Wyss InstituteWearable Devices – Wyss Institute https://wyss.harvard.edu Wyss Institute at Harvard Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:17:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 Implantable biosensors get a major longevity boost https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/implantable-biosensors-get-a-major-longevity-boost/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:55:18 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=42298 A novel coating prevents biofouling and unwanted immune reactions, paving the way to long-term in vivo monitoring in clinical diagnostics By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Wearable and implantable biosensors that can accurately detect biological molecules in a non- or minimally invasive manner have vast potential for monitoring patients’ physiology and response to therapies. For example, wearable glucose monitors that measure blood glucose levels and convert these measurements into readily readable and continuously recorded…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/implantable-biosensors-get-a-major-longevity-boost/ A Wyss Institute team has developed a new coating technology that holds promise to substantially increase the lifespan of implanted and wearable biosensors to enable the measurement of disease-relevant biomarkers over much longer time intervals than existing biosensors such as common glucometers are able to. Credit: halfpoint/Envato https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2025/03/12140704/close-up-of-continuous-glucose-monitor-sensor-on-g-2024-10-18-10-11-25-utc-scaled.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=7add93722b9611ec42907e647ef9bcd5"/> Reachable – Restoring arm function after stroke https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/reachable-restoring-arm-function-after-stroke/ Fri, 31 May 2024 16:36:14 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=40176 The Reachable project from Conor Walsh’s lab is a wearable shoulder device that assists patients with upper limb disability. Stroke survivor and collaborator, Julie Hahnke, shares her experience working with the research team, using the current prototype, and her hopes for how this technology could improve the rehabilitation outcomes of stroke patients and others suffering from upper limb…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/reachable-restoring-arm-function-after-stroke/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2024/05/31123351/THUMBNAIL_Reachable-Restoring-arm-function-after-stroke_NO-TEXT.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=3375140e9c8d2fc0ddb2c2847cb65fa6"/> A new glue, potentially also for you https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/a-new-glue-potentially-also-for-you/ Tue, 20 Feb 2024 15:50:09 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=39225 A new bonding method enabling instant and effective adhesion of hydrogels has potential to broadly advance new biomaterials solutions for multiple unmet clinical needs By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Hydrogels are versatile biomaterials conquering an increasing number of biomedical areas. Consisting of water-swollen molecular networks that can be tailored to mimic the mechanical and chemical features of various organs and tissues, they can interface within the body and on its outer surfaces without causing any damage to even the most delicate parts of the…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/a-new-glue-potentially-also-for-you/ This illustration highlights how two hydrogels (shown in blue) can be bonded in different ways by thin chitosan films (shown in orange). The bonds that form are extraordinarily strong and can resist high tensions. Credit: Peter Allen, Ryan Allen, and James C. Weaver. https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2024/02/16095941/PNAS_Surgery_Background.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=f62d44cda05a8f44e01a2a6a823ceb03"/> Soft robotic, wearable device improves walking for individual with Parkinson’s disease https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/soft-robotic-wearable-device-improves-walking-for-individual-with-parkinsons-disease/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:21:45 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=38710 Robotic exosuit eliminated gait freezing, a common and highly debilitating symptom By Leah Burrows / SEAS Communications (CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) — Freezing is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 9 million people worldwide. When individuals with Parkinson’s disease freeze, they suddenly lose the ability to move their feet, often mid-stride, resulting in a series of staccato stutter steps that…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/soft-robotic-wearable-device-improves-walking-for-individual-with-parkinsons-disease/ This next-generation version of the suit is in development and could pave the way for new systems to help individuals with Parkinson's regain their independence. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2024/01/04154533/New-Hip-Shots.pptx.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=8fa8c6539a76551490e0a6d9a3bcdeaf"/> Brigham-Wyss DxA https://wyss.harvard.edu/collaboration/brigham-wyss-dxa/ Tue, 31 Oct 2023 18:01:32 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=collaboration&p=38214 We are targeting the greatest needs to drive the greatest positive impact on patients' lives, delivering the bench to the bedside. The Wyss DxA’s clinical partners from Brigham and Women’s Hospital identify the most pressing unmet diagnostic needs, provide access to high-quality patient samples for our Biomarker Discovery Laboratory (BDL) and Brigham-Wyss DxA collaborators, and provide invaluable feedback and guidance on the engineering and validation of cost-effective, sensitive, and specific diagnostic tests.

