Optics/​Photonics

New Imaging Device Improves Ear Disease Diagnosis

Read on to learn about a groundbreaking advancement from the University of Southern California’s Caruso Department of Otolaryngology: a portable OCT otoscope that integrates optical coherence tomography with the traditional otoscope, to improve diagnostic capabilities in hearing clinics.

Tunable Lasers Expand for Time-Resolved Spectroscopy

Many research labs are turning to tunable lasers, or optical parametric oscillators (OPOs), for nanosecond time-resolved spectroscopy. OPOs have long been utilized in sophisticated test and measurement applications such as mass spectrometry and photoacoustic imaging. Read on to learn why these tunable pulsed lasers are being utilized.

Ultrahigh Sensing Platform

New research unlocks the power of exceptional points (EPs) for advanced optical sensing. Unlike traditional methods that require modifications to the sensor itself, the system features an EP control unit that can plug in to physically separated external sensors. Read on to learn more.

Medical Imaging: Trends Shaping Diagnostic Advancements

This article explores key modalities like ultrasound, MRI, OCT, x-ray, CT, and PET, as well as several emerging trends that are driving performance improvements. Read on to learn more.

Therapeutic Ultrasound: Contactless Drug Delivery and Treatment Enabled by Piezo Transducers

Therapeutic ultrasound opens up numerous new fields of application for the treatment of neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, or cancer diseases. Read on to learn how.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on research that pioneers transformative approaches to intuitively control prosthetic devices; one on how medical professionals can map the radiation dose within the body, giving them new data to guide treatments in real time; one on a new smart material that is activated by both heat and electricity; and one on what bats can teach us about co-existing with viruses and preventing severe disease.

Improved Ultrasound Wireless Charging for Implantable Biomedical Devices

Ultrasound-based wireless power transfer is becoming a more attractive option to power implanted biomedical devices because it could overcome many of the limitations and challenges facing other wireless charging approaches. Now, a new study has shown that the shape of the implanted receiver can significantly increase the efficiency of power harvesting from the ultrasound beam.

Wearable Ultrasound Patch Enables Continuous, Noninvasive Monitoring of Cerebral Blood Flow

Engineers have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that can offer continuous, noninvasive monitoring of blood flow in the brain. The soft and stretchy patch can be comfortably worn on the temple to provide three-dimensional data on cerebral blood flow — a first in wearable technology.

Self-Powered Sensor Could Make MRIs More Efficient

MRI scans are commonly used to diagnose a variety of conditions, anything from liver disease to brain tumors. But, as anyone who has been through one knows, patients must remain completely...

Product Showcase

See the products in the Product Showcase, including Omnetics’ Nano-D connectors, Cadence's complex medical devices, Formacoat's medical device coating application, the Lee Company’s Full Isolation Dual Seal Precision Dispense Pump, Ulbrich’s Braid Wire Accelerator® Program, and much more.

Optical Sensor Enables Continuous Noninvasive Glucose Sensing

A team has discovered new aspects of glucose’s infrared signature and have used this information to develop a miniaturized optical sensor only 5mm in diameter that could one day be used to provide continuous non-invasive glucose monitoring in diabetes management.

Ultrasound Sticker Senses Organ Stiffness

A small ultrasound sticker can monitor the stiffness of organs deep inside the body. The sticker, about the size of a postage stamp, can be worn on the skin and is designed to pick up on signs of disease, such as liver and kidney failure and the progression of solid tumors.

Markets

What are the four leading segments in the medical device industry?

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Canon Medical Components' chip-on-tip video borescope camera for a diverse range of inspection applications. The SV-2000 delivers full-color, high-resolution video inspections and image capture in tight spaces.

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including Seminex' high-power multichip module, a new technology from Renishaw that enables users of RenAM 500 series metal additive manufacturing systems to reduce build times by up to 50 percent, and Applied Motion Products' servo series engineered for high machine performance.

Detecting Sepsis Quickly with Phantom High-Speed Camera

To assist medical professionals in preventing sepsis-related deaths, Cytovale®, a life sciences technology company, developed the Intellisep® test, a commercially available medical device that detects sepsis early.

Wearable Ultrasound Monitor Aids Rehabilitation

A wearable ultrasound system can produce clinically relevant information about muscle function during dynamic physical activity. When an individual is performing a specific exercise for...

Electronic Polymer Patch Prevents Misplaced Radiation

Using a simple concept and a patented sensor that detects radioactive materials, a team has developed a patch to stop damage to healthy tissue during proton radiotherapy, one of the best...

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including Instron's precision specimen loader, Lumedel's fiberoptic collimating lenses, Fume hoods from HEMCO, a lithium coin cell holder for maximizing PC board capacity from Keystone Electronics, and more.

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including precision injection molding from Medbio; Covestro's Makrolon 3638 polycarbonate; laser processing systems from Amada Weld Tech; biocompatible adhesives, sealants, and potting materials from EpoxySet; brushless ECX speed motors from maxon; and more.

Philips Integrates AI in Cardiac Ultrasound and Across Cardiac Care

Royal Philips is integrating AI in its cardiac ultrasound devices and across cardiac care to help improve clinical confidence and increase efficiency. The portable Philips Ultrasound Compact System 5500 CV includes an AI-powered automation tool (the automated strain quantification) to assess the function of the heart’s left ventricle, a key indicator of heart health.

OPO Lasers: Putting Optical Components to the Test

Optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers test optical fibers and components to characterize the spectral response of optical components. Now, these tunable pulsed lasers are being used to facilitate a range of tests at different wavelengths to qualify and quantify the performance of optical components such as fiber optic strands, filters, lenses, and coated mirrors.

From the Editor - AI Medical Imaging Products Could Increase Five-Fold by 2035

Assuming that future funding follows the same linear trend that it has previously, a study projects such funding will be $30.8 billion in 2029, which would lead to FDA-approved products in 2035.

New Products & Services

See the new products and services, including Dillon Manufacturing's claw jaws, mesh-morphing technology from RBF Morph, an eQMS from Sierra Labs, Qosina's stopcock manifold, Surface Solutions Group's sustainable coating, Zuken's design platform, and more.

Philips Launches New AI-Enabled Innovations at RSNA23

Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, has launched new innovations at RSNA23 that are designed to put patients and healthcare providers center stage. Radiologists are...

Videos of the Month

See the videos of the month, including one on an infrared imager that can be used to easily locate an individual’s blood vessels while monitoring heart rate at the same time, an origami-inspired medical patch for minimally invasive surgery, and more.

Ultra-Sensitive Photoacoustic Microscopy Enables New Biomedical Applications

A research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) developed a multi-spectral, super-low-dose photoacoustic microscopy system with a significant improvement in the system sensitivity limit, enabling new biomedical applications and clinical translation in the future.

New Products & Services

See the new products and services, including a low-capacity torque sensor from Sensor Technology, Dymax' first medical product in its new Hybrid Light-Curable series of adhesives, a bone screw inspection and measurement module from VisionX, and more.