The Capstone experience is often a required rite-of-passage for seniors in Bioengineering. At Rice University, the Bioengineering Capstone program is defined by a commitment to real-world collaborative, experiential learning, access to diverse facilities and dedicated mentorship and proximity to the Texas Medical Center and local community resources. Here, we spotlight four student design projects from the past two years that are representative of the Bioengineering Capstone experience. These projects run the gamut from cardiac catheter anchoring and tissue retraction and suction device for spinal surgery to real-time coagulation monitoring and automated UTI and blood clot prevention. Collectively, these projects demonstrate how the Rice Bioengineering Capstone program supports success and promises impact for health care technology in the future.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) is rapidly redefining the landscape of brain therapy, offering a noninvasive, highly precise alternative to traditional neurosurgical techniques. Enabled by advances in phased-array transducer technology, MRI-guided targeting and thermometry, and sophisticated treatment planning software, FUS delivers sub-millimeter accuracy through the skull while sparing surrounding tissue. This article provides a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the core technologies that make FUS possible, including phase correction for skull variability and real-time imaging for safety. We survey the broadening spectrum of clinical applications, from FDA-approved treatments for essential tremor and Parkinson's disease to investigational uses in Alzheimer's, glioblastoma, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and targeted drug delivery. Pioneering trials have demonstrated not only durable tremor control and motor improvement, but also the unique ability to deliver drugs directly to the brain and noninvasively target deep neuropsychiatric circuits.

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheters play a critical role in providing visualization during cardiac procedures. Currently, the ICE catheter requires continuous manual support to maintain stable imaging, often necessitating a second operator and prolonging procedure time. We present AnchorCat, a novel fixation device for ICE catheters used in cardiac ablation procedures. Designed to secure the catheter handle and enable precise positional adjustments, AnchorCat improves imaging stability and reduces the need for continuous manual support. High-fidelity prototypes were manufactured and tested in simulated cardiac models, demonstrating minimal rotational and translational drift within clinical targets. Physician feedback confirmed an ergonomics score of 4.63/5, and successful testing in a porcine model validated the device's clinical potential. AnchorCat offers a promising solution to enhance procedural efficiency and visualization during cardiac ablations.

For patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), clot formation is a critical complication requiring high-risk circuit changes. Blood tests used to assess clotting risk may be drawn only four times a day, potentially missing key information that could inform physician intervention. To mitigate these risks, we designed a device that integrates ultrasound imaging and impedance sensing for continuous, real-time monitoring of blood coagulability (the blood's likelihood to clot). Our design features a tubing adaptor housing two gold probes and an etched region containing a safe concentration of kaolin, a coagulation promoter, which localizes small-scale clot formation in a single detectable region. An ultrasound probe attached to the adaptor captures images at this location for further processing by a computer vision image segmentation algorithm that tracks changes in clot thickness over time. Concurrently, an impedance sensor measures resistive and capacitive changes in the blood during coagulation using the gold probes. The ac voltage input is minimized to prevent electrochemical reactions or shock. The output signal is filtered and analyzed using a lock-in amplifier to extract precise impedance changes that show preliminary correlation with coagulation blood test markers. By integrating these sensors, our system demonstrates preliminary real-time, in-circuit coagulation monitoring, making strides toward overcoming the current limitations of intermittent blood testing with the ultimate goal of improving patient safety in ECMO therapy.

A growing wave of new medical devices are helping to pull back the curtain on the human brain through neuromonitoring-the use of electroencephalography (EEG) and other real-time neurophysiological signals to record and analyze neural activity. Starting with the development of EEG in the 1930s, neuromonitoring evolved first into a behind-the-scenes scientific research and medical diagnostic tool. Neuromonitoring moved into the operating room starting in the late 1970s to help protect neural functions during delicate surgeries and now is expanding to use artificial intelligence algorithms as a digital "co-pilot" to help spot potential issues faster. With the advent of smaller and less expensive neuromonitoring tools, the process is moving into other clinical areas, including intensive care units and emergency departments. Companies like Ceribell and NeuroBell are alerting clinicians to "silent" seizures that might otherwise cause lasting brain damage, while other start-ups such as Kernel are developing research tools that may help guide treatments for depression and addiction.

