Tag: Health

Bone breaks can be treated with biodegradable glue. Badly damaged cartilage often means joints need to be replaced. Now, a US-based startup is focusing on the ‘pre-replacement’ stage and has developed a round implant with a multi-layered lattice structure to heal smaller injuries. It is available in three sizes and is 3D-printed from a nylon composite base material. Using...

Even jellyfish have culinary potential. But those undergoing radio- or chemotherapy often lose their sense of taste and smell. Enter a Swiss startup aiming to support those affected, in the process reducing the risk of malnutrition and helping cancer patients rediscover their love of food. An olfactory kit first establishes which aromas and scents patients can still perceive and...

Cardamom provides protection against pathogens. And, as an Australia-based research team recently discovered, pathogens can also be held at bay using peppermint essential oil. This could be particularly important in the context of medical devices. In an initial test, plasma was used to apply an extremely thin film of peppermint oil to a urinary catheter. Enabling the oil molecules...

Both blood sugar and blood pressure can be measured by smartphone. Now a research team in Japan is using the devices to determine radiation levels on-site in the event of a catastrophe. The team’s mobile solution comprises a foldable scanner with integrated LED light and a radiochromic film (similar to those used in CT scanners). The film changes colour...

A smart mask analyses the breath to diagnose illnesses. It could also measure alcohol levels. Now a French startup is offering a simpler way to test our ability to drive. Its chip-like device fits easily onto a key ring. One touch of a button and its patented sensors detect alcohol indicators present on users’ skin, which are used to...

A lamp detects epileptic fits. In the meantime, a Viennese startup has developed treatment glasses which use light to alleviate the symptoms of depression. Depression also manifests itself when the brain’s network grows rigid, compromising its ability to make new connections between nerve cells and - to put it simply - think about something else. The treatment glasses deliver...

Oral cancer can be detected using saliva. But, as an Australian research team recently discovered, saliva can also provide information about possible heart failure. Key here: new biomarker S100A7. Heart failure patients have twice as much of it in their saliva as healthy people. The team developed a protein detector which the biomarker could attach itself to, thus making itself...

A new hydrogel means means better research on the prevention of breast cancer. For women over 40, regular checks are important with younger women often examining themselves informally at home. But the latter is a tricky business. Sometimes not all areas are checked, and it’s hard to notice changes and inform medical practitioners. Which is why two young women...