Collaborate Disseminate
Half a billion years ago, in the Cambrian Period, most animals were smaller than a person’s little finger. That makes the recent discovery of a marine predator from that time all the more exciting, as the sucker grew to up one foot (30 cm) lo… Continue reading Newly-discovered prehistoric marine predator was a big deal in its time
For several years now, we’ve been hearing about “microneedle patches” that deliver medication less painfully and more safely than hypodermic needles. A new take on the technology may allow them to work even better, by copying the structure of… Continue reading Venomous snake fangs inspire new microneedle drug-delivery system
Commonly known as Paneer dodi, the herb Withania coagulans has been used in traditional Indian medicine for many years now – among other things, it is claimed to help control diabetes. A new study shows that it indeed may do so, particularly … Continue reading Medicinal herb receives a diabetes-fighting boost
Not only do cockroaches give many people the creeps, but often when you step on one of the critters, it just keeps on scurrying. Such resilience would be a good feature for mini-robots designed to scout disaster sites – among other applicatio… Continue reading Cockroach-inspired robot survives being stepped on
When it comes to the continuous monitoring of people’s vital signs, the rigid electrodes that are typically adhered to the skin can be uncomfortable, awkward, and a cause of skin irritation. That’s where a new soft, flexible, wireless monitor… Continue reading Skin-worn stretchable device wirelessly transmits health data
If you were designing a new back brace, trying it out on people could be kind of risky – what if it was flawed, and ended up hurting the test subjects? It was with this in mind that scientists at Britain’s University of Lancaster have created… Continue reading Human torso simulator is set to test back braces
Tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and “mouse arm” all have two things in common: they’re the result of muscle strain, and they’re the subject of a new wearable. Known as MLI Elbow, the Danish device is aimed at alerting users to actions t… Continue reading Wearable measures muscle activity to guard against injuries
In the near future, it may be a lot more difficult to make computers believe that you’re happy with something when you’re actually not. That’s because scientists at Britain’s University of Bradford have developed software that can reportedly … Continue reading Computer system learns to spot fake smiles
In order to see how many viruses are present in a patient’s biological fluid sample, bulky and costly devices such as fluorescence microscopes are typically used – not a good solution for developing nations or remote locations. That’s why sci… Continue reading Low-cost device utilizes a smartphone to count viruses
As crop plants “breathe” through the pores in their leaves, they release an assortment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. A new smartphone-connected device analyzes those chemicals within a matter of minutes, detecting and ide… Continue reading Smartphone device identifies plant diseases on the spot