Questões de Inglês

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow

 

[1] A team of researchers has designed flexible

electronic components that can dissolve inside the body,

and in water. The components could be used to make

smart devices that disintegrate once they are no longer

[5]  useful, helping to alleviate electronic waste and enabling

the development of medical implants that don’t need to

be surgically removed.

The project is led by John Rogers, a materials

scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-

[10]   Champaign, and Fiorenzo Omenetto, a biomedical

engineer at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

The two say that after several years of work, they and

their colleagues can now make just about any kind of

dissolving, high-performance electronic or optical device.

[15]   The project really took off in 2009, when the

researchers brought together Rogers’ expertise on flexible

silicon electronics and Omenetto’s tough, biocompatible

silk. The silk is made by processing and moulding

proteins from silkworm cocoons to make thin sheets

[20]   that conform and stick to tissues, such as the surface

of the brain. By changing the processing conditions,

Omenetto can control how long it takes the silk proteins

to break down when wet. The researchers then placed

Roger’s silicon integrated circuits together with

[25]   light-emitting diodes and other electronic devices on

Omenetto’s silk. They’ve since demonstrated numerous

devices, including brain interfaces that take very sensitive

electrical measurements, but although the devices

showed no adverse effects in early animal tests, they

[30]   didn’t completely dissolve — the metals were left behind.

And having silicon floating around under the skin is not

ideal, says Omenetto.

Now, the researchers have figured out how to make

every part of the system disintegrate. Rather than using

[35]   stable metals such as copper or silver for electrical

connections, they turned to magnesium. Magnesium is

conductive, but it is also very reactive — especially in

wet conditions — so isn’t often used in electronic circuits.

For dissolving electronics, however, that is an advantage.

[40]   The team use magnesium to connect integrated circuits

and to form antennas and wires that allow the devices to

be powered from outside the body.

The other key is treating the silicon correctly. The

team had something of a eureka moment about the

[45]   material. “You don’t think of silicon as water soluble”, he

says, because it would take 1,000 years for an average

silicon wafer to dissolve. The thin silicon membranes in

the dissolvable devices are less than 100 nanometres

thick, and dissolve at about 4.5 nanometres a day. The

[50]   team can control the degradation of the devices by tuning

the properties of the silk, and by changing the thickness

of the silicon and other materials.

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow. Disponível em: <http://www.nature.com/news/iodegradable-electronics-here-todaygone- tomorrow-1.11497#auth-1>. Acesso em: 10 out. 2012. Adaptado.

According to the text, the time for the disintegration of the electronic devices to start depends

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow

 

[1] A team of researchers has designed flexible

electronic components that can dissolve inside the body,

and in water. The components could be used to make

smart devices that disintegrate once they are no longer

[5]  useful, helping to alleviate electronic waste and enabling

the development of medical implants that don’t need to

be surgically removed.

The project is led by John Rogers, a materials

scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-

[10]   Champaign, and Fiorenzo Omenetto, a biomedical

engineer at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

The two say that after several years of work, they and

their colleagues can now make just about any kind of

dissolving, high-performance electronic or optical device.

[15]   The project really took off in 2009, when the

researchers brought together Rogers’ expertise on flexible

silicon electronics and Omenetto’s tough, biocompatible

silk. The silk is made by processing and moulding

proteins from silkworm cocoons to make thin sheets

[20]   that conform and stick to tissues, such as the surface

of the brain. By changing the processing conditions,

Omenetto can control how long it takes the silk proteins

to break down when wet. The researchers then placed

Roger’s silicon integrated circuits together with

[25]   light-emitting diodes and other electronic devices on

Omenetto’s silk. They’ve since demonstrated numerous

devices, including brain interfaces that take very sensitive

electrical measurements, but although the devices

showed no adverse effects in early animal tests, they

[30]   didn’t completely dissolve — the metals were left behind.

And having silicon floating around under the skin is not

ideal, says Omenetto.

