Tag: #131

Vital functions can be checked through video calls. As for the digestive tract, doctors conducting endoscopies can be greatly aided by AI analysis. Soon, however, gastroscopic examinations could take place at home. Cue a Silicon Valley startup and its remotely controlled capsule. Fluid is consumed, after which the capsule is swallowed and left to float in the stomach. The...

Not long ago, birdsong stormed the charts in Australia. And now two artists in the greater Washington area have combined with musicians, producers and students to set local prison residents’ lyrics to music. The songs were written by incarcerated people and initially sung by them a cappella. Financial support came from a university team. Their initiative is aimed at...

Banana paper protects potatoes from parasites. After harvesting, potato stems are often burned, since they are hard to compost and unsuitable as animal feed or fertiliser. A London-based startup has recognised their value. In their patent-pending process, fibres are extracted from stems using biological and mechanical processes and spun into yarn. Like cotton, linen or synthetic fibre, it can...

If our hearing gets worse, the hair cells in our ears could be reprogrammed. As we get older, our vision likewise deteriorates, since damaged cells do not regenerate (except in fish and amphibians). Which explains why work is underway to develop a biohybrid retina. The London-based startup of a science team is going one step further, however, and aiming...

Paper tags prevent theft, while algae protects against fire. And now, British students are turning to natural materials such as charcoal to provide safeguards against wildfires. Their patent-pending, pinecone-like sensor can be placed on the forest floor. If the surrounding temperature exceeds 80℃, wax in the ‘cone’ starts to melt. Its heat is converted into energy by a small...

A collar can purify the air. A particularly important point for people with asthma, allergies or respiratory diseases. But their breath can also provide information about their health. Enter a California-based research team and its smart mask, which allows patients to diagnose issues at home. First, exhaled air condenses in the mask through a cooling hydrogel. The liquid is...