Computers

A new study indicates holes the solution to operational speed/coherence trade-off, potential scaling up of qubits to a mini-quantum computer. Quantum computers are predicted to be much more powerful and functional than today's 'classical' computers. One way to make a quantum bit is to use the 'spin' of an electron, which can point either up or down. To make quantum computers as … [Read more...] about Qubits comprised of holes could be the trick to build faster, larger quantum computers: Electron holes could be the solution to operational speed/coherence trade-off

A new technique that mimics the ancient Japanese art of kirigami may offer an easier way to fabricate complex 3D nanostructures for use in electronics, manufacturing and health care. Kirigami enhances the Japanese artform of origami, which involves folding paper to create 3D structural designs, by strategically incorporating cuts to the paper prior to folding. The method … [Read more...] about Kirigami-style fabrication may enable new 3D nanostructures

Telehealth has become a critical way for doctors to still provide health care while minimizing in-person contact during COVID-19. But with phone or Zoom appointments, it's harder for doctors to get important vital signs from a patient, such as their pulse or respiration rate, in real time. A University of Washington-led team has developed a method that uses the camera on a … [Read more...] about New method uses device cameras to measure pulse, breathing rate and could help telehealth

Researchers have confirmed for the first time that Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica could cross tipping points, leading to a rapid and irreversible retreat which would have significant consequences for global sea level. Pine Island Glacier is a region of fast-flowing ice draining an area of West Antarctica approximately two thirds the size of the UK. The glacier is a … [Read more...] about Evidence of Antarctic glacier’s tipping point confirmed

Researchers from the Graduate School of Engineering and Symbiotic Intelligent Systems Research Center at Osaka University used motion capture cameras to compare the expressions of android and human faces. They found that the mechanical facial movements of the robots, especially in the upper regions, did not fully reproduce the curved flow lines seen in the faces of actual … [Read more...] about Expressing some doubts about android faces

When you bump into someone in the workplace or at your local coffee shop, you might call that an "encounter." That's the scientific term for it, too. As part of urgent efforts to fight COVID-19, a science is rapidly developing for measuring the number of encounters and the different levels of interaction in a group. At the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), … [Read more...] about Privacy-preserving ‘encounter metrics’ could slow down future pandemics

Researchers have developed a new mechanical model that simulates how whiskers bend within a follicle in response to an external force, paving the way toward better understanding of how whiskers contribute to mammals' sense of touch. Yifu Luo and Mitra Hartmann of Northwestern University and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS Computational … [Read more...] about First-of-its-kind mechanical model simulates bending of mammalian whiskers: Model provides new insights into how whisker bending translates to sensory touch signals

A new, detailed model of the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein reveals previously unknown vulnerabilities that could inform development of vaccines. Mateusz Sikora of the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt, Germany, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 … [Read more...] about Dynamic model of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein reveals potential new vaccine targets: New model captures glycan molecules whose motions shield much of the spike from immune defenses

In recent years, robots have gained artificial vision, touch, and even smell. "Researchers have been giving robots human-like perception," says MIT Associate Professor Fadel Adib. In a new paper, Adib's team is pushing the technology a step further. "We're trying to give robots superhuman perception," he says. The researchers have developed a robot that uses radio waves, which … [Read more...] about A robot that senses hidden objects: System uses penetrative radio frequency to pinpoint items, even when they’re hidden from view

A thermos bottle has the task of preserving the temperature -- but sometimes you want to achieve the opposite: Computer chips generate heat that must be dissipated as quickly as possible so that the chip is not destroyed. This requires special materials with particularly good heat conduction properties. In collaboration with groups from China and the United States, a research … [Read more...] about Heat conduction record with tantalum nitride