R&D

Acoustic Waves Offer Treatment for Kidney Stones

Researchers are investigating the use of time reversal (TR) signal processing to focus waves sound with high amplitudes in a room. In biomedical applications, focused ultrasound can be used...

Artificial Bone Helps Osteoarthritis Patients

Researchers are developing an artificial bone that can be used for treating of the most common joint disease — osteoarthritis. The bi-functional composite imitates the complex osteochondral...

Simulations Address Delays in MRI Breast Imaging

Without a way to prove that a new MRI technique is safe for all women, clinical MRIs haven't been able to keep pace with the latest advances in MRI research. More informative cancer detection...

Upon Inspection, Robots Pick Up and Understand Any Object

A system lets robots inspect random objects and visually understand them enough to accomplish specific tasks without ever having seen them before. The system, called Dense Object...

New Laser Pulses Faster Than Usual Ultrafast Light

A new electro-optic laser imposes microwave electronic vibrations on a continuous-wave laser operating at optical frequencies, effectively carving pulses into the light. Probing biological...

Quantum Dots Monitor Brain Activity

Luminescent quantum dots are finding new and exciting applications in current nano-science research, including improved solar energy collectors, LEDs, and quantum computers. A recent thrust from the U.S....

MR Coil for High-Quality Imaging

Researchers have developed and tested an MR coil for high-quality imaging of the whole mouse. Such coils are required for preclinical studies of drugs, as well as for targeted examination of various body...

Integrated Sensor Could Monitor Brain Aneurysm Treatment

Implantation of a stent-like flow diverter can offer one option for less-invasive treatment of brain aneurysms — bulges in blood vessels — but the procedure requires frequent...

Nanosized Traps Diagnosing Bacterial Infections

A new type of lab on a chip has the potential to become a clinical tool capable of detecting very small quantities of disease-causing bacteria in just minutes. The device is made of nanosized...

Microscale Superlubricity Improves Electromechanical Devices

Superlubricity — the state of ultra-low friction and wear — holds great promise for the reduction of frictional wear in mechanical and automatic devices.

Flexible Microrobots for Medical Tasks

A team of researchers has developed an integrated fabrication process that enables the design of soft robots on the millimeter scale with micrometer-scale features. To demonstrate the capabilities of their...

Mobile Ultrasound Combines Stationary, Portable Functions

A high-tech device-transformer for ultrasound examination combines three functions in one device. So instead of two types of vehicles (stationary and portable), medical institutions can...

Sensory Device Aids Amputees

Sensory feedback — achieved by direct interfaces attached to the nerves — fundamentally changed how study participants used their mechanical attachment, “transforming it from a sporadically used tool into a...

Sound Waves Provide ‘Liquid Biopsies’

Researchers have developed a gentle, contact-free method for separating circulating tumor cells from blood samples that is fast and efficient enough for clinical use. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs)...

3D Printed Biopsy Robot for Breast Cancer Research

A 3D printed biopsy robot is propelled by cylinders driven by air pressure. With the help of hoses that supply the air, the control of the robot can be placed outside the MRI scanner. The...

Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes

Researchers are developing early detection technology for Type 1 diabetes that can accurately predict whether a child is at risk of the chronic disease. The researchers hope their detection kit could one day...

Early Detection of Neuro Diseases

A new wireless eye-tracking technology is based on electro-oculography (EOG), an ophthalmology technique used to examine eyes and record eye movement. The technology, which is integrated into a standard pair of...

Electronic Skin Stretched to New Limits

An electrically conductive hydrogel that takes stretchability, self-healing, and strain sensitivity to new limits outperforms previously reported hydrogels and introduces new functionalities. Smart...

Tissue Imaging Enables Real-Time Diagnostics

A new microscope system can image living tissue in real time and in molecular detail, without any chemicals or dyes. The system uses precisely tailored pulses of light to simultaneously image with...

3D Imaging Technique Improves Arthritis Treatment

An algorithm to monitor the joints of patients with arthritis, which could change the way that the severity of the condition is assessed, has been developed by a team of engineers, physicians,...

Dual Therapy Improves Stroke Recovery

Paralysis of an arm and/or leg is one of the most common effects of a stroke. But thanks to new research, stroke victims may soon be able to recover greater use of their paralyzed limbs. The scientists’...

Making Brain Probes More Sensitive

Graphene electrodes could enable higher quality imaging of brain cell activity thanks to new research by a team of engineers and neuroscientists. The researchers developed a technique, using platinum...

Soft Contacts Monitor Glucose, Deliver Medication

Researchers have developed soft contact lenses that not only correct vision but also can monitor glucose and medical conditions and be used for ocular pain relief or drug delivery. The team...

In-Situ, Real-Time Monitoring of High-Power Lasers

A smaller, faster and more sensitive laser power meter in the form of a folding mirror uses a capacitor-based force transducer and merges optical elements, namely a high reflectivity mirror,...

Technology Could Help Pregnant Women Detect Health Complications

Researchers are developing an app and wearable technology to enable pregnant women to use a smartphone to detect whether they have or are susceptible to a condition that could...

Ingestible ‘Bacteria on a Chip’ Diagnoses Disease

Researchers have built an ingestible sensor equipped with genetically engineered bacteria that can diagnose bleeding in the stomach or other gastrointestinal problems.

Elastic Fiber Revolutionizes Smart Clothes

Scientists have found a fast and simple way to make super-elastic, multi-material, high-performance fibers. Their fibers have already been used as sensors on robotic fingers and in clothing. This...

Blood Test Rapidly Detects Signs of Pancreatic Cancer

A new diagnostic test shows promise for detecting the disease earlier. The test, which is at the proof-of-concept stage, can rapidly screen a drop of blood for bio-markers of pancreatic...