Recent News
Finger Wrap Uses Sweat To Provide Health Monitoring at Your Fingertips -- Literally
September 3, 2024
A sweat-powered wearable has the potential to make continuous, personalized health monitoring as effortless as wearing a Band-Aid. UC San Diego engineers have developed an electronic finger wrap that monitors vital chemical levels—such as glucose, vitamins, and even drugs—present in the same fingertip sweat from which it derives its energy. Full Story
Wearable Ultrasound Patch Enables Continuous, Non-Invasive Monitoring of Cerebral Blood Flow
May 22, 2024
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that can offer continuous, non-invasive monitoring of blood flow in the brain. The soft and stretchy patch can be comfortably worn on the temple to provide three-dimensional data on cerebral blood flow—a first in wearable technology. Full Story
UC San Diego Engineers Inducted Into 2024 Class of the AIMBE College of Fellows
March 25, 2024
Two engineering professors at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering were inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Professors Ludmil Alexandrov and Sheng Xu were among the 162 new AIMBE Fellows who were recognized at a ceremony during the AIMBE Annual Event on March 25. Full Story
These Tiny Power Converters Run on Vibrational Energy
February 20, 2024
The University of California San Diego and CEA-Leti scientists have developed a ground-breaking piezoelectric-based DC-DC converter that unifies all power switches onto a single chip to increase power density. This new power topology, which extends beyond existing topologies, blends the advantages of piezoelectric converters with capacitive-based DC-DC converters. Full Story
Transforming Clinical Recording of Deep Brain Activity with a New Take on Sensor Manufacturing
January 17, 2024
Sensors built with a new manufacturing approach are capable of recording activity deep within the brain from large populations of individual neurons–with a resolution of as few as one or two neurons–in humans as well as a range of animal models, according to a study published in the Jan. 17, 2024 issue of the journal Nature Communications. The research team is led by the Integrated Electronics and Biointerfaces Laboratory (IEBL) at the University of California San Diego. Full Story
Smartphone Attachment Could Increase Racial Fairness in Neurological Screening
October 24, 2023
This smartphone attachment could enable people to screen for a variety of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury, at low cost—and do so accurately regardless of their skin tone. The attachment fits over a smartphone's camera to capture clear video of pupil size changes, which can offer clues about an individual's neurological functions. The device helps the camera see the pupil easily in dark eye colors. Full Story
These screen-printed, flexible sensors allow earbuds to record brain activity and exercise levels
September 28, 2023
A pair of earbuds can be turned into a tool to record the electrical activity of the brain as well as levels of lactate in the body with the addition of two flexible sensors screen-printed onto a stamp-like flexible surface. Full Story
UC San Diego Nanoengineering and Chemical Engineering Professor Sheng Xu Named Finalist for Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists
August 7, 2023
University of California San Diego nanoengineering and chemical engineering professor Sheng Xu has been named a Finalist for the 2023 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. This nationwide awards program celebrates the most innovative, faculty-ranked scientists and engineers in the United States who are under the age of 42. Full Story
UC San Diego teams earn four of 18 Qualcomm Innovation Fellowships in North America for 2023
July 24, 2023
Four UC San Diego teams have been awarded prestigious Qualcomm Innovation Fellowships for North America in 2023. The teams are affiliated with UC San Diego's Center for Visual Computing; Center for Wearable Sensors; and Contextual Robotics Institute. Full Story
Super Low-cost Smartphone Attachment Brings Blood Pressure Monitoring to Your Fingertips
May 29, 2023
UC San Diego engineers have developed a simple 3D-printed attachment that clips over a smartphone's camera and flash to measure blood pressure at the user's fingertip. The clip works with a custom smartphone app and currently costs about 80 cents to make. Researchers say it could help make regular blood pressure monitoring easy, affordable and accessible to people in resource-poor communities. Full Story
Insulin detection in diabetes mellitus: challenges and new prospects
May 25, 2023
