Rice University scientists roll out mini Dx microscope for rural communities

As researchers zero in on low-cost diagnostics for developing countries, a team of scientists at Rice University nabbed funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a miniature plastic microscope for rural communities with a lack of healthcare infrastructure.

UDIs to be integrated into electronic health records under new federal final rules

Unique Device Identification scored a goal in a pair of final rules about electronic health records published by the federal Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  The development is significant because implementation is proving to be just as complex as the UDI rule itself, for adoption requires buy-in from various agencies besides the FDA (not to mention industry).

Harvard, hospital researchers create UV catheter to apply biodegradable patch to holes in the heart

Researchers published in the winter of 2014 on the creation of a biodegradable adhesive patch to repair holes in the heart.  Now, they have developed a UV-light-based catheter that can deliver the patch, thereby obviating the need for open-heart surgery, sutures or stoppage of the heart.  This latest work, as well as the initial patch development, was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Apple is developing an electronic ring full of biosensors

A patent filing reveals that Apple is developing a ring computing device.  Worn on the finger, the gizmo is expected to house technology that includes biometric sensors for monitoring cardiac rhythm and perspiration.

MIT researchers develop noninvasive, fingertip device to count white blood cells in real time

A group of bioengineers have developed a noninvasive, portable device that resembles a finger-worn, pulse oximeter to count white blood cells.  They have three workable prototypes that are being tested with chemotherapy patients to track their immune system in real-time.  The researchers aim to have an initial beta product that it can support via crowdfunding in 2017, with a product on the market potentially in 2019.

Study: Oraya radiation tech reduces need for eye injections in AMD patients

Oraya Therapeutics seeks to reduce the number of eye injections required to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the developed world.  It’s CE-marked X-ray device safely delivers radiation to the back of the eye, improving the efficacy of anti-VEGF injectable eye drugs like Genentech’s Lucentis.