Here's an Idea

Spinal cord injury affects 17,000 Americans and 700,000 people worldwide each year. Prognoses are often tragic and social costs exceed $2 million (U.S. and EU) in the first five years of care. A research team at NeuroPair, Inc. won the Grand Prize in the 2023 Create the Future Design Contest for a revolutionary approach to spinal cord repair. Dr. Yohannes Dapprich, NeuroPair's CEO and founder, discusses their groundbreaking approach that addresses a critical need in the medical field, offering a fast and minimally invasive solution to a long-standing problem. This is the last episode of Here's an Idea. We will be back with a brand-new podcast series in 2024.

Patients are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans when drug-delivery devices are user-friendly. So, what can device developers do to ensure safety but also provide a positive user experience? Using human factors engineering, developers can design features to prevent errors and contribute to the successful use of the device. On this episode of Here's an Idea™, talking Jeff Morang, Director of Human Factors Engineering at BlackHägen Design, explains what designers need to know about human factors for combination devices.

Advances in integrated microelectronics have enabled a revolution in ever smaller and more powerful medical sensors. One such use is for detecting pressure in the eye. InjectSense has invented an implantable sensor that detects direct dynamic pressure in the eye and transmits high-fidelity data from inside the eye of a patient to their physician.   On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Ariel Cao, founder and CEO of InjectSense and Dave Fromm, chief operating officer and vice president of engineering at Promex, discuss this powerful sensor and how they are bringing it to market.

On Nov. 2nd, the Department of Defense (DoD) published its 2023 Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence Adoption Strategy, outlining how the agency will acquire and deploy AI-enabled systems in the future. David Mazar, Vice President of Strategy and Growth, Spark Cognition Government Systems is the guest on this episode of Here's an Idea. Ahead of his participation as a panelist and speaker at the 2023 Dubai Air Show, he explains how his company's AI-enabled digital maintenance tool is changing the way military aircraft are serviced. Mazar also provides some thoughts on how the new DoD AI strategy will help accelerate the deployment of AI-enabled aerospace and defense systems in the future.

Treatments for neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and other related neurological disorders often include invasive surgery to implant electrodes in specific brain regions to help control motor symptoms. But what if there were technologies that offered minimally invasive options while improving patient outcomes and reducing costs? On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Dave Rosa, CEO of NeuroOne, discusses a system that has the potential for transformative improvement in neurosurgery.

Ahead of his participation in the 2023 Global MilSatCom conference and exhibition, Dr. Brendan Mulvaney joins the podcast to discuss China's latest military space and satellite technology related developments. Dr. Mulvaney is the Director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute at National Defense University. He also served several tours in California, Iraq, Japan, and the Western Pacific. He served as the first Director of the Commandant's Red Team, and supervised the implementation of Red Teaming in the Marine Corps. He is one of the world's leading experts on China's military technology capabilities and development. To learn more about his participation in Global MilSatCom next month, go to www.smgconferences.com/defence. 

The Gripen E is the latest variant of Saab's fighter jet that first achieved certification for military use and entry into service in December 2022. The Swedish aerospace manufacturer recently awarded a new design and development contract for a 24 volt lithium-ion battery to be developed by EaglePicher, a St. Louis, Missouri-based supplier of mission critical systems. Frank Puglia, EaglePicher's Director of Research and Development is the guest on this episode of Here's an Idea to explain some of the unique "first of its kind" aspects of the new battery being developed for the Gripen E, including its ability to power up the jet in extremely low temperatures. Puglia also provides some perspective on current and future trends surrounding electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The medical device industry landscape is becoming increasingly complex with an evolving regulatory environment. The focus is now data-centric systems vs. equipment-centric, creating a fundamentally different business model. What does this new normal look like and how can medical device and life sciences businesses best address it? On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Matt Eisendrath, president of Full Spectrum, discusses how the medtech companies can adapt to change and stay at the forefront of innovation.

Rapid and effective control of bleeding can be the difference between life and death in surgery, on the battlefield, and in emergency situations. Excessive bleeding can lead to a rapid drop in blood volume, causing hypovolemic shock, which can be fatal if not addressed promptly. By stopping bleeding quickly, medical personnel can prevent shock and increase the chances of survival.   On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Joe Landolina, CEO and co-founder of Cresilon, discusses a plant-based gel technology that is a unlike any other hemostatic agents.