This Perspective discusses the advances and challenges in moving insulin assays from traditional laboratory-based assays to frequent and continuous measurements in decentralized (point-of-care and home) settings. Full Story
A Giant Leap Forward in Wireless Ultrasound Monitoring for Subjects in Motion
May 22, 2023
A team of engineers at the University of California San Diego has developed the first fully integrated wearable ultrasound system for deep-tissue monitoring, including for subjects on the go. It marks a major breakthrough for one of the world’s leading wearable ultrasound labs. Full Story
Leading Wearable Ultrasound Lab Creates a Breakthrough in Deep Tissue Monitoring
May 2, 2023
UC San Diego engineers have developed a stretchable ultrasonic array that facilitates serial, non-invasive, three-dimensional imaging of tissues as deep as four centimeters below the surface of human skin, at a spatial resolution of 0.5 millimeters. This new method provides a non-invasive, longer-term alternative to current methods, with improved penetration depth. Full Story
Breakthrough enables battery-free smart tag technology
February 22, 2023
Imagine you can open your fridge, open an app on your phone and immediately know which items are expiring within a few days. This is one of the applications that a new technology developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego would enable. Full Story
2022 Research Highlights
December 20, 2022
From tools to track the origin and spread of COVID-19, to making homes safer in earthquakes, to using smartphones as diagnostic tools, researchers at the Jacobs School of Engineering pioneered important work in 2022. A few highlights of our outstanding research this year are here. Full Story
Three Entrepreneurial UC San Diego Faculty Members To Join National Academy of Inventors
December 8, 2022
UC San Diego’s ranks now include 18 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors. Three professors have been named 2022 NAI fellows, the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. This year’s inductees all hail from the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering: Yu-Hwa Lo, a professor of electrical and computer engineering; Nicole Steinmetz and Joseph Wang, both professors of nanoengineering. Full Story
Innovative Self-Powered Ingestible Sensor Opens New Avenues for Gut Research
December 1, 2022
Engineering researchers have developed a battery-free, pill-shaped ingestible biosensing system designed to provide continuous monitoring in the intestinal environment. It gives scientists the ability to monitor gut metabolites in real time, which wasn’t possible before. This feat of technological integration could unlock new understanding of intestinal metabolite composition, which significantly impacts human health overall. Full Story
Joseph Wang awarded the Ralph N. Adams Award in Bioanalytical Chemistry
November 18, 2022
The 2023 Adams Award winner is UC San Diego NanoEngineernig Professor Joseph Wang, currently SAIC Endowed Chair, Distinguished Professor of Nanoengineering, and Director of the Center for Wearable Sensors at the University of California at San Diego. Full Story
The Jacobs School at Neuroscience 2022
November 10, 2022
The Society for Neuroscience is holding its annual conference, Neuroscience 2022, Nov. 12 to 16 in San Diego and the faculty of the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering will have a strong presence at the event. Full Story
Standalone Sweat Sensor from UC San Diego Provides Immediate Readout
October 6, 2022
Engineers at UC San Diego have developed a thin, flexible and stretchy sweat sensor that can show the level of glucose, lactate, sodium, or pH of your sweat, as soon as a press of the finger. It is the first standalone wearable device that allows the sensor to operate independently – without any wired or wireless connection to external devices – to directly visualize the result of the measurement. Full Story
San Diego Union-Tribune previews opening of Franklin Antonio Hall
September 9, 2022
Just weeks before the grand opening on Sept. 23, the San Diego Union-Tribune published an extensive story about Franklin Antonio Hall, the latest building at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. The sleek and soaring structure is located across the street from to Atkinson Hall, near the campus’ Warren College neighborhood. Full Story
Multi-tasking wearable continuously monitors glucose, alcohol, and lactate
May 9, 2022
Imagine being able to measure your blood sugar levels, know if you’ve had too much to drink, and track your fatigue during a workout, all in one small device worn on your skin. UC San Diego engineers developed a prototype of such a wearable that continuously monitors several health stats at once. Full Story
