Biotechnology & Medical News

  1. Graphene Harvests Solar Energy To Power 'Electronic Skin' 3/27/2017

    University of Glasgow researchers have developed a layer of graphene that can harvest sunlight to power 'electronic skin,' whose development holds much promise in the fields of prosthetics and robotics.

  2. Minimally-Invasive Brain Imaging May Be Possible With Surgical Needles 3/22/2017

    By substituting a glass surgical needle for the endoscope, a proof-of-concept study in mice has demonstrated technology that might lead to a minimally invasive method for imaging deep brain tissue, one that could provide a better understanding of neurological conditions.

  3. fNIRS-Based Wearable Allows “Locked-In” ALS Pateints To Communicate “Yes” And “No” 3/13/2017

    Functional near infrared spectroscopic (fNIRS) imaging (pronounced f-nears) has led to a breakthrough in communication with ALS patients who are "Locked-In," meaning they are in advanced stages of the disease where the brain is conscious and functioning, but they are unable to move any muscles, including the eyes.

  4. Nanobiodevice Enables Ultrafast Detection Of Cancer Biomarker 3/8/2017

    Like DNA, ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a type of polymeric biomolecule essential for life, playing important roles in gene processing. Short lengths of RNA called microRNA are more stable than longer RNA chains, and are found in common bodily fluids.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. STReM Technique Captures High-Speed, Super-Resolution Images Without Need For A Fast Camera 11/21/2016

    Rice University researchers have refined a Nobel Prize-winning microscopy technique to capture fluorescing molecules at a frame rate 20 times faster than other laboratory cameras.

  8. FDA Approves Zeiss' Less Invasive Laser System For Nearsightedness 9/15/2016

    The FDA has approved the VisuMax Femtosecond Laser for small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) procedures, which are indicated for the correction of nearsightedness in patients age 22 and older. Carl Zeiss Meditec (Zeiss) developed the SMILE procedure as a less-invasive alternative to LASIK and PRK surgery.

  9. Nanometer Precision 3-Channel Controller For Miniature Piezo Inertia Drives And Actuators 7/29/2016

    PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. recently announced the newest digital servo controller with 3-channels, offering greater flexibility for miniaturized precision positioning and handling tasks. Applications include precision alignment and automation, semiconductor technology, photonics, bio-nano-technology, metrology, microscopy, micro-manipulation.

  10. OPA Delivers Short Pulsewidth And Wide Tuning From Yb Amplifiers 7/13/2016

    The Opera-F is a new optical parametric amplifier (OPA) from Coherent, Inc. that delivers wide tuning, high conversion efficiency, and sub-100 fs pulse duration when pumped by the company’s Monaco high performance ytterbium ultrafast amplifier.  The signal output of the Opera-F is tunable from 650 nm to 900 nm, and the idler is tunable from 1200 nm to 2500 nm.