<![CDATA[Gizmodo: vital]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: vital]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/vital http://gizmodo.com/tag/vital <![CDATA[ VitalJacket: Heart Monitor And T-Shirt in One ]]> Some of the same kind of health telemetry that the French army may be using could be yours in the new VitalJacket product. It's a smart T-shirt with a built-in electrocardiogram monitor, designed for both medical diagnostics and sports fitness uses. It's supposed to be less awkward than conventional devices, as well as more comfortable. The HWM200 version sends data on the wearer's heart over a Bluetooth link to a phone or PDA, allowing real-time monitoring. The 100 version stores it on an SD card for later analysis on a PC and allows the wearer to define heart rate limits which trigger a vibration alarm in the shirt. Both editions are available for pre-order for around $635. [Vitaljacket via Talk2myshirt]

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Mon, 21 Apr 2008 07:38:16 EDT Kit Eaton http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=381964&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ US Soldiers to Get Brain Microchipped to Measure Vitals ]]> rieceimg.jpegThe Department of Defense is pursuing a brain-implantable "biochip" that will measure/relay a soldier's vitals on the battlefield (and off). We don't know much from a technical standpoint about the chips, other than they are about the size of a grain of rice and will have the ability to, at minimum, measure oxygen levels in tissue. But the technological breakthrough involved has little to do with the electronics.

Scientists have invented a gel that mimics human tissue. By combining the gel with the microchip, chances that the body will reject the device are far less likely. The entire project is said to be five years from implementation.

Personally, I'd love to see these microchips developed for civilian use, especially for diabetics and those who need constant blood work. But when framed as a government, military initiative, the altruistic potential can be scared off by Big Brother. [intelligencedaily via inquirer]

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Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:49:23 EDT Mark Wilson http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=284755&view=rss&microfeed=true