Pacemakers | featured news

A pacemaker has been built inside a heart by converting beating muscle into cells which can control the organ's rhythm, US researchers report. The heartbeat is controlled by electrical signals and if these go awry the consequences can be fatal. Scientists injected a genetically-modified virus into guinea pigs to turn part of their heart into a new, working pacemaker.

As implantable medical devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps have become more common, one innovative feature has been the addition of the ability to control the devices wirelessly via the internet. This approach has enabled doctors to improve the well-being of their patients through additional data monitoring and control without the need for additional surgery. But it’s also opened the door for security threats.

Patrick Hetzner tried diets and exercise, just about everything short of stomach stapling to lose weight. Nothing worked. Five months ago he ...

Some pacemakers are accessible wirelessly for reprogramming, but the trouble is that this easy access could be abused maliciously. Sure, passwords would keep the devices safer from such intrusions, but the patient could forget or lose those. Solution? Password tattoos.