TECHNOLOGY NUCLEUS

I n-house development teams at Apple are reportedly working on a new type of display technology -- microLED -- that could soon appear in some of the company's high-end wearables, such as the Apple Watch, as well other devices. Citing unnamed "people familiar with the situation," Bloomberg last month reported that Apple is producing a small number of microLED test screens at a secret factory near its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. That report was backed up by new research this week from Digitimes, which said Apple is developing both small- and large-screen microLED displays that could be used in the Apple Watch (pictured above), wearables with augmented reality, and Mac devices. MicroLED technology promises to deliver even higher-quality images than today's leading display tech, the OLED (organic light-emitting diode). Still in the early stages of development, microLED displays use tiny, individual LEDs to produce individual pixels in an image and are more ener...

Take two tablets and a selfie? Your doctor's orders may one day include a smartphone video to make sure you took your medicine.Smartphone apps that monitor pill-taking are now available, and researchers are testing how well they work when medication matters. Experts praise the efficiency, but some say the technology raises privacy and data security concerns. Selfie medicine works like this: Open an app on your phone, show your pills, put them in your mouth and swallow. Don't forget to show your empty mouth to the camera to prove today's dose is on its way. Then upload the video proof to the clinic. Fans say the technology addresses a big problem: About half of drugs for chronic conditions aren't taken as prescribed because of cost, side effects or patient forgetfulness. With treatment for opioid addiction, a skipped dose can mean a dangerous relapse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse is funding research to tailor a smartphone app for those patients and see if t...