Flipping the Script: How New Drugs are Disrupting Sleep Apnea Care examines the impact of emerging pharmaceutical interventions on treating obstructive sleep apnea, particularly in relation to weight loss drugs and other options.

This IEEE Pulse Industry Corner interview features Dr. Anders Sideris, CEO of Somnair, discussing his journey from practicing ENT surgeon to medical device innovator in the sleep medicine space. Dr. Sideris, an Australian-trained physician who completed his medical education in 2015, identified significant gaps in sleep apnea treatment during his clinical practice in Sydney. This clinical insight and engineering training culminated in the founding of Somnair, leveraging the Johns Hopkins ecosystem to develop new technologies addressing the unmet needs of sleep apnea patients who remain untreated by current therapeutic options.

Electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are inevitably needed to set up non-invasive therapies in neurorehabilitation. Along with the artificial intelligence (AI) techniques trending, constructing EEG-based brain computer interfaces is still in demand with high classification accuracy for advancing the state-of-the-art BCIs. From the perspective of pioneering frontier research, this article highlights the 21st-century's EEG-based BCI systems, their challenges, and its future direction for neuroscientists and clinical applications.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that may affect up to 1 billion people worldwide. But discomfort with CPAP machines has kept many patients from complying with therapy. Now, companies are investing in machine learning, personalized pressure delivery algorithms, fabric masks, and digital health strategies to increase therapy adherence and help patients sleep more soundly.

Sleep is fundamental to health and productivity, with insufficient rest linked to rising economic losses. Advances in wearables and non-contact sensors have transformed sleep monitoring from hospital-based polysomnography to everyday tracking via watches, rings, and beds. While consumer devices capture broad patterns, dedicated and FDA-cleared systems now approach clinical accuracy for disorders like sleep apnea. Embedded electronics and AI are driving the emergence of digital biomarkers, enabling personalized insights and long-term monitoring. This article reviews the evolution of sleep sensors, their convergence with clinical practice, and their growing role in preventive health.

Degrading long-term health, destroying relationships, and frequently defying detection, obstructive sleep apnea is becoming the next pandemic, but if continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) fails then patients need not despair. Jim Banks looks at the evolution of surgical treatments, and how they might further improve in the future.

Adequate and quality sleep is increasingly being recognized as an integral part of mental health, development and immune response. These questions are of vital importance to health of communities everywhere. This essay aims to highlight research opportunities for sleep research and its potential impact in low and middle income countries.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), machines have been the gold standard for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. But many patients either can't or won't fully comply with the treatment. Because treatment of any kind-even treatment considered inferior to CPAP-is considered better than no treatment at all, specialists have been working to develop oral appliances and other novel devices to open up narrowed airways without forcing pressurized air into patients. Among the new treatments are mandibular advancement devices (MADs), palatal extenders to deliver "airway orthodontics," tongue stabilizers, surgical treatments to reduce sino-nasal obstructions, an alerting earpiece that prompts sleepers onto their sides, a neurostimulation retainer to move the tongue forward, and an oral device designed to restructure the airway.

The allure of Neuralink is attracting investors to funnel money into the development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, primarily aimed at treating spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. But what is the payoff? Jim Banks examines the inspired innovation in BCI that is reestablishing connections for patients with the world.

Despite major advances in medicine and technology, mental health outcomes have declined globally over the past several decades. Fortunately we are in the early phases of exponential growth neurotech similar to Moore's Law. These emerging neural devices may provide a solution to the growing mental health crisis. Clinical data shows promising outcomes from technologies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) leading to exponential improvement in performance improvements and cost reductions. As a result, neurotechnology could follow a similar path to personal computing going from a handful of niche markets to ubiquity over the next decade. Indeed, next generation therapeutic brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)-particularly minimally invasive implants-could become mass-market solutions for regulating mental states. The future may be one where neural devices help individuals thrive in an increasingly complex world, not by augmenting human intelligence but by enhancing emotional well-being and preserving the most precious aspects of our humanity.

