Recent News
2017 News Releases
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
Engineers talk VR, AI and nanotechnology at San Diego Comic-Con
July 20, 2017
It’s not every day that engineers get to speak side by side with the people behind hit movies and TV series. But that is exactly what two engineering faculty members are doing this week at Comic-Con in San Diego. Full Story
Low-cost smart glove converts signs of American Manual Alphabet to text
July 12, 2017
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a smart glove that wirelessly converts signs of the American Manual Alphabet into text and controls a virtual hand to mimic sign language gestures. The device, which engineers call “The Language of Glove,” was built for less than $100 using stretchable and printable electronics that are inexpensive, commercially available and easy to assemble. Full Story
'Near-zero-power' temperature sensor could make wearables, smart home devices less power-hungry
June 30, 2017
Electrical engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a temperature sensor that runs on only 113 picowatts of power — 628 times lower power than the state of the art and about 10 billion times smaller than a watt. This "near-zero-power" temperature sensor could extend the battery life of wearable or implantable devices that monitor body temperature, smart home monitoring systems, Internet of Things devices and environmental monitoring systems. Full Story
Printed, flexible and rechargeable battery can power wearable sensors
May 24, 2017
Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed the first printed battery that is flexible, stretchable and rechargeable. The zinc batteries could be used to power everything from wearable sensors to solar cells and other kinds of electronics. The work appears in the April 19, 2017 issue of Advanced Energy Materials. Full Story
UC San Diego Engineer Talks Tech with Congressional Staff in Washington, D.C.
May 19, 2017
UC San Diego electrical engineering professor Patrick Mercier met with staff members working for representatives for San Diego County and for California Senator Dianne Feinstein at an event on Capitol Hill, where he showcased wearable technologies that have the potential to revolutionize access to health care. Full Story
A Wearable Sensors Research Center in Beijing Is Named After UC San Diego NanoEngineering Professor Joseph Wang
April 20, 2017
A wearable sensors research center at Beijing University of Science and Technology has been named in honor of UC San Diego NanoEngineering professor and chair Joseph Wang, who also serves as Director of the UC San Diego Center for Wearable Sensors. Full Story
'Lab-on-a-glove' could bring nerve-agent detection to a wearer's fingertips
March 23, 2017
Researchers have developed a wearable, flexible biosensor glove that can rapidly detect toxic nerve agents with the touch of a finger. The so-called "lab-on-a-glove" could help improve both defense and food security measures. The team, led by nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego, published their work this month in ACS Sensors. Full Story
New nano-implant could one day help restore sight
March 13, 2017
A team of engineers at the University of California San Diego and La Jolla-based startup Nanovision Biosciences Inc. have developed the nanotechnology and wireless electronics for a new type of retinal prosthesis that brings research a step closer to restoring the ability of neurons in the retina to respond to light. The researchers demonstrated this response to light in a rat retina interfacing with a prototype of the device in vitro. Full Story