Tiny chip could make blood donations safer
Scientists at the University of Colorado have built a tiny chip that checks how well donated blood holds up in storage.
Turns out, red blood cells break down at different speeds depending on the donor, and this new tech helps spot those differences early.
How it works
The team envisions a chip about the size of a dime that applies an electrical signal to generate surface acoustic waves in a drop of blood.
These waves heat things up just enough to pop some cells, letting researchers see how tough or old the cells are based on the temperature they burst.
Why it matters
By testing samples each week for 42 days, researchers found that not all donated blood ages the same.
With this info, blood banks could pick out fresher units for patients who really need them—like people with sickle cell disease—potentially helping reduce waste and make transfusions safer.