Tech Briefs

New 3D Printing Technique: A Game Changer for Medical Testing Devices

Microfluidic devices are compact testing tools made up of tiny channels carved on a chip, which allow biomedical researchers to test the properties of liquids, particles, and...

Smartphone-Powered Microchip Enables At-Home Medical Diagnostic Testing

A research team has developed a new microfluidic chip for diagnosing diseases that uses a minimal number of components and can be powered wirelessly by a smartphone. The...

Biodegradable Implant Could Help Doctors Monitor Brain Chemistry

A wireless, biodegradable sensor could offer doctors a way to monitor changes in brain chemistry without requiring a second operation to remove the implant, according to an...

Digital Rehab: Video Game-Based Therapy Improves Motor Skills After Stroke

After a stroke, patients may lose feeling in an arm or experience weakness and reduced movement that limits their ability to complete basic daily activities. Traditional...

Sensor Measures Pressure in Digestive Tract

As food moves through the digestive tract, contracting muscles along the tract keep things flowing smoothly. Loss of this motility can lead to acid reflux, failure of food to move out of the stomach,...

Optimizing Illumination for qPCR Diagnostics — Design Considerations

A complete optical path minimizes signal crosstalk between detection channels.

‘Seeing’ Nonuniformities in 2D Materials May Lead to New Medical Sensors

Detecting nonuniformities in optical properties opens the door to new uses

Implant Offers Promise for the Paralyzed

A system enables patients with a complete spinal cord injury to stand, walk, and more.

Researchers Develop Ultrathin Films for Stretchable and Sturdy Bioelectronic Membranes

The highly adaptable materials could lead to new classes of wearable devices.

Quiet Gears Improve Patient Comfort and Imaging Quality in Medical Equipment

The polymer gear material reduces noise and absorbs shock and vibration.

New Software May Help Neurology Patients Capture Clinical Data with Their Own Smartphones

The software accurately detects movements performed during motor function assessments.

Custom Finger Clip Offers New Way to Measure Blood Pressure, Other Vitals

The novel device uses two photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors.

Researchers Pilot ‘Itty Bitty’ Device for Earlier Ovarian Cancer Detection

The endoscope fits inside a fallopian tube and sees below the surface with high resolution.

New Technology Offers Better Diagnosis of Dizziness

The vibrating device uses bone-conducted sounds to achieve better results.

Brain-Recording Device Could Help Patients Regain Mobility

The customizable device for recording brain activity is also affordable.

Researchers Develop Soft, Stretchable Thermometer

The self-powered sensor can be integrated into soft robots or smart clothing.

3D Robotic Spine ‘Twin’ Offers New Way to Preview Surgical Procedures

The twins enable comparison of the effects of different surgical interventions in a patient-specific manner.

Sustainable Silk Material Ideal for Wearable and Implantable Applications

The material is optically transparent and easily manipulated.

Tiny Chip-Based Device Performs Ultrafast Modulation of X-Rays

New optics-on-a-chip device paves way to capturing fast chemical, material, and biological processes.

A Colorful, Sustainable Solution for 3D Printing in Healthcare

Brown seaweed, pigments team up for nontoxic and stable gel structures.

Shape-Shifting Materials Offer Infinite Possibilities

Totimorphic structural materials can achieve any shape.

Silicone Nanochip Can Reprogram Biological Tissue in Living Body

The noninvasive nanochip applies a harmless electric spark to deliver specific genes in a fraction of a second.

Biosensors Measure Toxic Drugs in Cancer, Arthritis, and Organ Transplant Patients

Designer biosensors ‘switch on’ color or electrical responses to drugs.

How Virtual, Cloud-Based Technologies Are Powering the Next Industrial Revolution

On-premises data centers give way to virtual solutions.

DIY Kits Enable Users to Build Their Own Peristaltic Pumps for Microfluidics

Users can download the design files to 3D print and assemble a customizable peristaltic pump.

Miniature Optical Fiber Treatment Device Offers More Effective Cancer Immunotherapy

The device infuses antibodies through the miniature fiber to the tumor to activate T cells around tumor cells.

Suture of the Future Fights Infection

The smart bandage can dispense antibiotic, monitor wound-healing biomarkers, and report important data directly to doctors.

New Imaging Technology Reduces Need for Skin Biopsies

A deep-learning framework transforms images of intact skin acquired by an emerging noninvasive optical technology.

Stretchable Pressure Sensor Could Lead to Better Robotics, Prosthetics

The sensor can be stretched up to 50 percent with almost the same sensing performance.