Tech Briefs

Parkinson's Disease: A Neuroprosthetic to Correct Walking Disorders

The scientists set out in detail the process of developing the neuroprosthetic that has allowed a first patient with Parkinson's to be treated, enabling him to walk comfortably, confidently and without falling.

MDR: Regulating Devices That Don’t Have an Intended Medical Purpose

Neither the MDR nor Annex XVI are new. Nevertheless, the entry into force of the common specifications now presents a new situation for manufacturers of devices without an intended medical purpose.

Forging a New Path with Advances in Electro-Thermal Design

A game-changing technology is revolutionizing the electro-thermal design process. Read on to learn more.

Exploring Overmolding vs. Gluing for Bonding Medical Devices

In the medical device industry, the success of a lifesaving operation may depend on the integrity of a bond between components of varying materials.

Software: Optimized, Personalized Treatments for Movement Impairments

A team of Rice University engineers has launched a first-of-its-kind, open-source software that constructs and uses personalized computer models of how individual...

Digital Power for Medical Applications

An aging population and a recognition that early detection of ailments enhances life expectancy and reduces costs mean that the number of healthcare applications is growing rapidly. While powering...

Ultra-Thin Battery Powered by Saline for Smart Contact Lenses

Scientists have developed a flexible battery as thin as a human cornea, which stores electricity when it is immersed in saline solution, and which could one day power smart...

Reshaping Medical Instrument Manufacturing with New Technology

Additive fusion technology opens doors to more sustainable manufacturing options that can help lower cost and reduce weight and waste, all while maintaining the integrity and strength required of geometrically complex and small parts subjected to harsh environments.

Pulsed Electrochemical Machining for Complex Medical Devices

As the medical device manufacturing industry continues to innovate in the form of improved tolerance requirements and an increased usage of advanced materials, manufacturers should consider the merits of a nonconventional material removal process like PECM.

Pocket-Sized Device Could Spot Infected Wounds Faster

Scientists have developed a device that works with a smartphone or tablet to capture medical images that can identify infected wounds. By capturing the heat produced by a wound and the fluorescence of bacteria, it helps clinicians tell the difference between inflammation and a potentially dangerous infection.

Smart Wearable Fabrics Use Haptic Input

A wearable, textile-based device developed by Rice University engineers could help declutter, enhance — and, in the case of impairments — compensate for deficiencies in visual and auditory inputs by tapping the sense of touch.

Customizable Spun-Fiber Heart Valve Grows with Children

Heart valves can be surgically replaced, but children whose bodies are still growing may need multiple, highly invasive surgeries to replace their valves with larger ones, putting them at risk. Kevin Kit Parker’s team vowed to fix this problem.

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Improves Efficient Delivery of Healthcare Products to Where They Are Needed

As the industry continues to implement new supply-chain solutions like RFID for improved visibility, patients can look forward to a future where timely access to critical drugs and medical devices is assured, and the quality of care is greatly enhanced.

Real-Time Guidable-Tip Wire Aids in Surgically Treating Strokes

According to the World Health Organization, strokes are the leading cause of disability and the second-leading cause of death worldwide. One-fourth of people over 25 can expect to experience one during their lifetime.

Researchers Fabricate Health-Monitoring Sensors onto Ready-Made Wearables

A patent-pending method developed by Purdue University researchers brings the public one step closer to clothes with wearable electronics that don’t affect the wearer’s comfort. The method also simplifies the manufacturing process and boosts sensing capability.

AdvaMed: EPA’s EtO Proposals Create Significant Risk of a Healthcare Crisis

The EPA issued two separate proposals earlier this year covering the use of EtO for device sterilization: the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants and the preliminary interim decision under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

Dissolving Cardiac Device Monitors, Treats Heart Disease

Nearly 700k people in the U.S. die from heart disease every year. To help prevent those deaths, researchers have developed a new device to monitor and treat heart disease and dysfunction in the days, weeks, or months following such events.

New AI Model Offers Way to Speed Up Drug Discovery

Researchers at MIT and Tufts University have devised an alternative computational approach based on a type of artificial intelligence algorithm known as a large language model.

Robotic Pill Safely Delivers Injectable Osteoporosis Drug

A proven and effective medication for osteoporosis, which is currently only available as an injection, can be administered orally using a novel “robotic pill,” according to a...

Novel Microneedle Array Enables Breakthrough Treatment

A research team has designed a new microneedle patch to offer a highly effective nonantibiotic approach for the treatment of skin infection.

'Smart' Sutures Deliver Drugs and Sense Inflammation

Inspired by sutures developed thousands of years ago, engineers have designed “smart” sutures that can not only hold tissue in place, but also detect inflammation and release drugs.

Implantable Drug-Delivery System Powered by Light

A team of scientists has developed novel technology with the potential to change the future of drug delivery. The device developed represents the first implantable drug-delivery system that is triggered by external light sources of different wavelengths, and not by electronics.

FDA Clears Bionic Pancreas for People with Type 1 Diabetes

A bionic pancreas — a wearable, pocket-sized, automated insulin delivery device — has been cleared by the FDA. The iLet Bionic Pancreas is now commercially available.

New Drug-Delivery Method Reverses Senescence of Stem Cells

The new method utilizes antioxidants in the form of polymer-stabilized crystals. Traditional methods grow crystals within reactors, but using microfluidics, the researchers can create crystals that are all the same size and dosage.

Novel Drug-Delivery Development Center Opens in UK

The Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre will help predict the stability, efficacy, performance, and any potential adverse reactions of RNA vaccines and therapeutics.

AI Tailors DNA for Future Drug Development

With the help of an AI, researchers have succeeded in designing synthetic DNA that controls the cells’ protein production.

RFID Labels Enhance Tracking of Prefilled Syringes

Schreiner MediPharm, a Germany-based provider of innovative functional label solutions for the healthcare industry, has partnered with SCHOTT Pharma, a specialist in drug-containment and...

Leveraging Edge Computing and Wearable Devices in Clinical Trials

Today, the exponential growth of data poses significant challenges for traditional cloud computing models, which struggle to keep up with demand. That’s where edge computing comes in.

The Adoption of Acoustic AI in Healthcare

AI has made a big impact in medicine in the visual realm. By detecting abnormalities, classifying and quantifying cancerous cells, and assisting surgeons with real-time guidance, visual AI has improved early detection, sped up diagnosis, and increased precision and accuracy across a number of medical specialties.