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Researchers at Purdue University discovered a simple way to control a type of metal deformation known as sinuous flow. Supressing the deformation could reduce the energy required to process metals and lead to more efficient machining.

An interdisciplinary team led by Stanford electrical engineer Krishna Shenoy has developed a technique to make brain-controlled prostheses more precise. The prostheses analyze the neuron sample and instantly make dozens of corrective adjustments to the estimate of the brain's electrical pattern.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have produced samples of strong, resilient spider silk. The spun samples could lead to a variety of biomedical materials, including sutures and scaffolding for organ replacements.

A sterile medical device preserved the health of a deceased donor liver and allowed the organ to repair itself. The liver was then successfully transplanted to a 43-year-old patient in Ontario. The device, which mimics human physiological functions, is part of a Phase 1 clinical trial at UHN's...

Researchers at the University of Delaware have received a $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to develop new nanostructures that act like a ratchet, combining the energy of two red photons of light into a single, higher-energy blue photon. The light-changing technology could improve solar...

A smart hydrogel coating from Georgia Institute of Technology creates “stick-slip” control of capillary action. By placing the material inside of glass microtubes, capillary forces are altered and draw water differently. The researchers' discovery could provide a new way to control microfluidic...

There’s no doubt that additive manufacturing (AM), including emerging 3D printing technologies, is booming. Despite its promise though, AM still has far to go to in understanding the impact of subtle differences in manufacturing methods on the properties and capabilities of resulting materials....

New research from Stanford University sheds light on how neurons control muscle movement. The findings could be applied to create better brain-controlled prosthetic devices, such as robotic arms.

Using high-quality, low-cost graphene, researchers from the University of Exeter have created a transparent, flexible touch-sensor that could enable the development of artificial skin.

By using larger spherical components, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have found a way to reduce the immune system from rejecting biomedical implant devices. The bigger spheres are better able to maintain their function and avoid scar-tissue buildup.

A Washington University team developed a novel device that may allow individuals to feel hot and cold temperatures through a prosthetic technology. If the invention works as planned, upper-limb amputees who use motorized devices would be able to feel various sensations through the prosthetic, which...

By combining 3D holographic lithography and 2D photolithography, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have demonstrated a 3D microbattery suitable for large-scale on-chip integration with microelectronic devices. Applications for the holographically patterned battery include...

A new technique developed by Kansas State University students allows individuals to personalize their prosthetic with new "skins." The covers are made from flexible resins and plastics.

Using misting technology found in household humidifiers, University of Illinois chemists developed a new method to create silicone microspheres. The tiny spheres could have applications in targeted medicine and imaging.

Researchers at the University of Georgia have found a low-cost way to manufacture extraordinarily thin polymer strings. The nanofibers can be used to create advanced wound dressings, regenerate tissue, and deliver drugs directly to the site of an infection.

Using a 3D bioprinter, a group of engineers at Chalmers University of Technology have created objects made entirely by cellulose. The additive manufacturing process could be used to build patient-specific implants, new sensors, and wound dressings that communicate with healthcare workers.

Using nanowires, Purdue University researchers has created a new implantable drug-delivery system that can be wirelessly controlled. The nanowires respond to an electromagnetic field generated by a separate device, which can be used to release a pre-loaded drug. The engineering team says that...

Changchun "Chad" Zeng from Florida State University's High Performance Materials Institute (HPMI) has developed a new auxetic foam. Prosthetic socks made from the foam will help amputees adjust prosthetic devices to their specific limb shape and volume.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have created thin, flexible electronic devices that efficiently harvest the mechanical energy from natural motions of the human body. In addition to advances in materials processing to enable fabrication of these thin film devices, accurate analytical models...

A robotic glove built by a team of engineers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) could assist patients suffering from loss of hand motor control.

An injectable hydrogel from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science helps skin wounds heal more quickly. An instant scaffold created by the material allows new tissue to latch on and grow within the cavities formed between linked spheres of gel.

University of Illinois engineers have created heat-activated self-destructing electronic devices. A radio-controlled trigger remotely prompts the process on demand.

Columbia Engineering researchers have designed a new technique to build a single-molecule diode. Their results achieved rectification ratios as high as 250, fifty times higher than earlier designs.

Through a clinical collaboration between Caltech, Keck Medicine of USC, and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, a man paralyzed from the neck down can use a robotic arm to perform a fluid hand-shaking gesture, drink a beverage, and even play "rock, paper, scissors." The...

A microfluidic device called the Cluster-Chip, developed by a team of scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital, is the first designed specifically to capture clusters of two or more rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs), rather than single cells. The ability to isolate intact clusters, they say, can enable...

Researchers at Michigan Technological University, Houghton, recently acquired a 3D bioprinter with which they plan to “print” synthesized nerve tissue. The key, they say, is developing the right “bioink” or printable tissue. One of the team member’s research on cellulose nanocrystals as...