MATERIALS UCLA
Magnetoelastic Patch Turns Body Motion Into Electricity

A team of scientists at University of California Los Angeles created a magnetoelastic device that can generate electricity from movements of the body, including the movements caused by the pulse at the wrist. The patch-like device may help to power medical wearables or implant...

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CONCORDIAUNIVERSITY MATERIALS NEUROLOGY NEUROSURGERY
Laser-Assisted Bioprinting of Neurons

A team at Concordia University in Montreal have developed a technique called Laser-Induced Side Transfer (LIST) that allows for bioprinting of neurons. Low energy laser pulses are directed at a capillary containing a cell-laden bioink, resulting in microbubbles that eject a mi...

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DUKE MATERIALS ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY
Antimicrobial Coating Prevents Infections Around Ortho Implants

A group at Duke University engineered an antibiotic delivery system to make the surfaces of orthopedic implants resistant to bacterial infiltration. The technique involves spraying or painting a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers, mixed with an antibiotic of c...

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MATERIALS MEDICINE PURDUE SURGERY
Microneedle Patch Delivers Oxygen to Chronic Wounds

A team of scientists at Purdue University created a microneedle patch that can deliver oxygen and bactericidal agents to chronic wounds. The bacterial biofilms that form over non-healing wounds, such as foot ulcers, are a formidable barrier to successful treatment. Such wounds...

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MATERIALS MEDICINE ONCOLOGY
Pancreatic Organoids Grown Inside Synthetic Gel

A team at MIT has developed a technique to grow organoids, both from healthy and cancerous pancreatic tissue, using a synthetic gel that predictably mimics the pancreatic extracellular environment. Compared with naturally derived materials, the synthetic gel is consistent from...

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DENTISTRY MATERIALS
Smart Dental Implant Resists Bacteria and Generates Electricity

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania created a dental implant that resists bacterial growth and generates electricity thanks to its piezoelectric properties. The generated electricity could power a light source for on-board phototherapy, a technique that could help pr...

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CARDIOLOGY MATERIALS NANOMEDICINE NANOTUBES RICEUNIVERSITY
Carbon Nanotube Thread Lets Clothes Monitor Health

Researchers at Rice University managed to create flexible carbon nanotube fibers that can be incorporated into clothing to function as wearable health monitors. The new thread is highly conductive, but it is washable and strong, allowing it to function as an unobtrusive compon...

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MATERIALS MEDICINE
Sweat Powered Battery for Wearable Medical Devices

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore created a flexible battery that is powered by sweat. The device could provide a new way to energize medical wearables, some of which already use sweat to detect or monitor disease. The stretchable device incorporates...

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MATERIALS NEUROLOGY REHAB
Inflatable Prosthetic Hand with a Sense of Touch

Researchers at MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University created an inexpensive robotic hand intended for use by upper limb amputees. The device is more like a soft robot than previous robotic prostheses, and includes inflatable components and pneumatics, making it lightweight and...

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MATERIALS RADIOLOGY
Virtual Reality System to Entertain During MRI Scans

Researchers at King’s College London developed a virtual reality system that is intended to distract and calm patients who find MRI scans challenging, including children and other vulnerable individuals. The patient wears a specialized VR headset during the scan and can intera...

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