Articles tagged with Smartphones
A new augmented reality app, Phobys, has been developed to help people reduce their fear of spiders through exposure therapy. The app uses a realistic 3D spider model projected into the real world and offers nine levels of training, with game elements to maintain motivation.
A study compared four voice assistants - Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, and Cortana - to assess their accuracy in providing information on cancer screening. The top three assistants provided consistent information with USPSTF guidelines roughly 70% of the time.
Top-performing diet and nutrition apps often track dietary intake, anthropometrics, and physical activity but lack behavior change features. A new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that premium versions offered more features than free ones, but these did not significantly impact app ratings or user engagement.
Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt and Bonn have synthesized molecular nano spheres made of silicon atoms, known as silafulleranes, which can encapsulate chloride ions. The discovery of these new compounds may lead to improved applications in electronics, solar cells, and batteries.
Researchers confirm FDA recommendation that patients keep consumer electronics, such as cell phones and smart watches, six inches away from implanted medical devices. Studies found that these devices can trigger magnet mode in pacemakers and defibrillators, posing a risk to patient safety.
A systematic review of online interventions found that exergames and smartphone apps increased physical activity levels and improved emotional states among young people. The study suggests a positive impact on mental health and social development through digital mediums.
New research published in PNAS suggests that community-based monitoring can improve water management in rural Costa Rica by reducing groundwater extraction and improving water quality. The program, which used a smartphone application and WhatsApp, showed modest but significant effects after one year.
Researchers at UC San Diego developed a system that splits a single millimeter wave beam into multiple paths to improve reliability and throughput. The technology achieved high speeds of up to 800 Mbps with 100% reliability, even in outdoor tests over distances of 262 feet.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a tunable neural network framework that achieves high accuracy and efficiency for sparse CNNs. The new architecture employs a Cartesian-product MAC array and pipelined activation aligners to enable dense computing of sparse convolution, resulting in better resource utilization.
A recent study published in Biosystems Engineering explores the potential of smartphone cameras to assess soil organic matter and evaluate soil fertility. The technique uses advanced image analysis and machine learning to predict SOM values rapidly and with high correlation to traditional soil analysis.
A research team developed a novel sensor that can detect and convert infrared light into electrical signals at temperatures up to 100°C. The device eliminates the need for cooling devices, reducing production costs and operating speeds, making it suitable for smartphone and autonomous vehicle applications.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that people who experience intense boredom frequently in everyday life may seek 'flow' by playing smartphone games to escape their feelings. This 'boredom fix' can lead to negative consequences and excessive gaming, ultimately increasing depression.
A new study published in PLOS ONE suggests that smartphone photos of the inner eyelid can be used to screen for anemia. The algorithm achieved accuracy rates of up to 94.4% in predicting anemia, making it a potential tool for early diagnosis and treatment in low-resource settings.
A new system, dubbed Easy Secure Photos (ESP), encrypts photos uploaded to cloud services, protecting them from attackers and the cloud services themselves. Users can visually browse and display encrypted images as if they weren't encrypted.
According to a recent paper in Nature Human Behaviour, smart technology is not dumbing us down. Instead, it's augmenting human cognitive abilities, allowing us to excel in complex tasks. By leveraging tools like GPS and computers, we can free up brain energy to think creatively.
Research found smartphone apps and telehealth initiatives improve healthcare systems and patients' quality of life in relation to pain management. User involvement is vital for app development and acceptability.
A field experiment involving 100 students showed that soft smartphone bans can increase efficiency for standard routine tasks, but have no notable impact on more complex tasks. The success of soft bans also depends on employees' perceptions of social norms and freedom of choice.
A study of over 53,000 Korean adolescents found that moderate smartphone use is associated with unhealthy eating behaviors, including a higher intake of junk food and fewer fruits and vegetables. Teens who spent more than 3 hours per day on their phone were significantly more likely to be overweight or obese.
A new smartphone app developed by Cornell University engineers can predict grape yields up to 24% more accurately than traditional methods. The app uses computer-vision technology to analyze video footage of grape vines, allowing farmers to secure labor and equipment in advance and reduce profits.
Shanjiang Zhu is developing an Android version of the InfraHub smartphone app to report bicycle and pedestrian facility issues. The project also includes social media outreach to encourage users to report facility issues.
