Smart Earrings Can Monitor a Person’s Temperature

University of Washington researchers introduced the Thermal Earring, a wireless wearable that continuously monitors a user’s earlobe temperature. In a study of six users, the earring outperformed a smartwatch at sensing skin temperature during periods of rest.

Wireless Drug Patch Shows Promise as Chronic Disease Treatment Delivery System

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scientists created a new drug-delivery system, called the Spatiotemporal On-Demand Patch (SOP), which can receive commands wirelessly from a smartphone or computer to schedule and trigger the release of drugs from individual microneedles.

Contact Lens Could Diagnose Glaucoma

The new contact lenses contain microsensors that monitor changes in IOP over a period of several hours, sending the data collected wirelessly so it can be analyzed by an ophthalmologist and a diagnosis given.

Part 2: Designing Piezo Handpieces for Ultrasonic Surgery

Part 1 of this article , which ran in March 2023, looked at the general structure, design variants, and system design of ultrasonic medical handpieces. Part 2 now reviews driver design, special applications, drive electronics, and failure mechanisms.

UDI at 10: Moving into The Future

September 2023 marked the 10-year anniversary of the day the FDA’s Unique Device Identification (UDI) requirement first took effect. In that time, UDI went from an idea to a framework to a law; its GUDID database now uniquely identifies and holds data on more than 4 million medical devices and is the foundation for thousands of daily lookups and transactions.

Designing the Right Motor to Enhance Surgical Robot Precision

This article highlights the steps designers should take when specifying their motor and motion system for use in surgical robot applications.

Wearable Ultrasound Monitor Aids Rehabilitation

A wearable ultrasound system can produce clinically relevant information about muscle function during dynamic physical activity. When an individual is performing a specific exercise for...

Novel ‘Bone Bandage’ Material for Cracked Bones

Researchers have developed a biomimetic scaffold that generates electrical signals upon the application of pressure by utilizing the unique osteogenic ability of hydroxyapatite (HAp). HAp is...

Transparent Brain Implant

A neural implant provides information about activity deep inside the brain while sitting on its surface. The implant is made up of a thin, transparent, and flexible polymer strip that is packed with a dense array of...

Sound-Powered Sensors

Researchers have developed a sensor that utilizes energy from sound waves to control electronic devices. This could one day save millions of batteries.

Personalized Adhesives for Medical Implants

A team has developed medical adhesives that are not only safe for human use but also customizable for different organs. The researchers used mussel-derived adhesive proteins to develop customized...

Under-the-Skin Implant Could Treat Type I Diabetes

Researchers have created a new technique to treat Type 1 diabetes: implanting a device inside a pocket under the skin that can secrete insulin while avoiding the immunosuppression that...

Integrating Smart Technology into Wearable Device Design

With the combined benefit of the unique components and the component manufacturers’ assistance, electronics designers can achieve their objective of developing a well-protected, efficient, wearable medical device. The end result is a much more reliable and robust product for the customers.

Technology

In March of 1973, the Six-Million Dollar Man TV series introduced the world to the possibility of a bionic man. What device made bionics a reality 20 years later?

Nanofiber Bandages Fight Infection, Speed Healing

Researchers have identified an innovative way to harness the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the botanical compound lawsone to make nanofiber-coated cotton bandages that fight...

AI-Powered ‘Eye’ Helps Visually Impaired to See

A team of researchers has developed a wearable assistive device that helps people with visual impairment ‘see’ objects around them with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). AiSee...

Inhalable Sensors Enable Early Lung Cancer Detection

Using a new technology, diagnosing lung cancer could become as easy as inhaling nanoparticle sensors and then taking a urine test that reveals whether a tumor is present. The new...

Bioengineering the Body to Make its Own Medicine

Delivering genetic material tagged with a cellular “ZIP code” prompted cells to secrete proteins or drugs into the bloodstream that successfully treated psoriasis and cancer in mouse models....

Electronic Polymer Patch Prevents Misplaced Radiation

Using a simple concept and a patented sensor that detects radioactive materials, a team has developed a patch to stop damage to healthy tissue during proton radiotherapy, one of the best...

DNA Particles That Mimic Viruses Hold Promise as Vaccines

Researchers have created a vaccine that can induce a strong antibody response against SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine, which has been tested in mice, consists of a DNA scaffold that carries...

Low-Cost Device Makes Cell Therapy Safer

A tiny device could be used to improve the safety and effectiveness of cell therapy treatments for patients suffering from spinal cord injuries.

MIRA: Mini Robot Completes Remote Surgical Simulation in Space

In a test that featured half a dozen surgeons from across the United States, a miniature robot successfully completed a surgical simulation aboard the International Space...

Product of the Month

See the Product of the Month: Bosch Sensortec's two new MEMS accelerometers, the BMA530 and BMA580. Read on to learn more.

Breaking Barriers: Women Engineers Transforming the Landscape of Medical Device Innovation

Women are making significant contributions in the field of medical device engineering, playing key roles in innovation, research, development, and leadership. The Women in Engineering: Rising Star Awards program will celebrate and recognize women engineers who are enhancing the engineering profession through contributions to the industry and society in six categories: Aerospace/Defense, Automotive/Transportation, Electronics, Manufacturing, Medical, and Sustainability.

Wearable Heart Monitor Offers More Comfort, Less Irritation

A team led by RMIT University has made a wearable ECG device that could be used to prevent heart attacks for people with cardiovascular disease, including in remote healthcare and ambulatory care settings.

From the Editor: The 2023 Products of the Year

This year, our two winners both focus on materials designed to address the special needs of the healthcare industry. Read on to learn the winners of the 2023 Medical Design Briefs’ Readers’ Choice Products of the Year.

Product Focus: Sensors

See what the product focus is on this month. Hint: It's sensors.