It took Medtronic nearly 13 years to win FDA approval for renal denervation (RDN) since buying Ardian and its hypertension-treating technology. Jason Weidman, the Medtronic SVP who is also president of coronary and RDN, has a more personal measure of the long road to approval for the world’s largest medical device manufacturer. “The first meeting…
Researchers develop first wearable for continuous monitoring of body sounds
Northwestern University researchers have developed wearable devices for continuously monitoring the sounds made by a patient’s body, such as breathing, heartbeats and digestion. The soft devices stick to a patient’s skin and use two high-performance, digital microphones to listen to sounds inside and outside the body. One of the microphones faces inside the patient, while…
Donaldson opens new life sciences technical center
NEWS RELEASE: Donaldson Company Invests in New Life Sciences Technical Center Research Triangle Park, a North Carolina technology and biotech hub, is Donaldson’s choice for the latest expansion of its life sciences footprint MINNEAPOLIS — Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE: DCI), a leading worldwide provider of innovative filtration products and solutions, announced its commitment to broadening…
Shunt device startup wants to break barriers in nitinol and heart sensing
Medical devices have yet to tap nitinol’s shape memory properties, but that’s just one breakthrough Adona Medical hopes to achieve with its adjustable, bi-atrial-sensing heart shunt. Adona Medical co-founder and CEO Brian Fahey’s presentation on his shunt device startup’s aspirations elicited palpable interest from the cardiologists in the room at CSI Frankfurt. “You plan to…
3D-printed COVID-19 breath test takes two breaths and one minute
A 3D-printed COVID-19 breath test delivers results within 60 seconds from just one or two breaths, according to Washington University in St. Louis researchers. It’s the same team that recently developed an air monitor that can detect the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus in the air within minutes. Researchers from the McKelvey School of Engineering and the…
Robotic hand uses low-cost touch sensors instead of vision
Engineers at the University of California San Diego developed a new approach allowing a robotic hand to rotate objects solely through touch. The UCSD method enables a robotic hand to do so without relying on vision. Using their technique, the engineers built a hand that can smoothly rotate a range of objects, including small toys…
Radiated, ‘humanized’ mice offer insights into implant rejection
Researchers at Johns Hopkins say they discovered an advanced “humanized” mouse model that helps predict the immune system’s reaction to medical implants. The team set out to evaluate why human bodies frequently reject implanted biomaterials, Few ways currently exist to predict this or to prevent it from happening, the researchers said. Joshua Doloff led the…
Why hearing aids might slow cognitive decline in older adults
Results from a clinical trial indicated that hearing aids may play a part in reducing long-term cognitive decline for older adults. According to the University of South Florida, it was the largest randomized, controlled clinical trial testing the efficacy of hearing aids for reducing long-term cognitive decline in older adults. ACHIEVE evaluated patients between ages…
Four-armed surgical robotics system taps a surgeon’s feet for controls
By Brianna Wessling at The Robot Report Researchers at EPFL, a public research university in Lausanne, Switzerland, have developed a four-armed surgical robotics system that allows surgeons to perform laparoscopic surgeries by controlling two of the robotic arms using haptic foot interfaces. The results were published in The International Journal of Robotics Research. The research was…
Researchers say this polymer can mimic human muscle in medical devices and robotics
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University said they developed a new ferroelectric polymer that could convert electrical energy into mechanical strain. Such a polymer could offer potential for applications in medical devices, advanced robotics and precision positioning systems. The team says that mechanical strain represents an important property for an actuator. Traditionally, these actuator materials were…
MIT engineers say they can control signals from the brain to the gut
Engineers at MIT say they developed a new technology that can control neural circuits connecting the gut and the brain. Using fibers embedded with sensors, plus light sources for optogenetic stimulation, the researchers demonstrated this control in mice. The study showed that they could induce feelings of fullness or reward-seeking behavior by manipulating cells of…
These magnetically controlled video capsules could provide an endoscopy alternative
Researchers at George Washington University recently tested a method for remotely driving a miniature video capsule into problem areas of the stomach. Medical technology company AnX Robotica created the capsule endoscopy system used in the study, called NaviCam. The company also funded the research. Physicians can direct the capsule to potential problem areas to visualize…
80-cent device prototype uses smartphone to monitor blood pressure
University of California San Diego engineers have prototyped an inexpensive device that clips onto a smartphone to monitor a user’s blood pressure. The 3D-printed device uses the smartphone’s camera and flash paired with an algorithm on an app to take systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. “We’ve created an inexpensive solution to lower the barrier…
