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Sensor-laden fake fruit ensures you get fresh produce
It's challenging for shippers to check the quality of fruit on its way to your grocery store. Most sensors won't reflect the conditions inside the boxes, and plucking a sample isn't going to give you a comprehensive look. That's where some Swiss researchers might come to the rescue. They've created artificial, sensor-packed fruit whose composition is enough like the real thing to provide an accurate representation of temperatures when placed alongside real food. If the fruit in the middle of a delivery isn't properly refrigerated, the shipping company would know very quickly.
Your clothing could soon have stealthy heart rate sensors
You might not have to wear a smartwatch or a dedicated monitor to track your heart rate in the future -- you might only need the clothes on your back. Scientists have developed polymer optical fibers that are flexible enough to be woven into clothing, enabling sensors anywhere your outfit meets bare skin. And did we mention they're washing machine friendly? You could theoretically slip on an everyday shirt or cap to track your BPM, and you could toss it in with the rest of your laundry at the end of the day.
Doctors can now sift bacteria from your blood using magnets
Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is no joke. More than half the people who contract the condition end up in the morgue. The conventional treatment involve the liberal application of antibiotics at the first sign of infection, though as we discovered on an American pig farm Wednesday, even our best meds may no longer be enough. And that's where the magnets come in.
