From India, app checks urine to detect presence of diseases
Startups in the health industry are quickly realizing how useful smartphones can be for getting a quick diagnosis of conditions like anaemia and malaria. A new app called uChek is now making it possible for anyone to check their urine for signs of a number of different diseases. READ MORE…
Smartphone apps sense users’ emotions and quantify wellbeing
The increasing power of smartphones enable users to monitor even the smallest details of their lives, from teeth cleaning routines to skin quality. Now two ventures – the UK’s EI Technologies and Soma Analytics from Germany – are offering tools for accurately tracking mood over time. READ MORE…
App offers cash rewards for scanning QR codes
One problem marketers may have with QR codes is that the technology seems to have reached saturation, yet adoption is still low. In the recent past we’ve seen ideas such as the sound-based data transmission service Chirp, but now the Qriket app aims to inject an extra incentive for consumers to use printed codes by offering them a chance to make cash for every scan. READ MORE…
Shopping app connects users with similar body dimensions
We’ve already seen an iPhone app that lets users shop by color, but recently we came across one that targets the shopping experience still further. Now gearing up for launch, BeauCoo is a mobile app that connects users with similar body dimensions and delivers a personalized feed of item, brand and store recommendations. READ MORE…
App barks when users try to text behind the wheel
Japanese developers have already harnessed the power of smartphones to alert drivers of potential crashes with the Safety Sight app, and now a new offering is also doing its bit for car safety. The RodeDog app detects when motorists are attempting to drive and text at the same time, alerting friends and family members who can discourage them from the practice. READ MORE…
App alerts drivers when approaching other vehicles at dangerous speeds
Platforms that enable vehicles to interact with each other – such as the one being developed by researchers at Clemson University – have been in the works for a while and are expected to make driving even safer in future. Using smartphone technology available now, however, is the Safety Sight app, which warns motorists if they are heading too fast towards another vehicle. READ MORE…
Indoor positioning without wifi or GPS via magnetic fields for location-based apps
Location-based apps for indoor purposes typically rely on wifi or similar technologies to determine the user’s position. Finnish IndoorAtlas, however, has come up with an alternative. Tapping into the magnetic fields that are naturally present on Earth, IndoorAtlas has launched a platform developers can use to create highly accurate location-based mobile apps without wifi or GPS. READ MORE…
Real-world locations can be digitally bookmarked with new app
We’ve already seen a number of ways to connect physical objects to the digital world, by attaching QR code stickers or assigning items a unique digital identity. Now Finnish app Grafetee aims to provide a platform to bookmark real-world locations for later reference and share them with friends. READ MORE…
ACLU app discreetly videotapes interactions with police
We’ve already seen one smartphone app designed to uncover government corruption, and recently we came across another that aims to preserve police accountability. Launched recently by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Jersey, “Police Tape” is a free app that lets users securely and discreetly record interactions with police, with an option to post the resulting footage to the ACLU’s own servers. READ MORE…
With wireless sensors, mobile app will help users improve posture
Back pain affects some 80 percent of Americans at some time in their lives and is the number one reason for job-related disability. That’s according to California-based LUMOback, which is now gearing up to offer a tech-enabled solution. Through a combination of small, wireless sensors and a smartphone app, LUMOback will monitor the user’s posture in real time and help make it better. READ MORE…
