Patient

It's normal to feel anxious about going under the knife, but stress before surgery can range from mild anxiety to overwhelming fear. Now, researchers believe a tech more often seen in video games – augmented reality – can help relieve that anxiety.

A new system developed by the Toumaz Group may hold the key to improving the level of life-saving attention received by patients, providing two-minute updates on their vital signs 24 hours a day with the use of a comfortable, wireless sensor pad.

The MAP System provides a real-time display of the pressure points on a patient's body, to minimize the chances of them developing bedsores. It consists of a pressure-sensing mat that is placed on an existing mattress, and a bedside monitor.

The prototype "intelligent T-shirt" is capable of remotely monitoring patients' vital signs, level of physical activity, and location.

A high-tech superglue called Kryptonite speeds the recovery of heart patients after open chest surgery, shortening the current recovery time of eight weeks by 50 per cent.

A new diagnostic technique that measures the patterns of electrical activity in the brain's vestibular (or balance) system could dramatically fast-track the detection of mental and neurological illnesses.