Changespotting: Tattoo on your tech

Wearable electronics may soon be as straightforward as applying a temporary tattoo. These electronic devices can bend, twist and stretch naturally with your skin and continue to function. The researchers behind this new concept believe it can pave the way to ensuring more natural EEG and EMG monitoring and may assist people with neurological conditions by creating better human-computer interfaces.

Looking through a keyhole
Keyhole surgery is the process of operating on a patient through a small incision. Challenges with this approach can arise from the fact that surgeons are unable to feel the tissue upon which they are operating. Students at the University of Leeds have developed a unique haptic feedback device that virtually represents sensations of resistance that reflect the real tissue.

Is my glove vibrating?
Another technological development with potential benefits for surgeons is a vibrating glove undergoing testing at Georgia University of Technology. Small vibrations will enhance the wearer's sense of touch, allowing for improvements in hand control. Beyond the operating theatre, these gloves are also predicted to assist astronauts and fishermen - and may even find a place in the worlds of robotics and primary education.