Have you ever ate a big turkey meal and felt the need to catch 40 winks as a result?  One common belief is that tryptophan in turkey meat is the prime contributor to this effect.  But that is not actually the case.  First, why the focus on tryptophan?  Well, the amino acid is used by some people as a dietary supplement as a reasonably effective sleep aid, found in some health food stores. ... [More]

We have suspected for some time that listening to music might be good for your cardiovascular system.  Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore have shown for the first time that emotions evoked while listening to joyful music do indeed have a healthy effect on blood vessel function. ... [More]

Imagine swallowing a tiny robot that attaches itself to your intestines and starts walking about, all the while streaming back video to a watchful medical staff.  That scenario describes what Carnegie Mellon University's Robotic Pill can do, and it just might be in your future if you have any kind of applicable problems. ... [More]

Exercise on a treadmill is rather ho hum - it does work as intended, but it can get a bit boring.  The Treadwall takes this concept and applies it to climbing.  What the user gets is a never ending line of holds to practice their climbing on, and it gives a pretty good workout in the process. ... [More]

Creative is releasing a pedometer/MP3 player that walkers should find to be handy to use while out on a stroll.  The Krystal (no, not the small hamburger) features 4GB of storage, OLED display, FM Radio, and voice recorder. On the sports side of things it offers a pedometer, calorie counter, and stop watch. ... [More]

Stress can cause a great deal of problems, and often it will sneak up on you before you realize it.  A group of researchers developing for the EU's CONTEXT project realize this, and have created a vest that can measure muscle tension and deduce stress levels. ... [More]

Running in water provides a natural resistance workout, but HYDRO PHYSIO takes it one step farther.  Their enclosed treadmill design uses an adjustable water depth to give a resistance workout.  Another innovative feature is the use of water jets to give resistance, increasing the overall workout effect. ... [More]

It has been proven that proper application of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can greatly increase the chances of  a victim surviving.  Designer Ryan Helps developed the "CPR-PAD" to help with delivering CPR first aid.  The unit has alignment tabs for placement on ... [More]

  Flying on the new Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts could be an experience much nicer than flying typically conjures up, thanks to Japan Air Lines (JAL) and James Park Associates.  The new "JAL Suite" are basically small individual suites featuring upholstering in gray leather, armchair with ottoman that extends into a bed, 19 inch TV, storage area, and device power hookups. ... [More]

I cannot look at this concept vehicle designed by Regimantas Vegele without thinking, "Green Segway". Sure, it is not a good label for the mountable unicycle, but I just can't help it. As far as I can tell the rider stands on the foot rests and use the handles to control the vehicle. ... [More]