Mechanical engineers have developed injectable hydrogels that can fuse with frequently moving tissues—like those of the heart, muscles and vocal cords—to repair damage and restore function.

Researchers have demonstrated the 3D bioprinting of artificial human skin so lifelike it can quickly fuse with damaged tissue from the surface (epidermis) through the midlevel (dermis) and into the underlying fatty layer (hypodermis).

Along with AI in its various iterations, the list may include virtual and augmented reality, 3D printing and visualization, robotics and other innovative technologies changing healthcare delivery.

The business magazine Fast Company is out with its picks for the “next big things in tech.” Of 65 companies making the overall list for 2021, the project’s inaugural year, 10 of the best are in healthcare.

Potential medical applications include brains inside heads and hearts within chests.

The FDA has OK’d a prescription-only virtual reality system that patients with chronic back pain can use at home to relieve their suffering.

USC’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Laboratory built the AI model with transcripts from more than 1,100 real conversations with patients. 

The new center’s founders say they’ll prioritize addressing healthcare disparities associated with the disease itself and with other types of dementia.