Photonics/​Optics

Tiny Wireless Device Illuminates Neuron Activity in the Brain

Researchers are creating new tools for a method called optogenetics, which shines light at specific neurons in the brain to excite or suppress activity.

UV Sensors for Wearables Are Flexible, Sensitive

To make ultraviolet (UV)-detecting wearables, scientists have created a new type of light sensor that is both flexible and highly sensitive.

Optical Device Offers Improved Thyroid Cancer Screening

The device combines near infrared light, time resolved spectroscopy, and diffuse correlation spectroscopy.

PCB Microelectronics Assembly Takes Center Stage for Medical Miniaturization

Small medical electronics are at the forefront of a new round of technology trends involving printed circuit board (PCB) assembly and manufacturing.

Optical Lens Design Considerations for Cell Imaging in Microscopy

Understanding application, use case, and image resolution are key.

New Products and Services: July 2021 Medical Design Briefs

EMI filters, plastic optic fibers, power modules, and more.

Sensor Tracks Stress Hormone in Real Time

A prototype of a fluorescence-based sensor provides continuous detection of cortisol concentrations in real time.

Tiny Implantable Tool for Light-Sheet Imaging of Brain Activity

The tool shows promise for imaging brain activity in 3D with high speed and contrast.

Ultra-Sensitive, Small Optomechanical Ultrasound Sensor

An optomechanical ultrasound sensor on a silicon photonic chip provides unprecedented sensitivity due to an innovative optomechanical waveguide.

Next-Gen POC Diagnostics: Electronic Measurement Technology Driven by Global Demand for COVID-19 Testing

Many new companies entering the market are planning a diagnostic roadmap of capabilities beyond their entry point of COVID-19 testing.

Tiny Wireless Implant Detects Oxygen Deep Within the Body

The implant provides real-time measurements of tissue oxygen levels.

New Products & Services: May 2021 Medical Design Briefs

Barcode readers, risk-management software, servo drives, and more.

Surface Waves Help Nanostructured Devices Keep Cool

The surface waves provide a thermal transport solution.

Tiny Package, Big Resolution: Wafer-Level Camera Reaches Smallest Parts of Anatomy

A new camera module with quadruple the resolution of its predecessor, at 400 × 400, or 160 Kpixels, provides clear images inside the body’s farthest...

Device Creates 3D Images of Skin

A research team has developed a portable device that produces high-resolution 3D images of human skin within 10 minutes. The team says the portable skin mapping (imaging) device could be used to assess...

From the Editor: The 2020 Products of the Year

This year, our two winners both represent new imaging capabilities for medical devices.

New Products and Services: February 2021 Medical Design Briefs

CAD software, edge connectors, optical adhesives, and more.

2020 Product Buyer's Guide

In our 2020 Product Buyer's Guide, you'll find a list of manufacturers in more than a dozen medical-device areas.

Optical Imaging Technology for Treating Tumors

A new tool for medical professionals may help shed light on tumors.

Product of the Month: May 2020 Medical Design Briefs

Toray Industries has launched Raytela® polymer optical fibers for minimally invasive surgery.

New Optical Endoscopy Using Ultrasound Could Replace Scopes

One day, scopes may no longer need to be inserted into the body — such as down the throat or under the skin — to reach the stomach, brain, or any other organs for...

Effects of Tube Processing on the Fatigue Life of Nitinol: Part 1

With medical devices approved for more demanding cardiovascular applications such as transcatheter aortic and mitral valve repair (TAVR/TMVR), the long-term structural...

Virtual Biopsy Device Detects Skin Tumors

Using sound vibrations and pulses of near-infrared light, a new “virtual biopsy” device can quickly determine a skin lesion's depth and potential malignancy without using a scalpel. The...

Medical Fiber Optics Market to Benefit from Increasing Use for Improving Patient Care: Study

Technological advancements pertaining to the electronics and healthcare industries is driving the medical fiber optics market. The adoption of...

New Products & Services: June 2019 Medical Design Briefs

Optical Distance Sensor

A highly accurate optical distance sensor is available from Werth Messtechnik, Giessen, Germany. The Werth Chromatic Focus Point sensor can measure...

Encapsulated Nanoparticles Offer Promise for Biomedical Applications

The Polymerization Process Research Group of the Polymat Institute of the UPV/EHU–University of the Basque Country has efficiently encapsulated semiconductor nanocrystals...

Molecular Device Uses Novel OPT Arrays

Converting light into electrical signals is essential for a number of future applications including imaging, optical communication, and biomedical sensing. Researchers have developed a new molecular...

Tiny Optical Elements for Miniature Endoscopes

A research team has developed tiny optical elements from metal nanoparticles and a polymer that one day could replace traditional refractive lenses to realize portable imaging systems and...

New Device Widens Light Beams by 400 Times

By using light waves instead of electric current to transmit data, photonic chips — circuits for light — have advanced fundamental research in many areas from timekeeping to telecommunications....