#bioengr

Researchers at the Sydney Zoo deployed a robot dog to study how animals would behave in its presence.

A controllable prosthetic hand using electromyography to detect the gestures and muscle activities. The project is aimed to be affordable, upgradable, repairable, and flexible. To make it affordable, it consists of 3D printed parts for structure and only common electronic parts are being used. The hand is controlled through EMG signals read by muscle activities on upper forearm. These EMG signals are then transmitted via Bluetooth to Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi then processes these signals and move servo motors accordingly. The project is still in early state with many areas could be improved.

This techonology was developed by LaunchPad Medical, which received a worldwide license in 2015.

The properties of this biomaterial, known as Tetranite™, include the ability to provide immediate fixation of bone to bone and bone to metal. This adhesive has been shown in multiple animal studies to be a non-toxic and effective way of repairing bone fractures and defects as well as securing implant devices.

Existing data has also shown that Tetranite™ is reabsorbed and replaced with new bone during the natural process of bone remodeling by acting as a scaffold to facilitate bone growth over time. “I am truly excited about the opportunity we have to commercialize what will undoubtedly be a game-changing product in the field of bone health,” said Brian Hess, Chief Executive Officer of LaunchPad Medical.

LaunchPad will initially target the dental market where Tetranite™ will address complications associated with the placement of dental implants, which has become the standard of care for treating tooth loss.

When Mosha, an elephant, was two years old, she lost her leg in a landmine injury along the Thai-Burmese border. Luckily, an orthopedic surgeon was able to fit her with the first prosthetic leg ever designed for an elephant. As she has grown, she has needed to be fitted for new ones. But she's never forgotten the doctor who changed her life.

Between April 23 and 27, 2018, the engineering group from Saarbrücken will take part in Hannover Messe to demonstrate the abilities of their vacuum grippers at the Saarland Research and Innovation Stand.

The system avoids the need for compressed air to generate the vacuum and is silent, energy efficient, and appropriate for use in clean rooms. Experts in the field of intelligent materials systems use artificial muscles—bundles of ultrafine shape-memory wires with the ability to tense and relax quite similar to real muscle fibers. The wires also act as sensors and can sense, for instance, when the gripper has to tighten or re-adjust its grip.

The technology is reliant on nickel-titanium alloy’s shape-memory characteristics. “The term ‘shape memory’ refers to the fact that the material is able to ‘remember’ its shape and to return to that original shape after it has been deformed. If electric current flows through a wire made from this alloy, the wire becomes warmer and its lattice structure transforms in such a way that the wire shortens in length. If the current ceases, the wire cools down and lengthens again,” stated Stefan Seelecke, while elucidating on the significant underlying material phase transitions. "The wires provide all the necessary information. The electrical resistance data correlates precisely with the extent of deformation of the wires. By interpreting the measurement data, the controller unit, therefore, knows the exact position of the wires at any one time.

The making of an aortic segment made from stem cells

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