A team of scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has developed millimetre-sized robots that can be controlled using magnetic fields to perform highly manoeuvrable and dexterous manipulations. This could pave the way to possible future applications in biomedicine and manufacturing. The research team created the miniature robots by embedding … [Read more...] about Scientists make highly maneuverable miniature robots controlled by magnetic fields
Computers
Researchers can turn a single photo into a video
Sometimes photos cannot truly capture a scene. How much more epic would that vacation photo of Niagara Falls be if the water were moving? Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a deep learning method that can do just that: If given a single photo of a waterfall, the system creates a video showing that water cascading down. All that's missing is the roar of … [Read more...] about Researchers can turn a single photo into a video
AI predicts how patients with viral infections, including COVID-19, will fare
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine used an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to sift through terabytes of gene expression data -- which genes are "on" or "off" during infection -- to look for shared patterns in patients with past pandemic viral infections, including SARS, MERS and swine flu. Two telltale signatures emerged from the study, … [Read more...] about AI predicts how patients with viral infections, including COVID-19, will fare
Insulators turn up the heat on quantum bits
Quantum technologies are based on quantum properties of light, electrons, and atoms. In recent decades, scientists have learned to master these phenomena and exploit them in applications. Thus, the construction of a quantum computer for commercial applications is also coming within reach. One of the emerging technologies that is currently being advanced very successfully is ion … [Read more...] about Insulators turn up the heat on quantum bits
Near-field routing of hyperbolic metamaterials
Near-field light is invisible light at the subwavelength scale. Harnessed for a variety of practical applications, such as wireless power transfer, near-field light has an increasingly significant role in the development of miniature on-chip photonic devices. Controlling the direction of near-field light propagation has been an ongoing challenge that is of fundamental interest … [Read more...] about Near-field routing of hyperbolic metamaterials
Peering inside 2D crystal synthesis: Simulations could help molecular engineers enhance creation of semiconducting nanomaterials
Scientific studies describing the most basic processes often have the greatest impact in the long run. A new work by Rice University engineers could be one such, and it's a gas, gas, gas for nanomaterials. Rice materials theorist Boris Yakobson, graduate student Jincheng Lei and alumnus Yu Xie of Rice's Brown School of Engineering have unveiled how a popular 2D material, … [Read more...] about Peering inside 2D crystal synthesis: Simulations could help molecular engineers enhance creation of semiconducting nanomaterials
New combination of materials provides progress toward quantum computing: Research illuminates promising potential of exciton quasiparticle
The future of quantum computing may depend on the further development and understanding of semiconductor materials known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). These atomically thin materials develop unique and useful electrical, mechanical, and optical properties when they are manipulated by pressure, light, or temperature. In research published today in Nature … [Read more...] about New combination of materials provides progress toward quantum computing: Research illuminates promising potential of exciton quasiparticle
Engineers devise novel approach to wirelessly power wearable devices
Advancements in wearable technology are reshaping the way we live, work and play, and also how healthcare is delivered and received. Wearables that have weaved their way into everyday life include smart watches and wireless earphones, while in the healthcare setting, common devices include wearable injectors, electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring patches, listening aids, and … [Read more...] about Engineers devise novel approach to wirelessly power wearable devices
From milk protein, a plastic foam that gets better in a tough environment
A new high-performance plastic foam developed from whey proteins can withstand extreme heat better than many common thermoplastics made from petroleum. A research team in Sweden reports that the material, which may be used for example in catalysts for cars, fuel filters or packaging foam, actually improves its mechanical performance after days of exposure to high … [Read more...] about From milk protein, a plastic foam that gets better in a tough environment
Printing flexible wearable electronics for smart device applications: Using conventional printing techniques to print flexible supercapacitors is economical, scalable
The demand for flexible wearable electronics has spiked with the dramatic growth of smart devices that can exchange data with other devices over the internet with embedded sensors, software, and other technologies. Researchers consequently have focused on exploring flexible energy storage devices, such as flexible supercapacitators (FSCs), that are lightweight and safe and … [Read more...] about Printing flexible wearable electronics for smart device applications: Using conventional printing techniques to print flexible supercapacitors is economical, scalable