Manufacturing artificial red blood cells may turn out to be significant in treating a number of diseases and conditions. This has been tried in the past by a number of teams, but some important functions were missing in every design. Now, a team of scientists at the University of New Mexico have developed artificial red […]
Tag: Materials
Microrobots Roll Along Blood Vessel Walls to Deliver Drugs
Precise delivery of therapeutic drugs into diseased tissue remains a challenge in a variety of cases. Tumors can be hard to seed with chemo agents, particularly when the blood flow is not favorable for delivery. Now, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany have developed microscopic drug delivery devices that can […]
Smart Textile Fibers to Measure Wearer’s Health
At the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) researchers have developed special textile threads that can be used to detect slight variations in how a fabric is stretched, the pressures that are applied to it, and even the torque that twists it. The capability may end up being used in clothing and even bed […]
Tattoo Electrodes Make Long Term EEG Brain Monitoring Possible
Electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used to study brain activity, but the electrodes that are typically used to record brainwaves on the scalp make it impractical to use EEG for extended periods of time. They are usually hard, require a gel to be applied, and are applied en masse using a tightly worn head cap. Now, […]
Microfluidic Test for Viral Antibodies Takes Just 20 Minutes
Researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan have developed a microfluidic test that can detect antibodies against a viral infection. So far, the test has been optimized to detect avian flu, but could be adapted to detect antibodies against the virus causing COVID-19. The device can provide a result in as little as 20 minutes and […]
Paper Device Rapidly Measures Lithium Levels in Blood
Researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan have developed a paper-based point-of-care device which can measure lithium levels in a drop of blood. The device could help patients with bipolar disorder to keep track of their blood lithium levels. Lithium carbonate is used to treat bipolar disorder, but must be administered carefully as the concentration range […]
Flexible Sensors Measure Vitamin C Levels in Sweat
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed flexible sensors that can be worn on the skin to sensitively track vitamin C levels in sweat. The devices could be useful in helping wearers to maintain optimal levels of the vitamin, which is important for a healthy immune system, and could be particularly useful […]
Reusable Textiles to Repel Viruses
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a coating that can be used to create textiles that repel viruses, along with bodily fluids such as saliva and blood. Interestingly, the coated textiles are reusable, and can be washed and scrubbed repeatedly without losing their virus-repelling properties. These characteristics may make them highly suited for […]
Nanopropellers to Deliver Gene Therapy Into Cells
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany have developed powerful nanopropellers that can be steered into the interior of cells to deliver gene therapy. The magnets that these devices, each about the size of a bacteria, are made of were created for the first time for this very task. Most powerful […]
Stanford Bioengineers Innovate Multiple Solutions to Tackle COVID-19
The current pandemic is revealing the level of commitment needed from multiple sectors to deliver innovative solutions to tackle severe shortages of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and raw materials. Researchers at the Prakash lab at Stanford University are no stranger to taking up extreme challenges, and they have kept up their reputation by coming up […]
3D Printed Microscope Costs as Little as $18
Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK have developed a 3D-printed microscope design, called OpenFlexure, which is open-source and can be assembled for as little as $18. More complex versions of the design are possible, and the microscope can incorporate full automation and a Raspberry Pi computer. The research team hopes that the […]
microLED Neural Probes to Study Brain Activity in Living Animals
Optogenetics is a fast evolving technique that allows scientists to activate specific neurons within the brains of living laboratory animals using flashes of light. It may also be effective at recovering sight, as well as achieving other impressive feats (see flashbacks below). To best study and manipulate complex brain activity using optogenetics, particularly activity that […]
Flexible Throat Sensor Powered by AI to Track COVID-19 Symptoms
As COVID-19 continues to infect more people around the world, there are still few reliable ways to spot the early onset of the disease and to monitor its symptoms in detail, particularly at a distance and while patients are at home. Now, researchers at Northwestern University have partnered with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation […]
Breathable, Stretchable Electronic Fabric for New Medical Wearables
Stretchable electronic technologies offer the potential to monitor the body over extended periods of time in unprecedented ways. The heart’s rhythms, flexion of joints, and other biomedical parameters can be tracked with high fidelity and continuously using devices that can conform to the body. While much of this has already been possible, and documented here […]
Smart Contact Lenses Measure Glucose, Deliver Drugs
Researchers at the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) report development of smart contact lenses for simultaneous glucose measurement and controlled drug delivery. The research, led by Professor Sei Kwang Han, found the contact lenses resulted in low irritation in rabbits, were able to reliably detect glucose levels in tears, and could controllably release […]
MIT’s Comfortable Shirts Loaded with Body Sensors
MIT engineers have developed a way of creating shirts and other clothing items that are embedded with tiny electronic sensors capable of measuring the heart and respiration rates, temperature, and movement. Other vital signs can be added by utilizing additional sensor types. The technology will allow physicians to monitor their patients closely throughout the day, […]
Oxygen Concentrator for N95 Masks to Make Breathing Easier
Paramedics, ICU staff, and anyone else currently working with patients in any capacity is probably wearing a face mask for extended periods of time. N95 masks, which are easy to wear while providing substantial protection, can reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs by up to 20%. This causes fatigue, may lower blood-oxygen saturation, […]
Rapid Medical Device Manufacturing for COVID-19 Response: Interview with Vicki Holt, CEO, Protolabs
The COVID-19 pandemic rumbles on, and the response to contain and delay the virus is astronomical, with billions of dollars and enormous levels of labor and material resources being deployed to meet the challenge. One of the major bottlenecks in combatting the virus is a lack of testing supplies and essential equipment, such as respirators, […]
New X-Ray Detector to Reduce Radiation Exposure, Improve Medical Imaging
X-ray imaging is a cornerstone of modern medicine, but it comes with substantial risk for patients and healthcare providers. CT scanners, fluoroscopes, and mammography machines have to produce a great deal of ionizing radiation because existing silicon-based detectors aren’t very efficient at capturing incoming X-rays. Most of the radiation passes through existing detectors. Now, researchers […]
CroResp Makeshift Respirator Mask for COVID-19 Pandemic: Interview with Ivor Kovic, MD
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant shortages of PPE for medical staff. This is extremely concerning, as it means that clinicians can’t adequately protect themselves, and infections among medical staff will lead to staff shortages at a time when every member of staff is needed. Similarly, infections among clinicians could promote the spread of […]