If you're looking for one technique to maximize photon output from plasmons, stop. It takes two to wrangle. Rice University physicists came across a phenomenon that boosts the light from a nanoscale device more than 1,000 times greater than they anticipated. When looking at light coming from a plasmonic junction, a microscopic gap between two gold nanowires, there are … [Read more...] about Teamwork makes light shine ever brighter: Combined energy sources return a burst of photons from plasmonic gold nanogaps
Computers
Artificial neuron device could shrink energy use and size of neural network hardware
Training neural networks to perform tasks, such as recognizing images or navigating self-driving cars, could one day require less computing power and hardware thanks to a new artificial neuron device developed by researchers at the University of California San Diego. The device can run neural network computations using 100 to 1000 times less energy and area than existing … [Read more...] about Artificial neuron device could shrink energy use and size of neural network hardware
System detects errors when medication is self-administered: Wireless sensing technology could help improve patients’ technique with inhalers and insulin pens
From swallowing pills to injecting insulin, patients frequently administer their own medication. But they don't always get it right. Improper adherence to doctors' orders is commonplace, accounting for thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in medical costs annually. MIT researchers have developed a system to reduce those numbers for some types of medications. The new … [Read more...] about System detects errors when medication is self-administered: Wireless sensing technology could help improve patients’ technique with inhalers and insulin pens
Better batteries start with basics — and a big computer: UC chemists used quantum simulations to understand a solvent that holds promise for green energy
To understand the fundamental properties of an industrial solvent, chemists with the University of Cincinnati turned to a supercomputer. UC chemistry professor and department head Thomas Beck and UC graduate student Andrew Eisenhart ran quantum simulations to understand glycerol carbonate, a compound used in biodiesel and as a common solvent. They found that the simulation … [Read more...] about Better batteries start with basics — and a big computer: UC chemists used quantum simulations to understand a solvent that holds promise for green energy
A promising breakthrough for a better design of electronic materials: A deeper understanding of molecular vibrations can increase electron velocity in semiconductor materials
Finding the best materials for tomorrow's electronics is the goal of Professor Emanuele Orgiu of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). Among the materials in which Professor Orgiu is interested, some are made of molecules that can conduct electricity. He has demonstrated the role played by molecular vibrations on electron conductivity on crystals of such … [Read more...] about A promising breakthrough for a better design of electronic materials: A deeper understanding of molecular vibrations can increase electron velocity in semiconductor materials
Solving ‘barren plateaus’ is the key to quantum machine learning
Many machine learning algorithms on quantum computers suffer from the dreaded "barren plateau" of unsolvability, where they run into dead ends on optimization problems. This challenge had been relatively unstudied -- until now. Rigorous theoretical work has established theorems that guarantee whether a given machine learning algorithm will work as it scales up on larger … [Read more...] about Solving ‘barren plateaus’ is the key to quantum machine learning
Taking 2D materials for a spin
Scientists from the University of Tsukuba and a scientist from the Institute of High Pressure Physics detected and mapped the electronic spins moving in a working transistor made of molybdenum disulfide. This research may lead to much faster computers that take advantage of the natural magnetism of electrons, as opposed to just their charge. Spintronics is a new area of … [Read more...] about Taking 2D materials for a spin
Modeling a safe new normal: Risk analysis tool based on anonymized cell-phone data is predictive of COVID-19 transmission
Just one year after the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic, three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the United States, and more than 2 million Americans are receiving shots each day. Americans are eager to get back to business as usual, but experts caution that opening the economy prematurely could allow a potential resurgence of the … [Read more...] about Modeling a safe new normal: Risk analysis tool based on anonymized cell-phone data is predictive of COVID-19 transmission
Patient wait times reduced thanks to new study by engineers
The first known study to explore optimal outpatient exam scheduling given the flexibility of inpatient exams has resulted in shorter wait times for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patients at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Mass. A team of researchers from Dartmouth Engineering and Philips worked to identify sources of delays for MRI procedures at Lahey … [Read more...] about Patient wait times reduced thanks to new study by engineers
Researchers help keep pace with Moore’s Law by exploring a new material class
Progress in the field of integrated circuits is measured by matching, exceeding, or falling behind the rate set forth by Gordon Moore, former CEO and co-founder of Intel, who said the number of electronic components, or transistors, per integrated circuit would double every year. That was more than 50 years ago, and surprisingly his prediction, now called Moore's Law, came … [Read more...] about Researchers help keep pace with Moore’s Law by exploring a new material class