EU project ELIoT presents LiFi solutions for the mass market. The project ELIoT (Enhance Lighting for the Internet of Things), part of the EU Horizon 2020 initiative, has been successfully completed. Coordinated by the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), the consortium has developed LiFi solutions for the mass market since 2019, enabling wireless data transmission via light in the Internet of Things (IoT). To conclude the project, the researchers demonstrated a new LiFi infrastructure in real-world application scenarios and presented…
Photovoltaics are more efficient when they operate at lower temperatures, which can be achieved in solar farms that space out arrays and use the wind to their advantage. A bright, sunny, cloudless day might seem like the optimal setting for solar cells. But too much sun, and too much heat, can actually reduce the efficiency of photovoltaics. As operating temperature rises by 1 degree Celsius, traditional silicon-based solar cells will lose about 0.5% efficiency. In a typical photovoltaic plant, where…
A warming climate is causing a decline in sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, where loss of sea ice has important ecological, economic and climate impacts. On top of this long-term shift due to climate change are weather events that affect the sea ice from week to week. The strongest Arctic cyclone ever observed poleward of 70 degrees north latitude struck in January 2022 northeast of Greenland. A new analysis led by the University of Washington shows that while weather…
… revealed by high-resolution three-dimensional imaging. Insights that are not possible with conventional two-dimensional platforms include characterization of obliterated airways in tuberculosis and hemorrhage from ruptured blood vessels in COVID-19 lungs, at near-microscopic levels. Gross anatomy reveals three-dimensional shapes of pathology at a large scale. Histology, in contrast, reveals the microscopic anatomy of biological structures. But that magnification comes at a cost — histology shows only two-dimensional shapes because it studies small, flat slices of stained tissue. This lack of…
Iron-based fertilizer, engineered into nanoparticles, could help store excess carbon dioxide in the ocean. The urgent need to remove excess carbon dioxide from Earth’s environment could include enlisting some of our planet’s smallest inhabitants, according to an international research team led by Michael Hochella of the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Hochella and his colleagues examined the scientific evidence for seeding the oceans with iron-rich engineered fertilizer particles near ocean plankton. The goal would be to feed phytoplankton,…
When our immune system runs it sets in motion antibodies, white blood cells and phagocytes. But how this works is not yet understood in all details – specifically, in the lymph nodes, which are important elements of the immune system. It was unclear, for example, how the blood supply to and within the nodes works in detail. This question has now been unravelled by an interdisciplinary research team with the participation of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, 3D images have been obtained…
There is a new quality in laser material processing: With a liquid crystal modulator, the beam profile of a laser can be freely programmed with high temporal resolution, but also split into identical copies. When this quality is combined with inline process monitoring and intelligent control, zero-defect manufacturing could become reality. In the EU project METAMORPHA, the partners will develop a system with all the fine details. The module will be tested in three applications with major industrial partners. The…
The University of Hohenheim taps into a new source of protein: an on-farm biorefinery produces protein-based feed for pigs and poultry, other high-quality raw materials, and energy. A tasty dish for chickens: Researchers from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart were able to feed the animals the first 50 kilos of protein extract that were obtained from pasture. Yet the plants found in fields and meadows offer much more than a new source of protein for pigs and poultry: They…
SPRIND to finance spin-off Plectonic. Plectonic Biotech, a spin-off of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has developed a nanoswitch that binds immune cells to tumor cells. The goal is to facilitate the development of immunotherapies that target tumors specifically and have fewer side effects. The German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation SPRIND will provide funding for the work of Plectonic Biotech in the coming years. Immunotherapies are regarded as one of the most promising approaches to cancer treatment in…
A soft and flexible electronic “e-skin,” so sensitive it can detect the minute temperature difference between an inhaled and an exhaled breath, could form the basis of a new form of on-skin biosensor. The ultrathin material is also sensitive to touch and body motion, suggesting a wide array of potential applications. “The skin plays a vital role in our interactions with the world,” says Vincent Tung from KAUST, who led the work. “Recreating its properties in an e-skin could have…
Hearing-impaired people whose auditory nerve is still intact can often be helped with a cochlear implant. But inserting the implant into the inner ear is not without risks, as facial nerves can be damaged in the process. Empa researchers have developed a novel smart drill that minimizes the risk by automatically shutting off when it comes near nerves. Methods of Advanced Manufacturing can lead to remarkable advances in surgery. A group of researchers led by Stefan Weber of the University…
… are a key driver of autoimmune diseases. Rogue immune cells are a major contributor to autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and aplastic anaemia. Gene variants associated with leukaemia can produce ‘rogue’ immune cells that drive autoimmune diseases, according to a new study from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Scientists had previously noticed that leukaemia patients were also likely to develop an autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or aplastic anaemia. Research into this link revealed that immune cells…
The system regulates its own temperature in response to environmental disturbances. Researchers have developed a synthetic system that responds to environmental changes in the same way as living organisms, using a feedback loop to maintain its internal conditions. This not only keeps the material’s conditions stable but also makes it possible to build mechanisms that react dynamically to their environment, an important trait for interactive materials and soft robotics. Living systems, from individual cells up to organisms, use feedback systems…
They are the salt-tolerant shrubs that thrive in the toughest of conditions, but according to new UniSA research, mangroves are also avid coastal protectors, capable of surviving in heavy metal contaminated environments. The researchers found that grey mangroves (Avicennia marina) can tolerate high lead, zinc, arsenic, cadmium and copper in contaminated sediment – without sustaining adverse health impacts themselves. The study tested the health of grey mangroves living around the Port Pirie smelter. Using leaf chlorophyll content as a proxy…
Proton implantation prior to device fabrication could unlock the true potential of silicon carbide as a reliable semiconductor material. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a semiconductor material that outperforms pure silicon-based semiconductors in several applications. Used mostly in power inverters, motor drives, and battery chargers, SiC devices offer benefits such as a high power density and reduced power losses at high frequencies even at high voltages. Although these properties and its relatively low cost make SiC a promising contender in various…
The researchers will now adapt the platform to make it portable and connectable to mobile devices for use in diagnosing COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Rapid, cheap and accurate tests continue to be essential for epidemiological surveillance and for health services to monitor and contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Brazilian scientists have contributed to endeavors in this field by developing an electrochemical immunosensor that detects antibodies against the virus. The innovation is described in an article published recently in the journal ACS Biomaterials…
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