A revolutionary approach to wearable sensors that significantly extends read-out distances and improves reliability without the need for microelectronics.

A novel diagnostic technology offering rapid, accurate, and inexpensive detection, genotyping, and quantification of viral RNA in patient-derived samples, enhancing public health capabilities.

Precise control of wound healing depends on physician’s evaluation, experience. Physicians provide conditions and time for body to either heal itself, or to accept and heal around direct transplantations, and their practice relies a lot on passive recovery. Slow healing of recalcitrant wounds is a known persistent problem, with incomplete healing, scarring, and abnormal tissue regeneration. 23% of military blast and burn wounds do not close, affecting a patient’s bone, skin, nerves. 64% of military trauma have abnormal bone growth into soft tissue. While newer static approaches have demonstrated enhanced growth of non-regenerative tissue, they do not adapt to the changing state of wound, thus resulting in limited efficacy.

X-radiation (X-ray) imaging is one of the most common imaging techniques in medicine. Presently, thin-film transistor flat panel detectors are the gold standard for X-ray detection; however, these detectors average across the absorbed X-ray spectrum and thus suffer from poor material decomposition and lesion differentiation. Modern efforts to address this focus on three methods of energy differentiation: dual-shot, photon counting, and dual-layer detectors. Dual-shot detection utilizes a single detector to image a patient with two shots of X-rays at low and high energies. While this has been shown to effectively differentiate between soft and hard tissues, (e.g., chest radiography) this results in a higher dose level to the patient and motion artifacts from slight movement between images. Photon counting detectors offer an alternative to multiple shots, providing high spatial resolution, low dose, and multiple energy binning with photon weighting. However, these detectors also require more complex circuit design for fast readout, have limited material options with great enough yield and detective quantum efficiency at low to mid energy ranges, and are limited in detective area. Dual-layer detectors that stack two detector layers to each process low and high energy X-rays remove motion artifacts by utilizing a single shot of polyenergetic X-rays. These most commonly employ two indirect detectors separated by a Cu filtering layer, which photon-starves the second higher energy detector. Unfortunately, this also requires a higher X-ray intensity, resulting in a higher dose level to the patient.

A groundbreaking non-pharmacological approach to controlling resistant hypertension through personalized, closed-loop neurostimulation.

In PET imaging, patient motion, such as respiratory and cardiac motion, are a major source of blurring and motion artifacts. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a technology designed to enhance PET imaging resolution without the need for external devices by effectively mitigating these artifacts

This technology introduces a flexible, secure, and scalable approach to creating body area networks (BANs) using textile-integrated metamaterials for advanced healthcare monitoring.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed method for separating quasi-periodic mixed-signals using a single data trace, enhancing wearable sensor applications.

An innovative air-based force sensor designed to enhance the safety and precision of surgical instrument insertions.

Sensors are used in a multitude of applications from molecular biology, chemicals detection to wireless communications. Researchers at the University of California Irvine have invented a new type of electronic circuit that utilizes exceptional points of degeneracy to improve the sensitivity of signal detection.

A revolutionary device for the diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks with rapid, accurate, and low-volume sampling at the point of care.

This device offers a non-invasive solution for treating nasal airway obstructions, significantly improving recovery time and patient outcomes.

A novel method for predicting the effective lens position (ELP) in cataract surgery through pre-operative measurements of natural lens curvatures.

Precise control of wound healing depends on physician’s evaluation, experience. Physicians provide conditions and time for body to either heal itself, or to accept and heal around direct transplantations, and their practice relies a lot on passive recovery. Slow healing of recalcitrant wounds is a known persistent problem, with incomplete healing, scarring, and abnormal tissue regeneration. 23% of military blast and burn wounds do not close, affecting a patient’s bone, skin, nerves. 64% of military trauma have abnormal bone growth into soft tissue. While newer static approaches have demonstrated enhanced growth of non-regenerative tissue, they do not adapt to the changing state of wound, thus resulting in limited efficacy.

Precise control of wound healing depends on physician’s evaluation, experience. Physicians provide conditions and time for body to either heal itself, or to accept and heal around direct transplantations, and their practice relies a lot on passive recovery. Slow healing of recalcitrant wounds is a known persistent problem, with incomplete healing, scarring, and abnormal tissue regeneration. 23% of military blast and burn wounds do not close, affecting a patient’s bone, skin, nerves. 64% of military trauma have abnormal bone growth into soft tissue. While newer static approaches have demonstrated enhanced growth of non-regenerative tissue, they do not adapt to the changing state of wound, thus resulting in limited efficacy.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a technology involving statistically reconstructing positronium (or positron) lifetime imaging (PLI) for use with a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, to produce images having resolutions better than can be obtained with existing time-of-flight (TOF) systems.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a solid-state device that uses Cherenkov Radiation to emit light at a tunable wavelength in the THz to IR range.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a headset (e.g., virtual reality headset) in which two imaging modalities, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), are incorporated with automated eye tracking and optical adjustment capabilities providing a fully automated imaging system in which patients are unaware that images of the retina are being acquired. Imaging takes place while the patient watches a soothing or entertaining video.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a positron emission tomography (PET) medical imaging system that allows for higher 3D position resolution, eliminates radiation background, and holds a similar production cost to existing technologies.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a haptic interface designed to aid visually impaired individuals in navigating their environment using their portable electronic devices.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed two designs capable of capturing hyperspectral images that can be processed using compressive sensing techniques. These advanced component technologies for hyper-spectral imagers realizing 100x reduced size, weight, and power while supporting 1000x framerates in support of high performance.

