Implantable wireless ultrasound microdevices for intratumoral therapy are hindered by inadequate miniaturization for deep-seated sites and toxic lead-based piezoelectrics. Here, we report an injectable, lead-free, submillimeter therapeutic dust (TheraDust; 1.0 millimeters by 1.0 millimeters by 0.9 millimeters) for ultrasound-driven wireless chemo-photodynamic combined therapy. The core of the device is a lead-free tin-doped barium titanate piezoelectric ceramic that features a multiphase coexistence at physiological temperature and exhibits a high piezoelectric coefficient (d33 = 460 picocoulombs per newton). The TheraDust integrates with an ultrasound-responsive drug-loaded hydrogel for precise intratumoral injection. Under programmable ultrasound, it generates light for photodynamic therapy and triggers on-demand chemotherapeutic release for enhanced treatment. In animal models of breast cancer, the device achieved potent tumor suppression, reducing the final tumor volume to less than 3% after five treatment sessions (5 minutes each) and could be retrieved minimally invasively posttreatment. This platform can be adapted to deliver a range of therapeutic stimuli wirelessly, offering a versatile strategy for treating deep-seated pathologies.

A safe sit-to-stand (STS) transfer is an essential daily movement, but it can be difficult for older adults with reduced strength, balance, or coordination. Cost-effective STS assistance is therefore important for supporting independence. This paper presents a close-range, single RGB-D-camera solution for estimating pelvis motion and controlling a compact STS-assistive rollator. The robot provides two modes: a predefined fifth-order trajectory-following mode and a vision-adaptive mode that modulates the same nominal motion according to real-time pelvis-robot distance. In a feasibility study with healthy adults (${N}{=}{6}$ analyzed), both modes reduced lower-limb loading relative to unassisted STS. The predefined mode followed a fixed 3-second trajectory. This trajectory was selected based on our previous SkyWalker implementation and the healthy-adult STS timing literature, and it served as a baseline that provided larger and more consistent support. In contrast, the vision-adaptive mode synchronized the robot timing with the user's real-time pelvis motion, allowing users to stand at their preferred pace and resulting in lower handle loads and smaller compensatory trunk motion. These results suggest that the two modes may serve different assistance needs, with predefined support favoring stronger offloading and vision-adaptive support favoring user-paced interaction.

Upright positioning is re-emerging as a potential strategy to improve the pediatric radiotherapy experience, particularly for selected children in whom distress, limited cooperation, or repeated general anesthesia represent major barriers to treatment. This practice development report, produced by the Upright Radiotherapy Pediatric Task Group - an international, multiprofessional group bringing together radiation oncology, medical physics, radiation therapy, pediatric anesthesia and industry expertise - reviews the historical rationale, contemporary technological developments, and clinical requirements for evaluating upright pediatric radiotherapy. The considerations discussed apply to both photon and proton delivery, although the current economic and dosimetric drivers are strongest for gantry-less proton systems. The concept is supported by historical experience with seated treatment techniques, recent advances in upright imaging and gantry-less delivery systems, and broader pediatric evidence suggesting that seated positioning may improve procedural tolerability. However, pediatric-specific evidence remains limited, and upright treatment should not be regarded as a universal alternative to conventional supine workflows. Safe translation requires a deliberately cautious framework. Key considerations include age-appropriate immobilization, upright imaging and treatment-planning validation, both day-to-day reproducibility and within-fraction stability of setup, gravity-related anatomical changes, audiovisual distraction, and integration of child-centered preparation strategies. For sedated or anesthetized children, upright positioning introduces specific safety requirements related to airway visibility and access, hemodynamic monitoring, patient support, emergency release, rapid transition to a rescue position, and sufficient free space around the patient for the anesthesia team to intervene. These constraints should be treated as primary design and commissioning requirements rather than secondary workflow adaptations. Near-term research priorities include phantom and anatomical validation studies, assessment of imaging and dosimetric accuracy, emergency workflow testing, and prospective pilot studies evaluating setup reproducibility and within-fraction stability, treatment duration, anesthesia utilization, acute safety, and patient- and caregiver-reported experience. If developed within a rigorous multidisciplinary safety and evidence framework, upright pediatric radiotherapy may become a clinically valuable option for selected children, complementing rather than replacing established supine treatment approaches.

