HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Scientists turn crop waste into plastics for medical devices, auto parts
The team intends to create a cost-effective, energy-efficient technology for manufacturing plastics based on polybutylene succinate (PBS).
Machine learning helping locate what cannot be seen
If space rocks can carry familiar ingredients but not the chemical “signature” that life leaves behind, then identifying the true signs of biology becomes extremely complicated. To solve this, a new approach to data analysis was developed.
New wearable tech lightens body armor load by 90%
The wearable weight distribution device could potentially help reduce musculoskeletal injuries as well as accelerate recovery from back injuries in far-forward environments, thus helping soldiers to remain effective.
pH control in tissue culture: The key to cellular success
This article explores why accurate pH measurement matters and how pH shapes vital cellular processes.
Smart bra monitors breast cancer risk in real time
The team is currently developing an electronic textile that is designed to fit within a bra and monitor whether a tumor is growing in real time.
COVID vaccine tech shows promise in taking the sting out of snake venom
The team enveloped specific mRNA molecules in tiny fat particles that, when injected into muscle, taught cells to generate protective antibodies that prevent damage incurred by snake venom.
Tiny patch shows potential for healing damaged heart muscle post-heart attack
The patch painlessly delivers a targeted dose of interleukin-4 (IL-4), directly into injured tissue, potentially repairing the heart itself while simultaneously avoiding the side effects of earlier drug delivery methods.
Swallowable bacterial “pills” may spot gut diseases — minus the colonoscopy
According to its developers, the miniature pills, which are taken orally, also contain magnetic particles that make the pills easy to retrieve from stool.
New AI tool reveals airway obstructions often missed on CT imaging
The AI model functions like a second set of eyes, helping radiologists detect these radiolucent — invisible on x-rays and faint on CT scans — objects earlier and more reliably.
Sweat-powered sticker transforms cups into health monitors
The flexible sticker instead adheres to the outside of a drinking cup, where it collects trace amounts of sweat as a person grips the cup.
Seaweed-based casings may replace plastic in home test kits
The team is hoping to create seaweed-based housings to replace traditional petroleum plastics without changing the way such diagnostic lateral flow tests work.
New material helps teeth regrow and fortify enamel
The gel, which is fluoride free, works by replicating the features of the natural proteins that encourage the growth of dental enamel in infancy.
Injectable hydrogels offer a new way to track biological activity within the body
The team at Washington University is working to develop granular hydrogels comprised of microparticles that could potentially be injected, spread over tissues or used to encapsulate cells to monitor or stimulate biological activity.
Modern approaches to bioprinting technology
Bioprinting combines principles from biology, materials science and manufacturing to create living structures from cells. Instead of printing with plastic or metal, these systems use bioinks made from cells and hydrogels to build tissue-like materials layer by layer.
Skin-like organic biosensors enable real-time health monitoring
The new biosensors, which are devices capable of converting biological responses into measurable electrical signals, feature a unique design that promises to enable the collection of reliable recordings under assorted environmental conditions.
Soft, air-powered robotic elbow exoskeleton eases muscle effort, reduces workload
Designed particularly for workers whose jobs involve hours of lifting and repetitive motion and to prevent future musculoskeletal disorders, the Pneumatically Actuated Soft Elbow Exoskeleton (PASE) is a lightweight silicone "pneumatic actuator."
Lead-free silicon patch offers clearer, eco-friendly ultrasound imaging
According to the researchers, their ultrasound patch has demonstrated superior performance beyond that of conventional high-cost, lead-based ultrasound transducers — but without using lead at all.
Microcatheter threads to travel through hair-thin arteries to deliver lifesaving treatments
The EPFL team created the MagFlow, which is an ultraminiaturized magnetic microcatheter that relies on the flow of blood to move forward, thus opening up the potential to treat conditions such as stroke, arteriovenous malformations and eye cancers in children.
Liquid metal framework heals bones while fighting infection
Future applications for the material could range from antimicrobial bone fillers and spinal fusion materials to 3D-printed scaffolds for cancer-related bone loss, diabetic foot and other high-risk infections, according to the Flinders' team.
New wearable patch enables battery-free, non-invasive skin cancer detection
The team determined that the patch clearly distinguished between healthy skin and potentially concerning spots, detecting unique electrical signals encountered with suspicious moles or lesions regardless of skin tone.