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Disrupting poachers, shrinky dinks and a Cybathlon: RAZOR full episode
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With 2.7 million pangolins poached each year, they are the most illegally trafficked mammals in the world.  

In this week's episode of RAZOR, Shini Somara joins scientists from the University of Portsmouth, UK, who are using forensic fingerprinting techniques to help disrupt poachers and aid criminal investigations. 

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, dredging and overfishing have severely depleted and in some cases completely wiped out vital mussel beds. 

Scientists and local communities are trying to tackle the problem by dropping empty shells on the barren seabed, creating a reef-like structure to which living mussels can bind themselves. 

It is hoped this idea can transform decimated marine areas around the world – and as Emma Keeling reports, the project is already generating international interest. 

 

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From children's toy to potential lifesaver

Also on this episode, RAZOR goes inside a small laboratory at the University of California, Irvine, where scientists could be accused of playing with toys – but it's all deadly serious and could revolutionize medicine.

A team of biomedical engineers led by Michelle Khine has created small plastic sensors that can be attached to the body to provide beat-to-beat blood pressure monitoring to uncover underlying issues before they develop into more serious problems.

 

Patterns are drawn onto stretchy polystyrene sheets and shrunk in an oven to create contact lens-sized sensors. /RAZOR

Patterns are drawn onto stretchy polystyrene sheets and shrunk in an oven to create contact lens-sized sensors. /RAZOR

 

The sensors could help to provide earlier and more informed diagnoses and faster responses to acute conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, possibly ending the need to use many modern-day medicines. 

The fun aspect is that the sensors have been created using a children's toy. The monitors are patterned inexpensively, using shrinky dinks, a popular toy from Khine's childhood. Her team patterns everything onto shrinky dinks.

These transparent sensors are attached to parts of the body where a pulse can be felt such as the wrist. It can be worn for round-the-clock monitoring, while people are working, exercising or doing their daily chores.

 

Inside the everyday robotics Olympics

Finally, RAZOR heads to the Cybathlon, a world championship of robotics systems. It's a sort of bionic Olympics, except instead of track and field events, this multi-disciplinary international competition features people with differing abilities performing everyday tasks using hi-tech devices. 

Its aim is to promote inclusion and advance the development and use of assistive technology. This year, it has been held in an online format due to COVID-19, with the teams competing remotely.

 

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