Device最新文献

Applying external pressure to a pouch cell results in improved performance, implicating systems-level design of batteries. Here, different formats and amounts of external pressure to Li-Li_xNi_0.8Mn_0.1Co_0.1O₂ (Li-NMC811) pouch cells were studied under lean electrolyte conditions. Due to the more uniform lithium plating/stripping, a constant gap fixture that retains the distance of the frame during cycling performed greater than a constant pressure fixture that retains applied pressure to the cell. In addition, the use of flexible foam in a constant gap fixture revealed enhanced cycle life at 10 psi; however, at 30 psi, the use of a rigid plate extended cycle life to over 250 cycles, while the foam severely shortened cycle life. This discrepancy with pressure was proven to be driven by stress distribution on cell components. The failure mechanisms and the effects of pressure fixture design on cell components were unveiled, shedding light on improving high-energy battery performance through at-scale fixture design.

Nanomaterial-driven, soft wearable bioelectronics are transforming telemedicine by offering skin comfort, biocompatibility, and the capability for continuous remote monitoring of physiological signals. The devices, enabled by advanced zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), and two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, have achieved new levels in electrical stability and reliability, allowing them to perform effectively even under dynamic physical conditions. Despite their promise, significant challenges remain in the fabrication, integration, and practical deployment of nanoscale materials and devices. Critical challenges include ensuring the durability and stability of nanomaterial-based bioelectronics for extended wear and developing efficient integration strategies to support multifunctional sensing modalities. Telemedicine has revolutionized healthcare by enabling remote health monitoring. The integration of nanomaterials within wearable devices is a central factor driving this breakthrough, as these materials enhance sensor sensitivity, durability, and multifunctionality. These wearable sensors leverage various operating principles tailored to specific applications, such as intraocular pressure monitoring, electrophysiological signal recording, and biochemical marker tracking.

Modeling aerosol dynamics in the airways is challenging, and most modern personalized in vitro tools consider only a single inhalation maneuver through less than 10% of the total lung volume. Here, we present an in vitro modeling pipeline to produce a device that preserves patient-specific upper airways while approximating deeper airways, capable of achieving total lung volumes over 7 liters. The modular system, called TIDAL, includes tunable inhalation and exhalation breathing capabilities with resting flow rates up to 30 liters per minute. We show that the TIDAL system is easily coupled with industrially and clinically relevant devices for aerosol therapeutics. Using a vibrating mesh nebulizer, we report central-to-peripheral (C:P) aerosol deposition measurements aligned with both in vivo and in silico benchmarks. These findings underscore the effectiveness of the TIDAL model in predicting airway deposition dynamics for inhalable therapeutics.

The natural excitability in mammalian tissues has been extensively exploited for drug-free electroceutical therapies. However, it is unclear whether bacterial residents on the human body are equally excitable and if their excitability can also be leveraged for drug-free bioelectronic treatment. Using a microelectronic platform, we examined the electrical excitability of Staphylococcus epidermidis, a skin-residing bacterium responsible for widespread clinical infections. We discovered that a non-lethal electrical stimulus could excite S. epidermidis, inducing reversible changes in membrane potential. Intriguingly, S. epidermidis became excitable only under acidic skin pH, indicating that the bacteria were 'selective' about the environment in which they display excitability. This selective excitability enabled programmable suppression of biofilm formation using benign stimulation voltages. Lastly, we demonstrated suppression of S. epidermidis on a porcine skin model using a flexible electroceutical patch. Our work shows that the innate excitability of resident bacteria can be selectively activated for drug-free bioelectronic control.

Naloxone can effectively rescue victims from opioid overdose, but less than 5% survive due to delayed or absent first responder intervention. Current overdose reversal systems face key limitations, including low user adherence, false positive detection, and slow antidote delivery. Here, we describe a subcutaneously implanted robotic first responder to overcome these challenges. This implantable system for opioid safety continuously monitors vital signs, detecting opioid overdose through an algorithm analyzing the interplay of cardiorespiratory responses. To address battery concerns with continuous monitoring and multi-sensing modality, an adaptive algorithm dynamically adjusts sensor resolution, reducing the need for frequent charging. Furthermore, the implant includes an ultra-rapid naloxone delivery pump, delivering the 10-mg antidote within 10 s. In animal trials, the robotic first responder successfully revived 96% of overdosed pigs (n = 25) within 3.2 min, showcasing its potential to dramatically improve survival rates and combat the opioid epidemic.

In order to address the risk of iatrogenic trauma and retraction challenges associated with minimally invasive surgery, we propose a novel laparoscopic grasper equipped with a suction unit and elastomeric actuators that are inherently soft and compliant, as well as sensors to monitor tissue interaction forces. The device complies with laparoscopic size constraints by entering the abdominal cavity in a closed configuration, then expanding upon entry to gently grasp and retract even severely dilated intestinal segments. In order to minimize the usage of surgical access ports and personnel, the end effector of the proposed grasper is designed to detach and be anchored to the abdominal wall to serve as a passive retraction mechanism. Testing has demonstrated the ability of the proposed grasper to hold and retract in vitro and ex vivo intestinal segments in various contexts, including intestines that have been dilated with air and water to represent small bowel distention.

For individuals with hand motor function losses, rehabilitation is necessary for regaining strength and range of motion to accomplish daily activities. Typically within a clinical setting, repetitive strength-based and task-specific exercises are prescribed. However, these therapies are generally costly and non-portable, limiting patient accessibility and rendering patient compliance impractical. There is thus a clinical need for a system that is low-cost, portable, and accessible to improve patient compliance and outcomes. This work presents a proof-of-concept magnetically-controlled glove to provide targeted resistance-based rehabilitation for patients with hand motor impairments. The glove is inexpensive, customizable, and portable, allowing for use within a clinic and at home. Customizable resistance is achieved by electropermanent magnets (EPMs), which locally control magnetic attraction of the digits and produce rapid stiffness changes from magnetically induced jamming. Various rehabilitative exercises using the glove are demonstrated and the magnetic fields can be customized to provide necessary resistance.