IEEE Spectrum: Biomedical

Is Deep Brain Stimulation a Cure-all?

New DBS research shows therapeutic benefits for Tourette syndrome patients.

Flexible Microsystems Deliver Drugs Through the Ear

A MEMS-based microfluidic implant could open up many difficult-to-treat diseases to drug therapy

Navigation by the Soles of Your Feet (and the Seat of Your Pants)

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Vibrating driver's seats and shoe inserts are proving that humans can gather information using unusual parts of the body

For Parkinson's Patients, Hearing Voices Could Be a Good Thing

Purdue researchers have developed an in-ear device that uses recorded chatter to improve the speech of Parkinson's patients

The Brain-Machine Interface, Unplugged

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Researchers report prototype wireless neural interfaces

Tech Museum of Silicon Valley Announces 2009 Laureates

Honorees turn cow carcasses into kilowatts, distribute electronic field guides, and visualize mathematics lessons

Thomas and Janet: first kissing humanoid robots

Developed by the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, the theatrical robots performed the first robot kiss during a performance of Phantom of the Opera.

Therapeutic Robots Paro and Keepon Are Cute But Still Costly

These 'bots are soft, cuddly, and designed to be universally likable, but they don't come cheap.

Devices for Diabetics Expand Inward and Outward

Advances in continuous glucose monitors and data networking bring us that much closer to having an artificial pancreas

The Invasion of Cute, Therapeutic Robots

Robots like Keepon and Paro are designed to be universally likable, but they don't come cheap.

Music-Powered Microfluidics

An acoustically driven microfluidic MEMS could make for smaller, simpler diagnostic devices

Never Look Down the Barrell of a Loaded Laser

Just kidding. But eye safety is important for laser weapons too.

A New Approach to Predicting Epileptic Seizures

Torrents of data produced by implanted microelectrodes could finally yield a prediction system.

Heart Surgeons Adapting to Robots

Robots that snake through a patient's arteries are gaining popularity among cardiologists

Patent Prowess

Click here for an animated list of the charts

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Comprehensive data for the past year reveal strong movement in electronic-book technology and new leaders in semiconductor manufacturing and vehicle safety

Laser Probes for Brain Experiments

Laser-activated probes stimulate brain cells better, say scientists

Next-Gen Ultrasound

SHARPER IMAGE

Micromachined transducer probes for ultrasound scanners should provide prenatal images that are even sharper than those new parents now get to see. The pictures, though, may never be as crisp as the one in this fanciful photo-illustration.

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Medical imaging borrows techniques from the microelectronics industry

Provisional Patents Are Quick, Cheap, and Worthless

Patience is a patent virtue

Cold-Plasma Jets for Root Canals

Cold-plasma probes promise to kill bacteria deep inside the tooth, possibly preventing the recurrence of infection

Superstrong Artificial Muscles and More From New Nanotube Material

Sheets of carbon nanotubes could make strong, stretchy artificial muscles with amazing properties