A robot controlled by a biological brain formed from cultured neurons has been developed by a team at the University of Reading.

This cutting edge research is the first step to examine how memories manifest themselves in the brain, and how a brain stores specific pieces of data. The key aim is that eventually this will lead to a better understanding of development and of diseases and disorders which affect the brain such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, stoke and brain injury.

The robot’s biological brain is made up of cultured neurons which are placed onto a multi electrode array (MEA). The MEA is a dish with approximately 60 electrodes which pick up the electrical signals generated by the cells. This is then used to drive the movement of the robot. Every time the robot nears an object, signals are directed to stimulate the brain by means of the electrodes. In response, the brain’s output is used to drive the wheels of the robot, left and right, so that it moves around in an attempt to avoid hitting objects. The robot has no additional control from a human or a computer, its sole means of control is from its own brain.

Continue reading…

A cartilage repair gel that could delay the need for invasive surgery for five years or more, is being developed by The University of Bradford, and university spin out company Advanced Gel Technology.

The hydrogel, which is not yet ready for clinical trials, is intended for use with traumatic injuries, including those sustained in car collisions or sports.

Lead researcher of the Cartilage Repair Project at The University of Bradford, Pete Twigg, explained: “Total joint replacement is very successful, but may not be appropriate for younger, more active people. They are often encouraged to put off surgery until the pain is disabling, but a conservative replacement treatment could relieve the pain and restore function at a much earlier stage.”

The technique involves drilling a hole into the affected area and filling it with the gel. This gel takes the place of missing or damaged cartilage, preventing bones from grinding against each other.”

The researchers are hoping to simplify the project to the point where it can be conducted as a day surgery.

A biologically-inspired material that is said to enhance tissue healing, improve bone growth around an implant and strengthen the attachment and integration of the implant to the bone, has been developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Andrés Garcia, Georgia Tech, explained: “We designed a coating that specifically communicates with cells, and we’re telling the cells to grow bone around the implant.”

He continued: “Our coating consists of a high density of polymer strands, akin to the bristles on a toothbrush, which we can then modify to present our bio-inspired, bioactive protein.”

Continue reading…

Rubbish is being converted into energy by the US Army through the Tactical Garbage to Energy Refinery (TGER) at Camp Victory in Iraq.

Seeing an opportunity to use biotechnology to solve a real Army problem set Dr James Valdes, scientific advisor for biotechnology with the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, and his team on the path toward creating a machine that could provide the energy to power the generators and stoves that make up about half of the fuel consumption at most forward operating bases.

Valdes explained: “We’ve got a lot of garbage at various operating bases, and it’s got to go someplace. So our logic was that at a forward operating base, could we use the garbage to make fuel and thereby get rid of the garbage and help to keep the convoys off the streets? And that’s how TGER got started.”

TGER is small enough to fit into a CONEX container, but powerful enough to power a standard 60-kilowatt generator. TGER works by turning the solid rubbish into fuel pellets which are fed into a synthetic gas composed of simple hydrocarbons that resembles low-grade propane. TGER processes the liquid and food waste into a hydrous ethanol which is blended with the syngas to create useable energy.

Continue reading…

Researchers from a consortium of universities are developing a low-cost, ultra sensitive biosensor.

UK-based Cambridge, Manchester and Bolton universities will join forces with China’s Zhejiang University in the three-year EPSRC-sponsored project to develop a microdevice  able to measure everything from home diagnosis of disease to chemical plant monitoring and anti-bioterrorism and pandemic detection.

A biosensors is a type of microdevice able to measure very small concentrations of biological molecules or chemical substances through specific bio-binding or chemical absorption. They work by recording reactions between chemicals or agents on their surface and others to which they are exposed.

Professor Jack Luo of Bolton’s Centre for Materials Research and Innovation, and leader of the project, explained: “Our aim is to develop a universal detection system that can have various surface properties depending on what the sensor is to be used for.”

A nanotechnology-based biosensor that can be used to detect trace amounts of specific bacteria, viruses and parasites has been developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center.

Commenting on the new development, Meyya Meyyappan, chief scientist for exploration technology and former director of the center for Nanotechnology at Ames, explained: “The biosensor makes use of ultra-sensitive carbon nanotubes which can detect biohazards at very low levels.

“When biohazards are present, the biosensor generates an electrical signal, which is used to determine the presence and concentration levels of specific micro-organisms in the sample. Because of their tiny size, millions of nanotubes can fit on a single biosensor chip.”

Continue reading…