The Digital Health Newsletter by Paul Sonnier
May 30, 2017
Greetings!
Can UK restaurant Vita Mojo actually make meals personalized to your DNA via data derived from genetic testing done by DNAFit?
The company is reportedly the first restaurant in the world to personalize meals based on your DNA. Customers first get their genotype test through DNAFit and then the restaurant bases meals on "DNA mutations which signal which food groups they should avoid and eat more of, for instance whether they should be eating high fat or a low carbohydrate diet." The potential issue here is that, as previously reported by Kristen Brown, "in many cases, there just isn’t enough (genomic) science concerning the genes in question to accurately predict, say, whether you should steer clear of carbs." Granted that may be the case in certain areas of nutrition, but in others the science is less uncertain.
For instance, in an NIH-funded study, genetically-predisposed slow metabolizers of caffeine (those who had a specific variant of the CYP1A2 gene) were found to have a 36% higher risk of heart attack if they consume 4 or more cups of coffee per day. The opposite was true for fast metabolizers, who actually saw a decreased risk of heart attack if they consumed 1-3 cups per day. 
And when it comes to the taste of some foods, your genetics can also play a role. For example, people who possess variants of the taste receptor genes TAS2R and TAS2R38 are more sensitive to bitter flavors like those found in hoppy beers, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. The same applies to people who experience a soapy aftertaste when eating cilantro, which is associated with olfactory-receptor genes OR6A2.  

So while Vita Mojo's founder Nick Popovici states that their "food is ultra-personalised, not just by taste, but by genes", I think he may want to explore taste-personalization a little more. If anything, this may be more palatable for all parties.

And when it comes to the privacy of one's genetic data obtained by DNAFit, the company's CEO, Avi Lasarow, responded to a Twitter conversation emanating from my sharing of the article. See the relevant portion of that thread at right and my original tweet here.
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"Digital health is the convergence of the digital and genomic revolutions with health, healthcare, living, and society." - Paul Sonnier
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
In a  humorous video segment, comedian Judah Friedlander takes on the AI facial recognition and emotion-sensing technology of Kairos, a computer vision company that aims to detect emotions like anger, fear, disgust, sadness, joy, and lack of emotion. The results of the head-to-head matchup are very telling.   
Quest Diagnostics is moving into rheumatoid arthritis  treatment prediction by using IBM Watson's AI and data analytics platform. The company is doing this by analyzing its own library of test results and also looking at EHR, medication prescribing patterns, and revenue data.

In a recent blog post, robotics expert Heather Knight recommends drivers not use Tesla autopilot around cyclists. She reports being "concerned that some will ignore its limitations and put biker lives at risk; we found the autopilot’s agnostic behavior around bicyclists to be frightening." The system reportedly classified ~30% of other cars, and only 1% of bicyclists. As Mathew Ingram reports, some find Knight's position to be alarmist, but even Tesla tells drivers to keep their hands on the wheel at all times when the autopilot system is in use and pay attention to their surroundings. Autopilot disengages if the driver takes their hands off the wheel for a certain period of time.
Writing in IEEE Spectrum, Lee Gomes states that neuromorphic computer chips "mimic the way neurons are connected and communicate in the human brain and can run on much less power than traditional CPUs." The challenge is bringing these chips out of the lab and into commercial applications.“ According to Steve Furber, head of the  SpiNNaker project, “It’s true that neuromorphic systems exist, and you can get one and use one. But all of them have fairly small user bases, in universities or industrial research groups. All require fairly specialized knowledge. And there is currently no compelling demonstration of a high-volume application where neuromorphic outperforms the alternative."
ROBOTICS & PROSTHETICS
Mark Geil, Professor of Kinesiology and Health at Georgia State University
Military, reports that funding of innovations in prosthetics for veterans is also benefiting non-veterans. "Mobility", he says, "is key to long-term health, and prosthetic limbs are key to mobility." Efforts by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs help veterans but also nearly 2 million civilians who have had amputations, including from diabetes and vascular disease.
Scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine have developed a mind-controlled bionic hand that helps stroke patients move again and speed up their rehabilitation. Users wear a cap that senses their intention to open or close their paralyzed hand and that signal is amplified for the bionic hand to perform the commands. The system can mean that a stroke patient may be able to dress themselves unassisted by others.
A team at the Inami Hiyama Laboratory created MetaLimbs, which work by strapping tracking markers and bend sensors to your feet, knees, and toes, which in turn allow you to control the wrist and elbow joints of twin metal arms. The systems also provides a squeeze force feedback on your foot when you touch something with the hand.
WEARABLE TECH
A new smart goggle system for insomniacs will be released by Sana Health in 2018. The product aims to put you to sleep within 10 minutes by blocking light and delivering audio and visual stimulation that triggers patterns in your brain associated with natural sleep cycles. It also monitors your nervous system to personalize the programming.
Ochsner Health System is using wearable technology to help combat chronic diseases. In a study, when compared to 400 other similar patients, of those who were closely monitored and coached, 71% reduced their blood pressure to within a targeted range, versus just 31% in the control group. Results were published in the American Journal of Medicine.
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