Triple-Shape Plastics for Surgery 27
Roland Piquepaille writes "In Plastics' Day in Surgery, Red Herring reports that an international team of U.S. and German researchers has developed a new kind of plastic that can shift between three different shapes when the temperature increases. Even if these polymeric triple-shape materials have not emerged from the lab, they could eventually be employed as removable 'stents' and self-closing fasteners used by surgeons and more generally by the healthcare industry. The Emerging Tech ZDNet blog has additional references and pictures of these morphing plastics."
For those of you who hate Roland Pipqualle... (Score:5, Informative)
In Plastics Day in Surgery [redherring.com], Red Herring reports that an international team of U.S. and German researchers has developed a new kind of plastic that can shift between three different shapes when the temperature increases. Even if these polymeric triple-shape materials have not emerged from the lab, they could eventually be employed as removable stents and self-closing fasteners used by surgeons and more generally by the healthcare industry. But read more
This research work has been done partially at the MIT in Professor Robert Langer [mit.edu]s research lab [mit.edu]. Please note that Ive already covered a previous Langers project in "Light Used to Design Shape-Shifting Plastics [primidi.com]" (April 14, 2005).
For this new kind of plastic, Langer worked with Professor Andreas Lendlein [www.gkss.de], director of the Institute of Polymer Research [www.gkss.de] at the GKSS Research Center in Teltow, Germany, and his team.
This research work has been published online before print by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) under the name "Polymeric triple-shape materials" (November 20, 2006). Here is a link to the abstract [pnas.org].
Below is a series of photographs illustrating this triple-shape effect. On the left is a tube which could be used as a stent and on the right is fastener consisting of a plate with anchors. From top to bottom, you can see the shape evolution when the temperature increases to 40C (in B) and 60C (in C). (Credit: MIT/GKSS Research Center). This image has been extracted from the PNAS paper mentioned above.
Picture [primidi.com]
In "Morphing Materials Take On New Shapes [technologyreview.com]," Technology Review describes this process in plain English.
But what would be these
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Then I clicked on Rolands zdnet blog thing and it was full of information.
Why are people so against people using the web model for personal profit, especially considering how he adds information to the mix.
The parent comment wouldn't have a chance to supply so much info if Roland hadn't dug it up, give the guy some friggin' credit.
Re:For those of you who hate Roland Pipqualle... (Score:5, Informative)
Help the handicapped (Score:2)
I didn't say I'd visit his blog or click through any of his sponsors, but I will give him a break, just based on the fact that I get a little chuckle whenever I read his name.
Re: (Score:2)
Mike Hunt
Dick Gazinya
Roland Pip... I suppose you boys think that's funny!
Oh boy! (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Look out Viagra... (Score:3, Funny)
haha
(couldn't resist)
screw that! (Score:2)
Many good uses for this technology (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
just imagine the set of devils horns you could display when angry...
or
the pinochio nose when fibbing...
or
the spock ears for the next trekkie convention...
Re: (Score:1)
Morphing Plastics (Score:1)
Easy (Score:1)
All kidding aside.. think of the uses this might have in other fields.
Security- don't want someone opening your door? heat a blob and it keeps it closed.
Theme parks- Ever-changing water slides on hot days!
PC's- Talk about modding!
Brain hurts... kthxbye
Morphing Plastics?! (Score:3, Interesting)
Shape Changing Plastics and iPods (Score:2)
Hehe... I put my iPod in my pocket and my body heat changed it into an [insert your joke here]..
Sealing stems? (Score:1)
even more interesting medical temp sensitive stuff (Score:1)
Medical uses (Score:1)