BBy creates first condensed-to-powder breast milk, announces seed funding
BBy, a healthtech company revolutionizing hospitals’ breast milk storage and administration process, introduces its food device that condenses breast milk to a powder, maintaining the crucial bioactive components that make breast milk the best infant nutrition. BBy is disrupting a 70-year-old process in which hospitals have stored and administered donor breast milk in freezers, wasting…
3D-printed wearable sweat sensor could advance home monitoring
Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Engineering say they developed a 3D-printed, wearable sweat sensor. Called the “sweatainer,” the device harnesses the power of additive manufacturing to enable a new type of wearable sweat sensor. The researchers say the small, wearable device — similar in size to a child’s sticker —…
These smart implant coatings watch for implant failure while killing bacteria
Researchers at the University of Illinois developed “smart” coatings for orthopedic implants that can monitor strain on the devices. These coatings monitor strain to provide early warnings of implant failures while killing infection-causing bacteria. They integrate flexible sensors with a nanostructured antibacterial surface. Researchers say they received inspiration for the surface from the wings of…
Sensor-filled soft robot implant tested for brain monitoring
Researchers say a soft robot inserted through a tiny hole in the skull could offer effective brain monitoring and treatment. The researchers aim to provide a less invasive approach for placing electrodes on the brain’s surface compared to traditional methods. In those traditional methods, surgeons cut a hole in the skull the size of the…
Glowing nanoparticles enhance at-home COVID-19 test sensitivity
Researchers at the University of Houston are using glow-in-the-dark materials to enhance the sensitivity of rapid COVID-19 home diagnostics. The widely used lateral flow assay provides rapid results for diagnostics such as at-home COVID-19 or pregnancy tests. They also offer low costs and ease of operation. Test results on LFA diagnostics come through in colored…
This surgical robotic arm could potentially 3D bioprint inside the human body
Engineers in Australia say they developed a miniature robotic arm that could 3D print biomaterial directly onto human organs. UNSW Sydney researchers developed the flexible, soft robotic arm for 3D bioprinting. This process fabricates biomedical parts from so-called “bioink” to construct natural, tissue-like structures. Predominantly used for research purposes, the process normally requires the use…
Engineers at Northwestern develop electronic bandage that accelerates healing
Northwestern University engineering researchers say they developed a first-of-its-kind small, flexible, stretchable electronic bandage. This bandage accelerates healing by delivering electrotherapy directly to the wound site. It also actively monitors the healing process and harmlessly dissolves — with its electrodes — into the body once no longer needed. The Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering researchers…
Researchers in Hong Kong develop self-charging face mask
A research team at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) says it engineered a breath-to-charge electrostatic face mask. The researchers say the mask can charge itself, continuously replenishing its electrostatic charge as the user wears and breathes through the mask. This increases the filtering performance in prolonged use of the mask for up to four…
Silicone inks change how medical devices are marked
Boston Industrial Solutions, a research and development company specializing in silicone, printing inks, equipment, and robotic engineering, announces Class VI medical certification of the Natron SE-F medical grade silicone ink. This silicone ink changes how medical devices are marked by solving the color availability limitation in the healthcare and high-tech industries. The SE-F Series is…
IBS researchers develop high-resolution “ultra-thin” endoscope
Researchers at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) say they developed a high-resolution holographic endoscope system. Choi Wonshik, associate director for the Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics (CMSD) within IBS, led the team. According to a news release, the researchers overcame the previous limitation of fiber optic endoscopy. They reconstructed high-resolution images without attaching…
Researchers say ingestible sensor could help with diagnosing GI disorders
Engineers at MIT and Caltech have developed an ingestible sensor that could more easily diagnose gastrointestinal motility disorders. This advance could help with the diagnosis of constipation, gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastroparesis. The engineers designed their tiny sensor to detect a magnetic field produced by an electromagnetic coil located outside of the patient’s body. The…
New ‘ultrasound tornado’ device breaks down blood clots
Researchers at say a new tool and technique using “vortex ultrasound” could potentially break down blood clots in the brain. This sort of ultrasonic tornado eliminated clots formed in an in vitro model of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). The researchers, based at North Carolina State University, say it worked more quickly than existing techniques.…