IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572603
Cameron Erber, Sasha Keck, Yeonju Kim, Eleanor Kimbro, Sophianne Loh, Luke Yuen
{"title":"Novel, Integrated Tissue Retraction and Suction Device for Spinal Surgery.","authors":"Cameron Erber, Sasha Keck, Yeonju Kim, Eleanor Kimbro, Sophianne Loh, Luke Yuen","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572603","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572603","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Every year in the U.S., over 400,000 spinal fusion surgeries are performed to treat scoliosis, degenerative disk disease, and spinal stenosis. The dissection phase of the spinal fusion surgery relies on three handheld tools: a monopolar cautery, a Cobb elevator, and a suction. Despite having two operators, the reliance on four hands for only three tools makes the spinal exposure inefficient and time-consuming. Allowing one surgeon to operate all three devices to perform dissection on both sides greatly reduces the operation time, thereby alleviating health risks for both patients and surgeons. We developed a novel device integrating suction and retraction functionalities by incorporating a deployable suction tip directly into the Cobb elevator. Designed with feedback from neurosurgeons, the device incorporates novel mechanics and automation to address an unmet need in spinal exposure. Motorized angulation and extension mechanisms enable rapid and precise deployment of the suction tip without disrupting the surgeon's ability to maintain muscle retraction. This combined, one-handed device will reduce the surgeon's physical and mental fatigue, the number of personnel needed to perform the procedure, and the time under anesthesia for elderly patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"76-79"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572587
Anushka Agrawal, Archit Chabbi, Richard Chan, Kevin Li, Robert Heeter, Sahana Prasanna
{"title":"Automated and Intuitive UTI and Blood Clot Prevention Device for Continuous Bladder Irrigation.","authors":"Anushka Agrawal, Archit Chabbi, Richard Chan, Kevin Li, Robert Heeter, Sahana Prasanna","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572587","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572587","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) is a frequent postoperative urological procedure that continuously flushes the bladder with saline. Its main goal is to control gross hematuria (blood in urine) and prevent the formation of clots that can block urinary flow and extend hospital stays. Despite its widespread use, traditional CBI methods are flawed. Currently, there is no standardized or quantitative method to evaluate the severity of hematuria; instead, clinicians rely on subjective visual assessments, using imprecise color descriptors such as \"rose\" or \"cherry red.\" Saline flow rates must also be adjusted manually, requiring frequent bedside monitoring to assess urine color, regulate inflow, and replace fluid bags. This labor-intensive and inconsistent process contributes to complications in roughly 50% of patients receiving CBI. While some research efforts have explored optical sensing or automated flow regulation, none have successfully delivered a comprehensive solution that combines measurement, automation, alerts, and a user interface in a system suitable for clinical use. To overcome these challenges, we created UroFlo: a smart, adaptive CBI platform designed to streamline and improve hematuria management. UroFlo integrates five essential features: 1) quantitative hematuria analysis; 2) automated inflow control; 3) real-time monitoring of supply and waste volumes; 4) automated caregiver notifications; and 5) an intuitive user interface. By combining objective data with automated decision-making and intel-ligent alerts, UroFlo reduces the need for constant supervision, ensures consistency across care teams, and improves patient outcomes. This system represents a significant advancement in CBI technology, setting a new benchmark for standardizing care and enhancing safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"72-75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572565
Leslie Mertz
{"title":"FDA-Cleared Noninvasive Spine Stimulation System Could Transform Spinal Cord Injury Treatment.","authors":"Leslie Mertz","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572565","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572565","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A noninvasive, transcutaneous, spinal cord stimulation system, called ARC-EX, has been shown to restore some of the hand strength and sensation that patients had lost following spinal cord injuries, including those injuries that had occurred years earlier.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"10-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572556
Polat Goktas, Nyi Nyi Tun
{"title":"EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces: Pioneering Frontier Research in the 21st Century.","authors":"Polat Goktas, Nyi Nyi Tun","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572556","DOIUrl":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572556","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are inevitably needed to set up non-invasive therapies in neurorehabilitation. Along with the artificial intelligence (AI) techniques trending, constructing EEG-based brain computer interfaces is still in demand with high classification accuracy for advancing the state-of-the-art BCIs. From the perspective of pioneering frontier research, this article highlights the 21st-century's EEG-based BCI systems, their challenges, and its future direction for neuroscientists and clinical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"36-39"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572562
Janet Rae-Dupree
{"title":"Cracking the Brain's Black Box: The Rise of Real-Time Neuromonitoring.","authors":"Janet Rae-Dupree","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572562","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572562","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A growing wave of new medical devices are helping to pull back the curtain on the human brain through neuromonitoring-the use of electroencephalography (EEG) and other real-time neurophysiological signals to record and analyze neural activity. Starting with the development of EEG in the 1930s, neuromonitoring evolved first into a behind-the-scenes scientific research and medical diagnostic tool. Neuromonitoring moved into the operating room starting in the late 1970s to help protect neural functions during delicate surgeries and now is expanding to use artificial intelligence algorithms as a digital \"co-pilot\" to help spot potential issues faster. With the advent of smaller and less expensive neuromonitoring tools, the process is moving into other clinical areas, including intensive care units and emergency departments. Companies like Ceribell and NeuroBell are alerting clinicians to \"silent\" seizures that might otherwise cause lasting brain damage, while other start-ups such as Kernel are developing research tools that may help guide treatments for depression and addiction.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"16-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572580
