9 Dec 2021

Medical Innovation with Synthetic Hydrogel

A group of scientists, engineers, and physicists at McGill University hope to improve the
recovery period from various surgeries with the use of a synthetic hydrogel biomaterial. The hydrogel
can theoretically repair muscles including heart tissue and vocal cords. The challenge was to make
biomaterial strong enough to be protective, while being able to withstand the body’s everyday
movements. The gel would work by creating a protective barrier around the surgical area, allowing
healthy cells to replicate within the organ as they typically would. If this biomaterial becomes fully
approved, it will be the first of its kind to exist.

Testing of this new synthetic is extensive and thorough. One of the key challenges was making
certain that the hydrogel would not lose its structure without inhibiting tissue growth. Liquids can be
very dense preventing cells from passing through. The team added a porous polymer that would allow
living cells to move freely around the healing area. Getting approval to use this gel would be a
monumental innovation for medicine. The hope is that it can be utilized in fighting a wide variety of
health concerns.


To read more from McGill, click here.
Click here, to read past blog posts about innovations.

2 Dec 2021

Flexible Telescope Lenses Could Enhance Scientists’ Ability to Survey the Stars

Long before civilizations developed, humanity has been fascinated by the stars, and the technological advancements developed over time have given us tools to learn more about the universe beyond our atmosphere. Arguably the most recognizable piece of equipment humans created is the telescope, but as we continue to evolve in our search for knowledge so must the tools we use. Recent advancements have prompted researchers in Taiwan to develop lightweight, flexible lenses that would allow telescopes to view distant exoplanets that orbit outside of our solar system. These new lenses aim to enhance the clarity of captured images by utilizing holographic film, allowing for fine control of the lens focus. The film combined with a flexible body would also allow scientists to convert the captured light into a spectrum for wavelength analysis. 

These “holographic optical elements” as they are being called researchers, are not an entirely new concept and instead build on the design of Fresnel lenses, optical components with a series of flat lenses that mimic the focus of curved lenses. By utilizing a flexible material, these new elements further exaggerate the wavelength separation properties their rigid predecessors exhibited, while also allowing for precision control of focus and clarity. With any luck these new optics will provide astronomers a clearer view of the cosmos and allow us to learn more about the universe beyond our doorstep. 

For more information on this development, click here. 

Click here, if you are interested in past blogs covering various innovations.

18 Nov 2021

Comfortable Biosensor Fabric could be the Future of Wearable Diagnostics

When someone pictures biosensors, they usually name the obvious ones, heart monitors, fitness equipment, blood glucose sensors. However, as technology has evolved so has the use of biosensors. A team at the University of Utah’s College of engineering has created a wearable biosensor fabric that can be built into clothing. While innovations like this have been created in the past, they are expensive to produce, an obstacle this study hopes to overcome.  

The fabric picks up electrical signals being sent along the nervous system between the brain and muscles. The brain releases electrical signals to the muscles as tiny impulses traveling through pathways telling them what to do. The old-fashioned way to monitor these signals is with uncomfortable wires and electrodes attached to specific areas of the body. This new technology eliminates the need for those. The fabric integrates a thin layer of silver to act as a conductive medium between the fabric and sensors. In considering this, the team devised a way to make the entire process non-toxic by avoiding skin-to-skin contact with harmful materials or chemicals. Thin layers of gold and silver metal work together to detect and conduct readings, the silver layer acting as the conduit and the gold being a protective layer and ensures the readings come through clearly and distinctly. 

Researchers are hopeful that the fabric can be utilized in things like T-shirts, sweaters, sweatpants, and more. The material has proven to be machine washable, lasting through several cycles with no issues. In the end this could be a massive breakthrough in creating comfortable diagnostic devices for the treatment of physical and possibly mental health issues. 

To read the full article, click here.

And click here, to read more posts about innovative technologies Lenox Laser has covered.

11 Nov 2021

Curiosity Rover Discovers Organic Molecules on Mars

The Mars Perseverance Rover has made great progress in exploring the mysterious red planet since its launch on July 30, 2020. The full audio recordings Perseverance collected while traversing the Martian surface, as well as the rustling of the planet’s solar winds had scientists and astronomy enthusiasts excited. The mission’s goal began last year by drilling for Martian rock samples in the Jezero crater. Analysis of data provided by Perseverance indicates that Mars may have had ancient flash floods in the area. The clarity of the images showing massive lake and river formations have scientists undoubtedly excited. The evidence gives insight into how Mars was formed, the planet’s hydrology, its layers and composition, among others. By the time studies from future launches in 2030 are complete, researchers hope to have collected approximately 30 samples for analysis. 

