Down to Business in 2024

Smart food packaging technologies can actualize real-time, in situ food quality monitoring, increasing food safety and decreasing food waste. Here, we detail challenges that hinder the commercialization of such smart packaging systems and identify opportunities to facilitate their translation from prototype to product.

Fats and oils are crucial dietary supplements for human health. However, animal fats and palm oil dominate the food industry, with concerns over health and the environment that call for the development of fat alternatives. The fat industry offers a vast market potential, with several startups pioneering new technical solutions and attracting venture capital interest.

The Navion, a clinical-scale electromagnetic navigation system, is the result of over 20 years of development. Its motivation began in 2003 with the goal of controlling the motion of magnetic microrobots; however, its first clinical use is proving to be for guiding magnetic catheters, guidewires and endoscopes.

Combining the precision of CRISPR’s DNA searching ability with the speed and scalability of electronics, we have developed an ‘electronic DNA search engine’, called a CRISPR–Chip, which not only enables DNA detection without amplification, but also showcases the untapped potential of merging molecular biology with nanomaterial electronics. Here, we discuss highlights and challenges on the journey from the initial idea to the commercialization of the CRISPR–Chip.