BIOENGINEER.ORG

In contrast to what many believe, Swedish men and women with higher incomes have more children, new research from Stockholm University shows. This pattern is...

A team of experts at The University of Manchester led by Dr Amir Keshmiri have received UK government funding to work with Powerhouse Energy Plc - a world-leading company...

The use of cybernetic avatars(1) (CAs) will allow their operators to take part in social activities without being physically present at a particular location, thereby...

□ The research team led by Professor Sanghoon Lee from the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGSIT (President Yang Kuk) successfully developed a rotation-based triboelectric neuro-stimulator (RoTENS) capable of real-time modulations of stimulus parameters, including current amplitude, frequency, and pulse width. Credit: DGIST □ The research team led by Professor Sanghoon Lee from the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGSIT (President Yang Kuk) successfully developed a rotation-based triboelectric neuro-stimulator (RoTENS) capable of real-time modulations of stimulus parameters, including current amplitude, frequency, and pulse width.    □ Existing neurostimulators require additional steps when adjusting stimulus parameters in real time owing to the characteristics of its circuit-based system. In particular, changing the stimulus parameters while maintaining charge requires complex calculations and additional processes via electronic devices, resulting in low practicality.     □ Professor Sanghoon Lee’s research team at DGIST modified triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG), which generate electric energy via friction, to a rotation-based design, generating multiple pulses with a single rotation. In addition, various pulses can be modulated for neurostimulation by changing the electrode patterns in the TENG.   □ Owing to the charge-generation mechanism of TENG, RoTENG enables the control of the frequency and pulse width while maintaining a constant charge during rotation, allowing nerve stimulation while controlling stimulus parameters in real time. Furthermore, adjusting the interlayer distance allows for controlling the amplitude of the pulses, indicating that various stimulus parameters (frequency, pulse width, and amplitude) can be controlled.   □ In vivo animal experiments were performed to verify the clinical effectiveness of RoTENS. The physiological responses induced by modulating the stimulus parameters by RoTENS were observed during the stimulation of the right tibial nerve in rats. Varying the frequency (10-50 Hz) allowed the muscle to shift its physiological state smoothly from twitching to fused tetanus. Natural relaxation of the muscle was induced by changing the current amplitude via the distance between the two layers (0-6 mm). These results indicate that RoTENS is sufficient to induce the desired physiological response while creating a wide range of frequencies and amplitudes.   □ Professor Sanghoon Lee (Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, DGIST) said that preclinical trials with the newly developed neuro-stimulators proves that it is possible to control the stimulus parameters for neural stimulation in real time with rotational energy. We expect that technological advancements and further optimization research will lead to new opportunities and possibilities for the use of TENG as neurostimulators, such as immediate and intuitive sensory feedback to bionic limbs or exoskeletons, rehabilitation, and bioelectric medicine.   This research was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea grant and Hugo Dynamics Korea Medical Device Development Fund grant. This paper was published by a renownd journal in the field of energy, Nano Energy.   Correspondent author's email address : [email protected]  Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG): A nanogenerator used for energy harvesting and sensors from the electric charge generated via triboelectrification and electrostatic induction from the contact between two different materials with different static electricity properties  Pulse: A voltage, current, or wave that creates a large amplitude within a short time period  Pulse width: The time between rising and falling of the pulse where the amplitude is at half Journal...

Among the most promising unfilled gaps in materials research is an ability to accurately predict real-world physical properties of a material based on its molecular...

A University of Queensland-led research group has created the world’s first successful donkey embryo using in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), which could save dozens of endangered donkey...

Toronto – When electricity was introduced in the 1880s, not everyone immediately switched from candles to lightbulbs, but there was a rapid shift in subsequent...

A team of scientists from the Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory developed a new characterization tool that allowed them to gain unique insight into...

Data, recently published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease (AJKD), from a large South Korean cohort show a five-fold increased risk of incident CKD...

The Anatomical Record, an official publication of the American Association for Anatomy (AAA), has announced that graphical abstracts may now be submitted alongside manuscripts.Credit: Andronowski...

The multilevel Julich Brain Atlas developed by researchers in the Human Brain Project, could help in studying psychiatric and aging disorders by correlating brain networks...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Black, Indigenous and other women of color who were pregnant or gave birth during the pandemic said these experiences were overshadowed by...

LA JOLLA—Seven researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have been named to the 2022 Highly Cited List, released today by Clarivate. This distinction recognizes...

LA JOLLA—(November 15, 2022) Salk Professors Joseph Ecker, Ronald Evans, Rusty Gage, Satchidananda Panda, Reuben Shaw, and Kay Tye have been named to the Highly Cited...

Michal A. Elovitz, MD, a renowned leader in maternal-fetal medicine and expert in preterm birth, has been named Dean for Women’s Health Research and Director...