http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:39:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [caption id="attachment_2773" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The microchip has five inlets and one outlet, all linked to tubing via the magnetic connectors. The inset at upper right shows the setup of the tube-magnet combination. Image: G. Cooksey, NIST"][/caption] Designing microfluidic devices presents a variety of challenges, many of which are intrinsically tied to ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2772 [caption id="attachment_2750" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Human red blood cells, in which membrane proteins are targeted and labeled with quantum dots, reveal the clustering behavior of the proteins. The number of purple features, which indicate the nuclei of malaria parasites, increases as malaria development progresses. The NIST logo at bottom was made ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2747 [caption id="attachment_2705" align="alignleft" width="220" caption="A prototype betavoltaic battery contains layers of silicon carbide and metal foil embedded with the radioactive isotope tritium. When high-energy electrons emitted by the decay of tritium hit the silicon carbide, it produces an electrical current that exits the cell through the metal pins. (Photo by ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2701 Scientists are constantly looking to nature to guide them in the development of effective new technologies. Most recently, researchers hailing from several British and Australian universities have partnered to explore the unique surface properties of insect wings. Ultimately, the team's goal is to replicate these desirable properties to produce novel ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2698 [caption id="attachment_2686" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A mechanical microdrilling technique developed by Hitachi Via Mechanics enables the formation of 10,000 100-µm-diam throughholes on a 0.5-mm-thick wafer."][/caption] Microdrilling techniques developed by Hitachi Via Mechanics (San Jose) may offer a cost-effective alternative to laser-based catheter drilling. Enabling the high-volume production of throughholes measuring 100 µm ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2683 There have been a lot of exciting developments recently in the field of biodegradable electronics. As we reported yesterday, a research project yielded flexible silicon electronics on silk substrates that almost completely dissolve inside the body. Now, a group from Stanford University has laid claim to being the first to ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2679 [caption id="attachment_2650" align="alignleft" width="220" caption="A clear silk degradable film about 1 cm square with six silicon transistors on its surface can be implanted in mice. The orange liquid on the hair is a disinfectant used during surgery. (Photo by John Rogers and Fiorenzo Omenetto.)"][/caption] A group of scientists from several universities ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2648 Last year, a cross-disciplinary team of researchers reverse-engineered the communications protocol of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). In doing so, the team succeeded in extracting secure patient data, depleting battery power, changing the device's settings, and inducing fibrillation. And it got the industry buzzing. Apparently, it also caught the attention of ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2643 Among the most prominent news stories of the past year is that of the decline of the domestic automotive industry and, with it, the plight of Michigan manufacturers. To weather the economic storm, suppliers to the automotive industry have had to seek business in other sectors. And, supported in many ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2636 [caption id="attachment_2628" align="alignleft" width="220" caption="A low-power neural amplifier collects electrical signals from nerves and minimizes electrical noise. (Photo: Brian Otis, University of Washington.)"][/caption] Electrical engineers at the University of Washington (Seattle) have developed an implantable neural sensing chip that requires low power. Known as NeuralWISP, the new sensor platform draws power ... http://www.devicelink.com/mpmn/blog/?p=2589