A new laser-welding 'robotic snake' developed by the UK Atomic Energy Authority has demonstrated its capability to operate inside of fusion energy powerplant pipework and is now patented technology.

Last summer, Northwestern University researchers introduced the first-ever transient pacemaker — a fully implantable, wireless device that harmlessly dissolves in the body after it's no longer needed. Now, they unveil a new, smart version that is integrated into a coordinated network of soft, flexible, wireless, wearable sensors and control units placed around the upper body.

The self-powered fabric was developed using triboelectric nanogenerators, which use movement to collect the energy needed to power the posture monitoring sensors. The data collected by the sensors is processed by an integrated machine learning algorithm that can provide immediate feedback, alerting the wearer when they need to adjust their posture.

COVID-19 testing at point of care peaked in Q1 2022. Is testing waning? What is COVID-19's lasting effect on point-of-care testing?

Imagine this: A smooth touchscreen display placed on top of a thin silicone polymer film suddenly generates the feeling of a tiny raised button under the user's finger. Or how about the idea of wearing that same polymer film like a second skin? If used to line an industrial glove, the film can provide valuable feedback by gesture recognition and by sending tactile signals, such as pulses or vibrations, to the wearer.

Engineers have developed a low cost, low power technology to help robots accurately map their way indoors, even in poor lighting and without recognizable landmarks or features. The technology consists of sensors that use WiFi signals to help the robot map where it's going. It's a new approach to indoor robot navigation.

Thursday 26 May 2022 - Summary of service robots; Dominant and non-dominant applications of service robots; Analysis of the drivers and barriers to the non-dominant applications; Introduction of major market players; Opportunities and market gaps of the non-dominant applications; and more!

Gas sensors are simultaneously an established and emerging industry, creating a complex web of technologies and applications for stakeholders to understand. Detection methods span a diverse technology landscape, ranging from semiconductor and optical to acoustic and photoionization.

Glucose monitoring is an integral part of diabetes management, and test strips have historically been the predominant method of measuring blood glucose. However, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have emerged as a major competitor over the last decade.

Vascular diseases are public enemy number one: the leading killers worldwide, accounting for nearly a third of all human deaths on the planet. Continuous monitoring of hemodynamics - blood flow through the vascular system - can improve treatments and patient outcomes. Researchers are trying to improve the odds for patients with development of an implantable soft electronic monitoring system. Their new device, consisting of a smart stent and printed soft sensors, is capable of wireless real-time monitoring of hemodynamics without batteries or circuits.

Imagine being able to measure your blood sugar levels, know if you've had too much to drink, and track your muscle fatigue during a workout, all in one small device worn on your skin. Engineers have developed a prototype of such a wearable that can continuously monitor several health stats—glucose, alcohol, and lactate levels—simultaneously in real-time.

Smartwatches have soared in popularity in recent years, with their motion and heart rate sensors tracking the activity of millions worldwide. However, not all activity can be monitored using step counts - limiting the appeal of existing wearable technology to many gym-goers and amateur athletes.

Engineers have developed a glucose power source that could fuel miniature implants and sensors. The device is smaller than other proposed glucose fuel cells, measuring just 400 nanometers thick, or about 1/100 the diameter of a human hair. The sugary power source generates about 43 microwatts per square centimeter of electricity, achieving the highest power density of any glucose fuel cell to date under ambient conditions.

Many of our daily activities involve our hands' prehensile abilities. While able-bodied people don't think twice when using a spoon or lifting a glass, these actions are nearly impossible for someone unable to grasp things with their fingers. Emovo Care has now come up with a device that is specifically designed to overcome these obstacles.

Engineers have invented a silk-based material that when placed under the skin that glows brighter or dimmer under a lamp when exposed to different levels of oxygen in the blood. The novel sensor, which currently is limited to reading oxygen levels, is made up of a gel formed from the protein components of silk, called fibroin. The silk fibroin proteins have unique properties that make them especially compatible as an implantable material.

BeBop Sensors Inc announced the BeBop Sensors RoboSkin line of skin-like coverings for tactile awareness for humanoid robots and prosthetics. A true nervous system for robots at less than 1mm thick, RoboSkin is the only technology that fits all robotic body parts: limbs, fingers, feet, head, and torso, to make robots "feel" better.

Plants can't speak up when they are thirsty. And visual signs, such as shriveling or browning leaves, don't start until most of their water is gone. To detect water loss earlier, researchers have created a wearable sensor for plant leaves. The system wirelessly transmits data to a smartphone app, allowing for remote management of drought stress in gardens and crops.

The 2D Experimental Pilot Line has launched its first customisable wafer run. As one of five multi-project wafer runs, this first phase targets sensor applications. Companies, universities and research institutes can include their designs as dies on joint wafers, to test their ideas for devices on a larger scale at relatively low costs.

Thursday 12 May 2022, presented by IDTechEx Technology Analyst Yulin Wang - Service Robots: Automate People's Lives and Multiple Industries - Who Are the Winners?

In the quest to build smart skin that mimics the sensing capabilities of natural skin, ionic skins have shown significant advantages. They're made of flexible, biocompatible hydrogels that use ions to carry an electrical charge. In contrast to smart skins made of plastics and metals, the hydrogels have the softness of natural skin. This offers a more natural feel to the prosthetic arm or robot hand they are mounted on, and makes them comfortable to wear.