This UC Santa Barbara-designed soft robot intubation device could save lives.💡 Maintaining an open airway is a critical priority in emergency medicine but, "current intubation tools require extensive anatomical knowledge, training, skill and ideal conditions to be highly successful,” said recent UCSB Ph.D. graduate David Haggerty. UCSB researchers David Haggerty, Elliot W. Hawkes, and collaborators created a non-electronic soft robotic device that quickly and autonomously guides a soft tube into the trachea. The innovative tool, designed specifically for non-expert users, improves airway access and raises survival odds in critical medical emergencies. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/gweCbfx6 #UCSB #UCSBEngineering

Technology developed at Case Western Reserve University can restore a sense of touch that makes a prosthetic hand feel like a part of one’s own body instead of feeling artificial and disconnected. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Cleveland VA) have received a $9.9 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for the trial. “People with upper-limb-loss deserve to have better technologies that can improve their lives,” said Emily Graczyk, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Case School of Engineering at Case Western Reserve University and School of Medicine, who is leading the research. Graczyk is also an investigator at the Cleveland VA. https://lnkd.in/esbJr83C

A recent T-RO paper introduces an autonomous design algorithm that synthesizes self-aligning knee joint mechanisms—no human input—adapts to diverse physiques, completes design in under an hour, and promises fast, scalable exoskeleton deployment. https://lnkd.in/gJXyTwyi Paper title: Autonomous Synthesis of Self-Aligning Knee Joint Exoskeleton Mechanisms Authors: Jeonghan Yu, Seokwon (Seok Won) Kang, and Yoon Young Kim #exoskeletons #KneeJoint #HumanCenteredRobotics #prosthetics

The annual PANTHER meeting last week in Madison highlighted the success of interdisciplinary teamwork across the UW-Madison College of Engineering with participants from UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering, UW-Madison Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and UW-Madison Biomedical Engineering, as well as companies like Milwaukee Tool & Trek Bicycle from across Wisconsin! This program is the largest and most integrated University-led program globally with a focus on traumatic brain injury protection and prevention. Christian Franck, Alice Lux Fawzi, Timothy Bentley #TBI https://lnkd.in/gDZz4kXZ

🚨 New Publication 🚨 I’m excited to share our latest paper, “A Biomechanical Analysis of Weighted Lifting With an Active Knee Exoskeleton,” just published in IEEE ACCESS. Manual material handlers—people who #lift and #move objects for a living—experience some of the highest rates of #workplace #injuries, often due to musculoskeletal strain. While #exoskeletons have been proposed as a solution, most prior studies focused on back support and lacked detailed biomechanical analysis at the joint level. This study presents the first comprehensive motion-capture and electromyography study of powered knee exoskeletons during lifting tasks. With rigorous measurements of joint torques, powers, and muscle activity, we found that: 🔹 Peak quadriceps activation decreased by ~30% with the exoskeleton. 🔹 Biological knee torque was reduced by over 50%. 🔹 Importantly, assistance at the knees also reduced effort at the ankles—without shifting strain to the hips or back. These results show that powered knee exoskeletons can help #workers maintain safer, knee-centric lifting strategies while reducing fatigue and injury risk. Beyond advancing fundamental science, our work points toward a future where exoskeletons may become #protective #equipment for workers, much like helmets and gloves today. Congratulations to the whole team! Margaret Meagher Grace Hunt Brendon Ortolano Lukas Gabert Bo Foreman Link to the open-access study in the comments! University of Utah John and Marcia Price College of Engineering University of Utah Robotics Center University of Utah Research The Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH)

Excited to share a glimpse of my final year capstone project: H.A.R.P (Hand Actuation for Rehabilitation and Performance) This smart rehabilitation glove is designed to support stroke patients in regaining hand mobility through sensor-driven exercises and adaptive servo control. It combines biomedical engineering, embedded systems, and human-centered design to make therapy more engaging and accessible. A big thank you to my teammate Anna Wilson for her collaboration and dedication throughout this journey. Looking forward to refining this further and exploring its potential impact in real-world rehabilitation. #BiomedicalEngineering #Innovation #Rehabilitation #CapstoneProject #StrokeRecovery

At MIT Media Lab, researchers are pushing the boundaries of prosthetics with direct nervous system connections. Research assistant Everett Lawson, who underwent an experimental amputation, can now design and control his own bionic leg using muscle signals that translate into robotic movement. This breakthrough in biomechatronics not only restores mobility but also points to a future of human-robot integration. Credit: MIT Media Lab / Bloomberg #bionicleg #prosthetictechnology #biomechatronics #neuralinterfaces #futureofhealth #adkeeda Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Could it really be possible to heal spinal cord injuries with the help of electricity? Meet Lukas Matter, PhD student in bioelectronics at the Chalmers Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, who is exploring a groundbreaking approach to treating spinal cord injuries using ultra-thin bioelectronic implants. Watch Lukas share how his journey from electrical engineering to neuroscience led him to a research project that could change lives. By applying electric fields to damaged spinal cords, he and his colleagues Maria Asplund, Darren Svirskis and Bruce Harland have seen promising results in animal models by recovering basic functions that in the future could improve quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries. Chalmers University of Technology University of Auckland Read more about their recent study here: https://lnkd.in/e5utJ8Q9 https://lnkd.in/dvcNHxwx

🏭 Indiana isn't just making cars anymore – we're rebuilding human mobility. While everyone talks about tech hubs on the coasts, something remarkable is happening in America's heartland: Indiana has quietly become the epicenter of musculoskeletal health and device innovation. Think about it: → Home to major orthopedic giants like Zimmer Biomet and Johnson & Johnson MedTech → World-class research at Indiana University School of Medicine and Purdue University→ A manufacturing backbone that knows precision and scale → Lower costs that let innovation dollars go further. But here's the wake-up call: Global competition is fierce. Countries like Germany, South Korea, and Singapore are pouring billions into medical device innovation. They're not waiting for us to figure it out. America's advantage isn't guaranteed – it's earned. We need to double down on what's working. Connect our research powerhouses with our manufacturing expertise. Create pathways from lab bench to production line. Build the infrastructure that turns breakthrough discoveries into life-changing devices that reach patients faster. The aging population isn't slowing down. Neither is the demand for better joints, smarter implants, and revolutionary treatments. The question is: Will these innovations be designed and made in Indiana – or imported from abroad? The future of mobility is being written right here. Let's make sure America stays in the driver's seat. In case you didn’t know Indiana comes in third in the US for automobile production, just behind Ohio and Michigan. Indianapolis was a leading producer of automobiles from 1897 to 1937, with 65 different vehicles manufactured there, ranking second only to Cleveland's 82 as Detroit's chief rival. What other unexpected innovation hubs do you see emerging? #Indiana #MedTech #Innovation #Manufacturing #Orthopedics #MedicalDevices #AmericanManufacturing #Competitiveness