University of Virginia biomedical engineer Kevin Janes investigates how cells “make decisions” for good or ill. His research could lead to new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat cancers.

Read More

Filed under: Biomedical, Trailblazers | Comments Off on The Cancer-Fighting Crusader

Tags: Biomedical, Medicine

Ellis Meng is working hard to save people’s sight using a method that gets away from painful, risky injections.

Read More

Filed under: Biomedical, Electrical, Trailblazers | Comments Off on This Won’t Hurt a Bit

Tags: Biomedical, Electrical

In 2007, Barrington Irving became the first African-American to fly a plane around the world solo — and also, at 23, reportedly the youngest.

Read More

Filed under: Aerospace, Trailblazers, Transportation | Comments Off on Flying Solo

Tags: Aerospace, Transportation

Pressing “snooze” in the morning a little too often? No worries — to the rescue is Gauri Nanda with her “Clocky.” How it works: If you hit “snooze,” the alarm clock jumps off your nightstand and lands on its wheels, beeping the whole time. Then it’s time to play hide-and-seek. The gadget rolls, bumps into things, backs up, and eventually stops. When the clock rings again, the sleepy owner has to walk around and find it to turn it off. Nanda invented the alarm clock for herself while she was studying design at MIT’s Media Lab.

Read More

Filed under: Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Trailblazers | Comments Off on Wake Up or Else

Tags: Computer, Computer Science, Design, Electrical, Mechanical

It may sound like science fiction, but this is the real deal: Yoky Matsuoka is figuring out how to make robotic arms that can be guided by the human brain.

Read More

Filed under: Mechanical, Trailblazers | Comments Off on Robotics for Real People

Tags: Biomedical, Biotechnology, Mechanical, Robotics