A study published in Chinese Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery outlines an accurate classification system and treatment algorithm for nasal alar defects in Asians. The authors describe a systematic approach to evaluating the severity of deformity and selecting appropriate surgical procedures based on defect size and type.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge developed flexible electronic devices that wrap around the spinal cord, recording nerve signals and stimulating limb movement. The devices could lead to treatments for spinal injuries without brain surgery, improving safety for patients.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a universal approach to controlling robotic exoskeletons that requires no training, calibration, or adjustments. The system uses deep learning to autonomously adjust assistance levels for walking, standing, and climbing stairs, reducing user effort and metabolic expenditure.
Researchers at RMIT University created a 50% stronger titanium lattice cube than the strongest alloy of similar density used in aerospace applications. The material's unique lattice structure design distributes stress evenly, making it suitable for medical devices, aircraft, and rocket parts.
A study by Osaka Metropolitan University found that upper limb exercise testing underestimated cardiopulmonary function, indicating it cannot substitute cycle ergometers. Researchers call for further research to clarify factors affecting the relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake during exercise.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a robotic sensor that reads Braille at twice the speed of humans, achieving 87% accuracy. The breakthrough uses machine learning algorithms to 'deblur' images and recognize letters, paving the way for potential applications in robotics and prosthetics.
A University of Michigan project aims to create a smoother experience for robotic prosthetic leg users, with renewed support from the National Institutes of Health. The team has developed a continuous modeling framework that mimics biomechanical impedance, enabling the leg to move seamlessly between different activities.
Researchers have developed a spinal cord stimulation technology that restores sensation, improves function, and reduces phantom limb pain after trans-tibial amputation. The study showed significant improvements in balance control and gait stability, with an average 70% reduction in phantom limb pain.
A new technology enables the printing of complex robots with soft, elastic, and rigid materials in one go. This allows for the creation of delicate structures and parts with cavities as desired.
Researchers at HHMI's Janelia Research Campus have discovered that rats can think about places and objects not in front of them, generating specific neural activity patterns in the hippocampus. This ability is fundamental to remembering past events and imagining future scenarios, indicating that animals possess a form of imagination.
Researchers developed robotic prosthetic ankles controlled by nerve impulses, allowing amputees to move more naturally and improving stability. The study found that users were significantly more stable when using the robotic prototype, changing their postural control strategy and mimicking the body's behavior.
Researchers discovered that titanium micro-spikes with rough surfaces can effectively kill drug-resistant fungus and Candida species through apoptosis. The findings suggest that these surface features may be a promising approach to combatting superbug resistance.
Researchers have developed a new manufacturing pipeline to simplify and advance high-value manufacturing of tissue-compatible organs, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. This breakthrough aims to address the dire need for artificially engineered organs and tissue grafts, potentially saving thousands of lives in the UK.
Researchers discovered that lipid deposition on medical implant surfaces can signal to the immune system whether to attack or ignore the implant. This knowledge could help develop biomaterials that deflect host immune aggression, reducing malfunction rates for devices like pacemakers and surgical mesh.
A new policy brief has been launched by Staffordshire University to guide the creation of national telehealth patient consultation guidelines and training. The framework, developed in partnership with Allied Health Professions (AHPs), aims to improve the delivery of remote patient consultations across various healthcare professions.
Researchers developed an injectable hydrogel that inhibits common bacteria and promotes tissue regrowth, treating infections around prosthetics. The gel has a porous structure, excellent injectability, and rapid self-healing properties.
Researchers at KAUST have developed a soft and flexible electronic 'e-skin' that can detect minute temperature differences between inhalation and exhalation, as well as touch and body motion. The material's island-bridge atomic structure provides an inherent softness and flexibility ideal for on-skin applications.
A physicist at TU Graz has developed a three-in-one hybrid material that reacts to force, moisture and temperature with high spatial resolution. The smart skin has potential applications in robotics, smart prosthetics and healthcare, and its production can be easily scaled and implemented.
A study published in Stroke journal found robot therapy to be as effective as traditional therapy in improving motor function and daily tasks for chronic stroke patients. The robotic device provided repetitive exercises and real-time analysis, leading to significant improvements in shoulder, elbow, and forearm use.
Researchers at the University of Bristol created a 3D-printed artificial fingertip that produces nerve signals similar to those from human tactile nerves. The innovation could improve robot dexterity and prosthetic hand performance by giving them an in-built sense of touch.
