A collaboration between scientists at Tufts School of Engineering at the University of Illinois has led to the creation of tiny, fully biocompatible electronic devices that, once they have functioned for a set period of time, dissolve harmlessly into their surroundings. The devices, dubbed “transient electronics”, are thought to be the next-generation of medical devices, and could lead to a range of  implants that never need surgical removal – not to mention that they are fully compostable.

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Post tags: biocompatible, Biodegradable, electronic devices, fiorenzo omenetto, Health & Science, Medford/Somerville, medical devices, medical gadgets, school of engineering, silk-silicon, transient electronics, tufts school of Engineering, uiuc, university of illinois

Each year breast cancer claims the lives of 465,000 women around the world — however this scourge can often be defeated if detected early. To aid in the fight against breast cancer Professor Zhipeng Wu of the University of Manchester has developed a portable breast scanner the size of a lunchbox that can detect and highlight cancer in real-time using much less radiation than x-rays.

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Post tags: Breast cancer scanners, breast scanners, Design for Health, health devices, health technology, medical devices, Professor Zhipeng Wu manchester university

Glucose: it gives us that extra spike of energy, powers our cells, and soon, it might even power implantable medical devices. A team of researchers from Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France recently implanted the first working glucose biofuel cell in a living animal (in this case, a rat) — a feat that proves electrical power can be harnessed from body fluids.

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Post tags: biofuels, glucose, green design, medical devices, power, rats, renewable energy