Medical

A discovery about how the body deals with the cholesterol contained within its dying cells has suggested an exciting new approach to control people's cholesterol levels - and thus their risk of developing heart disease.

Enargy Power announces the release of the BM60 series of ultra-thin profile BladeAdapter for powering medical devices. Measuring just 127x65x22mm, the enclosure is 34% thinner and has 28% less volume than typical 60W medical adapters available in the market today.

The world’s pioneering researchers in robotic surgery are invited to showcase their innovative work by taking part in the Surgical Robot Challenge 2016. The Surgical Robot Challenge is open for entry from today, and the competition finals will be held from 20th to 27th June 2016 at the Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics in London, as part of the first ever UK Robotics Week.

A team of Australian researchers from Monash University are developing “bionic” eyes that have no need for the ocular system itself. In an attempt to restore some semblance of sight to the blind, researchers are working on a system that requires 11 small tiles to be implanted into various parts of the brain that receive and process signals related to visual stimuli.

The basic process of force-generation in muscle has been known for decades, but until now no one has ever seen it work at a microscopic level in a living human. The new microscope could provide unique insights into treating muscular degenerative diseases.

Expanding its offerings in wireless battery charging, Linear Technology has announced the LTC4123 which combines a 30mW wireless receiver with a constant-current/constant-voltage linear charger for NiMH batteries. An external resonant LC tank connected to the LTC4123 enables the IC to receive power wirelessly from an alternating magnetic field generated by a transmit coil.

New research could lead to new treatments to prevent blockages and urinary tract infections experienced by many long-term catheter users. Up to 50 per cent of long-term catheter users experience encrustations and subsequent blockage, which result in severe trauma and pain for the individual and place high burdens on healthcare services and finances.

Scientists have developed a device that electronically stimulates tear production, which will offer hope to sufferers of 'dry eye' syndrome, one of the most common eye diseases in the world. The device, 16mm long, 3-4mm wide and 1-2mm thick, was implanted beneath the inferior lacrimal gland in rabbit eyes. It was activated wirelessly and shown to increase the generation of tears by nearly 57%.

Morgan Advanced Materials has announced that it now has the capability to design and manufacture components for use in High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) technologies, particularly in medical applications. Morgan is producing HIFU ultrasound transducers in a range of shapes and geometries, from 5 to 150mm in diameter and with frequencies between 200kHz and 8MHz.

The device motivates children to take control of their health by reminding them to test their blood glucose levels. The child's meal times can be stored in the meter's memory, along with reminders to test their blood glucose levels before and after meals.