Catheter-Free Urodynamics Testing: Interview with Derek Herrera, CEO at Bright Uro

Bright Uro, a medtech company based in California, has created the Glean Urodynamics System, a catheter-free urodynamics testing system. At present, urodynamics testing can help clinicians to diagnose and assess patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, including a frequent urge to urinate and incontinence. The procedure typically involves inserting a catheter into the bladder and another into the vagina or rectum.

(link is external)

AR Headset Helps Surgeons Place Implants: Interview with Louie Vogt of Enovis Surgical

Enovis, a medtech company based in Delaware formerly known as DJO, recently announced the launch of ARVIS (Augmented Reality Visualization and Information System), an augmented reality technology that is designed to assist surgeons during implant placement in the hip and knee. The hands-free technology consists of an eyepiece that is mounted on a surgical helmet that provides the surgeon with real-time information about the position of an implant with respect to patient anatomy.

(link is external)

Bioengineered Cornea Restores Sight

Scientists at Linköping University in Sweden have developed a collagen-based corneal implant that can restore sight to blind patients with corneal disease. The breakthrough could pave the way for such patients to receive effective treatment for corneal disease without requiring a corneal transplant from a human donor. There is a shortage of donor corneas, so creating an off-the-shelf alternative could be very useful.

(link is external)

Tough Ultrasound-Controlled Bioadhesives

Scientists from McGill University in Canada created a technique of using ultrasound-mediated cavitation to make bioadhesives better stick to body’s tissues, including wet surfaces that are typically challenging for such materials.

The new method involves ultrasound to create microbubbles within the adhesive. The bubbles burst, which then temporarily forces some of the adhesive components deeper into the underlying tissue, helping to create a stronger bond.

(link is external)

The Amazing Brain: Capturing Neurons in Action

Credit: Andreas Tolias, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston

With today’s powerful imaging tools, neuroscientists can monitor the firing and function of many distinct neurons in our brains, even while we move freely about. They also possess another set of tools to capture remarkable, high-resolution images of the brain’s many thousands of individual neurons, tracing the form of each intricate branch of their tree-like structures.

(link is external)

DNA-Based Nanorobot Interacts with Live Cells

Researchers at INSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) in France, and collaborators, have developed a DNA-based nanorobot called the Nano-winch. The tiny creation is made using DNA molecules and a “DNA Origami” approach. The tiny robot is so small that it can land on a cell surface and interact with ‘mechanoreceptors’ that the cell uses to sense mechanical forces acting on it.

(link is external)

Sleep Monitoring at Home: Interview with Ziv Peremen, CEO of X-trodes

X-trodes, a medtech startup based in Israel, created Smart Skin, a wireless monitoring and analytics technology that is suitable for at-home sleep monitoring. At present, diagnosing sleep disorders is an arduous and expensive business, requiring patients to attend a specialized sleep clinic and wear bulky and uncomfortable equipment, all while attempting to sleep in a strange environment.

(link is external)

Lumen: World’s First Device and App for Real-time Metabolic Feedback

Lumen is the first device and app available to anyone that provides real-time feedback on whether you’re burning carbohydrates or fats. These measurements are usually only made for athletes or patients through special testing centers, hospitals, or clinics, but with Lumen they are now available to everyone, anywhere.

(link is external)