Now, the researchers have figured out how to make

every part of the system disintegrate. Rather than using

[35]   stable metals such as copper or silver for electrical

connections, they turned to magnesium. Magnesium is

conductive, but it is also very reactive — especially in

wet conditions — so isn’t often used in electronic circuits.

For dissolving electronics, however, that is an advantage.

[40]   The team use magnesium to connect integrated circuits

and to form antennas and wires that allow the devices to

be powered from outside the body.

The other key is treating the silicon correctly. The

team had something of a eureka moment about the

[45]   material. “You don’t think of silicon as water soluble”, he

says, because it would take 1,000 years for an average

silicon wafer to dissolve. The thin silicon membranes in

the dissolvable devices are less than 100 nanometres

thick, and dissolve at about 4.5 nanometres a day. The

[50]   team can control the degradation of the devices by tuning

the properties of the silk, and by changing the thickness

of the silicon and other materials.

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow. Disponível em: <http://www.nature.com/news/iodegradable-electronics-here-todaygone- tomorrow-1.11497#auth-1>. Acesso em: 10 out. 2012. Adaptado.

The only question to which there is no answer in paragraph 5 is

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow

 

[1] A team of researchers has designed flexible

electronic components that can dissolve inside the body,

and in water. The components could be used to make

smart devices that disintegrate once they are no longer

[5]  useful, helping to alleviate electronic waste and enabling

the development of medical implants that don’t need to

be surgically removed.

The project is led by John Rogers, a materials

scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-

[10]   Champaign, and Fiorenzo Omenetto, a biomedical

engineer at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

The two say that after several years of work, they and

their colleagues can now make just about any kind of

dissolving, high-performance electronic or optical device.

[15]   The project really took off in 2009, when the

researchers brought together Rogers’ expertise on flexible

silicon electronics and Omenetto’s tough, biocompatible

silk. The silk is made by processing and moulding

proteins from silkworm cocoons to make thin sheets

[20]   that conform and stick to tissues, such as the surface

of the brain. By changing the processing conditions,

Omenetto can control how long it takes the silk proteins

to break down when wet. The researchers then placed

Roger’s silicon integrated circuits together with

[25]   light-emitting diodes and other electronic devices on

Omenetto’s silk. They’ve since demonstrated numerous

devices, including brain interfaces that take very sensitive

electrical measurements, but although the devices

showed no adverse effects in early animal tests, they

[30]   didn’t completely dissolve — the metals were left behind.

And having silicon floating around under the skin is not

ideal, says Omenetto.

Now, the researchers have figured out how to make

every part of the system disintegrate. Rather than using

[35]   stable metals such as copper or silver for electrical

connections, they turned to magnesium. Magnesium is

conductive, but it is also very reactive — especially in

wet conditions — so isn’t often used in electronic circuits.

For dissolving electronics, however, that is an advantage.

[40]   The team use magnesium to connect integrated circuits

and to form antennas and wires that allow the devices to

be powered from outside the body.

The other key is treating the silicon correctly. The

team had something of a eureka moment about the

[45]   material. “You don’t think of silicon as water soluble”, he

says, because it would take 1,000 years for an average

silicon wafer to dissolve. The thin silicon membranes in

the dissolvable devices are less than 100 nanometres

thick, and dissolve at about 4.5 nanometres a day. The

[50]   team can control the degradation of the devices by tuning

the properties of the silk, and by changing the thickness

of the silicon and other materials.

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow. Disponível em: <http://www.nature.com/news/iodegradable-electronics-here-todaygone- tomorrow-1.11497#auth-1>. Acesso em: 10 out. 2012. Adaptado.

All the components of the electronic circuits invented by Roger and Omenetto’s team can dissolve inside the body and in water because they are

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow

 

[1] A team of researchers has designed flexible

electronic components that can dissolve inside the body,

and in water. The components could be used to make

smart devices that disintegrate once they are no longer

[5]  useful, helping to alleviate electronic waste and enabling

the development of medical implants that don’t need to

be surgically removed.

