bioneural.net » bluetooth

iPhone 3.0 almost medical tricorder 1.0

Bruce — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 10:11:50 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

I was always envious of the standard-issue Starfleet medical tricorder that "Bones" McKoy would employ with no-touch relish to confirm "He's dead, Jim!". At a recent iPhone OS 3.0 sneak peak event Apple unveiled a new developer API with accessory support that was exemplified by two biomedical applications. Tricorder evolution (images © GeekAlerts, Apple) Existing options Prior to OS 3.0 iPhone users have had access to a number of "soft" tricorder options, albeit with somewhat limited functionality. There are several excellent medical knowledge management applications for iPhone, as noted here previously and recently in the British Medical Journal. One novel app, iStethoscope (video demo here), uses the microphone of your iPhone to auscultate your heart beat; there are also entertainment value-only eye candy tricorder apps. Coming soon The potential for telemedical applications to upload real-time data to remote clinical information systems could revolutionise aspects of clinical governance—the right provider (your own) offering the right advice (based on actual biometrics) to the right person (authenticating with your phone) in the right place (wherever you happen to be) at the right time (now, not next week when there's a free appointment). Apple's March 17 keynote event (787MB .m4v) introducing the iPhone 3.0 OS offered a glimpse into this future. Developers can now write applications that "talk" directly to hardware accessories, such as medical devices, via the dock connector, bluetooth, or WiFi/ Internet. For example, if the iPhone were connected to a sphygnometer it could read and store blood pressure measurements, providing historical charts and trend identification. According ...

Get your GPS fix with RouteBuddy 2.2

Bruce — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:11:27 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

RouteBuddy is an application for Mac marketed as "iTunes for your GPS" in reflection of some interface similarities. It works with most GPS receivers to plot your live position on high-quality street maps, but can also import and export saved data to/ from some devices, applications, and online services. With full-featured and highly portable personal navigation devices increasingly affordable (e.g. TomTom, Garmin) and free tools available for direction-finding and location-sharing (e.g. Google Maps, Google Earth), you may be forgiven for wondering what gap in the market RouteBuddy aims to fill. This question set the brief for my review as I determined to assess its strengths and weakness against the tools you may use already. Disclosure: A single user license for RouteBuddy 2.1.1–2.2 with UK & Ireland maps was provided by RouteBuddy Ltd. for the purposes of this review. Tested using a 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo MacBook with 2GB RAM. Skip to: Prelude The RouteBuddy interface in brief RouteBuddy and GPS device compatibility Have software, need map Tracking Planning Navigating Importing Exporting Sharing Analyzing Plotting Managing Finding Summary and conclusion Prelude I gave up on Route 66 (now defunct route-planning software) with the arrival of Google Maps, but still largely relied on a spiral-bound paper road atlas—until I hired a car with "sat nav". After a false start with Navman, I migrated to the more Mac-friendly TomTom platform, which led me to discover the sport of geocaching. Then it was back to Navman, and then TomTom again, by which time I had caught up with photo geotagging—and that has become something of a preoccupation. Why am I boring you with ...

First geocaching tool for iPhone released

Bruce — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:29:41 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

Geopher Lite, available from the iTunes App Store for £2.39, will help you find nearby geocaches from Geocaching.com using a directional arrow and location awareness on your iPhone. It doesn't support Bluetooth GPS receivers/ data loggers and is extremely basic compared to GeoNiche for Palm, but is a welcome development nevertheless. A more complete app is promised in due course.

Access Bluetooth devices in Windows on Mac

Bruce — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:57:53 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

Users of Parallels Desktop for Mac find a number of advantages apply to booting Windows in a virtualized environment that is integrated with OS X. The shared access to hard drives, keyboards, networking, displays etc. does not unfortunately extend to your Mac's built-in Bluetooth. When I reviewed a Bluetooth-based GPS data logger recently I wanted to compare the Mac tools to their Windows equivalents. A small investment in a Bluetooth USB adapter was all that was required to make this possible. You could, of course, use Apple's Boot Camp and start your Mac up in Windows which—with Apple-supplied Bluetooth drivers for XP—makes your built-in hardware available. I would have done this, but my Boot Camp partition is unavailable as a boot drive in FireWire Target Disk Mode (it's a long story). After a bit of searching I discovered a solution hidden away in the Parallels Forum: Turn off built-in Bluetooth on the Mac; Start Parallels and insert the CD to install drivers for a Bluetooth USB adapter you purchased earlier (mine cost £12); Plug in the adapter when prompted, and wait for it to be recognized; When the installation is complete, turn on your external Bluetooth device and pair it; After pairing you should be able to access any Bluetooth services supported by the device. If you forget to turn off built-in Bluetooth on the Mac you'll encounter this message as OS X tries to appropriate the adapter:

Geotagging with the Mac-friendly GlobalSat BT-335

Bruce — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:37:06 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

GlobalSat's BT-335 functions as both a Bluetooth-equiped GPS receiver (compatible with most NMEA-compliant mapping/ navigation software on Bluetooth SPP-compliant PDAs, smartphones, and computers) and as a stand-alone data logger. It can perform both functions simultaneously, saving coordinates, time stamps, altitude, and speed to a log which can be wirelessly downloaded for use in geotagging photos or in other location-related applications. This review compares the BT-335 to my previously purchased and evaluated Holux M-241, focussing on Mac compatibility and geotagging utility. Disclosure: A sample BT-335 unit was provided by USGlobalSat, Inc. for the purposes of this review. Those unfamiliar with the basic concepts of geotagging may wish to read this introduction first. What's in the box? BT-335 packaging and accessories BT-335 unit; CD-ROM (with PDF manual, Windows-only software); Set-up/ quick start card; 12V DC car charger; US-style 110/ 240V AC wall charger; US-to-Euro wall adapter. The BT-335 ($US120) is a compact 75g matchbox-style unit in silver plastic that includes anti-slip strips for horizontal placement (e.g. on a dashboard). Unlike the cylindrical M-241 (which has to be kept vertical) the BT-335 doesn't come with a lanyard, although use of one was obviously a consideration—the unit has a lanyard attachment. I do find myself using the lanyard with the M-241 around my neck, mainly so I can keep a close check on battery status. One of the LEDs on the BT-335 lights red when the battery needs charging, but with a claimed 25 hour capacity the unit could easily be turned on and "forgotten" in a pocket (e.g. jacket, camera bag). As well as ...

Evaluating the Holux M-241 data logger

Bruce — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:35:02 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

After David rekindled my interest in geotagging blog posts with Google Map integration, and Dave's photo tracking experiences convinced me to revisit geotagging photos, I posted An ABC of geotagging photos on the Mac. In that article I considered questions relevant to selecting an automatic geo-location system, naming most of the few Mac-compatible devices available. I recently purchased a data logger to overcome the pain of manual photo geotagging and dispense with the hassle of a DIY solution. See also Geotagging with the Mac-friendly GlobalSat BT-335 here, which includes comparisons to the M-241. There's lots to like about the Holux M-241 on paper—despite some concerns as noted in Richard's detailed review. The device's appetite for AA batteries will be the decider for some people. We usually pack a recharger for my wife's noise-cancelling headphones when we travel anyway, so using rechargeables is no big deal. In fact I prefer something I know I can replace, as I don't want to end up with yet another working but unusable device due to a tired non-replaceable lithium battery (like my 1st iPod, Palm, mobile phone). The Qstarz BT-Q1000P was my original choice and could be obtained in the UK via eBay, but at nearly twice the price of the Holux. I have to say I like having a built-in display on the logger very much. This gives access to the M-241's 6 operating modes: Track Log Mode (the default; use Start and Stop (Enter button) to begin/ end a track logging session); Time Mode (useful display ...

In-car GPS + Palm = DIY photo tracker

Bruce — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:00:50 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

If I told you I was using a GPS photo tracking system for geotagging photos from my Nikon D70 that stored track logs and waypoints to 1GB of memory, exported in GPX format, and connected to my Mac via USB or Bluetooth—you'd be right to wonder if I was making it up. It's not fiction, and nor is it new tech either. It's a "make do" solution I put together from gear I'd already been using for several years and with £0 new investment. Given poor Mac support in the data logger market, such a system is surely a good way to experiment on the cheap before shelling out on yet more battery-operated gadgetry. A DIY photo tracking kit A Nikon D70 I shoot in raw, meaning my D70 saves images in Nikon's NEF format. Although finding Mac OS X software that can write geo-location data to EXIF in raw is not difficult, getting that data in the first place is somewhat more involved. The D70 is neutered when it comes to support for on-camera fully automated geotagging (I'm still not entirely clear whether this is a physical hot shoe issue, or a firmware deficiency—anyone?) The upshot is that my only choice, other than the tiresome manual method, is automatic geotagging using a standalone data logger (aka photo tracker). A Navman 4470 "But why do you need another GPS?", my wife justly asked. Indeed I do have a GPS device equipped with Bluetooth, the Navman 4470, which I use for in-car navigation. Navman make great ...