A miniature, implantable sensor for measuring intraocular pressure in the human eye by utilizing radio frequency interrogation.

      Biologics are antibodies produced by genetically engineered cells and are widely used in therapeutic applications. Examples include pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and atezolizumab (Tecentriq), both employed in cancer immunotherapy as checkpoint inhibitors to restore T- cell immune responses against tumor cells. These biologics are produced by engineered cells in bioreactors in a process that is highly sensitive to the bioreactor environment, making it essential to integrate process analytical technologies (PAT) for closed-loop, real-time adjustments. Recent trends have focused on leveraging integrated circuit (IC) solutions for system miniaturization and enhanced functionality, for example enabling a single IC that monitors O2, pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), temperature, and glucose levels. However, no current technology can directly and continuously quantify the concentration and quality of the produced biologics in real-time within the bioreactor. Such critical measurements still rely on off-line methods such as immunoassays and mass spectrometry, which are time-consuming and not suitable for real- time process control.       UC Berkeley researchers have developed a microsystem for real-time, in-vivo monitoring of antibody therapeutics using structure-switching aptamers by employing an integrator-based readout front-end. This approach effectively addresses the challenge of a 100× reduction in signal levels compared to the measurement of small-molecule drugs in prior works. The microsystem is also uniquely suited to the emerging paradigm of “living pharmacies.” In living pharmacies, drug-producing cells will be hosted on implantable devices, and real-time monitoring of drug production/diffusion rates based on an individual’s pharmokinetics will be crucial.

      Current clinical practice for detecting low-concentration molecular biomarkers requires sending samples to centralized labs, leading to high costs and delays. Successful point-of-care (POC) diagnostic technology exist, such as the paper-based lateral-flow assay (LFA) used for pregnancy tests and SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests, or miniaturized instruments such as the Abbot i-Stat Alinity. However, the former provides binary results or limited quantitative accuracy, and the latter is too expensive for in-home deployment. A promising approach for POC diagnostics, offering tailored circuit optimization, multiplexed detection, and significant cost and size reductions, is millimeter-sized CMOS integrated circuits coupled with microfluidics. Recent demonstrations include protein, DNA/RNA, and cell detection. The current complexity of system packaging (e.g., wire/flip-chip bonding) makes integrating microfluidics with more sophisticated functions challenging, and often-required syringe pumps and tubing are operationally unfriendly, limiting current approaches.       UC Berkeley researchers have developed a fully integrated, multi-mode POC device that requires single-step assembly and operates autonomously. Drawing inspiration from RFID technology and implantables, they have introduced inductively-coupled wireless powering and communication functionality into a CMOS bio-analyzer. With the chip being fully wireless, the die can be easily integrated into a substrate carrier, achieving a completely flat surface that allows for seamless bonding with the microfluidic module. In the final product, the device will be sealed in a pouch inside a vacuum desiccator. The user tears the pouch, adds a drop of sample, and the system automatically begins operation. The operation window can last up to 40 minutes, making the process insensitive to time delays. The present CMOS bio-analyzer integrates pH-sensing and amperometric readout circuits for both proton-based and redox-based immunoassays.

      Integrating microelectronics with microfluidics, especially those implemented in silicon-based CMOS technology, has driven the next generation of in vitro diagnostics. CMOS/microfluidics platforms offer (1) close interfaces between electronics and biological samples, and (2) tight integration of readout circuits with multi-channel microfluidics, both of which are crucial factors in achieving enhanced sensitivity and detection throughput. Conventionally bulky benchtop instruments are now being transformed into millimeter-sized form factors at low cost, making the deployment for Point-of-Care (PoC) applications feasible. However, conventional CMOS/microfluidics integration suffers from significant misalignment between the microfluidics and the sensing transducers on the chip, especially when the transducer sizes are reduced or the microfluidic channel width shrinks, due to limitations of current fabrication methods.       UC Berkeley researchers have developed a novel methodology for fabricating microfluidics platforms closely embedded within a silicon chip implemented in CMOS technology. The process utilizes a one-step approach to create fluidic channels directly within the CMOS technology and avoids the previously cited misalignment. Three types of structures are presented in a TSMC 180-nm CMOS chip: (1) passive microfluidics in the form of a micro-mixer and a 1:64 splitter, (2) fluidic channels with embedded ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) and Hall sensors, and (3) integrated on-chip impedance-sensing readout circuits including voltage drivers and a fully differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA). Sensors and transistors are functional pre- and post-etching with minimal changes in performance. Tight integration of fluidics and electronics is achieved, paving the way for future small-size, high-throughput lab-on-chip (LOC) devices.