Kristina Grifantini
{"title":"From Headsets to Healing: The Rise of Wearable Brain Tech and Its Impact on Mental Illness and Cognitive Health.","authors":"Kristina Grifantini","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rapidly evolving field of noninvasive brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) is transforming wearable technology from science fiction into a powerful tool for health care, offering a surgery-free and drug-free alternative to traditional treatments. Such devices are currently being used to target conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia and more through targeted neurostimulation techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"25-29"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572574
Muhammad H Zaman
{"title":"The Potential of Brain-Computer Interface Technologies in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Global Health Perspective.","authors":"Muhammad H Zaman","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Historically, brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies have almost exclusively been available in high-income countries. What would it take for them to become more available and accessible in low- and middle-income countries, and in complex settings?</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"40-42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572578
Chad Anderson
{"title":"Industry Corner Live With Synchron CEO Tom Oxley.","authors":"Chad Anderson","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572578","DOIUrl":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572578","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pulse's Industry Corner Live featured a dynamic live Q&A session between IEEE Pulse Editor-in-Chief Chad Andresen and Dr. Tom Oxley, CEO and co-founder of Synchron, a leader in minimally invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The discussion explored the intersection of neurotechnology, artificial intelligence, and the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship in the MedTech sector. Dr. Oxley shared insights into Synchron's pioneering work with endovascular BCIs, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional neurosurgical approaches, and how this technology is reshaping the possibilities for restoring communication in patients with paralysis. The conversation delved into the growing role of AI in decoding neural signals and driving clinical translation, while also addressing the regulatory, financial, and ethical challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the neurotechnology space. With candid reflections on his journey from clinician to startup founder, Oxley provided an inside look at what it takes to bring disruptive technologies from concept to clinic. This session offered a rare glimpse into the mindset of a neurotech innovator navigating the high-stakes interface of science, medicine, and industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"43-49"},"PeriodicalIF":0.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IEEE PulsePub Date : 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572558
Sabia Abidi
{"title":"Designing the Future of Medicine: Inside Rice Bioengineering's Capstone Experience.","authors":"Sabia Abidi","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572558","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Capstone experience is often a required rite-of-passage for seniors in Bioengineering. At Rice University, the Bioengineering Capstone program is defined by a commitment to real-world collaborative, experiential learning, access to diverse facilities and dedicated mentorship and proximity to the Texas Medical Center and local community resources. Here, we spotlight four student design projects from the past two years that are representative of the Bioengineering Capstone experience. These projects run the gamut from cardiac catheter anchoring and tissue retraction and suction device for spinal surgery to real-time coagulation monitoring and automated UTI and blood clot prevention. Collectively, these projects demonstrate how the Rice Bioengineering Capstone program supports success and promises impact for health care technology in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"60-64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"EMBC 2024: Student Activities Committee Events and Reflections.","authors":"Ethan Grooby, Nyi Nyi Tun, Nicole Caballero Canchanya","doi":"10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/MPULS.2025.3572581","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The International Conference of the IEEE Engineering Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) is the largest international biomedical engineering conference. In 2024, over 1,100 students and young professionals attended the conference in Orlando, FL, USA, from 15 to 19 July. EMBS Student Activities Committee (SAC) is involved in the annual international conference of the society, to aid students in finding a suitable space and providing programs that support personal and professional development. In addition, the Committee is dedicated to establishing a global network for raising awareness of bioengineering careers and facilitating collaboration between students and leaders, thereby making a significant contribution to the scientific community. Thus, this article focuses on the EMBS SAC events and initiatives that occurred in the 46th EMBC 2024, and the possible improvements and future initiatives moving forward. These activities included networking lunches, evening reception, student paper and chapter competitions, student volunteer program, panels and workshops, funding, CV database and support, professional headshots, and interactive booths.</p>","PeriodicalId":49065,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Pulse","volume":"16 3","pages":"80-88"},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144650930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}