New sensor grids record human brain signals in record-breaking resolution
January 19, 2022
A new array of sensors can record electrical signals directly from the surface of the human brain in record-breaking detail: 100 times higher resolution than today's clinical tools. This could improve neurosurgeons' ability to remove brain tumors safely and surgically treat drug-resistant epilepsy. Full Story
'Pop-up' electronic sensors could detect when individual heart cells misbehave
December 23, 2021
UC San Diego engineers developed a powerful new tool that directly measures the movement and speed of electrical signals inside heart cells, using tiny “pop-up” sensors that poke into cells without damaging them. It could be used to gain more detailed insights into heart disorders and diseases. Full Story
UC San Diego engineering professors inducted into National Academy of Inventors
December 7, 2021
Two professors at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering have been named 2021 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Shaochen Chen, professor and chair of nanoengineering, and Tse Nga (Tina) Ng, professor of electrical and computer engineering, were among the 164 fellows announced by the NAI this year who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society. Full Story
10 Jacobs School faculty among 2021 list of most highly cited researchers in the world
November 30, 2021
Ten professors at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering are among the world’s most influential researchers in their fields. The professors, Ludmil Alexandrov, Trey Ideker, Rob Knight, Prashant Mali, Ying Shirley Meng, Shyue Ping Ong, Bernhard O. Palsson, Joseph Wang, Sheng Xu and Liangfang Zhang, are amone 51 professors and researchers at UC San Diego named in the prestigious list of Highly Cited Researchers in 2021. Full Story
UC San Diego leads a $12.25 million grant to improve epilepsy treatment
September 9, 2021
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $12.25 million grant to the University of California San Diego to develop and enhance brain-sensing and brain-stimulating platform technologies to enable treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Full Story
Soft skin patch could provide early warning for strokes, heart attacks
July 22, 2021
UC San Diego engineers developed a soft, stretchy ultrasound patch that can be worn on the skin to monitor blood flow through vessels deep inside the body. Such a device can make it easier to detect cardiovascular problems, like blockages in the arteries that could lead to strokes or heart attacks. Full Story
Calling all couch potatoes: this finger wrap can let you power electronics while you sleep
July 13, 2021
A new wearable device turns the sweat and press of a fingertip into a source of power for small electronics and sensors. This sweat-fueled device is the first to generate power even while the wearer is asleep—no exercise or movement required. Full Story
Personalized sweat sensor reliably monitors blood glucose without finger pricks
May 10, 2021
UC San Diego engineers developed a device that could make it more convenient for people with diabetes to measure their blood glucose. The device can measure glucose in sweat with the touch of a fingertip, and then a personalized algorithm provides an accurate estimate of blood glucose levels. Full Story
'Wearable microgrid' uses the human body to sustainably power small gadgets
March 9, 2021
This shirt harvests and stores energy from the human body to power small electronics. UC San Diego nanoengineers call it a "wearable microgrid"—it combines energy from the wearer's sweat and movement to provide renewable power for wearable devices. Full Story
New skin patch brings us closer to wearable, all-in-one health monitor
February 15, 2021
UC San Diego engineers have developed a soft, stretchy skin patch that can be worn on the neck to continuously track blood pressure and heart rate while measuring the wearer’s levels of glucose as well as lactate, alcohol or caffeine. It performs as well as commercial monitoring devices such as a blood pressure cuff, blood lactate meter, glucometer and breathalyzer. Full Story
Making masks smarter and safer against COVID-19
January 21, 2021
A new tool for monitoring COVID-19 may one day be right under your nose. Researchers at the University of California San Diego are developing a color-changing test strip that can be stuck on a mask and used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a person’s breath or saliva. The project is aimed at providing simple, affordable and reliable surveillance for COVID-19 infections that can be done daily and easily implemented in resource-poor settings. Full Story
Wearables: Where Are We?
