Stories
R&D: Medical
A nontoxic glue modeled after adhesive proteins produced by mussels and other creatures has been found to outperform commercially available products, pointing toward potential surgical glues...
Briefs: Wearables
The qualities that make skin an incredible organism are the same ones that make it a challenge to stick to. Engineers may know all too well the headaches that can come with selecting adhesives...
R&D: Medical
Wet-Tolerant Adhesive Patch Inspired by Octopi
Researchers have developed an artificial, biologically inspired, reversible wet/dry adhesion system that is based on the dome-like protuberances found in the suction cups of octopi. To mimic the architecture of these protuberances, they use a simple, solution-based, air-trap technique that involves...
Technology Leaders: Medical
Multipurpose functionality has become an expectation in the modern lifestyle. A washing machine is no longer just a washing machine but rather a computerized appliance that...
Features: Medical
Medical device assemblies present unique challenges beyond those associated with manufacturing and assembly of products for consumer and industrial applications. While sharing the need for...
Features: Electronics & Computers
The demand for thermal management materials and adhesives is driven by the unwanted and potentially harmful heat generated by ever-shrinking electronic...
Features: Sensors/Data Acquisition
The healthcare world today is one that is rapidly changing and ever-evolving. Several dynamics are driving these changes, including an aging population, the increasing...
R&D: Robotics, Automation & Control
Researchers Develop Ivy-Inspired Medical Adhesive
English ivy has the ability to latch on so tight to trees and buildings that the plant can withstand the winds of hurricanes and tornadoes. Researchers from The Ohio State University pinpointed the spherical particles within English ivy’s adhesive and identified the primary protein within...
Features: Materials
High-tech adhesives are very reliable and issues do not occur often. When used correctly, these adhesives can resolve many design issues while also saving money, time, and effort. However, there are...
Features: Medical
When science and nature combine in just the right amounts, the results can be astounding. Take transdermal drug delivery, which is expected to grow substantially in...
Briefs: Medical
A team of researchers led by the University of Colorado has determined that carbon-fiber composites, which are stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum, can be easily and cost-effectively...
R&D: Medical
Worm-Inspired Adhesive Performs in Wet Conditions
An interdisciplinary group of researchers at UC Santa Barbara has developed an underwater adhesive that can be used in tissue repair applications. The technology replicates the adhesion strategy of the Sandcastle worm (Phragmatopoma californica), a segmented marine invertebrate commonly found...
Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Northeastern University’s Hanchen Huang, a professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and two of his PhD students say they have come up with a better way of...
Briefs: Medical
A team of engineers at the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a novel self-healing gel that,...
Features: Medical
From securing the simplest bandage to adhering components of the most complex diagnostic devices, pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) have long had a crucial...
Briefs: Medical
A team of engineers, led by assistant professor Nanshu Lu, in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin...
Features: Medical
A well-performing thermal interface material (TIM) fulfills a variety of application requirements within the broad range of electronic modules and systems incorporated in...
Features: Medical
Oncology nurses, compounding pharmacists, and others who handle hazardous drugs, such as chemotherapy drugs, are put at risk of exposure. This is due to the...
R&D: Robotics, Automation & Control
New Adhesive Works Underwater
An adhesive technology helps to bond human tissue in wet or moist conditions. The chemistry is based on the environmentally-friendly adhesive qualities of mussels and other shellfish.
R&D: Medical
Squids Inspire Printable Thermoplastics
A team of engineers at Penn State, University Park, PA, is using squid to create an eco-friendly thermoplastic that can be used in 3D printing. Most plastics are made from fossil fuel sources or from synthetic oils. Thermoplastics can melt, be formed, and then solidify without degrading materials...
R&D: Materials
Inspired by the natural adhesives secreted by shellfish, which can cling to underwater rock ledges and ship hulls, a team of engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge,...
Briefs: Medical
A team of scientists at the University College London (UCL) have developed a new antibacterial material that could help cut hospital-acquired infections. They used a combination of two dyes with...
Features: Medical
When one thinks of the term “disposable”, the first impression might be to associate the item as one being low cost and not requiring much precision in...
Technology Leaders: Medical
Medical electronic devices can run the gamut from imposing MRI and x-ray imaging machines to miniscule implantable circuits designed to detect physical conditions and deliver programmed...
Features: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Medical device designers frequently face the need to adhere products to the skin, whether it is for a few minutes or in perpetuity. The huge array of pressure-sensitive...
Briefs: Materials
In the medical industry, adhesives play a crucial role in applications ranging from diagnostics and device assembly to transdermal and wound care. There are varying...
R&D: Medical
A slow-motion method of controlling the synthesis of polymers, inspired by trees and Celtic Knot designs, could open up new possibilities in areas including medical devices, drug delivery,...
Features: Medical
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a major area of concern for providers, payers, and patients alike. These infections play a significant role in the...
Briefs: Medical
Once a porcupine’s quill penetrates your skin, it’s very difficult to remove. That’s the inspiration behind research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital,...
Top Stories
INSIDER: Materials
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INSIDER: Medical
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Quiz: Wearables
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INSIDER: Connectivity
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Features: Materials
Ask the Expert
Dan Sanchez on How to Improve Extruded Components
Improving extruded components requires careful attention to a number of factors, including dimensional tolerance, material selection, and processing. Trelleborg’s Dan Sanchez provides detailed insights into each of these considerations to help you advance your device innovations while reducing costs and speeding time to market.
Webcasts
Webinars: Medical
Scan-Based and Project Design for Medical
Podcasts: Medical
Here's an Idea: Medtech’s New Normal
Podcasts: Medical
Here's an Idea: A Plant-Based Gel That Saves Lives
Webinars: Electronics & Computers
Adaptable Healthcare Solutions Designed for Safety and Security
Podcasts: AR/AI
Webinars: Wearables
Inside Story
Rapid Precision Prototyping Program Speeds Medtech Product Development
Rapid prototyping technologies play an important role in supporting new product development (NPD) by companies that are working to bring novel and innovative products to market. But in advanced industries where products often make use of multiple technologies, and where meeting a part’s exacting tolerances is essential, speed without precision is rarely enough. In such advanced manufacturing—including the medical device and surgical robotics industries — the ability to produce high-precision prototypes early in the development cycle can be critical for meeting design expectations and bringing finished products to market efficiently.