Articles by Chuck Seegert
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Researchers 3D Print LED Into Contact Lens
12/17/2014
As a proof-of-concept for new 3D printing techniques, a Princeton team has developed a contact lens that projects beams of light. The researchers embedded a light-emitting diode (LED) into a contact lens, which demonstrated the flexibility and power of their new 3D printing approach.
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New DARPA Program Seeks Novel Neuromodulation Treatments
12/17/2014
A new research program from DARPA is focused on developing groundbreaking methods of maximizing immunological, physical, and mental health through neuromodulation. Currently, the agency is seeking proposals to help restore and maintain the health of military service members and veterans without surgery or drugs.
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FDA Releases New Guidance On Establishing Safety, Compatibility Of Passive Implants In MR Environments
12/16/2014
A new guidance document on establishing the safety and compatibility of passive implants in the magnetic resonance (MR) environment has been released by the FDA. The updated document supersedes the previous release from August 21, 2008 and is focused on passive implants that function without electronic power.
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Injectable 3D Scaffolds Could Help Fight Cancer
12/16/2014
Using an injectable scaffold that self-assembles in vivo, researchers from Harvard University have developed a new form of immunotherapy. The biomaterial can be loaded with drugs or other bioactive stimulants to induce a desired immune response, which could potentially be used to fight cancer or infectious diseases, like HIV.
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MIT Researchers Develop Rapid Paper Diagnostic For Ebola
12/15/2014
Designed to act like a litmus paper test strip, a new Ebola diagnostic is being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The new, simple device could increase the speed of Ebola diagnosis, allowing the disease progression to be tracked in real-time.
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Will A New Analysis Revive Renal Denervation?
12/15/2014
The SYMPLICITY HTN-3, a Medtronic renal denervation therapy designed to treat hypertension, recently failed a large clinical trial for its inability to meet its efficacy endpoint. Recently, however, a post hoc analysis of the study revealed several confounding variables that could have contributed to the failure. The analysis may have major implications for the future of renal denervation, which showed extremely promising results in early trials.
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Can Optogenetics Help Treat Epilepsy?
12/14/2014
Using gene therapy techniques, researchers at the University of California Irvine (UC Irvine) have developed an optogenetic approach that allows them to monitor neuronal activity during and in between seizures. The new approach enables interactions with a single cell or entire networks of cells, and it could lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches for epilepsy.
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Can Robot Control Theory Improve Prosthetic Performance?
12/12/2014
By applying robot control theory, powered prosthetics have been modified to dynamically respond to an environment during walking. When wearing these robotic legs, amputees can walk nearly as fast as able-bodied people on a treadmill.
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Enabling Low-Cost Production Of 3D Nanostructures
12/12/2014
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new lithographic method that creates 3D nanostructures using nanospheres instead of more expensive, conventional methods. The technique eliminates the stacking of 2D patterns in the production of 3D structures and could find application in the biomedical, electronic, and photonic space.
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Wireless Brain Sensor Could Pave Way For Improved Neuroprosthetics
12/11/2014
A wireless system for brain studies now enables the remote acquisition of high-fidelity neural data from animal models. Previously, wires and cables constrained these types of experiments to artificial scenarios. With the new system, neural data can be obtained during normal, unrehearsed activities.