications have been published receiving 5331 citations. The journal is also known as: IEEE Pulse & Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers pulse.

Adding Value in Additive Manufacturing : Researchers in the United Kingdom and Europe Look to 3D Printing for Customization

Abstract: Having already made a big impact in the medical sector, three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology continues to push the boundaries of cost efficiency, convenience, and customization. It has transformed some aspects of medical device production. However, expectations of the technology are often exaggerated in the media, so we spoke to leading researchers in the field about its practical applications and what can be expected in the near future.

The In-the-Ear Recording Concept: User-Centered and Wearable Brain Monitoring

Abstract: The integration of brain monitoring based on electroencephalography (EEG) into everyday life has been hindered by the limited portability and long setup time of current wearable systems as well as by the invasiveness of implanted systems (e.g. intracranial EEG). We explore the potential to record EEG in the ear canal, leading to a discreet, unobtrusive, and user-centered approach to brain monitoring. The in-the-ear EEG (Ear-EEG) recording concept is tested using several standard EEG paradigms, benchmarked against standard onscalp EEG, and its feasibility proven. Such a system promises a number of advantages, including fixed electrode positions, user comfort, robustness to electromagnetic interference, feedback to the user, and ease of use. The Ear-EEG platform could also support additional biosensors, extending its reach beyond EEG to provide a powerful health-monitoring system for those applications that require long recording periods in a natural environment.

Thermal Tumor Ablation in Clinical Use

Abstract: Although a surgical procedure is performed by visual inspection with histopathological assessment of the excised tumor and margins, percutaneous and noninvasive thermal ablation is performed strictly with the aid of imaging. Applicator guidance into the target zone, treatment monitoring and verification, and clinical follow-up rely on effective imaging. Detailed discussion of imaging is beyond the scope of this article, but the influence of imaging on the choice of thermal ablation or procedural approach will be discussed as needed. More information on imaging for interventional therapies can be found in other articles in this issue of IEEE Pulse.

Wearables and the Internet of Things for Health: Wearable, Interconnected Devices Promise More Efficient and Comprehensive Health Care

Abstract: In our recent book Health-e Everything: Wearables and the Internet of Things for Health, we capture in an interactive e-book format some global thought-leader perspectives as well as early examples of case studies and novel innovations that are driving this emerging technology domain. Here, we provide a brief snapshot of key findings related to these novel technologies and use cases, which are driving both health care practitioners and health consumers (patients). As technologists, having a firm understanding of customer-driven innovation and the actual user benefits of interconnective devices for health will help us engineer better solutions that are more targeted to the triple aim of better, faster, and cheaper health solutions.

Scopes Too Flexible...and Too Stiff

Abstract: The article investigates how the difficulties caused by the flexibility of the endoscope shaft could be solved and to provide a categorized overview of designs that potentially provide a solution. The following are discussed: paradoxical problem of flexible endoscopy; NOTES or hybrid endoscopy surgery; design challenges; shaft-guidance: guiding principles; virtual track guidance; physical track guidance; shaft-guidance: rigidity control; material stiffening; structural stiffening; and hybrid stiffening.