PainDroid: An android-based virtual reality application for pain assessment

Earlier studies in the field of pain research suggest that little efficient intervention currently exists in response to the exponential increase in the prevalence of pain. In this paper, we present an Android application (PainDroid) with multimodal functionality that could be enhanced with Virtual Reality (VR) technology, which has been designed for the purpose of improving the assessment of this notoriously difficult medical concern. Pain- Droid has been evaluated for its usability and acceptability with a pilot group of potential users and clinicians, with initial results suggesting that it can be an effective and usable tool for improving the assessment of pain. Participant experiences indicated that the application was easy to use and the potential of the application was similarly appreciated by the clinicians involved in the evaluation. Our findings may be of considerable interest to healthcare providers, policy makers, and other parties that might be actively involved in the area of pain and VR research

EVALUATION OF MOBILE APPLICATION FOR ANTICOAGULANT DRUG MANAGEMENT: IOS AND ANDROID PLATFORM

Our goal was to identify the practical usage of medication management apps and what they can offer a consumer especially in their old age, keeping in view the aspect of medication adherence.A search of FREE medication management apps was conducted on app store of iPhone/Android operating system. Apps were included if they had a medication management system which included a reminder setup option and had an easy to use interface.Of the 22 apps on IOS and 18 apps on Android identified by strategy all met the inclusion criteria. WebMD and Drugs.com rated the highest among the apps because of their basic medication reminder feature coupled with their enhanced levels of functionality. WebMD was rated best for its information and usability which included a symptom checker, medication reminder, list of disease conditions, drug list with Indications, dosage information, side effects, drug interactions, drug use in pregnancy and lactation, first aid information, local health facilities listings, tests and procedures listings, healthy living tips, food and recipes.Finding a medication management app is challenging if you are looking for a specific type of apps as most of the apps are not tested by any authorized drug regulatory authority for example FDA. Almost all have no reviews and are not affiliated to any healthcare organization. Despite being untested, medication apps represent a possible strategy that pharmacists, healthcare workers, carers and family members of elderly patients can recommend for helping nonadherent patients and incorporate into their practice.Â

A Future Projection of Hardware, Software, and Market Trends of Tablet Computers

We investigated hardware and software trends in tablet computers released during the market explosion. Market explosion was defined by the release of 4+ devices in a fiscal quarter. We compared a total of 82 tablet computers released between February 2011 and December 2012. Computers were analyzed on processor speed, weight, battery life, and pixel density. Data was analyzed in accordance to the fiscal quarter. Our results indicate the market trending toward a hybrid device between tablets and laptops

PROsaiq: A Smart Device-Based and EMR-Integrated System for Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement in Routine Cancer Care

The PROsaiq prototype, which is based on the use of smart devices, was developed to show the technical feasibility of a lean, low-cost ePRO system that integrated with the oncology information system MOSAIQ to provide the potential for benefits in routine patient care, and improved data for clinical research. The system was built with Free & Open Source Software and trialled for a limited number of assessments. The report describes the components used, the decisions made and the hurdles met during the project. An on-line demonstration system is available to showcase PROsaiqs functionality

Towards a Low-Cost Mobile Subcutaneous Vein Detection Solution Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Excessive venipunctures are both time- and resource-consuming events, which cause anxiety, pain, and distress in patients, or can lead to severe harmful injuries. We propose a low-cost mobile health solution for subcutaneous vein detection using near-infrared spectroscopy, along with an assessment of the current state of the art in this field. The first objective of this study was to get a deeper overview of the research topic, through the initial team discussions and a detailed literature review (using both academic and grey literature). The second objective, that is, identifying the commercial systems employing near-infrared spectroscopy, was conducted using the PubMed database. The goal of the third objective was to identify and evaluate (using the IEEE Xplore database) the research efforts in the field of low-cost near-infrared imaging in general, as a basis for the conceptual model of the upcoming prototype. Although the reviewed commercial devices have demonstrated usefulness and value for peripheral veins visualization, other evaluated clinical outcomes are less conclusive. Previous studies regarding low-cost near-infrared systems demonstrated the general feasibility of developing cost-effective vein detection systems; however, their limitations are restricting their applicability to clinical practice. Finally, based on the current findings, we outline the future research direction