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New 'Metamaterial' Could Save Babies Lives


Claire.

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New vibration-proof ‘metamaterial’ that could save premature babies’ lives.

There are 16,000 transfers of premature babies to medical facilities each year in the UK alone. The babies are often transported over large distances from rural to city locations over significant periods of time, in some cases two hours or more. The ambulances, helicopters or aircraft used are miniaturised intensive care units, containing all the equipment required to keep the baby alive.

But mechanical vibrations and noise from the equipment and transfer vehicle can provide significant, even life-threatening stress to the most vulnerable and delicate human lives. As we discovered when speaking to clinicians, transfers are sometimes aborted as a result of the stress that develops in the baby. These vehicles need materials and structures to reduce the noise and vibrations to tolerable levels.

Read more: The Conversation

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That's all good and nice, but actually they haven't developed anything so far. 

It's all, like the linked url hints, only "conversations" so far.

 

And maybe I'm cynical, but if they do manage to develope such a metamaterial, saving premature babies lives is the least of the possible applications.

It could revolutionise or at least improve many fields. 

 

Geek mode on: I can already envision a real Cap America's shield based on that tech!

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They've developed the material, but have not yet tested or adapted it to neonatal transfer vehicles. The developers also stated that the material could potentially be used for larger structures (such as preventing earthquake damage in buildings). And hey, Captain America would no doubt appreciate less impact-caused vibration from his shield. :)

 

 

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