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Making fuel from genetically-modified cyanobacteria

By Maja Bosanac
21 March 2013

cyanobacteriaResearchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm have succeeded in using genetically modified blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria to produce butanol – a hydrocarbon-like fuel that can be used to power motor vehicles. The interest in butanol as an alternative fuel stems from the fact that it has environmental and efficiency advantages over… »

Bionics»

New flexible mineral inspired by deep-sea sponges

By Damir Beciri
20 March 2013

flexible-minerals-1Inspired by structural elements found in most sea sponges, researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P) in Germany have recreated the sponge spicules using the natural mineral calcium carbonate and a protein of the sponge. The resulting material is a synthetic hybrid which has almost 90… »

Bionics| Robotics»

CORBYS Mobile Robot-assisted Gait Rehabilitation System

By Damir Beciri
15 March 2013

cognitive-robot-assisted-gait-rehabilitation-systemIn Europe, strokes are the most common cause of physical disability among the elderly. Researchers in six European countries are currently developing a robotic system designed to help stroke patients re-train their bodies. Gathered in the CORBYS project, the researchers have a goal to create a system that can help stroke patients with training, motivation… »

Bionics»

Mindwalker – mind-controlled exoskeleton could help disabled people

By Damir Beciri
10 March 2013

mindwalker-project-1An international group of researchers from Europe is working on the Mind-controlled orthosis and VR-training environment for walk empowering (Mindwalker) project – a project where they devise a system that could help individuals with spinal cord injury. Aside helping people with spinal cord injury, this combination of an exoskeleton and a brain-machine interface could also… »

Bionics| Tech»

Cicada wing surface biomimicry could lead to anti-bacterial surfaces

By Damir Beciri
7 March 2013

cicada-wingsWhile many research groups throughout the world seek for better ways to fight bacteria, an international research group of researchers Australia’s Swinburne University of Technology and Spain’s Universitat Rovira i Virgili investigated cicada insect and came up with a discovery that may lead to a surface able to destroy bacteria solely through its physical structure…. »

Bionics»

First infant functionally cured of HIV

By Maja Bosanac
5 March 2013

hiv-infected-t-cellA group of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, recently revealed the first “functional cure” for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in an HIV-infected infant. The finding represents a proof that infants can be cured of HIV and may help to eliminate… »

Bionics| Tech»

Brain to brain interface transfers tactile and motor information

By Damir Beciri
3 March 2013

brain-to-brain-communication-1Researchers at the Duke University managed to electronically link the brains of pairs of rats, thus enabling them to communicate directly in order to solve simple behavioral puzzles. Their new test of brain-to-brain interface is even more astounding because they succeeded to link the brains of two animals that were in different parts of the… »

Bionics»

Artificial platelets reduce clotting time and blood loss

By Maja Bosanac
24 February 2013

artificial-platelets-healing-1Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have devised a new technology that could help the blood to clot faster, potentially reducing blood loss in wounded people. They developed artificial platelets – an artificial counterpart to components of blood that help with wound clotting or sealing. This biomaterial is made from hydrogel and… »