An Algorithm to Predict the Death of Terminally Ill Patients

A thoughtful, riveting piece from author and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee in the New York Times Magazine touches upon the current, general inaccuracies in predicting how much time remains in the lives of patients with terminal illnesses. Mukherjee, however, goes into explaining a “dying algorithm” that might just be able to help doctors with palliative care. Plugging a hospital’s medical records for 160,000 deceased patients into …

Amazon Patent’s Mirror for Virtually Trying on Clothes

Utilizing a camera scanning system, displays and projectors, Amazon’s patent for a blended-reality mirror describes an item that could (if produced) allow users to try on clothes virtually. The device would be part reflective and part transmissive, wherein the users face and eyes are recognized and reflected back, though affixed to a transmitted body model—based upon a scan—dressed in virtual clothes. Of course, a hindrance …

Growing Future Robot Materials

Hydrogel, commonly used for tissue engineering and soft robotics, can now grow in a way similar to plant and animal tissue—with some coaxing. Scientists can manipulate oxygen to create desired growth designs, guiding the substance’s self-assembly. Robots, and maybe even the medical field, will benefit from this development—a collaborative effort between Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Carnegie Mellon University. Read more about the process at …