January 21, 2021
We spoke with Patrick Mercier, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and co-director of the Center for Wearable Sensors (CWS), and Joseph Wang, professor of Nanoengineering and director of CWS. Full Story
10 Jacobs School Faculty Named in 2020 List of Highly Cited Researchers
December 8, 2020
Ten professors at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering are among the world’s most influential researchers in their fields, according to a new research citation report from the Web of Science Group. The professors, Ludmil Alexandrov, Trey Ideker, Rob Knight, Nathan E. Lewis, Prashant Mali, Ying Shirley Meng, Bernhard O. Palsson, Joseph Wang, Kun Zhang and Liangfang Zhang, are amone 52 professors and researchers at UC San Diego named in the prestigious list of Highly Cited Researchers in 2020. Full Story
2021 Talanta Medal awarded to Professor Joseph Wang
October 21, 2020
The Talanta Medal, awarded on a biennial basis, acknowledges outstanding achievements in analytical chemistry. The 2021 Medal is awarded to Professor Joseph Wang of the University of California San Diego, USA, in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to the field, especially in pioneering developments in electrochemistry, biosensors, nanomachines, wearable devices, nanobioelectronics, and analytical chemistry. Full Story
Wearable Electrochemical Sensors for the Monitoring and Screening of Drugs
August 24, 2020
A new article in ACS Sensors from Joseph Wang's lab reviews for the first time wearable electrochemical sensors for monitoring therapeutic drugs and drugs of abuse. Full Story
Nanoengineering and chemical engineering at UC San Diego in the spotlight
August 10, 2020
A creative group of faculty, students and staff within the University of California San Diego are taking innovative approaches to develop breakthroughs in nanomedicine, flexible electronics, and energy storage. Together, this group makes up the Department of NanoEngineering and the Chemical Engineering Program at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. A virtual issue of the journal ACS Nano highlights the wide ranging research, educational and workforce-development contributions of this extraordinary group. Full Story
New fabrication method brings single-crystal perovskite devices closer to viability
July 29, 2020
Nanoengineers at UC San Diego developed a new method to fabricate perovskites as single-crystal thin films, which are more efficient for use in solar cells and optical devices than the current state-of-the-art polycrystalline forms of the material. Researchers in Professor Sheng Xu’s lab published their findings on July 29 in Nature. Full Story
Wearable device company named Spinoff Prize finalist
July 17, 2020
Softsonics, a UC San Diego spinoff company co-founded by and based on work from Nanoengineering Professor Sheng Xu, has been named a finalist for the inaugural Spinoff Prize from Nature. Softsonics is developing a soft, flexible patch that can be worn on the skin over the carotid artery or jugular vein, and which uses pulses of ultrasound to measure blood pressure. The hope is that the device will provide a deeper and more accurate measurement of blood pressure, both for people in intensive care and for those going about their daily lives. Full Story
IEEE Spectrum Cover Story
June 22, 2020
The cover feature of IEEE Spectrum this month is a feature on the UC San Diego Center for Wearable Sensors: Why Sweat will Power your next Wearable. Full Story
New wearable sensor tracks Vitamin C levels in sweat
May 18, 2020
A team at the University of California San Diego has developed a wearable, non invasive Vitamin C sensor that could provide a new, highly personalized option for users to track their daily nutritional intake and dietary adherence. The study was published in the May 18, 2020 issue of ACS Sensors. Full Story
A low-power, low-cost wearable to monitor COVID-19 patients
May 18, 2020
Engineers at the University of California San Diego are developing low-cost, low-power wearable sensors that can measure temperature and respiration--key vital signs used to monitor COVID-19. The devices would transmit data wirelessly to a smartphone, and could be used to monitor patients for viral infections that affect temperature and respiration in real time. The research team plans to develop a device and a manufacturing process in just 12 months. Full Story
New chip brings ultra-low power Wi-Fi connectivity to IoT devices
February 17, 2020
More portable, fully wireless smart home setups. Lower power wearables. Batteryless smart devices. These could all be made possible thanks to a new ultra-low power Wi-Fi radio developed by UC San Diego engineers. It enables Wi-Fi communication at 5,000 times less power than commercial Wi-Fi radios. Full Story
