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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
01/05/2015
A gel-based sticky sensor that can be attached to a living organ - such as a beating heart - could open the door to a generation of body sensors. The sensor can be built by laying an adhesive gel over an ultra-thin polymer sheet embedded with electronic circuits. The gel can be applied to the organ like a compress, where it will detect bioelectric signals while remaining in constant contract with the flexing tissue.
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A new drug-delivery technology that squeezes cells to force the medication inside could offer new treatment options for cancer and HIV patients. The microfluidic device will work using a sample of white blood cells extracted from the patient. Those cells will be inserted into a reservoir in the device along with the material to be introduced, and the mixture will then be sent flowing though the device's 75 micro-channels. A carefully timed flow will push the blood cells through a...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A man-made ACL replacement made of a combination of man-made and naturally-occurring materials could provide a better option for repairing a patient's ruptured ACL. Most ACL treatments involve restructuring the ACL using patellar tendon grafts, but that procedure also leaves behind lingering knee pain. As an alternative, I suggest creating an artificial ACL made up of braided polyester fibers, an antioxidant and porous biomaterial, and calcium nanocrystals, which are found in human...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A skin patch that delivers drugs directly into the foot could provide a new source of relief for diabetics who frequently suffer from foot ulcers. Diabetes causes both blockages in the blood vessels and hinders the formation a protein called hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1a)--a protein that triggers the genes that form capillaries at wound sites. These two factors both slow wound healing, which can in turn lead to amputation. In order to assist in the body's healing, a...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A discrete new 'skin-like' health monitor could be used to monitor a range of conditions from dry skin to cardiovascular disease. The monitor will measure less than a square inch and will be designed to be worn continuously. It will be embedded with thousands of liquid crystals that will change color in response to heat, which could allow the wear to track blood flow rate--a sign of cardiovascular health--as well as when the skin has become dry (which is indicated by a change in...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A new sound-based method of sorting cells will provide a gentler alternative to current methods--and could lead to an earlier diagnosis of some cancers. Sorting cells with sound waves involves using microfluidic devices equipped with a pair of acoustic transducers. The transducers create a wave that in turn creates a pressure node, pushing the cells to the side of the channel; how far each cell moves is in part determined by its size--which allows them to be sorted. The new...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A new system able to detect and monitor bacteria in chronic wounds could lead to better treatment procedures while also reducing the use of antibiotics. Diagnosing chronic wounds has typically been left up to individual clinical judgment, which can vary, and culture-based tests, which sometimes requires waiting days for a result. The new system will simplify the process by detecting and tracking bacterial infection in wounds using endogenous autofluorescence. The process, which...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
Easier to use than conventional 2D scanners, 3D thermal scanner could one day help doctors detect certain cancers based on their thermal signatures. Although 2D thermal imaging has been in use for some time, the procedure is complicated and requires that the images be taking from the exact same position every time. In contrast, 3D thermal scanner can be freely moved around the patient to create an accurate 3D thermal map in real-time. Since cancer cells are usually higher in...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
A new test for malaria that uses magnetic fields to detect the parasite's waste in infected blood cells could provide an earlier and reliable diagnosis of the disease. The technique will use magnetic resonance relaxometry (MRR), to detect hemozoin in the blood cells. When the parasite eats the host's hemoglobin, the hemoglobin breaks down releasing iron. The parasite will then convert the iron to hemozoin, which has a magnetic field that will interfere with the spins of hydrogen...
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Dr. Gibbson
 
92%
08/01/2014
The sensor will monitor your sleep patterns and bedroom environment to help ensure the best sleep possible. The system will be made up of two main components. The globe-shaped sensor will monitor the bedroom ambiance, gathering information on the room's levels of noise, light, temperature, humidity and air particulates, while another sensor will attach to your pillow to track sleep behavior. The first sensor will glow green when the environment is well-suited for sleeping, and will...