A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed a wearable phototherapy device that uses customized near-infrared OLEDs to suppress hair follicle cell aging, offering a noninvasive alternative to conventional hair loss treatments. The device is designed as a soft, textile-based cap that replaces bulky helmet-type systems and delivers uniform light stimulation across the scalp. The team demonstrated that the OLED-based system can suppress aging in dermal papilla cells by up to 92%, a key factor in slowing hair loss progression. Existing phototherapy devices rely on point light sources such as LEDs or lasers,…

La Trobe University researchers have developed an ultra sensitive single use test strip that can detect microRNAs at extremely low concentrations, offering a simpler and more accessible method for early disease diagnosis. MicroRNAs are important biomarkers for conditions such as cancer, but they are difficult to measure because they appear in very small amounts. The new strip uses an enzymatic amplification process that strengthens the electrical signal produced when microRNAs bind to the sensor, allowing detection at levels far below what standard laboratory techniques can measure. The device works like a glucose test strip and does not require specialized equipment,…

A research team at the University of British Columbia Okanagan has developed a lightweight wearable brace designed to reduce involuntary hand tremors associated with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Hand tremors affect millions of people worldwide and can interfere with essential daily activities including eating, writing, and personal care. Existing treatments often rely on medication or surgery, while many wearable devices are bulky, expensive, or uncomfortable. The new brace aims to provide a noninvasive, accessible alternative that can be used in everyday life without requiring power sources or complex mechanisms. The device works by mechanically inhibiting tremor motion rather…

Researchers at Koç University in Turkey have created a specialized wound dressing that incorporates a sensor capable of continuously measuring the pH of the wound environment, offering a new approach to tracking healing in both acute and chronic wounds. The work focuses on the fact that wound pH changes throughout the healing process and can reveal whether tissue is progressing through inflammation, new tissue formation, and remodeling. Chronic wounds often fail to move through these stages, particularly in older adults, and impose a significant burden on healthcare systems. The new dressing is designed to provide real time insight into these…

Researchers at Radboud University Medical Center, in collaboration with the University of Twente, have developed a retina-on-chip platform that combines patient-derived retinal organoids with microelectrode arrays to evaluate the functional impact of gene therapies for rare inherited eye diseases. These conditions often lead to progressive vision loss and are difficult to treat due to the complexity of retinal structure and the limited availability of human tissue for testing. The new system allows scientists to measure electrical responses to light stimuli in lab-grown retinal tissue, providing insight into whether experimental therapies restore visual signal transmission. Retinal organoids are three-dimensional cell cultures…

A research team at Waseda University has developed a soft, integrated smart contact lens capable of real time intraocular pressure monitoring using ultra sensitive wireless technology. The innovation is designed to support early diagnosis and management of glaucoma, a chronic eye disease that affects millions and remains a leading cause of blindness. Existing tools for measuring intraocular pressure are bulky, non portable, and incapable of continuous monitoring, which limits their effectiveness in daily use. The new lens addresses these limitations by embedding a thin film sensor directly into a wearable contact lens platform. The sensor is based on a cracked…

A research team at the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a soft, biodegradable wireless implant capable of monitoring internal physiological signals over long distances and wide angles. The device is designed to overcome major limitations in current passive implantable sensors, which typically require extremely close readout distances and strict alignment between the sensor and the external reader. These constraints make clinical use difficult, especially when the implant is located deep within the body or when patient movement alters the sensor’s orientation. The new system uses a passive inductor capacitor resonant circuit, allowing the implant…

A new soft, hair thin probe developed at Northwestern University is introducing a way to continuously monitor fetal vital signs during in utero surgery, a capability that has not been possible with existing tools. In current procedures, surgeons rely on intermittent ultrasound readings taken from outside the pregnant patient’s body, which can miss rapid changes in fetal condition. The new device is designed to provide uninterrupted measurements of heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and temperature from inside the uterus, offering a more reliable view of fetal well being throughout surgery. The probe is thin enough to pass through the same…

A research team at Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey has developed a wireless, light driven optoelectronic stimulation technology designed to help people with retinal degenerative diseases that currently have no curative treatment. Retinal degeneration affects millions worldwide and leads to progressive vision loss as photoreceptor cells deteriorate. Existing retinal implants face significant limitations because they rely on bulky components, complex wiring, or high intensity visible light, all of which can restrict clinical usability. The newly developed system aims to overcome these barriers by providing a safer, more efficient, and more flexible method of stimulating surviving retinal neurons. The research centers…

A research team at Virginia Commonwealth University is developing highly realistic hydrogel based rat brain models to better understand how physical forces travel through brain tissue during traumatic events. This work focuses on the physics of traumatic brain injury, an area where the biological consequences are well documented but the underlying mechanical forces remain difficult to measure directly. By creating soft, anatomically accurate phantoms that mimic the mechanical behavior of real brain tissue, the team aims to generate controlled, repeatable data that can clarify how impacts translate into tissue deformation and potential damage. The hydrogel models are designed to replicate…