Five Outstanding Engineering Honor Awards to be Presented by the San Diego County Engineers Council
February 5, 2020
In its 69th year, the annual Engineers Week Awards Banquet, hosted by the San Diego County Engineering Council (SDCEC) on February 21, 2020, is bringing together leaders in our community to celebrate those who educate, create and advance engineering. The 2020 winners who will be receiving the prestigious SDCEC Engineering Honor Awards include Patrick Mercier, who will be receiving the Outstanding Engineer of the Year Award. Full Story
Growing strained crystals could improve performance of perovskite electronics
January 9, 2020
A new method could enable researchers to build more efficient, longer lasting perovskite solar cells and LEDs. By growing thin perovskite films on different substrates, UC San Diego engineers invented a way of fabricating perovskite single crystals with precisely deformed, or strained, structures. Full Story
New chip for waking up small wireless devices could extend battery life
November 12, 2019
A new power saving chip could significantly reduce or eliminate the need to replace batteries in Internet of Things (IoT) devices and wearables. The so-called wake-up receiver wakes up a device only when it needs to communicate and perform its function, saving on power use. Full Story
Pacifier embedded with biosensors monitors newborn glucose levels
November 7, 2019
CWS researchers created a pacifier-based electrochemical biosensor that tracks real-time glucose levels in a baby's saliva. Until now, it has been difficult to use wearables with babies and infants. Biosensors are typically made with bulky and rigid surfaces that could be harmful to a baby's skin. Long term use of wearables could cause discomfort for babies that they cannot communicate. The new biosensor is created with soft, pacifier-like materials that are safe for babies. When an infant sucks on the pacifier, small amounts of saliva transfer through the channel to the integrated outside detection chamber. Full Story
Congressional hearing discusses CWS innovations
November 7, 2019
At a recent Congressional hearing, the following question was posed: "If resources were available, what is the innovative research you would like to pursue?" One of the answers discussed continuous, wearable health trackers, such as the ultrasound patch for monitoring blood pressure developed by the lab of Sheng Xu. Full Story
Center for Wearable Sensors Fall 2019 Research Summit
October 23, 2019
The Center for Wearable Sensors hosted its Fall 2019 Research Summit on Oct. 23. UC San Diego faculty gave talks on their CWS projects, ranging from smart glasses for everyday health monitoring to minimally invasive microneedles for interstitial fluid monitoring. Full Story
Joseph Wang named among 2019 Class of ECS Fellows
September 9, 2019
Fellow of The Electrochemical Society was established in 1989 for advanced individual technological contributions in the fields of electrochemistry and solid state science and technology and service to the Society. These members are being recognized at the plenary session for scientific achievements, for leadership, and for active participation in the affairs of ECS. Each year, up to 15 renowned scientists and engineers are chosen by their peers for this honor. Join us in celebrating the 2019 class of the Fellows of The Electrochemical Society. Full Story
How to simulate softness
August 30, 2019
UC San Diego researchers discovered clever tricks to design materials that replicate different levels of perceived softness. The findings provide fundamental insights into designing tactile materials and haptic interfaces that can recreate realistic touch sensations. Full Story
Darren Lipomi receives NSF grant to develop new materials for haptics and as tools for understanding the sense of touch
August 20, 2019
Mimicking fine-grained sensations of touch requires materials that can change their mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties in real time. The Lipomi lab will approach this task by developing a system of haptic devices based on materials that can create sensations that can be transformed dynamically--e.g., rough vs. smooth, hot vs. cold, and sticky vs. slimy. Leveraging the flexible, wearable nature of these "haptic biomaterials," the investigators will build a prototype haptic glove that will allow a human user to differentiate between virtual objects by touch. Full Story
Wearable Electrochemical Microneedle Sensor for Continuous Monitoring of Levodopa: Toward Parkinson Management
August 12, 2019
A new wearable sensor could offer minimally invasive monitoring of the medication levodopa (L-Dopa) for patients with Parkinson's disease. The latest paper from the Laboratory for Nanobioelectronics led by Joseph Wang was published in ACS Sensors. The work could lead to treatments that optimize individual drug dosing and therefore improve disease symptoms. Full Story
