Engineers at Rutgers University used 4D printing to create microneedles that mimic parasitic attachment to the skin. 4D printing allows for materials to change shape after printing. Changing the shape of the needle will allow for a more pain-free needle experience while allowing for strong adhesion to tissues. Hypodermic needles see frequent usage in hospitals and labs, especially for the extraction or injection of fluids from or into the skin. These needles can be painful and scar skin. Miniaturised needles – needles than are short and thin – have garnered attention because they are not as painful relative to hypodermic needles, and allow for a low risk of infection. However, miniaturised do not adhere to tissues well, making it difficult for controlled drug delivery or biosensing. The microneedles created by Rutgers engineers draw on the strengths of the miniaturised needles while resolving the issue of weak adhesion. Inspired by the microhooks of parasites, the microneedles have backward-facing barbs that interlock with tissues after insertion. Initial experimentation showed that tissue adhesion with this new barbed microneedle is 18 times stronger compared to a barbless microneedle. A pain-free controlled drug delivery or biosensing experience could be well underway.
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