­Soft robotics is a growing field of study encompassing biology, chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Soft robots can be used for safe and adaptive interaction with humans and harsh environments, manipulation of delicate objects, navigation through a confined space, and actuation with multiple degrees of freedom. One key element in soft...

Passive, wireless stimulators have received significant interest due to their ability to provide therapy and rehabilitation by targeting an organ with monophasic or biphasic stimulation pulses. Wireless stimulators are advantageous because they reduce the risk of infection and inflammation by eliminating wires that protrude through the skin. Extending...

There are an estimated 2 million lower limb amputees in the United States alone and many types of prosthetic limbs have been developed to recreate functionality of those amputated limbs. Prosthetics often contain a liner to provide cushioning, support and improved fit between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket. However, current prosthetic liners...

Optogenetics uses light stimulation to control the excitation, inhibition, or signaling pathways of optically excitable cells and provides a powerful tool to diagnose and treat, as well as understand, numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases and disorders. Modified neurons can be activated or silenced by different light frequencies. However, the...

Traditional x-ray detectors capture images in flat, rectangular 2-D shapes while many of the objects of interest are 3-D. Digital x-ray imaging in 3-D is vital in the medical field as well as in the industrial field. Applications in the mechanical field include inspection such as detecting hairline cracks or leaks in pipes, aircraft, and military equipment....

Pressure/force sensors and transducers have wide utility in mechanical, medical and industrial applications, with each industry striving for increased performance. Three key features determine how successful a pressure sensor may be: sensitivity, durability, and cost. Because of their robust and inexpensive nature, transformative electrochemical pressure/force...

Metal diboride nanomaterials have recently garnered interest due to their promising applications. Theoretical treatments have predicted that these boron compounds could provide novel electronic properties and in some cases, electrical conductivity that exceeds that of carbon nanotubes. Additionally, these materials are likely to exhibit extreme temperature...

Electrical structures which interact with light, such as solar cells and optical sensors, generally employ electrodes to collect a generated current (or to apply an external field) however, the electrode designs commonly used suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, the wide spacing of electrodes in conventional solar cells, necessary to...