Three UC San Diego Engineering Professors Receive Presidential Early Career Awards
July 3, 2019
Three faculty members at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering have been named recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. Full Story
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Wearable cooling and heating patch could serve as personal thermostat and save energy
May 17, 2019
UC San Diego engineers have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go. The soft, stretchy patch cools or warms a user’s skin to a comfortable temperature and keeps it there as the ambient temperature changes. It is powered by a flexible, stretchable battery pack and can be embedded in clothing. Researchers say wearing it could help save energy on air conditioning and heating. Full Story
Bioengineers are inducted into renowned biomedical engineering institute
March 25, 2019
Two researchers at Jacobs School of Engineering were inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the organization announced. Professors Pedro Cabrales and Todd Coleman from the Department of Bioengineering were recognized during a ceremony at the National Academy of Sciences Great Hall in Washington, DC, on March 25. Full Story
Printed sensors provide on the spot fentanyl detection
March 21, 2019
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed screen-printed sensors that could offer a faster, convenient and low-cost method to detect the drug fentanyl. The sensors can detect micromolar concentrations of fentanyl in just one minute. They are easy to produce, cost only a few cents apiece, and are disposable. Full Story
Review in Nature Biotechnology: Wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring
February 25, 2019
UC San Diego researchers at the Center for Wearable Sensors published a review article in the journal Nature Biotechnology cataloging state-of-the-art advances in wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring. The review article also highlights areas where more research is necessary. Full Story
Engineers develop 3D-printed metamaterials that change mechanical properties under magnetic fields
December 8, 2018
A team of researchers have developed an entirely new class of metamaterials that can nearly instantly respond and stiffen 3D printed structures when exposed to a magnetic field, a development that could be applied to next-generation helmets, wearable armor and a host of other innovations. Full Story
Center for Wearable Sensors Fall 2018 Research Summit
November 7, 2018
The Center for Wearable Sensors hosted its Fall 2018 Research Summit on Nov. 7. UC San Diego faculty gave talks on their CWS projects, ranging from wearable ultrasound patches to microelectrodes for monitoring brain activity. Full Story
Wearable ultrasound patch monitors blood pressure deep inside body
September 12, 2018
A new wearable ultrasound patch that non-invasively monitors blood pressure in arteries deep beneath the skin could help people detect cardiovascular problems earlier on and with greater precision. In tests, the patch performed as well as some clinical methods to measure blood pressure. Applications include real-time, continuous monitoring of blood pressure changes in patients with heart or lung disease, as well as patients who are critically ill or undergoing surgery. The patch uses ultrasound, so it could potentially be used to non-invasively track other vital signs and physiological signals from places deep inside the body. Full Story
'Building up' stretchable electronics to be as multipurpose as your smartphone
August 13, 2018
By connecting layers of stretchable circuits on top of one another, engineers have developed an approach to build soft “3D stretchable electronics” that can pack more functions while staying thin and small. As a proof of concept, the team built a multifunctional "smart bandage" that can be worn on the skin and used to wirelessly monitor an array of signals, from respiration, to body motion, to brain activity, and even remotely control a robotic arm. Full Story
UC San Diego nanoengineer named among MIT Technology Review's top innovators under 35
June 29, 2018
MIT Technology Review has named Sheng Xu, a professor of nanoengineering at the University of California San Diego, as one of this year’s top innovators under 35. Xu is being recognized for inventing a clever way to make off-the-shelf electronics stretchable. Full Story
Clinical Trial Tests Tattoo Sensor as Needleless Glucose Monitor for Diabetes Patients
April 19, 2018
A temporary tattoo for glucose monitoring developed by engineers at UC San Diego is being tested in a phase I clinical trial. The study will test the tattoo sensor’s accuracy at detecting glucose levels compared to a traditional glucometer. The clinical trial is enrolling 50 adults, ages 18 to 75, with either type 1 or 2 diabetes or diabetes due to other causes. Full Story
