Researchers at the Harvard Wyss Institute and MIT have developed an inexpensive at-home test for SARS-CoV-2 and several variants, which does not require nasal swabs. The test uses a simple spit sample, and provides results that can be read using a smartphone app within an hour. With access to a 3D printer and commonly available […]
Tag: Diagnostics
Ultrasound Patch Monitors Blood Flow
Researchers at the University of California San Diego created an ultrasound patch that can measure blood flow in vessels as deep as 14 cm within the body. The stretchy patch can be applied to the skin and may help clinicians to monitor and diagnose various conditions, including blockages that could cause an infarct. The patch […]
Nanoparticles for Tumor Imaging and Cancer Urine Testing
Scientists at MIT have announced that they developed novel nanoparticles to detect cancer in urine samples. As well as detecting the presence of tumors, the nanoparticles can also accumulate at tumor sites and function as an imaging agent, helping to identify their location. These multifunctional particles could be very useful for routine cancer sc (Read more...)
AI and Multispectral Photoacoustic Imaging to Diagnose Thyroid Cancer
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology in South Korea are reporting on having developed a technique for minimally invasive diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The method combines multispectral photoacoustic imaging and machine learning, and is conceived as a replacement for invasive and occasionally inaccurate fine-needle aspiration (Read more...)
Chest Strap System Monitors Severity of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, have developed a system to monitor the severity of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. The system includes a commercial chest strap sensor that measures heart rate variability and a paired app that collects, collates, and presents th (Read more...)
Chest Strap System Monitors Severity of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, have developed a system to monitor the severity of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. The system includes a commercial chest strap sensor that measures heart rate variability and a paired app that collects, collates, and presents th (Read more...)
Microchip Nanosensor Detects Stress Hormone from Drop of Blood
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a microchip that can perform real-time measurements of stress hormone levels in a drop of blood. The technology could provide a replacement for bulky and expensive lab tests for such hormones, and allow patients to monitor their stress levels more easily. The chip includes tiny wells that contain ant (Read more...)
Sweating E-Skin for Long-Term Health Monitoring
Researchers at MIT have developed an e-skin technology that contains artificial sweat ducts. The ducts prevent sweat accumulation underneath the e-skin, helping to prevent interference with built-in sensors. Incorporating a kirigami-style design, the material conforms to human skin but maintains a high porosity and reduced sweat accumulation. The d (Read more...)
Inexpensive Filter Isolates Circulating Tumor Cells
Researchers at Kumamoto University in Japan have designed an inexpensive and convenient filter that can isolate circulating tumor cells from as little as 1 mL of patient blood. The highly sensitive filter can successfully work in samples containing as few as five tumor cells in 1 mL of blood, and does not require expensive equipment […]
Face Mask Detects SARS-CoV-2
Researchers at the Harvard Wyss Institute and MIT have developed a face mask that can detect SARS-CoV-2 in a wearer’s breath. The mask employs freeze dried molecular components including CRISPR-based technology, and a lateral flow assay strip to detect the virus and alert the wearer. To initiate the test, the wearer simply presses a button [& (Read more...)
Microarray Rapidly Identifies Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany have developed a sensitive and inexpensive microarray technology that can rapidly identify antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in blood or serum samples. The test can provide a result in as little as eight minutes, but the researchers believe that this can be further reduced to just [ (Read more...)
Rapid Diagnosis of Infectious Disease at Point of Care: Interview with Shawn Marcel, CEO of Torus Biosystems
Torus Biosystems, a medtech startup that spun out of Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, has developed the Synestia system, a point of care diagnostic tool for infectious disease. The system aims to provide rapid, point-of-care identification of pathogens, and incorporates microarray and qPCR technology. &nbs (Read more...)
AI-Powered App Interprets HIV Test Results
Researchers at University College London and the Africa Health Research Institute have developed an AI-powered app that can interpret lateral flow tests for HIV. The technique involves taking an image of the test with a smartphone camera, and the app can tell whether the result is positive or negative simply by analyzing the image. As […]
Graphene Sensor for Rapid COVID-19 Detection
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have developed a graphene-based sensor that can rapidly detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The system includes graphene sheets that are coupled with an antibody against the viral spike protein. When viral particles bind to the antibodies, they change the vibrational properties of the graphene sheets, and (Read more...)
Battery-Free Smart Fabrics to Monitor Health
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a technique to create smart garments that can harvest electrical power from nearby Wi-Fi networks and radio waves in a process known as magnetic resonance coupling. This power can then be used to energize on-board electrical systems, including body monitors. The fabrics are water repellent, breathable (Read more...)
Diagnosing Acute Compartment Syndrome: Interview with Charles Allan, CEO of MY01
MY01, a medtech company based in Montreal, has developed the Continuous Compartment Pressure Monitor, a sterile, single-use device for the diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome. If undiagnosed and untreated, acute compartment syndrome, a condition caused by high pressure around muscles typically following an injury, can have significant consequen (Read more...)
Tiny Implantable Ultrasound Chip for Physiological Monitoring
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a microscopic implantable chip for physiological monitoring. It has a total volume of less than 0.1 mm3. To put that in perspective, the chip is as small as a dust mite, and can only be viewed using a microscope. The goal of this research was to create devices that […]
Sweat Sensor for Non-Invasive Glucose Measurement
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a sweat sensor that measures glucose levels on the skin and converts those readings into accurate blood sugar estimates. As glucose levels in sweat can vary from person to person, the sensor incorporates algorithms that personalize the measurement for each user, requiring finger-p (Read more...)
Gold Sensor Lives Under Skin for Months Measuring Drugs and Biomarkers
Researchers at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany have developed an implantable biosensor that can measure concentrations of various biomarkers and drugs in the body. Unlike many implantable devices, the sensor can reside in place under the skin for many months without being rejected by the body or losing its functionality. The syst (Read more...)
Sticker on Skin Diagnoses Cystic Fibrosis in Real-time
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a sticker that can measure chloride levels in sweat in real-time through a simple color change. The sticker is applied to the skin and wicks sweat inside itself through a set of microfluidic channels, where an onboard bioassay measures chloride levels, a marker of cystic fibrosis. The technology (Read more...)