The International Conference of the IEEE Engineering Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) is the largest international biomedical engineering conference. In 2024, over 1,100 students and young professionals attended the conference in Orlando, FL, USA, from 15 to 19 July. EMBS Student Activities Committee (SAC) is involved in the annual international conference of the society, to aid students in finding a suitable space and providing programs that support personal and professional development. In addition, the Committee is dedicated to establishing a global network for raising awareness of bioengineering careers and facilitating collaboration between students and leaders, thereby making a significant contribution to the scientific community. Thus, this article focuses on the EMBS SAC events and initiatives that occurred in the 46th EMBC 2024, and the possible improvements and future initiatives moving forward. These activities included networking lunches, evening reception, student paper and chapter competitions, student volunteer program, panels and workshops, funding, CV database and support, professional headshots, and interactive booths.

Every year in the U.S., over 400,000 spinal fusion surgeries are performed to treat scoliosis, degenerative disk disease, and spinal stenosis. The dissection phase of the spinal fusion surgery relies on three handheld tools: a monopolar cautery, a Cobb elevator, and a suction. Despite having two operators, the reliance on four hands for only three tools makes the spinal exposure inefficient and time-consuming. Allowing one surgeon to operate all three devices to perform dissection on both sides greatly reduces the operation time, thereby alleviating health risks for both patients and surgeons. We developed a novel device integrating suction and retraction functionalities by incorporating a deployable suction tip directly into the Cobb elevator. Designed with feedback from neurosurgeons, the device incorporates novel mechanics and automation to address an unmet need in spinal exposure. Motorized angulation and extension mechanisms enable rapid and precise deployment of the suction tip without disrupting the surgeon's ability to maintain muscle retraction. This combined, one-handed device will reduce the surgeon's physical and mental fatigue, the number of personnel needed to perform the procedure, and the time under anesthesia for elderly patients.

A noninvasive, transcutaneous, spinal cord stimulation system, called ARC-EX, has been shown to restore some of the hand strength and sensation that patients had lost following spinal cord injuries, including those injuries that had occurred years earlier.

Continuous bladder irrigation (CBI) is a frequent postoperative urological procedure that continuously flushes the bladder with saline. Its main goal is to control gross hematuria (blood in urine) and prevent the formation of clots that can block urinary flow and extend hospital stays. Despite its widespread use, traditional CBI methods are flawed. Currently, there is no standardized or quantitative method to evaluate the severity of hematuria; instead, clinicians rely on subjective visual assessments, using imprecise color descriptors such as "rose" or "cherry red." Saline flow rates must also be adjusted manually, requiring frequent bedside monitoring to assess urine color, regulate inflow, and replace fluid bags. This labor-intensive and inconsistent process contributes to complications in roughly 50% of patients receiving CBI. While some research efforts have explored optical sensing or automated flow regulation, none have successfully delivered a comprehensive solution that combines measurement, automation, alerts, and a user interface in a system suitable for clinical use. To overcome these challenges, we created UroFlo: a smart, adaptive CBI platform designed to streamline and improve hematuria management. UroFlo integrates five essential features: 1) quantitative hematuria analysis; 2) automated inflow control; 3) real-time monitoring of supply and waste volumes; 4) automated caregiver notifications; and 5) an intuitive user interface. By combining objective data with automated decision-making and intel-ligent alerts, UroFlo reduces the need for constant supervision, ensures consistency across care teams, and improves patient outcomes. This system represents a significant advancement in CBI technology, setting a new benchmark for standardizing care and enhancing safety.

Historically, brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies have almost exclusively been available in high-income countries. What would it take for them to become more available and accessible in low- and middle-income countries, and in complex settings?

The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is a long-time staple in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but not all patients can or want to use the pump-hose-and-mask apparatus. Innovators are responding with alternative neurostimulation devices to treat moderate to severe OSA.