Initial attempts to collect Martian samples were conducted by the Curiosity Rover in 2016, but the larger drill bit shattered during its attempt on Mount Sharp, sidelining the mission for several years after. However, in the wake of this setback, NASA shifted gears to analyzing organic molecules present in loose samples the rover had previously collected. The ‘wet chemistry lab’ aboard Curiosity has only 9 cups of solvent and each one is single use, so samples must be chosen carefully and with great intention. The most difficult part of the experiment is collecting organic molecule samples without them breaking down into smaller molecules due to heat. The solvent avoids this problem by reacting with the compounds first to ensure they can be collected for analysis with the least risk of them breaking down. From the sand Curiosity had collected from Ogunquit Beach, researchers found ammonia, benzoic acid, among others, including several compounds that had not been found on Mars before. As of yet, no amino-acid like molecules have been discovered, so we still cannot conclusively say if there was life on Mars or not. 

Even if scientists are unable to discover proof of organic life on our red sister planet, the success of this new experiment paves the way for further research into not just extraterrestrial bodies, but our own planet.  

For more information, click here.  

Click here, to read some of Lenox Laser’s past blog posts covering NASA missions. 

4 Nov 2021

Research into Boron Nanosheets leads to an Electrifying Discovery

Amorphous boron is a nonmetallic element that is often used in rockets as a fuel source and for certain pyrotechnic flares that produce a green tinted flame. It is rarely found in pure form with compounds such as boric acid, sodium borate aka. borax, and boric oxide. Common uses for boron over the years have been things like tile glazes, several brands of eyedrops and antiseptics, and washing powders and detergents. Boron also has the highest melting point of any metalloid, at a toasty 3771°F (2077°C). Interestingly, Turkey and the United States contain the largest deposits of borax and the compound is considered a nutrition element for plants. 

Recently scientists were able to synthesize 2D boron monosulfide (BS) nanosheets which led to interesting discoveries about the electrical properties of these single-atom layers of material. The researchers fabricated boron sulfide in a 1:1 ratio with a crystalline structure and stripped off layers that maintained the arrangement. The resulting nanosheets had a large bandgap energy, the material’s ability to conduct current, much greater than that of the base material. They also observed that as more layers were stacked together, the overall bandgap of the material decreased, until it ultimately reached that of the bulk material after approximately five sheets. Scientists believe that these properties could lend well to creating highly conductive, and tunable electrical components. 

Other 2D boron compounds do not exhibit the same responses, making 2D BS unique, and applications for such materials had previously only been speculative. The differing bandgap structures also respond to different electromagnetic wavelengths. The bulk material required lower energy levels (in the visible light range), the nanosheets only activated under wavelengths in the ultraviolet range. This secondary phenomenon implies that the nanosheets can possibly be used in photocatalytic devices, and the number of sheets would allow for fine control of the electrical properties. 

Click here, to read the full article. 

If you are interested in other innovations Lenox Laser has written about, click here. 

28 Oct 2021

Spectrometer Analysis of Exoplanets Revolutionizes Extraterrestrial Study

NASA has explored planets a variety of ways in the past, from rockets to astronauts to satellites and probes.  Now, they have a new tool to aid in their passion for discovery, an instrument called NEID, a massive spectrometer that will do deep dive studies of exoplanets in and around our solar system. Exoplanets are planets that orbit around other existing stars, and over the summer, the new instrument brought back data from our sun. The spectrometer’s main purpose is to locate, categorize, and define new planets and their locations within the solar system, and it does so by detecting
small shifts in light from nearby stars. Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona is currently where NEID resides. Pointing at the sky, the spectrometer will bring back data that shows the mass, size, and environmental makeup of these exoplanets, giving scientists a better overall understanding of their habitability and even potential evidence of life
within them. Presently exoplanets are found by detecting light fluctuations within surrounding stars. The spectrometer will provide scientists more exact analysis of these planets as they are discovered, which until now had only been hypothesized. 

The spectrometer operates by splitting light into its various color wavelengths, which allows scientists to identify the molecular makeup of the exoplanets orbiting the star it is analyzing. It is not yet known when the findings of this study will be completed but the hope that it will give us further insight into our evolving understanding of the solar system around us and planets in general. 

Space is an ever-growing challenge to understand, but with today’s technology, solving its mysteries has never been more possible and whatever is found out there is sure to be treated with the utmost respect and will be one for the history books.

Click here, for more info on the NEID.

To see past Lenox Laser posts covering NASA milestones, click here.

21 Oct 2021

Research into New Forms of Energy Storage Have Proven Successful

Recently a new thermal energy source has been under research in hopes of creating a new battery able to operate under extreme temperature conditions. Scientists have been experimenting with metal hydrides, a high-energy material, to form the basis of the battery. Metal hydrides are a material class that contain metal that are able to be bonded with hydrogen. They are classified by their chemical bond i.e., ionic, metallic or covalent. The energy is then combined with pressurized water, and the energy storage cycle was able to be reversed at certain conditions. The battery itself uses a heat transfer liquid system and disperses the energy accordingly.  

This new system demonstrates storage reversibility at a range of temperatures, proving that the thermal battery theoretically can last in varying environmental conditions. The prototype contains 900 g of materials, and the flow rate can be adjusted according to the temperature. Once the study is complete it is hoped that this new thermal battery can be a lasting future energy source for yet to be determined applications.

To learn more, click here.

To see past Lenox Laser blog posts, click here.