As urban underground spaces and infrastructure development accelerate, subsurface elements such as buried pipelines, integrated utility tunnels, subway tunnels, cavity defects, and deep-seated hidden hazards become increasingly intertwined. Consequently, urban target detection is characterized by pronounced scale discrepancies, intense environmental interference, and severely confined operational spaces. The transient electromagnetic method (TEM) is highly valuable for rapid surveys and hazard identification in urban underground spaces owing to its inherent advantages, including non-contact operation, adaptability to hardened pavements, high sensitivity to low-resistivity anomalies, and the ability to probe a broad range of depths. In recent years, research has shifted from improving isolated instrumentation to synergistically optimizing sensing platforms, transmitter-receiver systems, anti-interference methodologies, and imaging interpretation workflows. Specifically, small-loop configurations and high-frequency excitation technologies have improved shallow-sounding capabilities in confined urban spaces; anti-interference techniques have increased data reliability in complex noise environments; and apparent resistivity mapping, virtual wave-field migration, and rapid inversion methodologies have enabled profiling results to transition from qualitative identification to fine-scale interpretation. Concurrently, the evolution of ground-towed, UAV-borne, helicopter-borne, and semi-airborne platforms has progressively endowed urban TEM profiling with continuous, mobile, and scenario-specific operational capabilities. Looking to the future, further technical breakthroughs in urban TEM technology are required to improve shallow-resolution, deep-seated penetration, multi-source interference decoupling, and real-time concurrent imaging.

This study presents an experimentally validated dual-band focused microwave thermotherapy (FMT) system capable of operating at both 100 MHz and 434 MHz within a single phased-array platform. The proposed system features a dual-band applicator array designed to support resonant operation at widely separated frequencies, thereby enabling the treatment of tumors varying in depth and size without the need for hardware modification. A time-reversal (TR) based excitation method was employed to determine the optimal phase and amplitude weights for each channel. Experimental phantom measurements demonstrated accurate field convergence at both frequencies, with focal spot sizes and positioning errors consistent with fundamental electromagnetic diffraction limits. Specifically, the 100 MHz band produced a broad focal region suitable for deep-seated targets, whereas the 434 MHz band generated a compact focus appropriate for high-resolution targeting at shallower depths. These results indicate that the proposed dual-band system offers enhanced adaptability compared to conventional single-band hyperthermia devices, providing a promising platform for future patient-specific cancer treatment.

This study presents a case-based application of the Clinical Limits of Use Tool (CLOUT), specifically its clinical device testing component, to evaluate an off-road mobility device, the Invacare Top End Force CC handcycle. This component of CLOUT was operationalized into measurable variables and standardized test procedures through collaboration among therapists, engineers, and advisory expert users. The evaluation included structured interviews and controlled off-road testing assessing assembly, seating and positioning, transfers, obstacle negotiation, slope performance, terrain interaction, and safety.

This paper presents the design methodology, kinematic analysis, finite element structural validation, and closed-loop computational simulation of a novel 3-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) ankle-foot rehabilitation exoskeleton. The proposed exoskeleton addresses the simultaneous rehabilitation of dorsiflexion/plantarflexion (DF/PF), abduction/adduction (AB/AD), and inversion/eversion (INV/EV) in a seated configuration suited to patients with weight-bearing restrictions. Three NEMA 23 stepper motors independently actuate each axis through custom two-stage spur gear transmissions, achieving positive torque margins of + 6%, + 35%, and + 25% and sub-degree angular resolution. Full kinematic decoupling between all three axes is established through two independent architectural strategies. A finite element analysis (FEA) conducted on all four critical Al 6061-T6 structural components confirms safety factors between 2.82 and 4.87 under worst-case loading. A closed-loop PID control framework with adaptive range-of-motion (ROM) regulation, simulated in MATLAB/SIMULINK, demonstrates tracking performance characterised by maximum overshoots of 0.02°-0.12°, settling times of 3.7-7.8 s, and steady-state errors below ± 0.04° across all nine simulation scenarios. The results confirm the mechanical feasibility, structural integrity, and control effectiveness of the proposed exoskeleton as a viable platform for multi-DOF seated ankle rehabilitation.

Most lower-extremity assistive robots are designed to actively assist gait1-7 without considering long-term neuromuscular adaptations8-11. Here we present a lightweight (0.96 kg) robot that administers isokinetic resistance training to sustain neuromuscular rehabilitation after removal. The device integrates a variable stiffness mechanism with a back-drivable damping motor to make available safe, portable and customizable resistance training to juveniles with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type II. In a study involving six such juvenile participants, substantial improvements in lower-extremity motor ability were observed after 6 weeks of robot-assisted training in a clinical trial (NCT06648486). Participants gained the ability to perform sit-to-stand transitions with hands on knees but without external support from an average seated knee flexion angle of 111° to 104°, representing a 7° improvement from pre-intervention. This improvement was accompanied by greatly increased bilateral knee joint function (peak torque: +130%; range of motion (ROM): +51%; work: +97%). Marked physiological quadriceps muscle hypertrophy was observed (anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA): +12%; volume: +19%; physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA): +21%) alongside enhanced femoral nerve conduction (compound muscle action potential (CMAP): +19%), representing physiological changes consistent with the observed functional improvements. Notably, participants were able to retain their gains after discontinuing isokinetic training and returning to their conventional physiotherapy routines. These results indicate that even temporary exposure to isokinetic resistance training through wearable robotics may facilitate enduring neuromuscular recovery.