Blood clots can be dangerous, and blood thinning drugs aren’t always enough to clear them out. Now, researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated an ultrasonic “drill” that can break clots apart with the help of tiny nanodroplets. The new work builds on technology the team created a few years ago. In 2017 the NC State researchers described a […]

Presently, if someone has been involved in a potentially bone-breaking mishap, they have to be X-rayed by trained staff at a hospital. Soon, however, it may be possible for them to perform their own X-rays, using a compact device that could be located just about anywhere. Currently under development at Finland’s University of Oulu, the prototype portable X-ray machine measures […]

There are many sports where both of your hands are occupied, making it difficult to remotely control your smartphone – even if you’re using a smartwatch. The ArcX Sports Ring, which will make its debut at CES 2021 later this month, was designed to remedy that problem. Worn on the index finger, the silicone-bodied ArcX has a combination joystick/pushbutton control […]

When taken orally or intravenously, medications typically travel throughout the body, producing unwanted side effects. MIT scientists are working on an alternative, that delivers both light and a light-activated drug directly to the target area. So-called “photoswitchable” drugs contain light-sensitive molecules that essentially switch the drug on when exposed to a flash of light. This means that a pharmaceutical could […]

A compelling new study, published in the journal Pain, has found integrating an immersive virtual reality system into a chronic pain treatment can significantly enhance a patient’s pain-relief outcome. The research suggests “digiceutical” therapies may be effective for patients suffering chronic pain. The study focused on VR as an adjunct to spinal cord stimulation (SCS), a therapy for chronic pain […]

One of the ways scientists hope to offer better treatments for vision loss is through gene therapy, where carefully selected genetic material is injected into the eyes to address mutations. Researchers have been left surprised by the effectiveness of an experimental form of this treatment, which involved an injection into one eyeball yet improved vision across both. Gene therapies have […]

Monitoring blood glucose levels for sufferers of type 1 diabetes typically involves frequent finger pricks and analysis, but there are technologies on the horizon that promise to make things less invasive and more convenient. An imaginative example of this is a student-designed earring that would track blood glucose levels via the earlobe, which the creator hopes can one day help […]

A fascinating new proof-of-concept study is proposing a novel, cheap and surprisingly simple way to rapidly reduce blood alcohol levels. The research suggests a low-tech device aiding safe hyperventilation can more than triple the rate of alcohol eliminated from the body. Our liver is fundamentally responsible for clearing alcohol out of the body. However, the rate of clearance by the […]

South African designer Ricky Stoch has created a scratch-card-style sticker for medicine bottles that “gamifies” taking medication in order to encourage patients to remember to take their daily dose. While FebriSol is designed to be used with any daily medication, the project has a special focus on the antiretrovirals (ARVs) used to combat HIV. The patient simply sticks the label […]

That regular exercise promotes good health is a given, but lately scientists are beginning to unearth some of the intricate mechanisms behind this relationship. A new study has shone a light on short bursts of vigorous exercise specifically, finding that they can produce “striking” effects on the metabolites circulating through the body and by extension lead to improvements in a […]