Health Innovations

Scientists at Pennsylvania State University developed a new way to turn starch into fine strands that can be combined to create bandages, tissues, napkins and other medical products.

Starch that can be found in such foods as corn and potatoes is among the most abundant and inexpensive natural materials that is not only easy on the environment, but also can lead to the development of medical bandages that do not require any removal.

n near future the pill could be your best doctor, watching over your vital signs such as heart rate or blood sugar level. The smart pill called Helius was developed by Proteus Medical and Swiss company Novartis and has a biodegradable chip and medication to track the important health signs, which are sent to your smartphone.

The pill will give you valuable information about your heart rate, temperature, glucose level and respiratory rate.

Living with a chronic condition means that at any moment you can face life-threatening situation. That's what happens when you have anaphylactic episode, a severe allergic reaction, when you can have difficulty breathing and you need other people's help. Many people wear bracelets that let others know about their chronic diseases, such as diabetes or allergies, but more and more people turn to tattoos to notify others about their condition.

Scientists develop special material that allows you to drink your favorite juice and then eat the bottle. The material of the bottle will be made of biodegradable plastic and food particles and will taste like the drink itself.

WikiCells, the material of the edible bottles was developed by professor David Edwards at Harvard University. It consists of natural food membrane with liquid within biodegradable shell.

Future of the medicine looks promising with medical tattoos and smart pills and now the new innovation that will make detection of the diseases even easier.

The tooth tattoo made of grapheme senses the presence of bacteria in your mouth to tell what's taking toll on your health. The sensitive tattoo sensors detect bacteria in small concentrations which helps in quicker diagnosis.

Special bandages that were designed to be tested by US soldiers can help them get better faster. The Procellera cloth bandage by Vomaris kills harmful bacteria, eases pain and heals wounds faster. The bandage features tiny silver and zinc dots that produce micro-current when it comes in contact with the moist surface. The process is similar the natural energy level of the body, which promotes faster healing of the entire wound.

Synthetic biology has a great potential to change the way we live, including our environment and health. E.chromi is a new ambitious project that is a result of collaboration of synthetic biology scientists and designers that promises to make such difference. Cambridge University undergraduates decided to create genetically engineered bacteria that will produce colored pigments.

This has a huge variety of applications.