An ABC of geotagging photos on the Mac

Bruce — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:30:54 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

This article considers geotagging photos from a Mac perspective, looking at automatic and manual methods, and explaining terms such as data loggers, track points, waypoints, and routes. It lists OS X software options for connecting to data loggers, converting track log formats, geo-locating photos, and writing that data to EXIF for both raw and JPEG images. It also covers the importance of time synchronization, what you can do with geotagged photos, workflow, choosing a data logger and controlling it from your Mac. Introduction With my blog articles geotagged and mapped, and the launch of geotagicons.com behind me, the next challenge was to consider geotagging my photos in future. Some time ago I blogged about doing this in iPhoto, and although workable for a small selection of images this manual/ best guess option doesn't scale well to 2-3 week vacations when you return with several hundred images and a poor recollection of what was taken exactly where. Before getting started on something (i.e. spending money!) I like to try and gain a reasonable overview of what I'm about to get into. What follows is a summary of my research into the terminology, technology, hardware and software that a budding Mac photo geotagger will want to get to grips with. If you also like to look before you leap then this article may be of service to you. Although written with fellow Mac users in mind, if you're afflicted with Windows much of the article is still relevant. What is geotagging? In a photographic context, geotagging ...

Mac-friendly alternatives to Apple's 1G iPhone

Bruce — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:04:28 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

The iPhone has arrived in the US. Even if it were available in New Zealand I still wouldn't buy one. I'm happy to wait for the large beta-test program (i.e. 1 in 5 US adults) to refine the product first. That said, I've been looking for a way to converge my mobile devices (phone, PDA, iPod) for some time. Sadly the 1st generation iPhone does not look like the device to fill this need. Relative to other Mac-friendly alternatives it comes up uniquely short in a number of areas on my feature wish-list. But of course I haven't seen or held it in the "flesh", and it is only a 1G device—so I can't be overly critical. Or can I? Most of the pre-launch focus has been on iPhone's interface (not unimportant), but what about comparative features? It's clear that while the iPhone offers few unique features (iTMS DRM playback, bookmark syncing) it's also immediately apparent that, relative to comparable products, the iPhone has the most limitations. I've been a Palm user since 1999, owning a Palm V, an m505, and (currently) a Tungsten T3: I also use an ageing Sony Ericsson T610 and an iPod (1G deceased; currently an iPod Photo). It would be nice to carry around one device instead of three (ditto on the chargers); I had hoped that device might be the iPhone: So the iPhone has arrived. I posted on the perfect PDA + phone back in 2005—it still hasn't arrived. With Palm OS so obviously stagnating ...

A Skype and Mac-friendly alternative to iSight

Bruce — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 10:07:16 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net doi:tSglPpAB7a8nfM :

Now that the expensive but excellent Firewire-based iSight is no more, Mac users lacking a built-in (USB-based) iSight webcam face a dilemma. Although Mac OS X 10.4.9 introduced iChat support for USB Video Class (UVC), and using such webcams means no extra drivers are needed, it is far from easy to walk into a store and choose a one that is certain to work. I threw my once-loved Cyberphone, blaming the non-native drivers for poor audio performance on my Intel Mac. Any cheap webcam (as with the Cyberphone) is likely to have poor Mac driver support, so a driver-free UVC camera seemed like the answer. But would the built-in microphone be recognised? Google didn't seem to come up with a definitive answer to this question. Furthermore, reports said that Vista-certified cameras "should" work—but elsewhere I read that some Vista-certified webcams support UVC and others do not. So how can you send high-quality Skype video and audio without hogging all your USB ports? A microphone In Wellington USB headsets abound (which I find cumbersome), but there is a dearth of desktop USB microphones. I could have bought a new iMic, which serves to amplify a line-level microphone—an additional purchase. I used to own the original iMic and was less than impressed when using it to send audio out via my hi-fi (the sound kept breaking up). A camera As for a camera I gather the Xbox Live Vision works natively with OS X 10.4.9, delivering a decent image for the money and available in-store for ...