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/collaboration/brigham-wyss-dxa/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2023/10/31132511/Wyss-Brigham-DxA-cover.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=0e84eab2d28e60c579c41044fa3160f0"/> How can we restore mobility to the sick and injured? https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/how-can-we-restore-mobility-to-the-sick-and-injured/ Wed, 24 May 2023 14:21:36 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=36875 Researchers at the Wyss Institute are working to improve treatment outcomes for patients suffering from reduced mobility. This video focuses on two platform technologies that could improve the quality of life for these patients: stochastic resonance and wearable soft robotics. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/how-can-we-restore-mobility-to-the-sick-and-injured/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2023/05/24101531/THUMBNAIL_How-can-we-restore-mobility-to-the-sick-and-injured_Impact-Report.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=3d34d89df5a2bc5de2724fb8abbcae83"/> Wearable Technology for True Movement Quantification https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/wurq/ Wed, 19 Apr 2023 20:47:43 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=technology&p=23612 Wyss startup WurQ launched in 2023 to bring AI and exercise science to existing wearables to quantify physical work, and assess the amount, quality, and intensity. Athletes undergoing daily training and patients undergoing physical therapy, often do not have a way to quantitatively assess their progress or obtain actionable insights that help to enhance performance or avoid injuries. There are vast options for wearable devices and activity monitors, however, those are generally limited to tracking cardiovascular activities and heart-related data.

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/wurq/ Credit: WurQ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2020/02/19182355/WurQ-System-on-Athelete-01519_Final.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=aef43472b436340421666e4ba576c327"/> Clearing a path for non-invasive muscle therapy for the elderly https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/clearing-a-path-for-non-invasive-muscle-therapy-for-the-elderly/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:57:17 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=36144 Controlling inflammation enables injured aged muscle recovery via non-invasive mechanical loading, offering promise for the future of mechanotherapies for elderly patients By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Mechanotherapy, the concept of using mechanical forces to stimulate tissue healing, has been used for decades as a form of physical therapy to help heal injured muscles. However, the biological basis and optimal settings for mechanotherapies are still poorly understood, especially with respect to elderly patients. Given the well-known decline in healing ability…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/clearing-a-path-for-non-invasive-muscle-therapy-for-the-elderly/ In the future, massage guns like this could give way to wearable personalized robotic mechanotherapy devices to heal muscle injuries across all ages. As demonstrated in this study, these approaches will have to take into account differences in inflammation between younger and older muscles, and the likely need for co-delivering anti-inflammatory therapies in the elderly to achieve healing effects. Credit: Shutterstock/Andrey Popov https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2023/03/21095733/shutterstock_1993793792-copy.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=b782b6dbeea997eddb34bb6516f2d7a2"/> Reimagining Robots to be Smaller, Softer, and Safer https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/reimagining-robots-to-be-smaller-softer-and-safer/ Wed, 08 Jun 2022 20:39:16 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=32760 Wyss Associate Faculty members, Conor Walsh and Rob Wood, discuss their visions for the future of bio-inspired soft robotics. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/reimagining-robots-to-be-smaller-softer-and-safer/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2022/06/08163229/THUMBNAIL_Reimagining-Robots-to-be-Smaller-Softer-and-Safer_No-Text.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=c361909621e91c18e345ed2f24bf712d"/> Wyss Technologies Top Harvard’s 2022 President’s Innovation Challenge https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/wyss-technologies-top-harvards-2022-presidents-innovation-challenge/ Mon, 09 May 2022 15:20:43 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=32484 Prizes awarded to teams advancing Tough Gel Adhesive and Soft Robotic Glove technologies (BOSTON) – Students and selected alumni competed over the course of seven months for a share of $510,000 in the 2022 Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge (PIC). On May 5, two teams won top prizes for technologies developed at the Wyss Institute. Benjamin Freedman, Ph.D. and the Limax Biosciences team won the $75,000 first-place prize in the Health & Life Sciences Track for their Tough…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/wyss-technologies-top-harvards-2022-presidents-innovation-challenge/ The Limax Team at the President's Innovation Challenge. Benjamin Freedman (center) holding President's Innovation Challenge trophy with Daniel Kent, M.D., (left) who is a a Wyss Clinical Fellow and General Surgery Resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Neal Muni, M.D., M.S.P.H., (right) who is a Wyss Mentor. https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2022/05/08195005/2022.05.05-Presidents-Innovation-Challenge_Ben-Freedman-award-e1652092323194.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=56a15fcb2f1ca50fca2bd41b9a877012"/>