A new contraceptive made of electrically spun nanofiber will dissolve in the woman's body, protecting her from both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The contraceptive will developed by electrospinning, which will create fibers from liquid in an electric field. The dissolved polymers and antiretrovirals will be manipulated to control shape, strength and solubility, and adhere to a collecting plate once they are formed. This will create a stretchy material that can...

The idea is to use temporary tattoos to diagnose metabolic disorders or warn of dehydration. The tattoos will feature layers of silver, carbon fiber-modified carbon and insulator inks, followed by electropolymerization of aniline to complete the sensing surface. The tattoos will stay in place even on extremely sweaty skin, and different sensing materials will be incorporated to allow the tattoos to detect other components of sweat. Applications for the tattoo will include the...

The new multi-tool is designed for medics and rescue personnel, and includes such tools as an oxygen tank wrench and carbide glass breaker. It features only the tools specifically requested by EMT technicians. It includes 420HC stainless steel medical shears that can be adjusted to the desired tension as well as a strap cutter, ring cutter, and 5 cm ruler. The glass-filled nylon handles can withstand extreme temperatures and provide a firm grip in slippery conditions, and the...

The new prosthetic eye will be able to send digital information directly to the nerve cells, allowing a blind patient to read Braille patterns without needing to touch the page. The prosthetic eye will feature a small, glasses-mounted camera, a portable processor and a microchip with electrodes implanted on the retina. The processor will translate the images collected by the camera to electrical signals, which will then be used to stimulate patterns on the nerve cells. With...

A new kind of bed linens uses a "dot matrix" design to help reduce the risk of bed sores in bed-ridden patients. The linen's unique, woven design creates less surface contact with the skin and has fewer contact points than traditional linens. The gaps between the "dots" also make the material more absorbent. The linens reduce sweat and improve blood circulation, resulting in greater patient comfort.

Made for shift workers and jet-setters, the glasses use a soft green light to help combat jet lag and reset the body's internal clock. The glasses work by using light to stimulate the part of the brain that regulates our internal, 24-hour clock. The glasses are the only wearable device that emits green light, which studies indicate is the most effective wavelength for adjusting the body clock. The device can be worn over reading glasses, so it can be worn while working or going...

The new smart wireless thermometer fits under a person's armpit, making it easier to keep a constant eye on feverish patients. The thermometer attaches under the armpit with a double sided sticker. It communicates with a paired iOS device using Bluetooth, transmitting a regular flow of temperature readings. The device can also be set to send an alarm if the patient's temperature reaches a certain point, and it will store the last 72 hours of temperature readings, even if it is not...

A newly discovered method of replacing degraded retinal cells with corneal cells could help to prevent, or even cure, blindness. It was discovered that corneal limbal stromal cells have stem cell properties, which could allow them to be cultured to create retinal cells. Because the corneal cells are on a thick region on the front surface of the eye, they are relatively easy to remove, and since the cells come from the patient's own body, there is less chance of rejection.

A new jellyfish-inspired device will use its tentacles to grab tumor cells in the bloodstream, which could make it easier to determine the efficiency of cancer treatments in patients. The device will be made up of a microchip with a long DNA strand attached to it. The DNA strand, called an aptamer, will bind with targeted cancer cells, but the strands are usually short. To create the long DNA "tentacles," I suggest making copies of the aptamer using rolling circle amplification and...

A new "smart" insole could help people recovering from hip surgery or broken legs learn to walk without a limp. The insole features two resistors that measure the pressure of the wearer's foot on the ground, an accelerometer that detects leg movement and a gyroscope that monitors the position of the foot. Data from these sensors is sent to a smartphone, which then creates a real-time profile of the patient's gait and sends the feedback in the form of the user's choosing: visual,...