Posted on September 22nd, 2010 by axb
Human skin is extraordinarily sensitive – our fingertips can perceive extremely small differences in pressure, texture, and temperature. Mimicking this ability artificially is a real technological challenge, but fortunately electrical engineers at Stanford and UC Berkeley seem to be up to the task.
At Stanford, a team led by chemical engineering professor Zhenan Bao has developed an artificial skin that is reportedly over 1,000 times more sensitive than its human counterpart. It consists of a thin rubber material placed between two parallel electrodes. When an object touches the skin and compresses the rubber, the surrounding electrodes register this pressure and convert it to electrical signals.
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Filed under: Biomedical, Chemical, e-News, Electrical, Materials | Comments Off on Engineering Artificial Skin
Tags: Biomedical, Chemical, Electrical, Materials, Nanotechnology, Robotics
Posted on August 26th, 2010 by axb
Traditional fluorescence microscopes (the ones you might find at your local hospital or in a medical lab) typically cost up to $40,000 and can take up more space than several desktop computers. That’s a problem for doctors hoping to advance medical care in underdeveloped countries.
Cost and space were two issues that recent Rice University grad Andrew Miller sought to address when he invented a portable, battery-powered fluorescence microscope that costs only $240 to make. The novel device is encased in durable plastic that Miller molded with the help of a 3D printer. It’s lighted and powered by a small LED flashlight.
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Filed under: Biomedical, e-News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Biomedical, Giving Back
Posted on August 4th, 2010 by jxh
When you see a spider, your first inclination may be to step on it, or scream and run away.
But engineers would do the opposite, as they are trying to unlock one of nature’s greatest mysteries: a spider’s ability to produce silk.
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Filed under: Biomedical, Chemical, e-News, Environmental, Materials | 1 Comment »
Tags: Biomedical, Biomimicry, Chemical, Materials
Posted on June 28th, 2010 by jxh
Catherine Mohr works on integrating new surgical technologies into robots such as the da Vinci.
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Filed under: Biomedical, Mechanical, Trailblazers | Comments Off on An Engineer Performing Surgery
Tags: Aerospace, Biomedical, Mechanical, Robotics, Transportation
Posted on June 7th, 2010 by jxh
Not everyone thinks that getting a tattoo is cool. But a tattoo that can keep you healthy sounds pretty awesome.
Designed for diabetics, tattoos using a nanoparticle ink created by MIT researchers monitor the level of glucose in the bloodstream.
For diabetics (who make up about 2.8% of the population worldwide), continuously keeping an eye on their blood sugar level is important because they could miss the moment when their levels start to change, such as after eating.
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Filed under: Biomedical, Chemical, e-News | 5 Comments »
Tags: Biomedical, Chemical, Nanotechnology