14 Oct 2021

New Advancements in Brain Mapping Efforts

Understanding the inner workings of the human brain eluded scientists for many years, how and why it functions the way that it does. The movements and reactions in our day-to-day life may seem minuscule, but it is the key to unlocking answers in a new study being conducted in part by UC Berkeley. The recent study was conducted over five years, and its findings were accumulated into 17 different studies covering the mapping of brain cells and their pathways. To achieve this, scientists studied neurological signals from the central cortex of the brain to help them understand things like muscle movement, reaction time and vital motor function. Getting proper mapping was of the utmost importance so the cells were grouped by things like gene type, size, particle structure and gene marker. This study was done with hopes that therapies could be developed to assist with things like disabilities, brain disorders, and other illnesses. This presented a challenge because they had to find ways to merge the data in the clusters as it was found quickly as data was discovered. 

While a full atlas of the human brain will not be completed in the near future, it is hoped that eventually diagnosing a person’s ailment or disease in the brain will be a matter of reference to this massive guide and be able to select the appropriate treatment. To help further understanding, groups of mice were used with certain gene therapies to understand cell growth, neurological movement and more. What this breakthrough could mean for the future of science and medicine, no one knows at this point, but it is hoped that better understanding of the human body and its inner workings is achieved. The evolution of medicine through the use of medical technology has broadened our knowledge exponentially in recent years, here’s hoping that similar breakthroughs continue to be discovered.  

To read more about these efforts by UC Berkley, click here, here, and here.

Click here, to read through past Lenox Laser blog posts.

30 Sep 2021

SpaceX Hopeful for the Future of Consumer Spaceflight after Inspiration4 Mission Concluded Successfully

The recent Inspiration4 mission by SpaceX, the first ever space flight with a private citizen crew, was a complete success. The crew consisted of four people who participated in astronaut training, never having been in space before. The crew members were in great spirits when they returned last week on Saturday, September 25. The idea of the mission began as a charter flight fundraiser benefiting St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and raised over 200 million dollars. One of the crewmembers, Haley Arceneaux was a patient at St. Jude and is a cancer survivor. The mission lasted three days; intending to provide everyday civilians a chance to experience real spaceflight by floating within Earth’s orbit, giving them views from space that previously only seasoned astronauts could witness. The splashdown happened around 7:07 PM on September 25, with the flight capsule being retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean with medical personnel another other aid standing by to attend to the crewmembers and make sure that they acclimate to the rapid environmental changes upon return. All involved in the mission are thrilled at how the it turned out. 

The mission was so successful that SpaceX is considering expanding crewmember size by dealing with several different contracts for future missions. With these contracts, they hope to resolve the issue of the capsules’ quantity and short lifespan, with each capsule only having the capacity of five flights, and one of them having already completed two launches. One of the contracts will allow for a space tourism company called Space Adventures. A much larger spaceship simply called Starship, a vessel larger than SpaceX’s Dragon, is in the works but has not had a first trip yet. It would explore space in much the same way as Dragon, just with greater capacity for personnel aboard. With the Success of Inspiration4 combined with future visions of innovation, ingenuity seems endless.

To read more about the Inspiration4 splashdown, click here. 

For more about SpaceX’s future plans, click here. 

Click here, to read some of Lenox Laser’s previous coverage of the SpaceX missions. 

23 Sep 2021

Visit us at PACK Expo 2021 in Las Vegas

The annual PACK expo is making a triumphant return to Las Vegas live and in person September 27th to the 29th at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Lenox Laser could not be more excited to attend this event. There are so many amazing highlights this year including a dedicated packaging robot which is the first of its kind by Schubert Group, industry first early 1900s liquid filling machines, and the innovative gluing machine that was sold to Abbott Labs in 1937. A variety of manufacturers will be on hand from all areas of the packaging industry. From Coca-Cola, to pharmaceutical, to candy companies, they will all be there showing those in attendance the latest and greatest innovations in packaging and product innovation. Learn about maximizing profits to get the best out of the product and audience that they sell to. In person workshops and live demonstrations will be happening to give a first-hand account of what goes on behind the scenes to give consumers the products they hold tried-and-true in their everyday lives. While there, you can learn about cost-effective digital printing solutions for any packaging business.  

For our part of the expo, Lenox Laser will be excited to show guests our Container Closure Integrity Testing (CCIT) methods in a live talk and demonstration session taking you through the various stages of packaging testing that we do on a weekly basis. Our CCIT methods allow us to laser drill calibrated microleaks to test the durability of critical packaging and containers. We drill a wide variety of metals, alloys, plastics, glass, and composites. We test under many different conditions, whether open or closed, sealed or not. The utmost care and safety standards are delivered to our customers every time. 

Look for us at booth number 6817 as we proudly show you just one of our company’s many services held in high esteem for over 40 years now. We are excited to be a part of this massively popular show within the packaging industry and we sincerely thank all involved at PACK for having us as a guest speaker, we will be thrilled to see you there. 

Click here to visit the PACK Expo site for more information.

To join Lenox Laser at the event, register to attend, here.

1 2 3 4 5 … 15