A California-based startup named Kraus Hamdani Aerospace has emerged as a unique entrant into the market for new commercial and military drone technologies with its K1000ULE fully electric autonomous unmanned aircraft system. The solar-powered glider has demonstrated its ability to fly non-stop for 26 hours, longer than any electric unmanned aircraft in its category

On this episode of Here's an Idea™, James F. Jordan, Healthcare & Life Sciences Expert, President of StraTactic, and the National Co-Chairman of the BIO Bootcamp, discusses where AI can have the greatest impact in medical technology and what medical device developers should consider as they integrate AI.

Efficient inventory management is crucial for manufacturing companies to maintain smooth operations. Pittsburgh-based Gather AI is using drones to automate inventory monitoring processes for warehouse operators to decrease the cost of inventory, improve productivity, and boost revenue. Sankalp Arora, CEO and Co-Founder of Gather AI, discusses how the idea of using drones to find and fix inventory errors in warehouses originated as well as the design challenges the team faced while developing this technology.  

Clinicians today are hampered by insufficient and delayed lab diagnostics. Nutromics has created a breakthrough technology that combines multiple DNA sensors with microneedles. The diagnostic platform does everything a blood test does and more: it is a lab-on-a-patch. On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Peter Vranes, CEO and Co-Founder of Nutromics, discusses how the patch will track multiple, crucial targets continuously and in real-time, giving clinicians critical, personalized insights.

Natilus was first established a startup in San Diego, California in 2016 with the goal of developing a blended wing body (BWB) autonomous air cargo carrying aircraft. In April, the startup completed the first flight of the sub scale prototype of its Kona aircraft. On this episode of Here's an Idea, Natilus CEO Aleksey Matyushev discusses their vision for enabling autonomous air cargo operations with a blended wing body aircraft. Early in his career, Matyushev was the Lead Aerodynamicist at Piper Aircraft. Later, at Kratos Defense he served as the aerodynamics lead on unmanned aircraft systems. Aleksey holds an aerospace engineering degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Biotricity is connecting cardiologists to real-time patient data while empowering patients to help prevent and manage various heart diseases — which is the leading cause of death in the United States. On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Waqaas Al-Siddiq, CEO and Founder of Biotricity, discuss how the company is bridging the gap in remote monitoring and chronic care management with innovative, remote biometric monitoring solutions. One such device, Bioheart, continuously records ECG information for extended periods. Biotricity was named one of Fast Company's 10 most innovative medical device companies of 2022. And, Biotricity's Bioheart 24/7 heart monitoring device was named one of TIME magazine's best inventions last year.

University of Arizona engineers have developed a new system that allows autonomous vehicles to scout out underground habitats for astronauts. On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Wolfgang Fink, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer engineering at UArizona, discusses how the approach could help address one of NASA's Space Technology Grand Challenges by helping overcome the limited ability of current technology to safely traverse environments on comets, asteroids, moons, and planetary bodies such as Mars.

Amprius Technologies has achieved a new battery energy density breakthrough of 500 Wh/kg with its lithium-ion cell, the Silicon Anode Platform. Mobile Power Solutions, an independent testing house offering battery regulatory compliance and performance testing, verified the Silicon Anode Platform's energy density performance. The results indicate that this cell model provides >504 Wh/kg and >1321 Wh/l at 25°C. Check out the recent announcement from Amprius here and the results of the performance verification test here.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transitioning from future-facing buzzwords to a near term possibility for commercial and military aircraft avionics systems. In February, Intel published a jointly written white paper with Daedalean, a Switzerland-based startup and developer of artificial intelligence and machine learning software for avionics systems. The white paper proposes a reference architecture for addressing future certifiable machine-learned avionics systems requiring high-performance computing. Luuk van Dijk, co-founder and CEO of Daedalean, joins the podcast to discuss how the reference architecture could enable the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in future avionics systems.

Effective lubrication is essential to any mechanical system. For example, it is responsible for providing a continuous flow of oil to the engine of the aircraft. As aircrafts have evolved, so have lubrication systems. Now, a Florida-based startup Zulu Pods, has developed the ZPod, a self-contained, sealed, oil tank and pump that can be installed into existing low-cost expendable jet engines. The ZPod is small enough to fit in the palm of a hand and is produced with 3D printing. Daniella Sladen, Co-Founder and CTO of Zulu Pods, talks about what inspired her to create ZPods and how the technology promises to revolutionize lubrication systems design for single-use engines like those found in drones and missiles.