Researchers have developed an ultrasonic retinal prosthesis that can stimulate the blind retina to transmit signals to the brain, providing a promising solution for vision restoration. The device uses ultrasound waves to activate small groups of neurons in the eye, similar to how light signals activate a normal eye.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet studied long-term outcomes of bioprosthetic aortic valves implanted between 2003 and 2018. They found significant differences in performance depending on valve model, with Perimount having the lowest risk of replacement and mortality among patients
A new HMI system, Robotic VR, allows users to teleoperate robots with precision and feel, enabling complicated tasks such as Covid-19 swab tests and patient care. The system provides immersive feedback via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the internet.
Researchers at Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena investigated how people with cochlear implants perceive vocal emotions. They found that the group with cochlear implants showed lower scores overall in recognizing emotional nuances, but some individuals could effectively utilize timbre to distinguish between fearful and angry voices.
A study by Osaka City University found that the Kihon Checklist is a useful tool in assessing frailty in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The checklist, originally developed for Japan's long-term care insurance system, correlated with clinical scores to identify patients at high risk of mortality.
A recent study published in PNAS reveals that humans can instantly estimate slipperiness of a surface by detecting radial strain in the fingertip skin during initial contact. This innovation has significant implications for robotics and prosthetics design.
The HyVIS project is a four-year European initiative that will develop bionic synapses for retinal prostheses, exploiting residual neuronal functionality to restore sensitivity to light. The approach involves plasmonic nanocannals and intelligent polymers to release neurotransmitters in response to light stimuli.
Researchers have developed a new pressure sensor that can be stretched up to 50% while maintaining its sensing performance, enabling advanced robotics and prosthetic applications. The sensor is sensitive enough to detect the pressure of small objects and responds rapidly to changes in pressure.
Researchers have found a cheaper and easier way to create large groups of carbon nanotubes without lithography. The 'dewetting' process allows for precise arrangement of nickel catalyst particles to form hexagonal nanotube arrays.
Researchers at Skoltech and their colleagues have successfully created a magnetic material by 3D printing a gradient alloy from nonmagnetic powders. The resulting alloy exhibits ferromagnetic properties, opening up potential applications in machine engineering, such as electrical motors.
Researchers discovered how neurons in a small area of the brain filter distracting signals to coordinate dexterous movements. The findings may hold lessons for building better prosthetics and robots that can fine-tune their movements based on sensory input.
The living retina achieves sensitivity and efficiency that human engineers can only dream about, with optimized mosaics of different sensitivities parsing 40 visual features. The retinas adapt to current conditions and conserve energy by tuning out noise, making them orders of magnitude less power-hungry than smartphone sensors.
Engineers at MIT have developed a soft, lightweight neuroprosthetic hand that enables amputees to perform daily activities with ease. The prosthetic features a system for tactile feedback, allowing users to feel sensations in their residual limb, and is potentially low-cost for low-income families.
A study from University of California San Diego demonstrates the possibility of re-creating a bird's song by reading its brain activity, laying the foundation for building vocal prostheses for humans. The approach uses machine learning algorithms to map neural patterns to mathematical equations modeling the physical changes in the bird...
Researchers at University College London developed a robotic 'Third Thumb' that allows users to perform dextrous tasks with one hand. The study found that participants' brains adapted to the extra thumb, changing their natural hand movements and reporting it felt like part of their body.
A computer model has been developed to potentially improve bionic eye technology by enhancing clarity and granting color vision to future retinal prosthetic devices. The model, which replicates the shapes and positions of millions of nerve cells in the eye, identifies ways to increase signal transmission and processing efficiency.
A recent study published in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering found that high signal heterogeneity from different retinal ganglion cells is essential for efficient transmission of visual information. The research team discovered that certain types of retinal ganglion cells respond similarly to electric ...
Researchers developed a combined hardware and software printing system that uses off-the-shelf varnishes to finish objects with realistic, spatially varying gloss patterns. The technology has potential applications in fine art reproduction and prosthetic design, offering near-flawless replicas and more realistic-looking prosthetics.
Researchers have created a durable e-skin using hydrogel and MXene materials, enabling real-time sensing of temperature, touch, and pressure. The material can withstand up to 28 times its original size without losing functionality.
