Researchers at the Universities of Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh have developed a tiny magnetic robot that can take 3D scans from deep within the body, potentially revolutionising early cancer detection. According to the team, this is the first time high-resolution three-dimensional ultrasound images taken from a probe deep inside the gastrointestinal tract have been … [Read more...] about Miniature rolling robot can take virtual biopsies from inside the body
Medical
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
Inspired by the way in which a starfish flips itself over – shrinking one of its arms and using the others in a coordinated motion to right itself – a team of researchers from the University of Missouri’s College of Engineering and collaborators have created a starfish-shaped wearable device that tracks heart health in real time. When we move, it’s more difficult for … [Read more...] about Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
Experts enter fourth dimension to create better medical devices
Experts at the University of Birmingham and Imperial College London have launched a project aimed at revolutionising medical device engineering by incorporating a fourth dimension – time – into design to achieve new functionality. The 4D Health Tech initiative addresses a critical gap in medical device design: neglect of time-dependent changes in the human body. Traditional … [Read more...] about Experts enter fourth dimension to create better medical devices
Bionic hand ‘knows’ what it’s touching
Engineers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have developed a pioneering prosthetic hand that can grip plush toys, water bottles and other everyday objects like a human, carefully conforming and adjusting its grasp to avoid damaging or mishandling whatever it holds. The system’s hybrid design is a first for robotic hands, which have typically been too rigid or too soft … [Read more...] about Bionic hand ‘knows’ what it’s touching
3D-printed soft actuators could be used to create artificial heart
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a method of producing soft and elastic, yet powerful ‘artificial muscles’ using 3D printing. According to the researchers, in addition to potential applications in robotics, the soft actuators could be used to support people at work or when walking, or even replace injured … [Read more...] about 3D-printed soft actuators could be used to create artificial heart