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Breakthrough in solar thermoelectric generation: organic radical photothermal cocrystals lead the way

Researchers have developed a new material, coronene-Br2 NDA cocrystal, which converts solar heat into electricity with an exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency of 67.2% under 808 nm irradiation. The material is integrated into a thermoelectric generator to achieve high-performance solar-thermoelectric energy harvesting.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2025

UTA professor explores healing power of music

Dr. Rhonda Winegar investigates the effectiveness of music therapy in supporting neurological care, including its ability to reduce anxiety and depression in Alzheimer's patients. Her research also highlights its potential to regulate heart rate and blood pressure, as well as improve motor function in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·JournalThe Journal for Nurse Practitioners·TypeLiterature review·DateApr 16, 2025

Wearable technology continuously monitors heart-rate recovery to predict risk

A study by University of Illinois researchers uses wearable technology to track heart-rate recovery after exercise and predict cardiovascular risk. The team developed a tool for analyzing data to identify participants at higher or lower risk, finding consistent results despite small sample size.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalIEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 9, 2025

World’s smallest pacemaker is activated by light

Northwestern University engineers developed the world's smallest pacemaker that can be non-invasively injected into newborn babies' hearts with a syringe. The device, paired with a wearable wireless controller, stimulates pacing through light pulses, dissolving after use without surgical extraction.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 2, 2025

Smartwatches may help control diabetes through exercise

A new study found that smartwatches paired with a health app can encourage people with newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes to start and maintain purposeful exercise, leading to improvements in blood sugar levels and systolic blood pressure. The programme also helped participants lower cholesterol and improve their quality of life.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalBMJ Open·TypeObservational study·DateMar 26, 2025

POSTECH unveils world’s first dynamic shape-morphing OLED panel with built-in speaker — all while maintaining ultra-thin flexibility

The POSTECH research team developed a smartphone-type OLED panel that can transform its shape while functioning as a speaker, maintaining ultra-thin flexibility. The panel uses electrically driven piezoelectric polymer actuators to achieve complex forms without mechanical hinges or motors.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·Journalnpj Flexible Electronics·DateMar 25, 2025

Researchers develop novel biomimetic fabrication technique for flexible electronics such as wearable sensors and electronic skins

A research team at the University of Turku developed a novel biomimetic fabrication technique to replicate bioinspired microstructures found in plant leaf skeletons. The resulting surfaces offer superior flexibility, breathability, and transparency, making them ideal for next-generation flexible electronics.

SourceUniversity of Turku·Journalnpj Flexible Electronics·DateMar 24, 2025

Study: Smartwatches could end the next pandemic

Researchers at Aalto University and others have developed a model that shows smartwatches can accurately detect viral infections several days before symptoms appear. This early detection can lead to significant reductions in disease transmission and could potentially stop a pandemic before it starts.

SourceAalto University·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateMar 4, 2025

Ending pandemics with smartwatches

Recent studies demonstrate that smartwatches can detect infections early through subtle physiological changes, prompting timely action to slow disease spread. By identifying infections sooner and reducing social contacts, wearable technology may help contain future outbreaks and prevent pandemics.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateMar 4, 2025

Advanced wearable technology improves support for people with dementia and their caregivers

A new pilot study assesses how caregivers use advanced wearable technology to support people with dementia, finding that it reduces emotional strain and increases caregiver satisfaction. The technology, called Theora Care, provides a wearable device and smartphone application that alerts caregivers when the person has wandered.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalJournal of Alzheimer’s Disease·DateFeb 3, 2025

From roots to rugged circuits: the future of flexible electronics unveiled

Researchers have developed a cutting-edge solution to create durable and high-resolution conformal circuits, enabling them to withstand extreme conditions. The Template-Constrained Additive (TCA) printing technology achieves high-resolution printing capabilities and supports a diverse range of materials.

