Tiny Embedded Electrodes Give Big Boost to Prosthetic Limbs

A new microelectrode array clearly recorded multiple nerve signals simultaneously, demonstrating the device’s success in a medium-sized animal for the first time. The electrode...

Sensors Detect Disease Markers in Breath

A small, thin square of an organic plastic that can detect disease markers in breath could soon be the basis of portable, disposable sensor devices. By riddling the thin plastic films with pores,...

Steady-State Lasing Could Lead to More Accurate Medical Testing

Scientists have discovered that laser-induced graphene (LIG) is a highly effective antifouling material and, when electrified, bacteria zapper. LIG is a spongy version of...

Cutting Down on Cancer Surgeries

Engineers have developed an imaging technology that could help surgeons removing breast cancer lumps confirm that they have cut out the entire tumor — reducing the need for additional surgeries.

Waterproof Wheelchair Runs on Compressed Air

A new waterproof motorized wheelchair uses high-pressured air as an energy source instead of heavy batteries and electronics. The chair weighs about 80 lb overall and takes just 10 minutes to...

Pad Combines Pressure and Gel to Heal Scars

An innovative pad combines both reinforcing pressure and occlusion to treat hypertrophic scars from burns, surgeries, and trauma. The Smart Scar-Care pad showed good performance in reducing...

Graphene-Based Sensor Could Improve Treatment of Asthma

Scientists have created a graphene-based sensor that could lead to earlier detection of looming asthma attacks and improve the management of asthma and other respiratory diseases,...

Advantages of Servo-Actuated Molds for Manufacturing Medical Devices

Electric servo motors are rapidly replacing mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic actuation systems in plastic injection molds, particularly those used in medical cleanrooms,...

Piezoelectric Motors Enable MRI-Guided Prostate Ablation

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer affecting American men, with approximately one in seven diagnosed in their lifetime. Most patients receiving conventional prostate cancer...

A Noninvasive Method for Deep Brain Stimulation

Delivering an electrical current to a part of the brain involved in movement control has proven successful in treating many Parkinson’s disease patients. This approach, known as deep brain...

Disposables

The potential for environmental stress cracking is a common concern when plastics are used in medical devices. According to materials expert Jeffrey Jansen of The Madison Group, environmental stress cracking (ESC) is considered a...

Miniature PET Brain Scanner Allows Patients to Stand and Move

Patients undergoing a positron emission tomography (PET) scan in today’s bulky, donut-shaped machines must lie completely still. Because of this, scientists cannot use the scanners...

8 Key Decisions to Make When Designing Motor Drives

Engineers designing their own motor drives must accomplish many different tasks, from selecting a microcontroller to choosing the right connectors and power supply for mechanical integration....

New Products and Services

Product of the Month: Self-Clinching Steel Locknuts Self-clinching steel locknuts from PennEngineering, Danboro, PA, integrate a unique Tri-Dent® locking feature to hold mating screws tight over time by providing...

Thin-Silicon Implantable Chip Gives Patients More Control over Haptic Prosthetics

ImecAntwerp, Belgium www.imec-int.com A prototype implantable chip aims to give patients more intuitive control over their arm prosthetics. The thin-silicon chip...

New 3D Printing Method Promises New Era for Medical Implants

For the millions of people every year who have or need medical devices implanted, a new advancement in 3D printing technology developed at the University of Florida promises...

New Method Manufactures Heart Valves in Minutes

The human heart beats approximately 35 million times every year, effectively pumping blood into the circulation via four different heart valves. Unfortunately, in over four million people each...

Tactile Force Sensors

In the past, surgeons relied on simple tools, training, and their own interpretations to perform their surgical procedures. The innovative minds behind designing new medical devices focused on developing tools that...

Low-Cost, Noninvasive Test Can Evaluate Muscle Health

A new, noninvasive test developed by researchers at the University of Georgia shows how exercise can help people with neurological injuries and illnesses. Until now, evaluating the muscle...

Supercapacitor Could Make Implantables Battery-Free, Longer Lasting

Researchers from UCLA and the University of Connecticut have designed a new biofriendly energy storage system called a biological supercapacitor, which operates using charged...

Powerful Processors, Touch Panels Drive Advances in X-Ray Imaging

According to a report from Markets and Markets, the diagnostic imaging market is expected to reach nearly $36.43 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 6.6 percent from 2016 to 2021. The...

Keeping Your Eye On UDI

As medical technology accelerates at an almost incomprehensible pace, regulations and requirements increase correspondingly. With rapid innovation and the desire to speed time to market comes more rigorous requirements...

Drug-Delivery Systems: Building in Reliability

Systems that deliver medication — whether implanted or at the patient bedside in the hospital — are often vital for the survival of patients. Drug-delivery devices include ambulatory infusion...

Handheld Laser Probe Detects Cancer in Real Time

An optical probe that detects cancerous brain cells in real time is impressive enough. Scientists in Montreal say they’ve developed one that is “infallible.”

New Chemical Method Could Revolutionize Graphene

Scientists have discovered a new chemical method that enables graphene to be incorporated into a wide range of applications while maintaining its ultrafast electronics. Graphene, a...

Photoacoustic Imaging Aims to Ensure Surgeons Completely Remove Cancer

Researchers report that they have developed a technology to scan a tumor sample and produce images detailed and accurate enough to be used to check whether a tumor has...