health

FCC to re-examine cell phone radiation standards

The Federal Communications Commission is planning to take a closer look at its standards for cell phone safety to see if the agency needs to revise the 15-year-old guidelines.

Later today, Chairman Julius Genachowski will circulate a notice of inquiry that will look at a series of questions surrounding whether the current standards need to be updated or whether the agency's testing practices should be altered, a source at the commission said. And the agency will also examine whether it needs to make improvements in how it communicates safety information to consumers.

The FCC hopes to get comments from … Read more

iPad software aims to make patient intake enjoyable (video)

Bye-bye boring clipboard. Silicon Valley-based Tonic Health has developed software for iPads that makes collecting medical data in the waiting room more patient-friendly and engaging through the use of compelling graphics and gamification.

SmartPlanet's Sumi Das sits down with Tonic Health CEO Sterling Lanier for a demo. Lanier explains that the software not only makes the data-collection process more fun, it improves patient participation and even relieves pre-appointment anxiety.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "iPad software makes patient intake fun."

Wireless tooth tattoo can detect bad bacteria

Some tech just sounds too good to be true. A removable, wireless sensor that adheres to dental enamel and can detect trace amounts of harmful bacteria just might fall into the too-much-information category for the squeamish among us.

But the silk, gold, and graphene-based sensor that looks a bit like a temporary tattoo could play a key role in detecting and treating various diseases and conditions, the developers at Princeton University say.

"This is a real-time, wireless response from a sensor that can be directly interfaced with a variety of biomaterials," principal investigator Michael McAlpine, an assistant professor … Read more

How older men can get a job at Google, Facebook: Brotox

Google, Facebook, and their ilk are young companies. In every sense.

It isn't merely that they rise in their toddler years to become worth more than many nations. It's that all of the faces who work there seem fresher than springtime daisies.

This has led to the occasional accusation that these companies don't really want to hire older people. You know, those over 36.

Google, indeed, suffered a lawsuit from Brian Reid, the then 54-year-old engineer -- and the man credited with helping craft the first firewall -- who claimed he was terminated just before Google's … Read more

Five surefire ways to reduce computer eyestrain

If you spend hours a day in front of a computer screen (like me), and have experienced anything along the lines of: eyes burning, neck aching, vision blurring, or head throbbing, you might have a common problem known as eyestrain.

In medical terms it's called Computer Vision Syndrome, and it comes from a combination of your monitor's bright backlight, glare and staring at a screen for extended periods of time.

Quick fixes like ibuprofen and eye exercises will usually relieve eyestrain, but in my quest to resolve this issue, I went for a preventative approach.

After consulting trusty … Read more

Killjoy scientists create pot without the high

Science is a force for good. Mostly.

However, some might be wondering just how much good can come out of a cannabis plant that has lost its magical power: the ability to get you high.

A group of Israeli scientists decided that they should pursue this joy-dampening experiment, one that will surely depress many.

According to Agence France-Presse -- which relied on reporting by the Maariv Daily -- the scientists' hearts were partly in the right place.

Yes, they wanted to dampen the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol, the pot element that makes you feel so very good. But their aim was … Read more

The 404 1,058: Where CNET fans for the win (podcast)

Congratulations to all of our colleagues at CNET TV for winning a Webby Award in People's Voice Award in the Technology category at last night's ceremony.

Plenty of celebrities including Bono, George Lucas, Al Gore, Buzz Aldrin, and more were on hand to pay tribute to Steve Jobs and celebrate the best of the Web. None of CNET's programming would be useful without viewers to watch it, so thanks to you for tuning in!… Read more

Super Diet Genius app puts superfoods to work

Diet apps are a dime a dozen. And with good reason: your smartphone is the ideal mobile companion for counting calories, managing exercise, and tracking overall health.

The latest entry into this crowded field: Super Diet Genius. What separates this $3.99 app from the likes of Lose It, Calorie Tracker, and MyFitnessPal? It's all in the "super."

Specifically, Super Diet Genius puts you on a diet that relies heavily on superfoods -- stuff that packs the maximum vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and overall nutrition goodness. (You know: not pizza. Not candy bars. Not French fries.)… Read more

Tawkon: The Android app that detects radiation spikes

The reality of cell phone radiation Buried deep in the pages of your cell phone manual is an often-ignored section on Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is the measure of the amount of radio frequency (RF) energy (radiation) absorbed by the body when using your handset. Every phone is measured and rated, and in the U.S. and Canada, the maximum allowable SAR for any handset is 1.6 watts per kilogram. For our database of current cell phone SAR ratings, be sure to check out our ongoing chart on Cell phone radiation levels.

What we don't know, though, … Read more

Tawkon: The Android app that detects radiation spikes

Buried deep in the pages of your cell phone manual is an often-ignored section on its Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is the measure of the amount of radio frequency (RF) energy (radiation) absorbed by the body when using your handset. Every phone is measured and rated, and in the U.S. and Canada, the maximum allowable SAR for any handset is 1.6 watts per kilogram. For our database of current cell phone SAR ratings, be sure to check out our chart of cell phone radiation levels for specific phones.

What we don't know, though, is whether or … Read more