Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a gecko-inspired gripper. Like the gecko, the device has the ability to grip and release smooth surfaces like glass. The effective stickiness can also be tuned from strong to week.

Engineers from North Carolina State University have created stretchable, transparent conductors with a "nano-accordion" design. The conductors could be employed in a wide variety of applications, such as flexible electronics, stretchable displays, or wearable sensors.

To provide a better tool for therapeutics, regenerative medicine, and biosensing, Tufts University bioengineers have created inkjet-printable silks containing enzymes, antibiotics, antibodies, nanoparticles, and growth factors. The purified silk protein, or fibroin, offers intrinsic strength and protective...

High costs have hampered the deployment of biomedical devices for health monitoring, point-of-care diagnostics, and environmental sensing. To reduce the price of the devices and allow for their high-volume delivery, scientists from the Technical University of Dresden in Germany created a lightweight and...

Using sound waves, researchers from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering gently culled circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood samples. The contact-free nature of the method assures that original cell characteristics are maintained.

The smartphone app MoveSense, developed by engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, uses analyses of a cardiopulmonary patient's walk to predict oxygen saturation levels. The health-tracking app can be used on a standard smartphone, and oxygen saturation is measured without the use of a...

Researchers at the University of Delaware have received a $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to develop new nanostructures that act like a ratchet, combining the energy of two red photons of light into a single, higher-energy blue photon. The light-changing technology could improve solar...

A smart hydrogel coating from Georgia Institute of Technology creates “stick-slip” control of capillary action. By placing the material inside of glass microtubes, capillary forces are altered and draw water differently. The researchers' discovery could provide a new way to control microfluidic...

A sterile medical device preserved the health of a deceased donor liver and allowed the organ to repair itself. The liver was then successfully transplanted to a 43-year-old patient in Ontario. The device, which mimics human physiological functions, is part of a Phase 1 clinical trial at UHN's...

Here is the latest batch of news from the medical products community. Please click the link for more.

Using a "photo-doping" process, Michigan State University scientists changed the electronic properties of materials in a way that more easily allows an electrical current to pass through. By shooting an ultrafast laser pulse into the material, the properties change and appear chemically...

A team of fiber scientists at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, have created cotton fabric that, they say, can kill bacteria, conduct electricity, ward off malaria, capture harmful gas, and weave transistors into clothing. They explain that cotton, a cellulose-based material, can be controlled one atom at a...

Here is the latest batch of news from the medical products community. Please click the link for more.

There’s no doubt that additive manufacturing (AM), including emerging 3D printing technologies, is booming. Despite its promise though, AM still has far to go to in understanding the impact of subtle differences in manufacturing methods on the properties and capabilities of resulting materials....

New research from Stanford University sheds light on how neurons control muscle movement. The findings could be applied to create better brain-controlled prosthetic devices, such as robotic arms.

Using high-quality, low-cost graphene, researchers from the University of Exeter have created a transparent, flexible touch-sensor that could enable the development of artificial skin.

Using misting technology found in household humidifiers, University of Illinois chemists developed a new method to create silicone microspheres. The tiny spheres could have applications in targeted medicine and imaging.

A Compensatory Reserve Index (CRI) device developed by Army medical researchers attaches to a soldier's finger and displays vital signs: body temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The matchbox-sized tool includes a computer display, wire, and plastic clip.

By using larger spherical components, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have found a way to reduce the immune system from rejecting biomedical implant devices. The bigger spheres are better able to maintain their function and avoid scar-tissue buildup.

A new technique developed by Kansas State University students allows individuals to personalize their prosthetic with new "skins." The covers are made from flexible resins and plastics.

A Washington University team developed a novel device that may allow individuals to feel hot and cold temperatures through a prosthetic technology. If the invention works as planned, upper-limb amputees who use motorized devices would be able to feel various sensations through the prosthetic, which...

Researchers at the University of Georgia have found a low-cost way to manufacture extraordinarily thin polymer strings. The nanofibers can be used to create advanced wound dressings, regenerate tissue, and deliver drugs directly to the site of an infection.

By combining 3D holographic lithography and 2D photolithography, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have demonstrated a 3D microbattery suitable for large-scale on-chip integration with microelectronic devices. Applications for the holographically patterned battery include...

The FDA is seeking comments of a new draft guidance that it recently issued for industry called “Adaptive Designs for Medical Device Clinical Studies.” An “adaptive design” for a medical device clinical study is defined as a clinical trial design that allows for prospectively planned modifications...