March 7th 2025

Author

Max Gray
March 07, 2025

The Daily Innovation Newsletter

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March 7th 2025

💻 Technology

A team from Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Nottingham Trent University, and Free University of Bozen-Bolzano has created the first washable magnetic field-sensing electronic textiles. Published in Communications Engineering, this innovation allows users to control smart devices by waving a magnetized ring or glove over embedded sensors, eliminating accidental activation common in touch-based systems. The durable, machine-washable fabric could revolutionize wearable technology, enhancing applications in gaming, virtual reality, and interactive fashion.

🦾 Robotics

Insilico Medicine has introduced “Supervisor,” a bipedal humanoid robot designed to automate laboratory tasks and assist AI-driven drug discovery. Capable of handling complex lab work like pipetting and reagent management, the robot helps train AI systems to replicate human scientists' skills. Integrated into the company's automated workflows, Supervisor enhances research efficiency and speeds up drug development. Insilico’s AI-driven strategy has already produced multiple drug candidates, including ISM001-055, now in clinical trials.

Researchers from Aalto University and the University of Bayreuth have created a groundbreaking hydrogel that mimics human skin by combining strength, flexibility, and rapid self-healing. Published in Nature Materials, the material uses ultra-thin clay nanosheets to form an entangled polymer network that heals 90% of cuts in four hours and fully repairs within 24. This innovation could revolutionize artificial skin, wound healing, soft robotics, and drug delivery, paving the way for self-repairing medical and robotic materials.

🌎 Environment

Scientists have created a freeze-drying method to preserve Sporosarcina pasteurii, a biocement-producing bacterium, making it possible to store and use it like instant powder. Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the study shows that construction workers could simply mix the bacteria with urea and calcium chloride to rapidly strengthen soil, repair concrete, or create makeshift roads. Field tests demonstrated that the freeze-dried bacteria could harden soil within 24 hours, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional cement.

💊 Healthcare

Stanford Medicine researchers have identified BRP, a naturally occurring peptide that suppresses appetite like semaglutide (Ozempic) but without its common side effects. Using an AI algorithm to analyze 20,000 protein-encoding genes, the team found that BRP acts specifically in the brain’s hypothalamus, avoiding the systemic effects of Ozempic. In tests on mice and minipigs, BRP significantly reduced food intake and improved metabolic health without observed side effects. The discovery, published in Nature, paves the way for safer, more targeted obesity treatments.

Scientists at the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have developed a cartilage implant using nasal septum cells to treat severe knee injuries. Published in Science Translational Medicine, their study found that allowing the engineered cartilage to mature for two weeks before implantation significantly improved long-term outcomes. Patients with larger or previously untreated injuries benefited the most, suggesting potential applications for osteoarthritis treatment. Large-scale clinical trials are now planned to explore its effectiveness in degenerative joint diseases.

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