Ultrasound

A fascinating new study explores how it ultrasound could one day be used to tackle psychiatric disorders, by modulating the way the brains of monkeys connect rewards and outcomes with specific events or choices.

Researchers in China have developed a new three-pronged method to fight liver cancer that shows promise in tests in mice. The technique combines drugs and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing into lipid nanoparticles, then activates them with ultrasound.

Glioblastoma is a brain cancer that can be aggressive and, unfortunately, tricky to diagnose without a biopsy. But a new noninvasive method, tested in mice and pigs, could one day diagnose the disease with ultrasound pulses and a basic blood test.

Lower-body exoskeletons don't merely thrust the wearer's legs forward – they move them based on the user's existing gait. A team at Harvard University has now developed what is claimed to be a better method of gauging that gait, utilizing ultrasound.

Nature is a never-ending source of inspiration for robots, whether it’s bees, bacteria or fish. Now an unlikely new candidate has joined the list – starfish larvae, which use tiny hairs to create a vortex to propel themselves or suck in food.

Earlier in the year, Israel's Noveto launched a Kickstarter to fund production of a smart speaker that promised to beam immersive audio to a listener's ears. The funded SoundBeamer has now morphed into the N1 ahead of an official launch at CES 2022.

What exactly does sleep do to the brain, and how could its benefits be boosted? To investigate, the US Army has awarded researchers a grant to develop a portable skullcap that can monitor and adjust the flow of fluid through the brain during sleep.

Although scientists have been working on "microbots" that could deliver drugs within the body, one challenge remains – powering the things without the use of bulky onboard batteries. A new approach utilizes ultrasound waves that act on tiny bubbles.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, but numbers could be reduced with better early warning systems. A new study has outlined just such a system, using nanoparticles that make atherosclerotic plaques emit ultrasound waves.

CAR T cell immunotherapy is a promising treatment for cancer, but it can trigger dangerous side effects. A new study precisely targets cancer by engineering CAR T cells to activate at higher temperatures, then heating tumors with ultrasound.

It goes without saying that the earlier someone can be warned of an impending heart attack or stroke, the better. A new skin patch could provide such warnings, by sending ultrasound pulses into the wearer's body.

While electric vehicles are greener than their fuel-burning counterparts, their battery packs still aren't as recyclable as they could be. A new process could help, by more efficiently extracting reusable materials from old lithium-ion batteries.