Creating bone implants made of wood instead of traditional materials, such as plastics and ceramics, is both cost-effective and could help to reduce the risks of side effects. The idea is to use bone implants made from rattan wood. Because rattan wood has flexibility, strength and density similar to bone, it could be used as a scaffold for transplanted cells to replace damaged and lost bone. Although processing the wood to make it compatible with humans is complex, the...

I can psychologically determine what triggers your weight or health problems, eating habits, food choices, lack of variety in your diet, or anorexic/bulemic/and-or binging habits. I plans out every weeks meals, snacks, and dessert, and I help you interestingly and creatively, invent some physical routines, that you won't realize it's your day's exersize. Through personalization, learning what your self image is, your past history with portions, habits, nutrition, cooking, tips, substitution...

Portable air quality sensors could help people suffering from chronic conditions like asthma and COPD breathe a bit easier by allowing them to check the air condition in their immediate with their smartphones. The system will consist of small air quality sensors that could be carried by the individual or deployed around a particular area. The sensors will be able to measure local concentrations of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and ozone, and transmit the data wirelessly to...

The idea is to develop a new microfluidic device able to quickly perform a blood screening for up to fifty biomarkers at once. The chip will be larger and will have more channels than conventional microfluidic devices. Still small enough to be carried in a pocket, the V-chip (volumetric bar-chart chip) will consist of a pair of thin sheets of glass sandwiching wells for: hydrogen peroxide; up to 50 different antibodies to specific proteins, DNA or RNA fragments, or lipids of...

More than a fashion statement, the sensor corset will be designed to monitor the movements of the wearer to help doctors fine-tune rehabilitation. The lightweight corset will be embedded with an array of sensors that will track the movements of the wearer's torso, sending the data to a computer via Bluetooth. The flexible conductive elastomers will be printed on the fabric and, being piezoelectric, will generate a current when they are bent or stretched. It will be possible...

The idea is to develop a way to reduce skin aging by adding fiber to the areas around skin cells, causing the cells to act like younger cells again. The process will involve adding filler to the extracellular matrix, or ECM, that acts as a scaffold for the cells. As the skin ages, the ECM begins to fragment, which causes the cells to lose their supportive connections and hastens their decline.

A mussel-inspired gel could be used to reinforce weakened blood vessels. The gel is inspired by the mussel's fibrous adhesive called byssus, which the creature uses to keep itself attached to rocks. Made of a material similar to the amino acid found in the byssus, the gel can withstand the pressure of blood flow through arteries and could be used to strengthen vessel walls at risk of rupture. Preventing the rupture of blood vessel plaque is the most promising application of...

Porcupine quills have inspired a new adhesive patch that could greatly benefit patients who have undergone internal surgeries. The microscopic barbs on the quills allow them to penetrate tissue easily while being extremely difficult to remove. The barbs localize the penetration forces, making it easier for them to tear through tissue, but act like anchors once they have inserted themselves. To create the adhesive it is possible to build a patch with an array of barbed quills on one...

A new polymer foam able to stop internal bleeding could help save the lives of soldiers suffering from abdominal wounds. The foam will consist of two liquid phases that will be injected into the abdomen, where they will interact with each other and swell to press against the wound and stanch the flow of blood. The foam will be able to expand through pooled and clotted blood, where it can control hemorrhaging for at least an hour, and will take on a solid form that can be removed by...

A new curved contact lens with a full display could one day project images and texts right in front of our eyes. The contacts will feature a spherical curved LDC display able to receive wirelessly projected images. It is believed that the lenses could be used in a variety of applications, including adaptable sunglasses and controlling light transmission to protect damaged retinas.