Does vibrotactile stimulation of the auricular vagus nerve enhance working memory? A behavioral and physiological investigation.

Background: Working memory is essential to a wide range of cognitive functions and activities. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising method to improve working memory performance. However, the feasibility and scalability of electrical stimulation are constrained by several limitations, such as auricular discomfort and inconsistent electrical contact.

Does Vibrotactile Stimulation of the Auricular Vagus Nerve Enhance Working Memory? A Behavioral and Physiological Investigation.

Background: Working memory is essential to a wide range of cognitive functions and activities. Transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) is a promising method to improve working memory performance. However, the feasibility and scalability of electrical stimulation are constrained by several limitations, such as auricular discomfort and inconsistent electrical contact.

A Protactile-Inspired Wearable Haptic Device for Capturing the Core Functions of Communication.

In this article, a novel wearable haptic device, to be worn on the hand and forearm, is introduced. Using the modalities of vibration, pressure, and heat application, the device attempts to replicate four core components of communication. The four components - co-presence, phatic communication, back-channeling, and direction giving - are simulated through haptic profiles individually unique to a section or combined as an encompassing system of the device.

Comparing Haptic Pattern Matching on Tablets and Phones: Large Screens Are Not Necessarily Better.

Unlabelled: Touchscreen-based, multimodal graphics represent an area of increasing research in digital access for individuals with blindness or visual impairments; yet, little empirical research on the effects of screen size on graphical exploration exists. This work probes if and when more screen area is necessary in supporting a pattern-matching task.

Purpose: Larger touchscreens are thought to have distinct benefit over smaller touchscreens for the amount of space available to convey graphical information nonvisually.

Wireless insufflation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Despite clear patient experience advantages, low specificity rates have thus far prevented swallowable capsule endoscopes from replacing traditional endoscopy for diagnosis of colon disease. One explanation for this is that capsule endoscopes lack the ability to provide insufflation, which traditional endoscopes use to distend the intestine for a clear view of the internal wall. To provide a means of insufflation from a wireless capsule platform, in this paper we use biocompatible effervescent chemical reactions to convert liquids and powders carried onboard a capsule into gas.