Lung cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early, largely because tumors often form in the peripheral regions of the lung where conventional bronchoscopes cannot reach. While CT scans can detect small lesions, obtaining a biopsy or delivering treatment has been a major challenge. The bronchi become narrower and more complex toward the periphery, forcing clinicians to stop several centimeters short of the target. This limitation has hindered both accurate diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment options. A new technique developed at Osaka University offers a solution by using balloon-assisted bronchoscopy to safely widen the airway and create…

Researchers at Texas A&M University have introduced a biodegradable microneedle patch designed to help the heart heal after a heart attack. Heart attacks deprive cardiac muscle cells of oxygen, causing them to die. The body responds by forming scar tissue, which stabilizes the heart but cannot contract like healthy muscle. This forces the remaining tissue to work harder, often leading to heart failure. The Texas A&M innovation aims to change this trajectory by delivering immune-modulating molecules directly to damaged tissue, creating a healing environment at the site of injury. The patch uses a microneedle system that penetrates the outer layer…

South Korean beauty company Amorepacific has been recognized as a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree for its advanced electronic skin platform, Skinsight, developed in collaboration with researchers at MIT. This achievement highlights the company’s leadership in beauty technology and marks its seventh consecutive CES Innovation Award, underscoring a consistent track record of innovation in the intersection of science, technology, and skincare. Skinsight is designed as a next-generation wearable system that functions like electronic skin. The platform consists of three integrated components: an ultra-thin sensor patch, a compact Bluetooth transmission module, and an AI-powered mobile application. Together, these elements allow users…

MIT researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking injectable antenna that could transform how medical implants are powered deep inside the human body. Traditional implants such as pacemakers or neuromodulators rely on bulky batteries or require invasive surgery for placement and maintenance. These approaches carry risks including infection, tissue damage, and repeated surgical interventions. The new antenna, developed by Associate Professor Deblina Sarkar and her group at the MIT Media Lab’s Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek, offers a safer and more efficient alternative by enabling battery-free implants that can be delivered through a simple injection. The device is a magnetoelectric antenna smaller than a grain…

A team at ETH Zurich has unveiled magnetic microrobots designed to deliver drugs directly to targeted sites in the human body, offering new possibilities for treating strokes, infections, and tumors. This innovation addresses a critical medical challenge: every year, millions of patients suffer strokes, and current therapies require high systemic doses of clot‑dissolving drugs that can cause severe side effects. By guiding medication precisely to the blocked vessel, the ETH Zurich microrobots promise safer and more effective treatment. The microrobots are engineered as spherical capsules with a soluble gel shell. Embedded within the shell are iron oxide nanoparticles that allow…

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have introduced a breakthrough surgical device that is transforming hip arthroscopy by making procedures safer, faster, and more effective. Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery used to diagnose and treat joint problems, but traditional tools often limit precision and increase surgical time. The newly developed cannula device, formally named the CAP-LIFT cannula, provides surgeons with improved access to the hip joint, reducing complications and streamlining operations. Traditional cannulas used in hip arthroscopy often require multiple adjustments and can be difficult to position. This increases surgical time and risk, especially in complex procedures.…

Researchers at the University of Rhode Island have introduced a tabletop blast simulator designed to investigate the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury. The innovation provides a safe and accessible way to replicate blast conditions in a laboratory setting, allowing scientists to study how explosions damage the brain over time. Unlike large-scale military testing facilities, this compact system can be deployed in standard research labs, making advanced blast injury studies more widely available. Traumatic brain injury caused by blasts is a major concern for both military personnel and civilians. While the immediate consequences of TBI are well documented, the chronic…

A Brazilian startup supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) has developed biomaterials that significantly reduce the risk of medical implant failure by improving how implants interact with human cells. The company, Extremus Smart Surfaces, is pioneering a microscopic surface treatment that transforms conventional implants into biologically active devices, accelerating healing and reducing complications. This innovation addresses a persistent problem in medicine, where implants such as dental, orthopedic, and cardiovascular devices often fail due to poor integration with surrounding tissue. Traditional implants are designed to provide mechanical support, but they do not actively engage with the biological environment. As…

A research team at Université de Montréal has developed a wearable smart shirt that can detect epileptic seizures in real time using artificial intelligence and integrated biometric sensors. Designed for comfort, discretion, and continuous monitoring, the shirt offers a promising alternative to traditional seizure detection systems, which often rely on bulky equipment or invasive procedures. The project’s goal was to create a textile-based solution that could monitor physiological signals associated with seizures and alert caregivers or medical personnel when an episode occurs. The result is a sensor-embedded shirt that tracks respiration, movement, and heart rate, all while maintaining the look…

A team of researchers at the University of Missouri has developed a non-invasive ultrasound device that can measure blood viscosity in real time, offering a new way to monitor cardiovascular health and disease progression. Blood viscosity—the thickness or stickiness of blood—has long been overlooked in routine diagnostics, despite its connection to heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other leading causes of death. The new device uses continuous-wave ultrasound to assess both viscosity and density simultaneously. It sends a steady sound wave through the bloodstream and analyzes how the wave interacts with the blood. A proprietary algorithm interprets these interactions to calculate…