The project is led by John Rogers, a materials

scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-

[10]   Champaign, and Fiorenzo Omenetto, a biomedical

engineer at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

The two say that after several years of work, they and

their colleagues can now make just about any kind of

dissolving, high-performance electronic or optical device.

[15]   The project really took off in 2009, when the

researchers brought together Rogers’ expertise on flexible

silicon electronics and Omenetto’s tough, biocompatible

silk. The silk is made by processing and moulding

proteins from silkworm cocoons to make thin sheets

[20]   that conform and stick to tissues, such as the surface

of the brain. By changing the processing conditions,

Omenetto can control how long it takes the silk proteins

to break down when wet. The researchers then placed

Roger’s silicon integrated circuits together with

[25]   light-emitting diodes and other electronic devices on

Omenetto’s silk. They’ve since demonstrated numerous

devices, including brain interfaces that take very sensitive

electrical measurements, but although the devices

showed no adverse effects in early animal tests, they

[30]   didn’t completely dissolve — the metals were left behind.

And having silicon floating around under the skin is not

ideal, says Omenetto.

Now, the researchers have figured out how to make

every part of the system disintegrate. Rather than using

[35]   stable metals such as copper or silver for electrical

connections, they turned to magnesium. Magnesium is

conductive, but it is also very reactive — especially in

wet conditions — so isn’t often used in electronic circuits.

For dissolving electronics, however, that is an advantage.

[40]   The team use magnesium to connect integrated circuits

and to form antennas and wires that allow the devices to

be powered from outside the body.

The other key is treating the silicon correctly. The

team had something of a eureka moment about the

[45]   material. “You don’t think of silicon as water soluble”, he

says, because it would take 1,000 years for an average

silicon wafer to dissolve. The thin silicon membranes in

the dissolvable devices are less than 100 nanometres

thick, and dissolve at about 4.5 nanometres a day. The

[50]   team can control the degradation of the devices by tuning

the properties of the silk, and by changing the thickness

of the silicon and other materials.

Biodegradable electronics here today, gone tomorrow. Disponível em: <http://www.nature.com/news/iodegradable-electronics-here-todaygone- tomorrow-1.11497#auth-1>. Acesso em: 10 out. 2012. Adaptado.

Fill in the parentheses with T (True) or F (False).
About the scientists mentioned in the text, it’s correct to say that they

( ) have made a major breakthrough in the field of electronics.
( ) fear that the newly discovered chip might cause some damage to human beings.
( ) are now optimistic about the possibility of being able to make any kind of biodegradable electronic device.
( ) think they can somehow contribute to cutting down on electronic waste.

According to the text, the correct sequence, from top to bottom, is

In this cartoon, the doctor is telling the patient

Brazilian scientists developed the first intelligent

portable heart monitor in the world, which allows the

remote sending of electrocardiograms, the location

of the patient for relief and early detection of heart

5 problems.

The monitor can detect irregularities without

symptoms that normally could not be felt, causing a

reduction of concern in patients if they suffer a crisis

away from a doctor. It not only measures the heart rate,

10 but also achieves search and make the assessment of

rhythm and alterations.

Also, this device can also identify early-stage

myocardial and rare arrhythmia syndromes. It consists

of a unit slightly larger than a mobile phone that the

15 patient wears around the waist and connected to four

electrodes that are placed on the chest.

The machine, which should reach the market

this year with the name of Nexcor, monitors heart

problems remotely and in real time, through which

20 electrocardiograms will be sent to a central control.

Also it counts with a communicator that allows the

patient to talk to an expert immediately if he doesn’t

feel well.

Disponível em: <http://www.ecuadortimes.net/2013/04/22/brazil-develops-first-intelligent-portable-heart-monitor-world/>. Acesso em: 12 maio 2013.

Considering language use in the text, it’s correct to say: