Heart rate as a fingerprint

 Bionim has developed a new wristband named Nimy that monitors the wearer’s pulse and detects its unique pattern in order to unlock phones, computers and other nearby devices that belong to the user. Though it looks like some of the fitness trackers we’ve seen in the last few years, the Nymi seems to be intended strictly for security purposes without offering any health related functions. Nevertheless, next time the device won’t let you log into your computer may be an indirect diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmia. The Nymi is now available to preorder for $79 a pop.

Israeli shoes put high-tech in your step | ISRAEL21c

Israeli shoes put high-tech in your step | ISRAEL21c

Glucocorticoids are good and bad for plasticity and learning

Circadian glucocorticoid peaks promote postsynaptic dendritic spine formation in the mouse cortex after motor skill learning, whereas troughs are required for stabilizing newly formed spines that are important for long-term memory retention. Conversely, chronic and excessive exposure to glucocorticoids eliminates learning-associated new spines and disrupts previously acquired memories. Together, these findings indicate that tightly regulated circadian glucocorticoid oscillations are important for learning-dependent synaptic formation and maintenance. 
Circadian glucocorticoid oscillations have dual roles in dendritic spine plasticity, controlling spine formation and elimination through distinct mechanisms important for motor learning.

Nature Neuroscience 

16, 

658–659 

(2013)

Sensoria: a smart sock

The Sensoria system comprises a washable smart sock containing pressure sensing textiles, a magnetic anklet which houses the core circuitry for the sock, and of course an app to log and co-ordinate and socialize your activities. In addition to the standard altitude, calorie estimation and step counting features, the sock generates stride frequency, stride length and foot loading patterns.

The foot loading feature in particular is interesting, and it seems Heapsylon has engaged a number of senior podiatrists as advisers to refine this feature so that the Sensoria may be used as a means to avoid running injuries due to poor foot loading. The Heapsylon site also references applications for the management and prevention of neuropathic ulcers in diabetic patients, hinting at a more medically-oriented version of the system down the line.

Overgound walking is more beneficial than body weight-supported training

The overground walking training group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in comfortable walking speed compared with the body weight-supported treadmill training group immediately (change of 0.11 m/s vs. 0.06 m/s, respectively; p= 0.047) and three months (change of 0.14 m/s vs. 0.08 m/s, respectively; p = 0.029) after training. Only the overground walking training group significantly improved comfortable walking speed (p = 0.001), aspects of gait symmetry (p = 0.032), and activity (p = 0.003) immediately after training. Gains were maintained at the three-month follow-up (p < 0.05) for all measures except activity. Improvements in participation were not demonstrated.

Overgound walking training was more beneficial than body weight-supported treadmill training at improving self-selected walking speed for the participants in this study.

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Open loop motor control

The beautiful example of the open-loop type of motor control.
On the picture - Adelina Sotnikova - the gold medalist of Sochi 2014.

Wireless Blood Pressure Wrist Monitor by iHealth

The device attaches at the wrist using a small cuff and uses the oscillometric principle to measure systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as pulse rate. The wrist monitor also has motion sensors to detect the optimal wrist position to help users accurately take their blood pressure readings. 

Exercising against depression

There was a significant effect of exercise on depressive symptoms when higher intensity studies were pooled, but not for lower intensity exercise protocols.

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Open environment

A goor example of an open motor environment.
Lokomotion task with body movement and manipulation.
I mean the locomotion skill of #17 - Tereshenko.

Zensorium Tinké - an iPhone Connected Pulse Oximeter

Along with measuring oxygen levels, Tinké also tracks the heart rate, respiratory rate, and heart rate variability. The device, which weighs .4 oz (10.7g), works with a companion iOS app that displays the different cardiac metrics measured. The app displays a Vita index that is a fitness score computed from the user’s heart rate, blood oxygen level and respiratory rate. 

Falls associated with better functioning?

Of 241 falls in 122 patients seven main fall types were distingushed. One fall type (‘I’m giving it a go’) appeared quite different and was associated with better functioning at time of fall and better outcomes.

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How does exercise induces neuroplasticity?

Exercise and Neuroprotection and Neurorestoration in Rodent Models of PD:

Neuroplasticity is a process by which the brain encodes experiences and learns new behaviors and is defined as the modification of existing neural networks by adding or modifying synapses. Evidence is accumulating that both goal directed and aerobic exercise may strengthen and improve motor circuitry through mechanisms that include but are not limited to alterations and glutamate neurotransmission, as well as structural modifications of synapses. In addition, exercise may promote neuroprotection of substantia nigra neurons and their existing connections. Finally, exercise-induced alterations in blood flow and general brain health may promote conditions for neuroplasticity important for facilitating motor skill learning, including cognitive and automatic motor control and overall behavioral performance. While more studies are clearly needed, taken together these findings are supportive of a disease modifying effect of exercise.

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