EPFL and University of Manchester researchers unlock secrets of nanofluidics using a 2D material and light. A discovery in the field of nanofluidics could shake up our understanding of molecular behavior on the tiniest scales. Research teams at EPFL and the University of Manchester have revealed a previously hidden world by using the newly found fluorescent properties of a graphene-like 2D material, boron nitride. This innovative approach enables scientists to track individual molecules within nanofluidic structures, illuminating their behavior in…
The fusion of 2D semiconductors and ferroelectric materials could lead to joint digital and analog information processing, with significant improvement in energy consumption, electronic device performance, and lead to novel functionalities. We live in an analog world of continuous information flow that is both processed and stored by our brains at the same time, but our devices process information digitally in the form of discrete binary code, breaking the information into little bits (or bites). Researchers at EPFL have revealed a pioneering technology that combines…
Higher-order topological insulators are unusual materials that can support topologically protected states. Recently discovered disclination states also belong to the class of higher-order topological states but are bound to the boundary of the disclination defect of the higher-order topological insulator and can be predicted using the bulk-disclination correspondence principle. So far, topological disclination states were observed only in the linear regime, while the interplay between nonlinearity and topology in the systems with disclinations has never been studied experimentally. In a…
Electrochemical processes like water electrolysis will become increasingly important in the future in light of climate change and the resultant need for an energy and raw materials transition. The Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM is collaborating with hte GmbH to develop modular electrochemical cells. These flow cells are used in screening tasks, thereby helping optimize electrochemical production processes, such as water electrolysis. In the context of the energy and raw materials transition, electrochemical processes pose an advantage, as…
Automated status monitoring for high-pressure storage systems. Strict safety precautions are needed if hydrogen is to be used safely. The latest fuel cell vehicles carry hydrogen in gaseous form in pressurized tanks. These core elements of the H2 drive system must remain safe even under maximum operational loads. To prevent hazardous situations from occurring, regular maintenance of the high-pressure storage systems is mandatory. However, the tank inspection that is currently required consists merely of an external visual inspection. In the…
Germany’s first cryogenic measuring setup for statistical quality measurement of qubit devices on whole 200- and 300-mm wafers has started operation at Fraunhofer IAF. The on-wafer prober can characterize devices based on semiconductor quantum dots and quantum wells as well as superconductors at measurement temperatures below 2 K. Fully automated operation will allow researchers to build up a quantitatively relevant database and advance the industrial production of high-quality devices for quantum computing and quantum sensing in Europe. With the newly…
Coming to a tight spot near you: CLARI, the little, squishable robot that can passively change its shape to squeeze through narrow gaps—with a bit of inspiration from the world of bugs. CLARI, which stands for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect, comes from a team of engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder. It also has the potential to aid first responders after major disasters in an entirely new way. Several of these robots can easily fit in the palm…
MHH researchers are working on vascular prostheses made from the blood protein fibrin. The biocompatible alternative to synthetic plastic prostheses is now to be made increasingly fit for clinical use with spider silk. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the human body. It originates in the heart and carries oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. The most common disease of the aorta that requires treatment is an aneurysm. Because the diameter of the aorta is enlarged…
Researchers at Mainz University, TU Darmstadt, and Wuhan University overcome fundamental obstacles for writing and drawing lines, letters, and complex patterns within the bulk of a liquid. Writing is an age-old cultural technique. Thousands of years ago, humans were already carving signs and symbols into stone slabs. Scripts have become far more sophisticated since then but one aspect remains the same: Whether the writer is using cuneiform or a modern alphabet, a solid substrate, such as clay or paper, is…
In a milestone for artificial intelligence (AI), the AI system “Swift”, designed by UZH researchers, has beaten the world champions in drone racing – a result that seemed unattainable just a few years ago. The AI-piloted drone was trained in a simulated environment. Real-world applications include environmental monitoring or disaster response. Remember when IBM’s Deep Blue won against Gary Kasparov at chess in 1996, or Google’s AlphaGo crushed the top champion Lee Sedol at Go, a much more complex game,…
Quantum physics has allowed for the creation of sensors far surpassing the precision of classical devices. Now, several studies in Nature show that the precision of these quantum sensors can be significantly improved using entanglement produced by finite-range interactions. Innsbruck researchers led by Christian Roos were able to demonstrate this enhancement using entangled ion-chains with up to 51 particles. Metrological institutions around the world administer our time, using atomic clocks based on the natural oscillations of atoms. These clocks, pivotal…
UC Santa Barbara quantum scientists to conduct NSF-funded research to pursue quantum-scale sensor technologies. At the atomic and subatomic scales exist behaviors that have vast potential to enhance how we see and interact with the world, by improving current technologies and potentially giving rise to new ones. The main advantage to be gained from the realm of quantum sensing is its extreme sensitivity and accuracy, able to capture the faintest of signals and measure at the smallest of scales. Now,…
After a heart attack it might be worth it to already treat constrictions in blood vessels not involved in the heart attack right away during the first intervention to treat the heart attack. In a large international study, USZ cardiologists were able to show that this treatment strategy has advantages over a delayed procedure. The result is highly relevant to clinical practice. A heart attack is caused by the acute blockage of a coronary artery. The affected blood vessels are…
In the European research project ReSoURCE, experts from nine different companies and institutes are working together to develop sustainable solutions for the recycling of refractory materials. The German project partners are primarily providing laser know-how. Refractory materials withstand high temperatures beyond 1,500 °C. They are indispensable for industrial furnaces that produce glass or ceramics, non-ferrous metals and steels, for example. The service life for refractory products ranges from a few days to many years – depending on the materials, the…
TU Wien (Vienna) has achieved a breakthrough in the production of important enzymes: Previously they were extracted from horseradish roots, but now they can be produced recombinantly in the laboratory. It is one of the most important enzymes in medical diagnostics: Horseradish peroxidase is used for many medical products – it is often used when a color change of a test strip is to detect the presence of antibodies or other proteins. Recently, however, there has been a shortage of…
A new reaction pathway shows direct formation of sulfuric acid from reduced sulfur compounds that is particularly important at cloud edges and over the pristine oceans. Leipzig. In the atmosphere, gaseous sulfuric acid can form particles that influence the physical properties of clouds. Thus, the formation of sulfuric acid in the gas phase directly affects the radiative forcing and Earth’s climate. In addition to the known formation from sulfur dioxide, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) have…
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