Fabrics haven't changed all that much. For years, a shirt has quite simply been a shirt. But a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wants to add function to the fibers. What if your shirt, for example, contained electronics that could track your heartbeat or the heartbeat of your unborn child? A team from MIT and the Rhode Island School of Design created a fabric microphone, quite literally turning your clothing into a detector of sound. And the integration of electronics is subtle. The technology blends in with the material visually and it's comfortable to the wearer, according to Dr. Yoel Fink, a professor at MIT and a lead researcher on the microphone project, who discusses the future for smart fabrics in this episode.

Pharma industries, transportation services, the energy sector, and mining companies are looking for a new place to do business, and it's more than 200,000 miles from Earth. The private sector is heading to the Moon – a world of potential resources like metal, water, and solar power, according to our guest on this week's Here's an Idea: Blair DeWitt, CEO and Co-founder of the Massachusetts-based Lunar Station Corporation. “When you look at how private enterprise globally is starting to see the Moon the way we've seen it for years, they're seeing it as our eighth continent,” said DeWitt in our Here's an Idea podcast. With his company's data intelligence, DeWitt wants to answer two critical questions for this next generation of explorers: Where to look for resources, and how to get there.

For some people, a critical link – the one sending signals from brain to body, the one connecting thought to action – does not work properly, or in some cases, has been severed entirely. Marcus Gerhardt, CEO and co-founder of the Salt Lake City, UT-based company Blackrock Neurotech, is creating a technology called a brain-computer interface. The tiny implant aims at restoring the connection between mind and motion. On this episode of Here's an Idea, Gerhardt explains how a millimeter-sized device, when placed on the brain, offers quadriplegic patients (those with paralysis of all four limbs) and tetraplegic patients (those who cannot move the upper and lower parts of their body) the chance to move a cursor, eat a chocolate bar, and even fist-bump the President. See how a brain-computer interface works.

Over 145 million electric vehicles are set to take the road by 2030 and a major component of the new class of electric vehicles – lithium-ion batteries – is rarely recycled. Canadian battery recycling company Li-Cycle is aiming to change that through its sustainable process to provide an end-of-life solution for lithium-ion batteries, while creating a secondary supply of critical battery materials. On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Kunal Phalpher, Chief Strategy Officer at Li-Cycle, discusses why we haven't been able to recycle batteries effectively in the past and how that's changing. Phalpher also talks about the company's “spoke and hub” model.

Luge is one of the three sliding sports on the program at the 2022 Winter Olympics being held in Beijing this month. The sport requires athletes to barrel down an ice track on small sleds accelerating to speeds of nearly 90 mph. Traditionally, lugers design and build their own sleds, often through trial and error. Now, Clarkson Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Professors Doug Bohl and Brian Helenbrook, in collaboration with Colby Mazzuca of Aeroworks, are using advanced computational and experimental methods to optimize sled geometries for developing faster, more aerodynamic sleds. On this episode of Here's an Idea™, Professor Bohl discusses the new approach to help shave off those extra 1/1000ths of a second that can be the difference between silver and gold at the Olympics.

Dr. Frits Bliek and his team at Ocean Grazer are building an "Ocean Battery" that brings hydrodam technology to the sea. On this episode of Here's an Idea, Bliek, CEO of the Netherlands-based energy company, talks about an innovative idea for power that involves plastic bags, underground reservoirs, and a big drill.