Researchers have deciphered brain activity associated with trying to write letters by hand and developed an algorithm to identify letters. The system displayed the text on a screen in real time, allowing the participant to type 90 characters per minute, more than double the previous record for typing with a brain-computer interface.
GeroSense AI tracks biological age and resilience via smartphone sensor data, providing personalized health recommendations. The technology predicts biological age acceleration and stability, enabling timely detection of lifestyle or health status changes.
A new mobile app is being developed to safeguard users of cryptocurrency by detecting vulnerabilities in popular 'wallet' applications used to manage Bitcoin. The app, called the Bitcoin Security Rectifier, monitors for signs of intrusions and alerts users when an attack is happening, providing remedies based on the type of attack.
Researchers studied Netflix expansion in 40 Asian countries and one restricted country, finding a 19.7% increase in pirated content search in the restricted country. Demand for pirated content is also higher for less dialogue-oriented content, particularly among non-English-speaking consumers.
Community-based monitoring programs collect credible data at local scales, informing decision-making and advancing sustainability challenges. Digital platforms enable community participation, but equitable access is crucial to avoid inequities.
A Brigham Young University study found that mobile night shift functions do not improve sleep quality, contrary to manufacturer claims. Researchers tested 167 emerging adults and found no significant differences in sleep outcomes between those using phones with Night Shift enabled or disabled.
A network of off-the-shelf smartphones deployed in Costa Rica detected and alerted on five earthquakes, outperforming scientific-grade warning systems. The system, called ASTUTI, uses accelerometers built into phones to provide early warnings for potential disasters.
Smartphone-based imaging systems can guide diagnosis and treatment with portable, user-friendly biomedical imaging. Emerging technologies like multispectral and quantitative fluorescence imaging offer promising diagnostic applications.
Scientists at Tokyo University of Science develop biofuel cells that use lactate to generate power for wearable devices. The new design can drive a commercially available activity meter for 1.5 hours using one drop of artificial sweat.
A study by University of Tokyo researchers found that writing on physical paper leads to more brain activity when remembering information an hour later. Paper's unique spatial and tactile information enhances memory recall. In contrast, digital tools were slower and scored worse in simple test questions.
A modeling study suggests that digital contact tracing can significantly reduce COVID-19 outbreaks if a significant portion of the population adopts a contact tracing app. With 20% adoption, cases decrease by 35%, while higher adoption rates lead to further reductions.
Researchers develop HeadFi, a plug-in headphone adapter that transforms regular headphones into sensors for user identification, heart rate monitoring and gesture recognition. The invention shows promise in upgrading existing headphones without requiring new hardware or customization.
Researchers develop dynamic and intelligent solution to detect malware in Android apps without rooting devices or breaching privacy. The system achieves high accuracy in sensitive behavior detection, promising enhanced smartphone security.
A NUI Galway study found that problem and non-problem gamblers differ in the gratifications they seek from mobile gambling. Problem gamblers use apps to facilitate social interaction and avoid boredom, while non-problem gamblers do not.
Assistant Professor Guoyu Lu is creating an AI system that uses smartphones to analyze crop roots, enabling quick and efficient analysis of root shape, surface area, and angles. The goal is to develop a mobile app that can assess various crops and improve breeding resilient crops.
Researchers found that young novice drivers who speak into hand-held smartphones while driving are also likely to drive while under the influence of drink or drugs. The study also found a strong correlation between talking on a hand-held phone and speeding, overtaking, and other high-risk behaviors.
Researchers from Skoltech have designed a software-based algorithm for synchronizing time across smartphones, achieving an accuracy of several microseconds. This method can be used to create a network of sensors and has potential applications in various fields, including photography and noise cancellation.
A new method using smartphones offers precise means to gauge food consumption over time, capturing seasonal shifts in diet patterns. The approach has the potential to predict physical well-being and tackle food insecurity affecting two billion people worldwide.
A study by West Virginia University found that top sleep trackers can accurately measure total sleep time and sleep efficiency, but struggle with sleep staging accuracy. Researchers tested eight commercial sleep trackers and found that some devices overestimated or underestimated sleep metrics, while others were unable to quantify slee...
Researchers at Graz University of Technology develop a new method of contact discovery that significantly limits privacy threats, using intersection calculations and encryption protocols. The ContactGuard application stores encrypted address book entries on the mobile phone, preventing service providers from accessing sensitive data.
