Latest Bio Stories
Trinity bridges humanitarianism and medical-device design with 3D printingNovember 21, 2017
Trinity College's MED3DP initiative is using 3D-printing technology to produce on-demand medical devices, with huge potential benefits for developing countries. Michael Monaghan reports
Futureproofing energy solutions for medical devicesNovember 21, 2017
Original-equipment manufacturers are future-proofing medical devices and their energy supply by moving away from nickel- and lead-based chemistries to specialist lithium-ion chemistries that have emerged for high drain applications. Neil Oliver reports
CÚRAM engineers nanomechanical stem-cell technologies to benefit orthopaedicsNovember 7, 2017
Dr Manus Biggs’ advances in the fields of biomaterials and engineered bioreactor systems relate to fabricating biomimetic environments and conditions with nanoscale resolution to drive cellular differentiation in vitro
A war made me realise that the world needs biomedical engineersOctober 24, 2017
A horrific, life-changing experience during the Iran-Iraq War in 1981 inspired Zahra Moussavi to become a biomedical engineer. Now a professor in the US, she has spent her life applying engineering knowledge and skills to challenging medical problems
Functionalisation of electrode devices for neural electrode interface applicationsOctober 10, 2017
NUI Galway’s Catalina Vallejo-Giraldo's research focuses on modifying implantable electrode systems to improve their performance when used in neural recording and in deep-brain stimulation in patients with dystonia and Parkinson’s disease
The beating heart of solar energy: powering medical implants with solar cellsSeptember 26, 2017
Using solar cells placed under the skin to continuously recharge implanted electronic medical devices is a viable one. Engineers have found that a 3.6 sq cm solar cell generates enough power during winter and summer to power a typical pacemaker
New medical device concept could reduce time to diagnose infectionsSeptember 26, 2017
When a patient arrives at a hospital with a serious infection, doctors have little time to make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. A new diagnostic device may significantly reduce the amount of time needed to diagnose tissue infections
Biomedical ‘skin-like bandage’ is stretchy, durable and long lastingSeptember 12, 2017
A skin-like biomedical technology that uses a mesh of conducting nanowires and a thin layer of elastic polymer might bring new electronic bandages that monitor biosignals for medical applications, writes Emil Venere
Engineers report new way to make dissolving medical devicesSeptember 12, 2017
Engineers have developed an electronic device that can dissolve through exposure to water molecules in the atmosphere. The work holds promise for biomedical devices that dissolve within the body
How close are we to a real Star Trek-style medical tricorder?August 29, 2017
Two teams were recently awarded the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize for developing handheld devices that can diagnose a range of diseases and check vital signs without invasive tests – inspired by Star Trek’s medical ‘tricorder’ device. Despina Moschou reports
No battery, no wire, no problem – folding robots move without batteriesAugust 29, 2017
Engineers have created battery-free folding robots that are capable of complex, repeatable movements powered and controlled through a wireless magnetic field</span>, writes Lindsay Brownell
Sticky when wet: ‘tough adhesive’ for wound healing inspired by slugsAugust 1, 2017
Inspired by the glue produced by slugs, a new super-strong, non-toxic 'tough adhesive' binds to biological tissues with a strength comparable to the body's own resilient cartilage, even when wet. Lindsay Brownell reports
Post-stroke patients reach terra firma with exosuit technologyAugust 1, 2017
A soft, wearable robotic suit promotes normal walking in stroke patients, opening new approaches to gait re-training and rehabilitation, writes Benjamin Boettner
Engineering heart valves for the many with capacity for repair and regenerationJuly 17, 2017
Next-generation heart valves, or 'JetValves', developed by biomedical engineers function accurately upon implantation and regenerate into long lasting, heart-like tissue
Problematic pacemakers – how electrical interference can affect medical devicesJuly 4, 2017
Everyday technology can have a dangerous effect on implanted medical devices, with research indicating interference from mobile phones held within 150mm of a pacemaker. Keith Armstrong looks at the problem of electrical interference
NUI Galway student’s stem-cell therapy for arterial obstruction wins major awardJune 20, 2017
Dilip Thomas, who won at the Journal of Wound Care Awards 2017, outlines his research, which used biomaterials to develop a microgel-based cell delivery device for treating critical limb ischemia, a severe obstruction of the arteries
New fibreoptic probe brings endoscopic diagnosis of cancer closer to the clinicJune 1, 2017
In an important step toward endoscopic diagnosis of cancer, engineers have developed a handheld fibre-optic probe that can perform multiple nonlinear imaging techniques without the need for tissue staining
New research findings points a way to better implantable medical devicesMay 23, 2017
A signalling molecule key to the formation of scar tissue surrounding implantable medical devices. Blocking this molecule prevents scar tissue from forming and could extend the lifespan of many types of implantable devices
First-ever autonomously controlled ‘capsule robot’ explores colonMay 8, 2017
New research shows that an 18mm magnetised capsule colonoscope successfully performed intricate manoeuvres inside the colon while guided by an external magnet attached to a robotic arm
The impact of robotic-assisted surgery and engineering on neurosurgeryApril 24, 2017
Advances in engineering and imaging techniques have resulted in a rise in computer- and robotic-assisted surgery. Stuart Campbell discusses key trends on the use of robotics in neurosurgery