R&D

Researchers Develop Self-Illuminating Biosensor

Engineers have harnessed quantum physics to detect the presence of biomolecules without the need for an external light source, overcoming a significant obstacle to the use of optical biosensors in healthcare. Read on to learn more.

Paper-Based Diagnostic Provides Rapid Disease Detection

A paper-based diagnostic device can detect COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in under 10 minutes, without the need for sophisticated lab equipment or trained personnel. Read on to learn more about it.

Pipette Activates Individual Neurons

Researchers have developed a new type of pipette that can deliver ions to individual neurons without affecting the sensitive extracellular milieu. Controlling the concentration of different ions can provide important insights into how individual brain cells are affected and how cells work together. Read on to learn more.

A Chip with Natural Blood Vessels

Mini organs are incomplete without blood vessels. To facilitate systematic studies and ensure meaningful comparisons with living organisms, a network of perfusable blood vessels and capillaries must be created — in a way that is precisely controllable and reproducible. A team has established a method using ultrashort laser pulses to create tiny blood vessels in a rapid and reproducible manner. Read on to learn more about it.

Long-Lasting 3D Printed Wearable Transforms Health Monitoring

A long-lasting, 3D-printed, adhesive-free wearable provides a more comprehensive picture of a user’s physiological state. The device, which measures water vapor and skin emissions of gases, continuously tracks and logs physiological data associated with dehydration, metabolic shifts, and stress levels. Read on to learn more.

AI-Powered Analysis of Stent Healing

A research team has developed DeepNeo, an AI-powered algorithm that automates the process of analyzing coronary stents after implantation. The tool matches medical expert accuracy while significantly reducing assessment time. Read on to learn more.

Wearable Lactation Pads Detect Chemicals in Milk

Engineers have developed a smart lactation pad that can quantify a wide range of chemicals in breast milk in real time. Read on to learn more.

Pacifier Monitors NICU Babies

Researchers have developed a pacifier designed to monitor a baby’s electrolyte levels in real time, potentially eliminating the need for repeated invasive blood draws. The team constructed a tiny tunnel, or microfluidic channel, into the body of the pacifier. Read on to learn more.

Blockchain Could Empower Patient Data Management

Researchers are leveraging informatics approaches to tackle persistent challenges in data management and sharing, enabling real-world healthcare applications to enhance data security and accessibility. Read on to learn more.

Prosthetic Hand Adjusts Its Grasp

Engineers have developed a pioneering prosthetic hand that can grip plush toys, water bottles, and other everyday objects like a human, carefully conforming and adjusting its grasp to avoid damaging or mishandling whatever it holds. Read on to learn more.

Miniature Intra-Bone Implants Promote Healing

Research engineers are developing smart implants that can both monitor and promote healing in fractured bones. Read on to learn more.

Interlocking Metasurfaces Improve Structural Strength

Researchers have significantly improved a new joining technology, interlocking metasurfaces, designed to increase the strength and stability of a structure in comparison to traditional techniques like bolts and adhesives, using shape memory alloys. Read on to learn more.

Tiny Spectral Sensor Identifies Materials

Researchers have combined miniaturized hardware and intelligent algorithms to create a cost-effective, compact powerful tool capable of solving real-world problems in areas like healthcare. Read on to learn more.

Device Generates Electricity from Air

Researchers have developed a new method to pull moisture from the air and turn that water into electricity. The paper-based wearable device provides sustained high-efficiency power output through moisture capture. Read on to learn more about it.

Wearable Device Combines Multiple Sensors

A new device aims to detect acute exacerbations of chronic conditions. The wearable monitoring device contains multiple types of sensors, enabling faster and more accurate detection of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease and other inflammatory disorders. Read on to learn more about it.

Wearable Ultrasound Tech for Muscle Monitoring

Engineers have developed a wearable ultrasound device that can provide long-term, wireless monitoring of muscle activity with potential applications in healthcare and human-machine interfaces. Designed to stick to the skin with a layer of adhesive and powered by a battery, the device enables high-resolution tracking of muscle function without invasive procedures. Read on to learn more.

E-Tattoo Reads Brainwaves

A conductive ink can be printed directly on the surface of a patient’s head and measure their brainwaves. These e-tattoos serve as the sensors for electroencephalography (EEG), a medical test that measures the brain’s electrical activity. EEG can help diagnose and monitor brain tumors, sleep disorders and other brain issues. Read on to learn more.

Optical Biosensor Detects Monkeypox Virus

Researchers have developed an optical biosensor that can rapidly detect monkeypox, the virus that causes mpox. The technology could allow clinicians to diagnose the disease at the point of care rather than wait for lab results. Read on to learn more.

Sensitive Ceramics for Robotics, Prosthetics

Researchers are developing soft sensor materials based on ceramics. Such sensors can feel temperature, strain, pressure, or humidity, for instance, which makes them interesting for use in medicine, but also in the field of soft robotics. Read on to learn more.

Efficient Wearable Energy Harvester

Researchers have developed a three-dimensional stretchable piezoelectric energy harvester that can harvest electrical energy using body movements. The device is to be used as a wearable energy harvester as it can be attached to the skin or clothes. Read on to learn more.

Sensors Charge Biological Cells

A team has developed new biosensors with which the ratio of NADPH to NADP+ can be measured in living cells in real time for the first time. The team’s observations provide new insights into the evolution of the most important protective function of cells, cellular detoxification. Read on to learn more.

Gel-Based Nanogenerators for Wearables

Researchers have developed a gel polymer-based triboelectric nanogenerator that generates electrical signals from body movement to power electronics like LEDs and functions as a self-powered touch panel for user identification. The device can stretch up to 375 percent of its original size and withstand rigorous mechanical deformations, making it suitable for wearable applications. Read on to learn more.

3D Printing Shape-Changing Materials

Researchers have helped create a new 3D printing approach for shape-changing materials that are likened to muscles, opening the door for improved applications in robotics as well as biomedical and energy devices. Read on to learn more.

Nanofiber Patch for Psoriasis

Researchers have developed a patch for easier and more effective treatment of psoriasis. The method may also be used in treatment of other inflammatory skin diseases. The dry patch contains active ingredients for treatment of psoriasis reduces the frequency of use to once a day. Read on to learn more.

Bedside Blood Test

A new handheld, sound-based diagnostic system can deliver precise results in an hour with a mere finger prick of blood. The researchers used tiny particles they call functional negative acoustic contrast particles (fNACPs) and a custom-built, handheld instrument or acoustic pipette that delivers sound waves to the blood samples inside. Read on to learn more.

DNA Origami Sensor

A team has developed a general, modular strategy for designing sensors that can be easily adapted to various target molecules and concentration ranges. The new modular sensor has the potential to significantly accelerate the development of new diagnostic tools for research. Read on to learn more.

Device Detects Cancer in An Hour

Researchers have created a portable device that can detect colorectal and prostate cancer more cheaply and quickly than prevailing methods. The team believes the device may be especially helpful in developing countries, which experience higher cancer mortality rates due in part to barriers to medical diagnosis. Read on to learn more.

Toroidal Micro Robot Swims Autonomously

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in soft robotics. Their study introduces the first toroidal, light-driven microrobot that can move autonomously in viscous liquids, such as mucus. Read on to learn more.

Wearable Laser Monitors Brain Blood Flow

Researchers have developed a laser-based device that can be placed on the head to noninvasively monitor changes in brain blood flow and volume. The new device could one day help save lives by offering a direct and simple way to assess stroke risk based on physiological markers rather than indirect markers like lifestyle factors. Read on to learn more.