Tiny injectable sensor could provide unobtrusive, long-term alcohol monitoring
April 10, 2018
Engineers have developed a tiny, ultra-low power chip that could be injected just under the surface of the skin for continuous, long-term alcohol monitoring. The chip is powered wirelessly by a wearable device such as a smartwatch or patch. The goal of this work is to develop a convenient, routine monitoring device for patients in substance abuse treatment programs. Full Story
Flexible ultrasound patch could make it easier to inspect damage in odd-shaped structures
March 23, 2018
Researchers have developed a stretchable, flexible patch that could make it easier to perform ultrasound imaging on odd-shaped structures, such as engine parts, turbines, reactor pipe elbows and railroad tracks—objects that are difficult to examine using conventional ultrasound equipment. The ultrasound patch is a versatile and more convenient tool to inspect machine and building parts for defects and damage deep below the surface. Full Story
A wearable system to monitor the stomach's activity throughout the day
March 21, 2018
A team of researchers has developed a wearable, non-invasive system to monitor electrical activity in the stomach over 24 hours—essentially an electrocardiogram but for the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. Applications include monitoring GI activity for patients outside of a clinical setting, which cuts down costs. Monitoring for longer periods of time also increases the likelihood of capturing abnormal events. Researchers detail their findings in the March 22 issue of Nature’s open access journal Scientific Reports. Full Story
Engineers develop most efficient red-light-activated switch that can turn genes on and off in mammalian cells
March 12, 2018
A team of researchers has developed a light-activated switch that can turn genes on and off in mammalian cells. This is the most efficient so-called “optogenetic switch” activated by red and far-red light that has been successfully designed and tested in animal cells—and it doesn’t require the addition of light sensing molecules from outside the cells. Full Story
Nano-ink-based sensors detect an eye blink
January 31, 2018
Through developing a graphene-nanosheet-based ink, collaborators at the University of California ? San Diego and the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology have produced flexible, wearable, ultrathin sensors. Fabricated by printing multiple layers directly onto medical tape, the printed graphene sensors can be easily affixed to skin. Due to their high strain sensitivity, deformations to the sensor caused by subject movement can allow non-invasive health monitoring. Further, through combining multiple small sensor patches to make different geometries, the sensors accurately follow hand motions and can even monitor eye-blinking and pulse. Full Story
Less than skin deep: humans can feel molecular differences between nearly identical surfaces
December 13, 2017
How sensitive is the human sense of touch? Sensitive enough to feel the difference between surfaces that differ by just a single layer of molecules, a team of researchers at the University of California San Diego has shown. Full Story
Smartphone case offers blood glucose monitoring on the go
December 7, 2017
Engineers at the UC San Diego Center for Wearable Sensors have developed a smartphone case and app that could make it easier for patients to record and track their blood glucose readings, whether they’re at home or on the go. Full Story
A fashionable chemical and biological threat detector-on-a-ring
October 30, 2017
Wearable sensors are revolutionizing the tech-world, capable of tracking processes in the body, such as heart rates. They're even becoming fashionable Full Story
New dental imaging method uses squid ink to fish for gum disease
September 7, 2017
Squid ink might be a great ingredient to make black pasta, but it could also one day make getting checked for gum disease at the dentist less tedious and even painless. By combining squid ink with light and ultrasound, a team led by engineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a new dental imaging method to examine a patient’s gums that is non-invasive, more comprehensive and more accurate than the state of the art. Full Story
Stretchable biofuel cells extract energy from sweat to power wearable devices
August 22, 2017
A team of engineers has developed stretchable fuel cells that extract energy from sweat and are capable of powering electronics, such as LEDs and Bluetooth radios. The biofuel cells generate 10 times more power per surface area than any existing wearable biofuel cells. The devices could be used to power a range of wearable devices. Full Story