Tag Archives: MIT

The ultrasound patch developed by MIT accurately detects bladder fullness

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MIT researchers have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that can non-invasively image internal organs, primarily focusing on bladder health. The device eliminates the need for an ultrasound operator or gel and could transform the monitoring of various organ functions and disease detection.

The wearable device is specifically designed to monitor the health of the bladder and kidneys and could be instrumental for early diagnosis of cancers deep within the body.

Designed in the form of a patch, the ultrasound monitor can capture images of organs inside the body without requiring an ultrasound operator or gel application. The patch can accurately image the bladder and determine its fullness, allowing patients with bladder or kidney problems to efficiently monitor the functionality of these organs.

Additionally, the wearable patch has the potential for use in monitoring other organs in the body by adjusting the ultrasound array’s position and signal frequency. This capability could enable the early detection of deep-seated cancers like ovarian cancer.

The researchers behind this groundbreaking technology are based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the study has been published in Nature Electronics. Their aim is to develop a series of devices that improve information sharing between clinicians and patients and ultimately shape the future of medical device design.

In an initial study, the wearable ultrasound patch was able to obtain bladder images comparable to traditional ultrasound probes. To advance the clinical application of this technology, the research team is working on a portable device that can be used to view the images.

The MIT team also has aspirations to develop an ultrasound device capable of imaging other deep-seated organs in the body, such as the pancreas, liver, and ovaries. This will involve designing new piezoelectric materials and conducting further research and clinical trials.

Funding for this research was provided by various organizations, including the National Science Foundation, 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award, Texas Instruments Corporation, and the MIT Media Lab Consortium, among others.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Chemists at MIT create vibrant organic molecules through synthesis

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Researchers at MIT have made a groundbreaking development in the stability of acene, a molecule with potential for use in semiconductors and light-emitting diodes. This advancement has opened up possibilities for acene to emit light in a range of colors, leading to its potential use in solar cells and energy-efficient screens. Known as organic light-emitting diodes and promising for use in solar cells, acenes consist of chains of fused carbon-containing rings with unique optoelectronic properties.

However, the stability of acene has been challenging, as the length of the molecule determines the color of light it emits, and longer acenes tend to be less stable and therefore not widely used in light-emitting applications. Researchers at MIT have devised a new approach to address this issue, making the molecules more stable in order to synthesize acenes of various lengths and build molecules that emit red, orange, yellow, green, or blue light. This innovative approach allowed them to create acenes with positive charges that possess increased stability and unique electronic properties, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.

The new, stable acenes, doped with boron and nitrogen, can now emit light in different colors depending on their length and the type of chemical group attached to the carbodicarbene. This is a significant development, as traditional acene molecules tend to emit only blue light, while the ability to emit red light is vital for many applications, including biological processes such as imaging. The new acenes also exhibit stability in both air and water, a noteworthy feature that opens up possibilities for medical applications.

Furthermore, researchers are exploring the potential of acenes in various derivative forms and incorporating them into technologies such as solar cells and light-emitting diodes for use in screens. By combining creative research with non-traditional paradigms, the research holds promising implications for the development of air- and photostable luminescent materials and compact energy harvesting devices. This innovative work was supported by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation and the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation Program.

Source: scitechdaily.com