Read sections one, two and three in part one here.
4: Air quality monitor detects viruses
The Covid pandemic made us more aware of how easy it is to catch airborne viruses in crowded indoor areas. Researchers at Washington University in St Louis have developed a proof-of-concept air quality monitor that can detect whether Covid particles are in the air.
John Cirrito, professor of neurology in the university’s School of Medicine, says: “There is nothing at the moment that tells us how safe a room is. If you are in a room with 100 people, you don’t want to find out five days later whether you could be sick or not. The idea with this device is that you can know in real time, or every five minutes, if there is a live virus in the air.”
The research team adapted a biosensor originally developed to detect amyloid beta as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease to detect the spike protein for the SARS-COV-2 virus.
The biosensor is integrated into an air sampler that uses wet cyclone technology. Virus aerosols are trapped in fluid on the walls of the sampler that then sends it to the biosensor using electrochemistry.
Rajan Chakrabarty, associate professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering at the university, says: “The high virus recovery by the wet cyclone can be attributed to its extremely high flow rate, which allows it to sample a larger volume of air over a five-minute sample collection compared with commercially available samplers.”
The research team is now working to commercialise the monitor as well as looking at its potential use in detecting other airborne viruses, such as flu and rhinovirus.
5: Smart hearing health
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With GP surgeries under increasing pressure, a new portable device is helping democratise ear and hearing healthcare by offering diagnosis and treatment in community-based settings.
This smartphone-enabled otoscope from Tympa Health offers an accessible solution to patients. For instance, pharmacies and care homes can now perform examinations, wax removal using a suction unit and a hearing check in less than 30 minutes.
Tympa partnered with Cambridge-based Team Consulting to develop the device. Oliver Sowerby, head of surgical technologies at Team Consulting, explains: “There were three areas we needed to develop which were key to the device’s technical success: the optical magnification of the image; the illumination of the inner ear; and powering and charging the device.”
His colleague, Jon Jamin, senior engineering consultant, says: “The optical system was specified by a physicist and tested with larger off-the-shelf lenses. Once we knew the optical theory would work, the next step was miniaturising the system to fit to the back of an iPhone. An adjustable functional rig proved the image clarity was possible using components of the necessary size, in achievable manufacturing tolerances and within the form of a phone attachment.”
6: Tentacle robot in lung cancer surgery
Lung cancer diagnosis and surgery is an invasive procedure that can often require significant removal of tissue.
A team of engineers, scientists and clinicians at the University of Leeds STORM Lab is developing a far less invasive treatment with the use of a tiny, tentacle-like robot that can travel deep into the lung’s smallest bronchial tubes to detect and treat the first signs of cancer.
Measuring 2mm in diameter and controlled by magnetics, this ultra-soft surgical robot is able to shape itself to the anatomy and reduce trauma. The result is a device that is not only more accurate but also causes less tissue damage than standard equipment.
Professor Pietro Valdastri, director of the STORM Lab, says: “This new magnetic technology can allow us to reach way deeper into the human body than ever before in a way that doesn’t require extremely qualified surgeons, thanks to robotic guidance. We hope this will democratise cancer treatment and increase access to top-quality procedures.”
Having tested the magnetic tentacle robot on the lungs of a cadaver, the team is now collecting data to enable the start of human trials. Valdastri adds: “The same approach can be used to reach the deep part of the brain, pancreas, bladder and any other body cavity that is accessible through a narrow lumen. The cardiovascular system is also another potential district of use.”
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