Who really likes needles? A brand-new episode of our Tech Briefs podcast series Here's an Idea™ explores the emergence of a drug-delivery patch made of micro-needles. The Velcro-like option is less painful – and more effective, it turns out. And the devices are especially valuable during a pandemic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We speak to four researchers about their hearing innovations: a 3D-printed stent for collapsed cartilage, a one-dollar hearing aid that can be built in an hour, a "mind-reading" hearing aid that solves the cocktail party problem, and a brain monitor for cochlear-implant calibration. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tech Briefs talks to three researchers who are finding ways to automate surgical tasks, from suturing, to spotting tumors, to operating one of the biggest machines in surgery today: The Da Vinci. Ken Goldberg of UC Berkeley discusses how his team got the Da Vinci to autonomously perform a training exercise with "superhuman" speed and accuracy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Medical wearables are advancing past smartwatches and Fitbits, but will they catch on? We talk to the researchers behind an assistive mouth sensor, skin-like sensor tattoos called “BodyNet,” a low-cost UV patch, and an electronic sensor that's 3D-printed directly on the skin. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As doctors and nurses seek hands-free ways to disinfect environments, operate equipment, and contain the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19, some hospitals have turned to a higher-tech idea: Robots. We talk to the researchers behind “Tiago” and other robotic technologies finding a place in patients' rooms. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It looks a bit like the plastic wrap you’d find around a Coca-Cola bottle, but with a big difference. This “RepelWrap” fends off viruses like one that causes COVID-19, and dangerous drug-resistant bacteria. Dr. Leyla Soleymani of McMaster University discusses how an idea for biosensors turned into an invention that some are calling a “Teflon” for pathogens. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If humans end up on Mars in the next ten years, astronauts will need to use as much of the planet’s resources as possible and potentially build habitats to stay there. Chitin is found in the exoskeletons of insects and when combined with Martian soil, results in a potential building material for Mars. Javier Gomez Fernandez from the Singapore University of Technology and Design discusses how Mars explorers can make the most of this peculiar material. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The International Space Station is full of spare parts that can replace any faulty or broken ones. Tracie Prater, a materials engineer at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, wants astronauts to be able to quickly print out the tools and parts that they need on demand. She discusses NASA's efforts to bring 3d printing to space. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When our urban environments are filled with drones and other unmanned aircraft, they'll need to be able detect and avoid obstacles. University of California, San Diego robotics researcher Tim McConnell oversees the Aerodrome — a facility that may look like a driving range, but is, in fact, a testing ground for unmanned aircraft. Learn how McConnell and UCSD students are using the space to take drones out for a spin, and to try out the kinds of maneuvers required in a future of urban air mobility. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Mars-bound Perseverance rover is as sophisticated as it gets. But can it jump? Hendrik Kolvenbach, PhD researcher at the ETH Zurich Robotics Systems Lab, sees the best way to get around on the Moon and Mars as less of a step and more of a giant leap. Kolvenbach discusses his team's work in creating a technology that's part space robot and part African springbok. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Every airplane wing and body has basically the same shape. "That means they're suboptimal," says MIT's Ben Jenett. Learn how Ben is creating a shape-shifting airplane wing — built by tiny assembler robots. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Roger Wiens, a fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory, talks about how he and his team created the SuperCam. The "Super" instrument will be aboard the 2020 Mars rover, ready to vaporize rocks and search for signs of past life on the Red Planet. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In July of this year, Tech Briefs editors found themselves in the middle of a drone testing ground.Now, the race is on. See how engineers are writing code that can send aircraft through obstacle courses — all without a pilot. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In conjunction with our celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, this month's Here's an Idea episode features an interview with Daniel Coleman, editor of the publication NASA Spin-Off.Many of the technologies we use today – from memory foam to our phone cameras – were first developed in NASA missions. In this special edition of Here's an Idea, Coleman reveals all kinds of everyday tools and materials that began with one small step toward the Moon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whether you're the owner of a candy shop in Brooklyn or you're one of the giant chocolate makers like Hershey's or Nestlé, you'll want to experiment.In this episode of Here's an Idea, we explore how candy manufacturers large and small turn to technology to support their newest, sweetest ideas. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There was a time where the closest thing we had to a wearable was plugging your sneaker into a computer. But now that we’re so connected, now that we have the ability to gather a treasure trove of data, what do we do with it? We talk with a wide range of experts to explore how sensors are being used to detect concussions, track player performance, and even provide new opportunities to bet. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When it comes to a better night's sleep, what role should technology play – if any? We talk with two noted sleep specialists and explore some of the innovative products being developed in the emerging field of Sleep Tech. And we go behind the scenes of the manufacturing and prototyping processes of designers who are trying to find new ways to get you some rest. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's cars are more connected than ever before. But the more you open up internal parts of your system to this connectivity, the bigger the chance that those vulnerabilities are accessible from the outside.In this episode, we’ll talk with researchers, including noted Jeep Cherokee hacker Chris Valasek, who have found weaknesses in today’s connected cars, and we explore the teamwork involved in keeping today’s vehicles as secure as possible. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Garbage is everywhere — whether it’s paper in your trashcan, plastic in the ocean, blobs in the sewers, or junk floating out in space.In this episode, we talk with researchers who are finding small — and maybe even fun — ways to take out all the trash. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Detecting a potentially-hazardous, near-Earth asteroid requires a community of dedicated researchers, from amateur astronomers to NASA professionals.In this episode, we talk with NASA's Planetary Defense Officer Lindley Johnson, Dr. Bruce Betts of the Planetary Society, and astrophysicist Mike Owens, about working together to detect and deflect these near-Earth objects (NEOs). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You've most likely felt the vibrations of a phone in your pocket, but did you know that the buzzing effect is one of the most basic forms of a field known as Haptics? Haptics refers to any interaction involving touch, or specifically touch feedback.What if vibrations could communicate more to you than just the arrival of a text or phone call? What if touch was the only sense you had? The haptics field is wide open, and researchers are finding new and exciting ways to communicate and experience both the real world and the virtual world.In this episode, we look at one haptics application right out of science-fiction — a full-body HoloSuit — and several smaller-sized ideas that could help people right here and right now. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The process for making wine, beer, and spirits has remained relatively the same for centuries.In this episode of Here’s an Idea™, we look at the efforts of vineyard owners, distillers, and brewers who are discovering small ways to innovate and adjust their own crafting processes.We speak with former scientists and engineers who are putting their own spin on traditional ideas, using knowledge gained from their previous experience in the lab. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Engineers today are using their creativity to build a variety of superhero-like technologies that enhance our human capabilities, including exosuits, invisibility cloaks, and wall-scaling gloves.What drives these researchers? Were they all comic-book reading dreamers? Or is a need to imagine bigger and better human capabilities just a natural part of who we are?In this episode of Here's an Idea, we talk with researchers whose technologies are giving people the capabilities of their favorite superheroes, from Spider-Man to Iron-Man. With some help from comic book writer Vita Ayala, we examine the motivations behind their projects, and what these impulses might say about our own desire to be super. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a disaster like the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf coast, what if a giant sponge could clean up the area and the wildlife around it? What if a bunch of tiny sponges could quickly save gunshot victims? In this episode of Here's an Idea, we look at how researchers are doing just that, and expanding the sponge concept to entire cities.Access full-length interviews with the episode's featured researchers here:Reusable ‘Oleo’ Sponge Soaks Up Oil Spillshttps://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/stories/blog/28837Sponge-Inspired XSTAT Device Quickly Seals Gunshot Woundshttps://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/stories/blog/28810 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Some conditions are too dangerous, or just too mundane, for people.For decades, humanoid robots have been stepping in to take tasks off our hands. One named Manny spent a lot of the 80s being shot with a flamethrower. Another, R2, is currently doing chores in space.In this episode, we look at how humanoid robots have evolved, and why we have the need for robots that look, act, and even think like humans.Episode highlights include:In 1988, a team at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) created a mannequin robot named, well, "Manny." Manny’s job was test the shielding clothing used in hazardous environments. Gordon Anderson, one of the original engineers, talks about his time making Manny.NASA's Dr. Julia Badger is one of the original developers of the Robonaut 2 – the first humanoid robot in space. She talks about expectation versus reality when dealing with a 330-lb robotic assistant.Dr. Scholtz, a computer scientist at PNNL, evaluates how humans interact with computers. Dr. Leslie Blaha, a PNNL mathematical psychologist, leverages cognitive human-behavior models to add a more “life-like” intelligence to robots. The two share their insights in robot-human interaction.Read the full-length interviews and related stories below.A Look Back at the Trailblazing "Manny" Robot – A Firefighter's FriendA Role for Boston Dynamics’ Back-Flipping Robots: Is Space the Place?How to Understand Humanity Through Humanoids See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On a snowy day in 1926, a physicist named Robert Goddard set out to his Aunt Effie's ranch. What happened next was not your typical day on the farm – Goddard launched the first liquid-propellant rocket.In this episode of Here's an Idea™, we explore how Dr. Goddard's efforts, almost 100 years ago, have inspired generations of rocketeers and spaceflight launches.We speak with engineering student Josh Allen; Orbital ATK’s Mark Ogren; NASA’s Rob Garner; and Estes model-rocket director Michael Fritz.Access full-length interviews below.A Q&A with Orbital ATK: Exploring the Roots of RocketryRob Garner: How Robert Goddard Launched Present-Day SpaceflightMichael Fritz: How Model Rockets Launch Tomorrow’s Engineers See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.