Medical Design Briefs - November 2024 - 32

n Twisted Nanotubes Power Sensors
Researchers have
shown that twisted
carbon nanotubes can
store three
times
more energy per unit
mass than advanced
lithium-ion batteries.
The finding may advance
carbon nanotubes
as a promising solution for storing energy in devices that
need to be lightweight, compact, and safe, such as medical implants
and sensors.
To investigate carbon nanotubes' potential for storing
energy, the researchers manufactured carbon nanotube
ropes from bundles of commercially available nanotubes.
After pulling and twisting the tubes into a single thread,
the researchers then coated them with different substances
intended to increase the ropes' strength and flexibility.
The team tested how much energy the ropes could store
by twisting them up and measuring the energy that was released
as the ropes unwound. They found that the best-performing
ropes could store 15,000 times more energy per
unit mass than steel springs, and about three times more
energy than lithium-ion batteries. The stored energy remains
consistent and accessible at temperatures ranging
from -76 to +212 °F (-60 to +100 °C). The materials in the
carbon nanotube ropes are also safer for the human body
than those used in batteries. (Image credit: Preety Ahuja/
UMBC)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/1124/nanotubes.
n Hydrogel Implant Treats Endometriosis
Researchers have
now developed the
first hydrogel implant
designed for use in
fallopian tubes. This
innovation performs
two functions: one is
to act as a contraceptive,
the other is to
prevent the recipient from developing endometriosis in the
first place or to halt the spread if they do.
An advantage of hydrogels is that they swell when brought
into contact with liquid. As a result, this new implant starts
off at approximately 2 mm in length. But once implanted in
the fallopian tubes as part of a nonsurgical procedure using
a hysteroscope - an instrument for inspecting the uterine
cavity - the implant swells to more than double its original
size. The hydrogel then acts as a barrier to both sperm and
blood.
The hydrogel implant can be easily and quickly destroyed,
either with UV light or a special solution, so that
recipients don't have to have an invasive and risky operation
should they decide to reverse the procedure. (Image Credit:
Adobe Stock)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/1124/hydrogel.
32
n 3D Printed Active Fabric
Scientists have developed
an innovative
wearable fabric that is
flexible but can stiffen
on demand. Developed
through a combination
of geometric
design, 3D printing,
and robotic control,
the new technology,
RoboFabric, can quickly be made into medical devices or
soft robotics.
The research team has developed an elbow support from
the versatile material, helping people carry heavier loads.
A wrist support prototype has also been made, which could
help stabilize joints for daily activities and benefit patients
with Parkinson's Disease who experience trembling.
The team was inspired by animals such as the octopus
and pangolin. In the future, the RoboFabric technology can
also be used to make reusable casts that is easily worn and
removed, unlike conventional rigid plaster casts, currently
worn by patients with fractures. (Image credit: Nanyang
Technological University)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/1124/fabric.
n Bioink Mimics Human Skin
A new bioink has been designed
for engineering human
skin constructs using
norbornene-pullulan-based hydrogels.
The researchers introduced
a novel photocrosslinkable
bioink designed for engineering
human skin constructs, based
on thiol-norbornene-pullulan
(N-PLN) formulations combined
with various crosslinkers.
The bioink was effectively used in a customized direct laser
writing setup to mimic epithelized dermal skin constructs.
The dermal compartment was formed by photocrosslinking
a pre-gel solution containing human fibroblasts, while the
epidermal compartment was developed by seeding human
keratinocytes on the fibroblast-laden hydrogels. Using visible
light, 2.5 mm³ cell-laden hydrogels could be printed in just 10
seconds. The thiolene photocrosslinking chemistry employed
here created a well-defined extracellular matrix with orthogonal
crosslinks, maintaining high cellular viability rates for
encapsulated fibroblasts.
The hydrogels formed after brief exposure to low-dose visible
light exhibit the physicochemical properties necessary to
support excellent cell viability, proliferation, matrix protein secretion,
and elongation, which are crucial for cellular network
formation. Additionally, the fibroblast-laden hydrogels support
the culture of keratinocytes, enabling the formation of epithelized
dermal constructs. (Image credit: Institute for Bioengineering
of Catalonia)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/1124/bioink.
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Medical Design Briefs, November 2024
https://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/1124/fabric https://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/1124/nanotubes https://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/1124/hydrogel https://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/roundup/1124/bioink https://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs - November 2024

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