Design & Development News

51. Fiber Optics May Provide Minimally Invasive Alternative To Traditional Muscle Biopsy 3/6/2017

    New technology may provide a minimally invasive alternative to traditional muscle biopsies, which are commonly used to diagnose patients showing symptoms of muscular disorders, diseases, or infections. 

52. Implantable Cardiac Monitor Could Last Seven Decades In The Body 3/3/2017

    Northwestern scientists have developed a paper-thin patch that could adhere to the surface of the heart and monitor its activity. The researchers claim that innovations with the materials used in the patch could allow the implant to last up to seventy years without leaking.

53. Nanostraws Collect Samples From Cells Without Causing Damage 3/2/2017

    Originally designed to deliver molecules into cells, researchers have demonstrated that “nanostraws” can extract molecules and genetic material from inside the cells —an advance that could lead to better understanding of cell development, chemotherapy resistance, and the discovery of more effective therapies.

54. Stanford's “Artificial Synapse” May Lead To Improvements In Brain-Machine Interfaces 2/24/2017

    New technology from Stanford University is moving beyond devices that simulate a neural network, attempting rather to recreate a neural network with a biocompatible artificial synapse, the part of a neural network that allows neurons to pass chemical signals to another neuron. 

55. Optical Fiber Provides Real-Time Anticoagulation Monitoring 2/23/2017

    Using fiber optics, University of Central Florida (UCF) researchers have developed a technique to monitor, in real time, the formation of dangerous blood clots during cardiovascular procedures.

56. Long-Lasting Injectable CGM Uses Live Cells To Regenerate Sensor 2/21/2017

    The Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) has invested in a long-lasting continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that uses engineered live cells to replenish and maintain the stability of the implant’s optical biosensor over time.

57. Medtronic Unveils Signia Stapler For Minimally-Invasive Surgery 2/17/2017

    Medtronic's newest addition to its growing minimally-invasive surgery portfolio is the single-handed, powered Signia surgical stapler, which has the ability to sense human tissue thickness and automatically adjust stapling speed to achieve consistent staple lines.

58. J&J-Google Joint Venture Verb Surgical Unveils Digital Surgery Prototype To Partners 1/30/2017

    Verb Surgical — the joint venture between Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon and Alphabet’s Verily Life Sciences— says it has successfully demonstrated their first digital surgery prototype to senior company executives, one year after announcing their collaboration.

59. New 'Smart Needle' Guides Surgeons Through Safer Brain Surgeries 1/24/2017

    Novel needle technology developed at the University of Adelaide (UA) uses a tiny fiber optic camera and infrared light to guide neurosurgeons through dangerous procedures. Computer software connected to the needle can recognize blood vessels and alert the surgeon, preventing a potentially life-threatening bleed.

60. Blood-Repelling Titanium Surfaces Could Lower Implant Rejection Rates 1/20/2017

    Scientists from Colorado State University (CSU) have demonstrated that hemophobic surfaces significantly reduce platelet adhesion and activation, a process that can lead to life-threatening blood clots.