A digital intervention using a smartphone app altered major personality traits such as conscientiousness and extraversion. Participants who used the app for more than three months reported greater success in achieving their change goals compared to those who only used it for two months.
A virtual reality app called Easyheights has been shown to improve ability to handle real height situations, with participants able to ascend further towards the top than before training. The app uses 360° images and gradually increases perceived distance without increasing fear levels.
Researchers found that smartphone PPG technology can accurately measure blood-oxygen levels and heart rate, comparable to FDA-approved hospital instruments. This technology could enhance remote monitoring of patients with chronic cardiopulmonary disease and initial treatment for respiratory viral pandemics.
A digital personality change intervention targeting behavioral changes, psychoeducation, self-reflection, and progress feedback significantly improved trait changes for participants wanting to increase traits. These findings suggest that personality traits can be altered through interventions in nonclinical samples.
The Autonomous Vehicle Assistant (AVA) smartphone app provides navigational assistance for people with disabilities and seniors to use self-driving cars. The app offers a multisensory interface, GPS technology, real-time computer vision, and artificial intelligence to support navigation and vehicle access.
Researchers at UArizona are developing a COVID-19 testing method that uses a smartphone microscope to analyze saliva samples, delivering results in about 10 minutes. The method combines the speed of existing nasal swab antigen tests with the high accuracy of PCR tests.
Researchers studied why people use their smartphones at cafés, identifying three main reasons: delaying conversation, shielding interaction, and sharing content. Deliberate phone use can be seen as polite if explained or used to signal busy-ness, while excessive use can be perceived as rude.
A systematic review of smartphone fitness apps and wearable activity trackers found they increase physical activity levels in healthy adults by an average of 1850 steps per day. The interventions that were most effective included text-messaging prompts, tailored features, and goal-setting tools.
A research team in South Korea developed a self-healing colorless polyimide material that can repair cracks and damaged functions without high-temperature heat. The material, created by mixing linseed oil-loaded microcapsules with silicone, offers advantages such as accelerated healing process and local damage repair at room temperature.
Scientists developed a novel smartphone-based technique to diagnose viral infections using a deep learning algorithm that identifies viruses in metal nanoparticle-labeled samples with 98.97% sensitivity. The system correctly identified clinically relevant concentrations of Zika, hepatitis B and C in patient samples.
The SyNRG team at the University of Illinois is exploring a new sub-area of mobile technology called 'earable computing' that will run on earphones. This platform aims to continuously sense human behavior, provide acoustic augmented reality, and offer seamless security, among other capabilities.
A study by Cornell University researchers found that older adults in NYC are more likely to report fatigue and pain when encountering stressful social environments. The study used smartphone-based data collection to track participants' movements, activities, and emotions.
A new CRISPR-based test for COVID-19 can provide accurate results in under 30 minutes using a smartphone camera, enabling faster and more accessible testing. The test measures viral load, helping healthcare professionals estimate the stage of infection and predict recovery.
Researchers at WPI and Virginia Tech are developing a smartphone app with technology to protect user personal information and identity. The app will use GPS, Wifi, and Bluetooth to track users' locations and close encounters.
A new study found that people who spent more time on their phones were more likely to reject larger, delayed rewards in favor of smaller, immediate rewards. This suggests a link between smartphone use and impulsive decision-making.
Researchers from KIST and PNU developed an encryption device that detects circularly polarized light to strengthen IoT security. The device uses a phototransistor with cholesteric liquid crystal and π-conjugated polymer, exhibiting high sensitivity in detecting circular polarization.
A new form of computerized brain-training called Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) has been shown to reduce early relapse by 17% in individuals undergoing inpatient alcohol withdrawal treatment. The CBM smartphone app SWiPE is designed to train the subconscious brain to avoid alcohol cues and promote healthier behaviors.
A study published in Academic Emergency Medicine found that mobile smartphone technology can improve out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival. The 'Staying Alive' app, which alerts trained responders to nearby cardiac arrest victims, was found to reduce response times and potentially improve outcomes.
A University of Cincinnati cardiologist is developing a smartphone app to deliver targeted COVID-19 information and education to Black communities. The app aims to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African Americans, with input from focus groups in three states.
A new study suggests that smartphone acceleration sensors can provide a low-cost measure of road roughness, allowing engineers to prioritize maintenance and reduce costs. This approach could also be used to assess the condition of rural roads in developing countries.