(IEEE Spectrum) – Now, a team from the University of Utah says they’ve developed a better solution: an all-in-one hybrid energy-generation unit specifically designed for eye-based tech. In a paper published in the journal Small on 13 March, the researchers describe how they built the device, combining a flexible silicon solar cell with a new device that converts tears to energy. The system can reliably supply enough electricity to operate smart contacts and other ocular devices. (Read More) The post Blink to Generate Power for Smart Contact Lenses first appeared on bioethics.com ..read more

(Vice News) – Microplastics have recently entered the public consciousness for finding their way into our bodies and to some of the most remote places on Earth. But now, a much smaller, potentially much more nefarious, and less understood threat is drawing scientist’s attention—nanoplastics. They’re not just tinier versions of the same scourge. Early research conducted over the past five years shows that they interact with the environment and living organisms in a totally different way than microplastics. Plus, we know very little about them. What researchers do know has some experts concern ..read more

(The Atlantic) – Lethal, largely autonomous weaponry isn’t entirely new: A handful of such systems have been deployed for decades, though only in limited, defensive roles, such as shooting down missiles hurtling toward ships. But with the development of AI-infused systems, the military is now on the verge of fielding machines capable of going on the offensive, picking out targets and taking lethal action without direct human input. So far, U.S. military officials haven’t given machines full control, and they say there are no firm plans to do so. The post Coming Soon to a Battlefield: Robots Th ..read more

NanoEthics (vol. 12, no. 3, 2018) is available online by subscription only. Articles include: “Giving Voice to Patients: Developing a Discussion Method to Involve Patients in Translational Research” by Marianne Boenink, Lieke van der Scheer, Elisa Garcia, and Simone van der Burg “Animal Disenhancement in Moral Context” by Korinn N. Murphy and William P. Kabasenche “Human Enhancement and the Anthropology of the ‘Entire Human Being'” by Richard Saage “Responsible Research and Innovation and the Governance of Human Enhancement” by Guido Gorgoni “The Over-Extended Mind? Pink Noise and the Ethics ..read more

Science and Engineering Ethics (vol. 24, no. 6, 2018) is available online by subscription only. Articles include: “The Food Warden: An Exploration of Issues in Distributing Responsibilities for Safe-by-Design Synthetic Biology Applications” by Zoë Robaey, Shannon L. Spruit, and Ibo van de Poel “Scientists Still Behaving Badly? A Survey Within Industry and Universities” by Simon Godecharle, Steffen Fieuws, Ben Nemery, and Kris Dierickx “Devices of Responsibility: Over a Decade of Responsible Research and Innovation Initiatives for Nanotechnologies” by Clare Shelley-Egan, Diana M. Bowman, and D ..read more

(The Conversation) – One nanometre is one billionth of a metre. Chemical and physical interactions at the nanoscale are way smaller than our eyes can see. Medicines, tiny sensors, fast computers and food science are all ways we can put nanotechnology to use. But some people are concerned nanoparticles may present health risks. Recently France announced one nanoscale food additive will be banned from 2020 due to a lack of evidence about its safety. Here’s what we know about nanotechnology in food.  The post Some of Our Foods Have Nano Particles in Them–Should We Be Worried? first appeared ..read more

(Science) – Car crashes, battle wounds, and surgeries can leave people with gaping holes in soft tissue that are often too large for their bodies to repair. Now, researchers have developed a nanofiber-reinforced injectable gel that can rebuild missing muscle and connective tissues by serving as a scaffold and recruiting the body’s wound-healing cells. So far, the team has tested the material only in rats and rabbits. But if it performs as well in humans, it could give reconstructive surgeons a fast and easy way to help patients regenerate lost tissues without scarring or deformity. The post Th ..read more

(STAT News) – A new device could offer an effective way of diagnosing myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. People with the disease experience symptoms such as fatigue, sleep abnormalities, and pain, but it’s been notoriously hard to diagnose. Stanford’s Ron Davis first got the idea for the device back in 2015 while attending an event at the Institute of Medicine where panelists debated whether the disease was a real condition, he recalled. The post An Experimental Test May Help Confirm Cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome first appeared on bioethics.com ..read more

(UPI) – The most common sexually transmitted disease in the world may have finally met its match, as researchers say they developed a treatment to prevent chlamydia. Researchers report in a study published this week in the journal Scientific Reports that one dose of their nanotechnology-delivered therapy prevented chlamydia infections 65 percent of the time. The post Gene Therapy Against Chlamydia to Prevent Infection Show Promise first appeared on bioethics.com ..read more

(Nature) – Researchers have designed a wearable, ring-like biosensor for monitoring the hormone oestradiol in human sweat. The technology is a fast-acting, non-invasive advance over conventional methods for tracking fertility and women’s health. (Read More) The post Wearable Biosensor Measures Fertility Hormones in Sweat first appeared on bioethics.com ..read more