Researchers found that people born without upper limbs who use their feet to reach engage the same brain area as those with hands, revealing a higher-level motor function. This discovery advances basic science and offers potential clinical advances in improving limb prostheses.
Researchers created a synthetic tubular scaffold from biodegradable polylactic acid, which forms an artificial vessel in its place. The scaffold showed high patency rates and was proven to be non-toxic.
The study found that thermoplastic materials, such as GC Iso functional sticks and Impression compound green sticks, outperformed silicone impression materials in border molding accuracy. The measured mean negative pressure values showed close values for each patient, highlighting the importance of anatomical features of the prosthetic...
New research suggests neural implants need to filter out correlated noise in retinal cells to achieve accurate signals, improving performance by 20-100% depending on light conditions
Researchers at KIST found that retinal neural signals from electric stimulation are altered depending on disease progression in mice affected by outer retinal degeneration. This study suggests guidelines for patient selection of retinal prostheses, improving performance and perception of artificial vision.
Researchers at IIT have developed a revolutionary liquid retina prosthesis using nano-technology to replace damaged photoreceptors in the retina. The study demonstrates high spatial resolution and effectiveness, paving the way for future clinical trials.
A Stanford University team has created a new device that records electrical brain signals with high resolution, offering potential breakthroughs in prosthetics, disease treatment, and brain research. The device, featuring thousands of microwires, can be used to study neural activity on a single-neuron level.
Scientists have created a size-adjustable prosthetic heart valve that can be expanded to accommodate growing hearts, reducing the need for invasive surgeries. The device showed good performance in animal studies without impeding blood flow, but longer-term tests are needed to validate its durability.
A new type of heart valve, inspired by human venous valves, has been designed to adapt to a child's growth without losing functionality. The biomimetic two-leaflet design has shown promising results in benchtop studies and large animal models, potentially reducing the risk of blood clots and improving long-term device durability.
A team of scientists at Monash University has successfully created dynamic covalent oligomers that mimic the combination of complementary DNA strands. This breakthrough could lead to improved nanostructures for solar capture technology and molecular electronics, as well as enhanced interfaces between prostheses and human tissue.
Engineers at Caltech and Stanford have created a microelectronic controller that enables jellyfish to swim three times faster than usual without stressing the animals. The prosthetic uses electrical impulses to regulate and speed up the pulsing motion, making the jellyfish over 1,000 times more efficient than swimming robots.
Researchers successfully implanted an artificial neural connection, enabling a paralyzed animal's new cortical site to regain voluntary control of its hand. The study also shows that this technology can impart motor control functions to previously unassociated areas of the cerebral cortex.
University of Southampton's Future Worlds accelerator is exhibiting cutting-edge research-based tech products in various sectors. The stand will unveil intelligent software for prosthetic fitting, a cyber-security threat assessment tool, and miniaturised components for quantum technology.
Researchers discovered that the brain can integrate artificial and natural vision, allowing for partial visual restoration in AMD patients. This breakthrough has implications for future retinal prosthetic devices and brain-machine interfaces.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong and Northwestern University have created a skin-integrated virtual reality system that can simulate touch with vibration wirelessly. The device is powered by radio frequency energy and can be controlled within a distance of one meter.
Researchers found that patients with rheumatic diseases have a higher proportion of culture-negative prosthetic joint infections, which can make diagnosis challenging. The study highlights the need for better diagnostic tests and management strategies for these patients.
Researchers have identified three species of electric eels, including one that can produce up to 860 volts, the strongest discharge ever recorded. The discovery opens new avenues of research into strong electric discharges in other fish species.
The e-glove provides humanlike softness, warmth, appearance and sensory perception to prosthetic hand users, improving their daily life challenges. It senses pressure, temperature and hydration using electronic chips sending sensory data through a wristwatch.
A new brain-computer interface can sense when a user expects a reward and improve its performance autonomously, potentially revolutionizing robotic prosthetics. This technology utilizes single-neuron activities and local field potential to decode user intentions.
Researchers developed a low-cost, sensor-packed glove that enables an AI system to recognize objects through touch alone. The glove produced high-resolution data at a fraction of the cost of existing sensors, allowing for accurate object classification and weight prediction with up to 76% accuracy.
Researchers analyzed 4,442 hip implants and 947,686 knee replacements to find that some implants have excellent results with low failure rates, while others perform poorly. The study provides a comprehensive benchmark for joint replacement surgery, enabling patients to discuss their options with surgeons.