Technological innovations in mental healthcare: harnessing the digital revolution

Digital technology has the potential to transform mental healthcare by connecting patients, services and health data in new ways. Digital online and mobile applications can offer patients greater access to information and services and enhance clinical management and early intervention through access to real-time patient data. However, substantial gaps exist in the evidence base underlying these technologies. Greater patient and clinician involvement is needed to evaluate digital technologies and ensure they target unmet needs, maintain public trust and improve clinical outcomes

Mobile psychiatry: towards improving the care for bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND: Mental health has long been a neglected problem in global healthcare. The social and economic impacts of conditions affecting the mind are still underestimated. However, in recent years it is becoming more apparent that mental disorders are a growing global concern and there is a necessity of developing novel services and researching effective means of providing interventions to sufferers. Such novel services could include technology-based solutions already used in other healthcare applications but are yet to make their way into standard psychiatric practice. METHODS: This manuscript proposes a system where sensors are utilised to devise an “early warning” system for patients with bipolar disorder. The system, containing wearable and environmental sensors, would collect behavioural data independent from the patient’s self-report. To test the feasibility of the concept, a prototype system was devised, which was followed by trials including four healthy volunteers as well as a bipolar patient. RESULTS: The sensors utilised in the study yielded behavioural data which may be of significant use in detecting early effects of a bipolar episode. Basic processing performed on particular data inputs provided information about activity patterns in areas, which are usually strongly influenced by the course of Bipolar Disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The manuscript discusses the basic usage issues and other barriers which are to be tackled before technology-based approaches to mental care can be successfully rolled out and their true value appraised

Personalised Ambient Monitoring (PAM) for People with Bipolar Disorder

This paper presents the architecture and preliminary trial results of a monitoring system for patients with bipolar disorder containing environmental and wearable sensors

Polyester and Polyesterimide Compounds with Nanofillers for Impregnating of Electrical Motors

Polyester and polyesterimide compounds for impregnating of electrical motors were modified by incorporating of three kinds of nanofillers: zinc oxide, fumed nanosilica and titanium dioxide so as to improve their properties. Nanosized particles were added at 1 wt.% of loading and homogeneously dispersed in polyester and polyesterimide matrix. The results on mechanical, electrical and barrier properties of standard and nanofilled compounds were compared. Thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis showed that thermal stability of nanofilled compounds was significantly higher. Also the electrical and bonding strength of nanofilled impregnating compounds increased and at the same time water absorption decreased. The highest improvement of properties owing to nanofillers was obtained in the case of nanosilica