A bioelectric signal able to identify cells likely to become tumors could also help to suppress tumor growth. It was found that the tumor sites could be recognized by a distinct bioelectric signal due to their depolarized membrane voltage. If the bioelectric code is changed to hyperpolarize the tumor cells, the abnormal growth will be slowed.

Levitating cells to create a 3D culture could lead to the development of more realistic lab-grown lung tissue. The idea is to insert magnetic nanoparticles into the lung cells and then manipulate them with magnets as the cells grow and divide. This will allow combining four types of cells to create a layered bronchiole tissue with the same biochemical signature as native tissue, which will enable more efficient toxicity tests.

The patch will deliver migraine medicine through the skin, eliminating the need to swallow medication while battling the intense nausea that often accompanies migraines. The transdermal system will be made up of a single-use, battery powered patch that will deliver the migraine-fighting drug through the skin at the push of a button. An integrated microprocessor will monitor the skin's resistance during the 4-hour dosing period, ensuring accurate delivery amounts with minimal...

A hearing aid that transmits sound to the inner ear by sending vibrations through the skull could restore some hearing in people suffering from problems in the middle ear. Most hearing aids are designed for people with problems of the inner ear, and previous bone conduction-based hearing aids require the implant to be anchored in the skull bone using a titanium screw that protrudes from the skin. In comparison, the new bone conduction implant, which measures just under six...

You can make your next visit to the dentist a bit less traumatic with a smart toothbrush that will track and display your brushing habits on a smartphone. The brush will count brushing strokes, monitoring how long and when you brush your teeth and displaying the information in an easy to read graph. The app can be also be used as a quadrant indicator, ensuring all areas of the mouth are properly covered, and as a two minute timer. Information about brushing habits can be sent to...

A waterproof hearing aid could allow the hearing impaired to take part in more activities while still enjoying the added accessibility that hearing aids provide. The rugged hearing aid will be dustproof, shockproof and waterproof at depths up to 3 feet for as long as 30 minutes. The battery compartment will be connected using a silicon sealant, and oxygen will be able to reach the zinc air batteries by moving through a waterproof membrane.

A hand disinfecting concept can go beyond sanitizing liquids alone by allowing users to check whether they've missed a spot where bacteria may still exists. The device will be developed for use in hospitals. To use, hospital staff and visitors will place their hands over the device, where a hydro-alcoholic solution and plastic micro-ball solution will be automatically dispensed as a mist onto the hands. After scrubbing with the solution, users can then place their hands beneath the...

A new device will suck food directly out of the stomach through an implanted tube. The dieting system will feature a thin silicon tube that will run from the inside of the stomach to a poker-chip sized Skin-Port on the surface of the abdomen. Twenty minutes after the meal has been completed, the user will attach the held-held device to the tube and turn a lever, allowing the barely-digested food to exit the stomach and flow into the device's reservoir. The device will remove only a...

It has been discovered that a compound derived from Douglas fir needles can be used sterilize surgical devices and medical implants. The idea is to develop a self-sterilizing composite material derived from the needles of the Douglas fir. The extract from the needles will be combined with a silver nitrate solution, where the extract will function as a natural chemical reducing agent and convert the silver ions in the nitrate solution to nanoscopic silver metal particles. This will...

Flexible electronics, which have led to everything from cell phones to gadget-charging jeans, could now be used to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The idea is to develop a one-piece romper outfitted with a sensor system that will monitor the child's breathing. The suit's stretchable, printed circuit board will be ironed into the suit-- keeping the outfit comfortable while monitoring breathing in the chest and stomach areas. The stretchable circuit board could also be...