Empa

Ordinarily, when treating chronic wounds, caregivers go to great lengths to keep them free of bacteria. An experimental new dressing, however, actually introduces bacteria to help such wounds heal.

Imagine if there were inexpensive 3D-printed sensors that changed color to show us if something had gotten too warm or was subjected to too much stress. Well, there soon could be – and they'll biodegrade once discarded, to boot.

Firefighters have a dangerous job at the best of times, but especially so when they're first entering burning buildings. A new flame-resistant drone could help, by scouting structures to let firefighters know what they'll be up against.

Leaking sutures after abdominal surgery are a potentially life-threatening complication that surgeons might not pick up immediately. Researchers have developed a hydrogel patch that can rapidly detects postop leaks at suture sites inside the abdomen.

Imagine an army of flying drones focused on detecting building issues before they become serious and carrying out repairs autonomously. It sounds like science fiction, but researchers aim to explore whether it could indeed be realized at the DroneHub.

Conventional tests for Alzheimer’s disease don't provide information about what stage it's at. Now, viewing pathological protein clumps with atomic-force microscopy may help doctors not just detect the disease but determine how far it has progressed.

While glass bricks are effective for allowing daylight into buildings, they're not good insulators and they can't be used for entire load-bearing walls. Such is reportedly not the case, however, with experimental new aerogel-filled translucent bricks.

Whether you're an athlete or someone experiencing foot pain, it's important to eliminate high-pressure areas in the soles of your shoes. An experimental insole could help, by showing where such areas are located during a variety of activities.

The installation of a cochlear implant is a tricky procedure, in which certain nerves may be damaged if the surgeon isn't careful. A new "smart" surgical drill is designed to help, by automatically shutting off if it gets too close to those nerves.

Building structures in difficult-to-reach locations is a daunting task, as bringing in the cranes, scaffolding and whatnot can be difficult. That's why scientists are creating a bee-inspired system, which uses flying 3D-printing drones to do the job.

Although it's always best to reuse and recycle, many small, simple, low-power electronic devices tend to be single-use. A new paper battery could make them more eco-friendly, as it's activated by water, and it biodegrades once discarded.

Although aerial drones can travel much faster than their underwater counterparts, they certainly aren't as good at gathering water-related data. The MEDUSA multi-rotor drone addresses this conundrum, by landing on the water and deploying an underwater pod.