Chinese scientists have established the world’s first integrated quantum communication network, combining over 700 optical fibers on the ground with two ground-to-satellite links to achieve quantum key distribution over a total distance of 4,600 kilometers for users across the country. The team, led by Jianwei Pan, Yuao Chen, Chengzhi Peng from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, reported in Nature their latest advances towards the global, practical application of such a network for future communications. Unlike…
Accelerating product development Product development is becoming increasingly demanding. Quality requirements are rising; additionally, designers need to consider criteria such as sustainability and energy efficiency. Visualization software offers the potential to reveal the complex interaction between all the different parameters and features of the planned product. For this purpose, Fraunhofer researchers have developed an interactive tool that provides a reliable basis for making informed decisions about the design alternatives of a product. Data visualization has turned into a megatrend. It…
Quantum computer: One of the obstacles for progress in the quest for a working quantum computer has been that the working devices that go into a quantum computer and perform the actual calculations, the qubits, have hitherto been made by universities and in small numbers. But in recent years, a pan-European collaboration, in partnership with French microelectronics leader CEA-Leti, has been exploring everyday transistors–that are present in billions in all our mobile phones–for their use as qubits. The French company…
Self-learning algorithms analyze medical imaging data Imaging techniques enable a detailed look inside an organism. But interpreting the data is time-consuming and requires a great deal of experience. Artificial neural networks open up new possibilities: They require just seconds to interpret whole-body scans of mice and to segment and depict the organs in colors, instead of in various shades of gray. This facilitates the analysis considerably. How big is the liver? Does it change if medication is taken? Is the…
A joint research team co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a novel computational tool that can reconstruct and visualise three-dimensional (3D) shapes and temporal changes of cells, speeding up the analysing process from hundreds of hours by hand to a few hours by the computer. Revolutionising the way biologists analyse image data, this tool can advance further studies in developmental and cell biology, such as the growth of cancer cells. The interdisciplinary study was co-led by…
New device detects which hand gesture you want to make The device, which combines wearable biosensors with artificial intelligence, could be used to control prosthetics or interact with electronic devices. Imagine typing on a computer without a keyboard, playing a video game without a controller or driving a car without a wheel. That’s one of the goals of a new device developed by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, that can recognize hand gestures based on electrical signals detected…
Ultra-bright photon source brings scalable quantum photonics within reach. Super-fast quantum computers and communication devices could revolutionize countless aspects of our lives — but first, researchers need a fast, efficient source of the entangled pairs of photons such systems use to transmit and manipulate information. Researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have done just that, not only creating a chip-based photon source 100 times more efficient that previously possible, but bringing massive quantum device integration within reach. “It’s long been…
14 partners from 5 nations begin research in EU-project COALA | 5.7 million Euro grant | Focus: Ethics guidelines for applied Artificial Intelligence Making the right information immediately available at the workplace without needing to look for it and getting help quickly even for complex problems – in the future, an intelligent voice assistant will support people in manufacturing. The system relies on artificial intelligence and will enable the exchange of knowledge between employees. 14 partners from 5 countries are…
CSL’s Systems and Networking Research Group (SyNRG) is defining a new sub-area of mobile technology that they call “earable computing.” The team believes that earphones will be the next significant milestone in wearable devices, and that new hardware, software, and apps will all run on this platform. “The leap from today’s earphones to ‘earables’ would mimic the transformation that we had seen from basic phones to smartphones,” said Romit Roy Choudhury, professor in electrical and computer engineering (ECE). “Today’s smartphones…
Hawk Supercomputer at the University of Stuttgart Gets Upgrade. The High-Performance Computing Center of the University of Stuttgart (HLRS) will add NVIDIA graphic processing units (GPUs) to its world-class supercomputer, Hawk. The change in architecture from a purely central processing unit (CPU)-based architecture to a hybrid system will enhance HLRS’s capacity for deep learning applications and enable new kinds of workflows that combine simulation using high-performance computing and Big Data methods. “At HLRS our mission has always been to provide…
A team of researchers from Delft University of Technology, Leiden University (both in the Netherlands), Tohoku University in Japan and the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) in Hamburg has developed a new type of MRI scanner that can image waves in ultrathin magnets. Unlike electrical currents, these so-called ‘spin waves’ produce little heat, making them promising signal carriers for future green ICT applications. Their work has been published in Science Advances. MRI scanners can…
A new technology, called Artificial Chemist 2.0, allows users to go from requesting a custom quantum dot to completing the relevant R&D and beginning manufacturing in less than an hour. The tech is completely autonomous, and uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automated robotic systems to perform multi-step chemical synthesis and analysis. Quantum dots are colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, which are used in applications such as LED displays and solar cells. “When we rolled out the first version of Artificial Chemist, it…
Neural networks are some of the most important tools in artificial intelligence (AI): they mimic the operation of the human brain and can reliably recognize texts, language and images, to name but a few. So far, they run on traditional processors in the form of adaptive software, but experts are working on an alternative concept, the “neuromorphic computer”. In this case, the brain’s switching points – the neurons – are not simulated by software but reconstructed in hardware components. A…
Computer scientists develop a design tool that opens up the use of a cost-efficient technology for curved glass panels. The tool is based on a deep neural network and allows for the free-form design of beautiful glass façades Curved glass façades can be stunningly beautiful, but traditional construction methods are extremely expensive. Panes are usually made with “hot bending”, where glass is heated and formed using a mold or specialized machines, an energy-intensive process that generates excess waste in the…
Instead of inserting a card or scanning a smartphone to make a payment, what if you could simply touch the machine with your finger? A prototype developed by Purdue University engineers would essentially let your body act as the link between your card or smartphone and the reader or scanner, making it possible for you to transmit information just by touching a surface. The prototype doesn’t transfer money yet, but it’s the first technology that can send any information through…
Fraunhofer IPK and Charité CFM Facility Management GmbH are developing an AI-based system to automatically check trays of surgical instruments for completeness. Everyday life in university hospitals: Surgical instruments are cleaned, disinfected, packed and sterilized in processing units for medical products. Around 3,500 instruments per day are prepared for surgical procedures under the strictest hygiene and quality standards and delivered to the operating rooms. A packing tray with the surface area of an A3 sheet can contain up to 160…
Feedback
