Medgadget

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.