R&D

Spider Silk Key to New Bone-Fixing Composite

Researchers have created a biodegradable composite made of silk fibers that can be used to repair broken load-bearing bones without the complications sometimes presented by other materials.

Cancer Blood Test Detects Tumors Early

A microfluidic device the size of two quarters has the ability to catch and release circulating tumor cells (CTCs) — cancer cells that circulate in a cancer patient's blood. Such a device could lead to...

Drug-filled, 3D Printed Dentures Fight Infections

Researchers have turned to 3D printers, using the machines to build dentures filled with microscopic capsules that periodically release Amphotericin B, an antifungal medication. A study...

Erasable Contrast Agents Blink On/Off

Researchers are working on “erasable” contrast agents that would have the ability to blink off, on command, thereby revealing their location in the body.

Prosthetic Arms Provide Controlled Sensory Feedback

Researchers have developed a control algorithm that regulates current so that a prosthetics user feels steady sensation, even when the electrodes begin to peel off or when sweat builds up.

Lab-on-a-Chip Delivers Critical Immunity Data for Vulnerable Populations

A team of researchers has developed a portable, reconfigurable lab-on-a-chip diagnostic platform and field-tested the system in remote Kenya. Their validated platform...

Hybrid Nanotech Device Mimics Blood-Brain Barrier

Researchers have fabricated an artificial device reproducing a 1:1 scale model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the anatomical and functional structure that protects the central nervous...

Noninvasive Wearable System Monitors Stomach Activity

A team of engineers and physicians has developed a wearable, noninvasive system to monitor electrical activity in the stomach over 24 hours — essentially an electrocardiogram but for the...

Wood Carbon Sponge Could Be Future of Wearable Sensors

Engineers have for the first time demonstrated that wood can be directly converted into a carbon sponge capable of withstanding repeated compression and other extreme mechanical...

Mobile ELISA Gives Results at Point of Care

Researchers have created a mobile version of the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the gold standard technique used to detect the presence of an antibody or antigen. Instead of sending...

Ferroelectric Material Improves Ultrasound

Development of a theoretical basis for ultrahigh piezoelectricity in ferroelectric materials has led to a new material with twice the piezo response of any existing commercial ferroelectric...

Paper-Folding Art Inspires Better Bandages

Engineers have developed a thin, lightweight, rubber-like adhesive film that can stick to highly deformable regions of the body, such as the knee and elbow, and maintain its hold even after 100...

Engineers Develop Flexible Lithium Battery for Wearable Electronics

A team of engineers has developed a prototype Li-ion battery that obtains both good flexibility and high-energy density. It allows remarkable flexibility, high energy...

Skin-Inspired Coating Can Heal Itself

Researchers often have to compromise between strength and the ability to self-repair when developing coating materials. Now one team has developed a smart coating that is as hard as tooth enamel on the...

Brain Pacemaker Shows Promise in Slowing Alzheimer’s

Researchers conducted a study aimed at slowing the decline of problem solving and decision-making skills in patients who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Lighting the Way for Cancer Treatment

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has largely been limited to surface cancers due to its inability to penetrate deeper than a centimeter of tissue. A new approach wirelessly delivers doses of light into deeper...

Tissue Paper Sensors Show Promise for Healthcare

Engineers have turned tissue paper into a new kind of wearable sensor that can detect a pulse, a blink of an eye, and other human movement. The sensor is light, flexible, and inexpensive,...

System Measures Nanoliter Flow Rates

A microflow measurement system can track the movement of extremely tiny amounts of liquids — as small as nanoliters. The invention is designed to fill a need in the rapidly expanding field of...

Smartphone App Recognizes FASD

With a smartphone and an app, qualified healthcare professionals can now diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in their office. A newly developed system was trained to recognize the alcohol-related...

Single Blood Test Screens for Eight Cancer Types

A single blood test screens for eight common cancer types and helps identify the location of the cancer. The test, called CancerSEEK, is a unique noninvasive, multianalyte test that...

Postoperative Wound Monitoring App Aims to Reduce Readmissions

A new smartphone app called WoundCare enables patients to remotely send images of their surgical wounds for monitoring by nurses.

OCE Aids Development of Therapies for Damaged Heart Tissue

Researchers have developed a new way to capture the detailed biomechanical properties of heart tissue. The high-resolution optical technique fills an important technology gap necessary...

Hydrogels Release Therapeutics in Response to Environmental Triggers

Scientists have built and tested a new biomaterial-based delivery system — known as a hydrogel — that will encase a desired cargo and dissolve to release its freight only...

Combining Machine and Nanoparticles for Better Transplant Outcomes

A team of experts in rehabilitation robotics used a robotic system — the Tethered Pelvic Assist Device (TPAD) — to study whether or not Parkinson’s disease affects...

Biochemical, Pain-Free Skin Patch Manages Type 2 Diabetes with Microneedles

Researchers have devised an innovative biochemical formula of mineralized compounds that interacts in the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar for days at a time. In a...

Ultrasonic Sensor Allows Amputees to Control Prosthetic Fingers

Researchers have created an ultrasonic sensor that allows amputees to control each of their prosthetic fingers individually. It provides fine motor hand gestures that aren’t...

Plasmonic Biosensors Enable Development of Easy-to-Use Health Tests

A plasmonic biosensor can detect diseased exosomes even by the naked eye. Exosomes, important indicators of health conditions, are cell-derived vesicles that are present in...

Low-Cost, Battery-Powered Reader Diagnoses Jaundice

The first clinical study of a low-cost, handheld jaundice detector shows that saving newborn lives in sub-Saharan Africa is achievable. BiliSpec, a low-cost, battery-powered reader, is...