Smartwatches to better understand psychiatric illnesses and their genetic basis

Researchers used smartwatch data to train AI models predicting psychiatric illnesses like ADHD and anxiety. The findings link digital phenotypes with genotypes, suggesting wearable sensors can provide a deeper understanding of psychiatric diseases. The approach may be widely applicable for neurological diseases or neurodegeneration.

SourceUniversity of Barcelona·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 23, 2025

Mount Sinai study finds wearable devices can detect and predict inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups

Researchers found that wearable devices can identify, differentiate, and predict flares in IBD by analyzing circadian patterns of heart rate variability, heart rate, oxygenation, and daily activity. The study showed that these metrics changed up to seven weeks before flares developed, enabling continuous disease monitoring.

Researchers make comfortable materials that generate power when worn

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed wearable technologies that both generate electricity from human movement and improve comfort. They used amphiphiles to create slippery surfaces on fabrics, reducing friction while allowing electrons to be donated, resulting in a material capable of generating up to 300 volts.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 15, 2025

New cooling pump drops temperatures by 16 degrees, more at source of heat

Researchers at UCLA have developed a compact cooling technology that can continuously pump away heat using layers of flexing thin films. The prototype lowered ambient temperatures by 16 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 25 degrees at the source of heat, offering a simpler design without greenhouse-gas-generating coolants or liquids.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Major youth science innovation award for digital health expert at City University of Hong Kong

Professor Yu Xinge, a leading digital health expert, has been awarded the 3rd Zhong Nanshan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award for his groundbreaking research on bio-integrated electronics. His wearable products aim to monitor health conditions and improve treatment efficiency and accuracy.

New knit haptic sleeve simulates realistic touch

Researchers at Stanford University have designed a comfortable, flexible knit sleeve that simulates realistic touch using pressure-based haptics. The Haptiknit sleeve provides more accurate tactile feedback than vibration-based devices, allowing for smoother navigation, military communication, and rehabilitation.

SourceStanford University·JournalScience Robotics·DateDec 18, 2024

Dongguk University develops gel-based stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators for wearable technology

A research team led by Professor Jung Inn Sohn from Dongguk University developed a gel polymer electrode-based triboelectric nanogenerator (GPE-TENG) with stretchable, semi-transparent, and durable properties. The device generates electrical signals when tapped or stretched, delivering a peak power of 0.36 W/m² at a load of 15 MΩ.

SourceDongguk University Evaluation and Audit Team·JournalChemical Engineering Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 9, 2024

Tiny, daily bursts of vigorous incidental physical activity could almost halve cardiovascular risk in middle-aged women

A study found that middle-aged women who engaged in short bursts of vigorous physical activity, such as carrying shopping or power walking, had a significantly lower risk of heart attacks and heart failure. Women who averaged 3.4 minutes of daily activity were 45% less likely to experience a major cardiovascular event.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateDec 3, 2024

In major materials breakthrough, UVA team solves a nearly 200-year-old challenge in polymers

Researchers at UVA have developed a new polymer design that decouples stiffness and stretchability, allowing materials to be both strong and flexible. The 'foldable bottlebrush polymer networks' can store extra length within their structure, enabling them to elongate up to 40 times more than standard polymers without weakening.

Researchers develop clinically validated, wearable ultrasound patch for continuous blood pressure monitoring

A team of researchers at the University of California San Diego has developed a clinically validated, wearable ultrasound patch for continuous and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring. The device offers precise, real-time readings of blood pressure deep within the body, providing detailed trends in blood pressure fluctuations.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateNov 20, 2024

Revolutionizing the world of smell and olfaction: Highlights from the 8th Digital Olfaction Society World Congress 2024

The 8th Digital Olfaction Society World Congress highlights groundbreaking advancements in digital olfaction, from smart necklaces to drones equipped with olfactory sensors. The event showcases innovative applications of scent digitization technologies, including virtual reality systems and e-nose devices for early disease detection.