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Who takes care of healthcare? When being sick is not a right for everyone
Who takes care of healthcare? When being sick is not a right for everyone
Maxime Lebigot is a nurse. Back in 2016, he and his wife Elodie had their first child . They were very happy, but when they moved to Laval, a town of some 50,000 inhabitants in north-western France, they soon realised that no doctor was available to take charge of him .
High-risk research returns
High-risk research returns
“When I grab something hard, then I can feel it in the fingertips, which is strange, as I don’t have them anymore. It’s amazing,” said Robin af Ekenstam , who lost his hand when an aggressive tumour was discovered on his right wrist.
Repairing the brain
Repairing the brain
Neurological disorders and traumas disrupt the connections between brain and body, causing paralysis for millions of people worldwide.
A smart city means an inclusive city
A smart city means an inclusive city
Like every year, December 3 will be a United Nations sanctioned International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) . The aim is to increase public awareness of the conditions of disabled people and, at the same time, to celebrate their achievements and contributions.
Wooden Bones
Wooden Bones
Rebuilding bones out of wood, or cartilage out of algae and chitosan is the most spectacular aspect of this particular bioinspiration field.
From wood to bone
From wood to bone
The staggering similarities found with the bone brought the group of researchers working on the TEM-PLANT project to become the first one to use wood to develop organized and complex structures for tissue substitution and engineering.
Regenerating the Ear and the Eye
Regenerating the Ear and the Eye
Finnish researchers have designed tiny nano-particles which can deliver a specific drug to cells of the inner ear. Once brought into position, this drug helps to repair damaged cells .
Nanosized diamonds enable progress in retinal prostheses
Nanosized diamonds enable progress in retinal prostheses
An artificial device in the form of a retinal prosthesis can replace dead photoreceptor cells by electrically stimulating the remaining neurons. Two examples of retinal prostheses are digital camera-type electrode arrays and photodiode arrays .
Nanoparticle therapeutics helping hearing disorders
Nanoparticle therapeutics helping hearing disorders
Due to different anatomic and physiological barriers it is hard to treat hearing disorders by using conventional systemic drug delivery. Therefore scientists are investigating different ways to locally apply drugs using nanoparticles.
What research brings spinal cord-injured patients closer to a cure?
What research brings spinal cord-injured patients closer to a cure?
Spinal cord repair focuses on finding ways to make axons regrow and connect properly, replace damaged neurons, protect surviving neurons from further injury and retrain neural circuits to repair body functions.
Prof. Alain Privat: "Reconstructing the neuronal circuitry of a damaged spine looks like a much closer goal now"
Prof. Alain Privat: "Reconstructing the neuronal circuitry of a damaged spine looks like a much closer goal now"
During the European-funded RESCUE project they also proved that, by cultivating these cells in vitro, they can give not just neuron themselves, but also vitally important glial cells such as oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, which provide nourishment and help to control neuronal activity.
The Magic Touch
The Magic Touch
The “ nano wrap ” that is being developed to be fitted around an amputee’s upper arm nerve bundle is the ambitious other part of the Smarthand’s robotic hand project.
A rescue for spinal cord injuries?
A rescue for spinal cord injuries?
Spinal cord injuries cause myelopathy or damage to white matter or myelinated fiber tracts that carry signals to and from the brain. It also damages gray matter in the central part of the spine, causing segmental losses of interneurons and motorneurons.
Tackling Paraplegia
Tackling Paraplegia
Reconstructing the neuronal circuitry of a damaged spine looks like a much closer goal now.
Click where You Look
Click where You Look
Communication by Gaze Interaction (COGAIN) is a project that has gathered together Europe's leading experts in computer-integrated eye tracking. The benefit of their work goes to all citizens with physical motor impairments.
Telephone Lip Service
Telephone Lip Service
Hear My Voice, Read My Lips Andreas Dahl has been hard of hearing since early childhood. He is not deaf, but he needs to look at the person he is talking to, to be able to lip-read and understand the conversation.