Industries
Light illuminates the way for bio-bots
A new class of miniature biological robots, or bio-bots, has seen the light - and is following where the light shines. The bio-bots are powered by muscle cells that have been genetically engineered to respond to light, giving researchers control over the bots' motion, a key step toward their use in applications for health, sensing and the environment. Led by Rashid Bashir, the University of Illinois head of bioengineering, the researchers publish...
3D printing could help fix damaged cartilage
Athletes, the elderly and others who suffer from injuries and arthritis can lose cartilage and experience a lot of pain. Researchers are now reporting, however, that they have found a way to produce cartilage tissue by 3D bioprinting an ink containing human cells, and they have successfully tested it in an in vivo mouse model. The development could one day lead to precisely printed implants to heal damaged noses, ears and knees.
Using VR to transform cancer education in Africa
Using virtual reality technology, Vertual (a University of Hull-based company) is helping to transform the quality of cancer education in Africa.
Mapping the brain to develop brain-computer interfaces
The EU-funded COLUMNARCODECRACKING project has successfully used ultra-high fMRI scanners to map cortical columns, a process that opens the door to exciting new applications, such as brain-computer interfaces. Cortical columnar-level fMRI has already contributed and will further contribute to a deeper understanding of how the brain and mind work by zooming into the fine-grained functional organisation within specialised brain areas.
Learning to program cellular memory
What if we could program living cells to do what we would like them to do in the body? Having such control could allow for the development of cell-based therapies that might one day replace traditional drugs for diseases such as cancer. In order to reach this long-term goal, however, scientists must first learn to program many of the key things that cells do, such as communicate with one another, change their fate to become a particular cell type...
Health monitor tracks parameters from an iPhone case
Azoi Inc., a company dedicated to providing real-time affordable and clinically accurate vital monitoring products, has announced the UK launch of Kito+. Kito+ is an innovative health monitoring device, which fits in to a custom designed iPhone case, offering immediate access to health tracking at home, in the office or on the move.
8 to 200W DC/DC converters suitable for the railway industry
Power Sources Unlimited offers a broad range of 8 to 200W DC/DC converters for the railway/transportation industry that are designed to perform at the highest levels under the most extreme harsh and hazardous environments to our TRACO Power portfolio.
Getting closer to using beer hops to fight disease
Hops, those little cone-shaped buds that give beer its bitter flavor, pack a surprisingly healthful punch. They are widely studied for their ability to halt bacterial growth and disease. Now, researchers report that they are close to synthesising the healthful hops compounds in the lab. This advance could one day help scientists create medicines from these compounds without having to extract them from plants.
Spongy material helps repair the spine
Remember those colorful "grow capsules" that blossom into animal-shaped sponges in water? Using a similar idea, scientists have developed biodegradable polymer grafts that, when surgically placed in damaged vertebrae, should grow to be just the right size and shape to fix the spinal column. The researchers present their work at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Continued double-digit growth for Comau Robotics
Comau continues its growth in the Robotics sector, and for the third consecutive year has recorded a double-digit increase in articulated robot sales. Similarly, the results in individual industries reflect the global growth trend, which is even more significant as it underlines the success of Comau’s market penetration strategies.