A new study suggests that nurses' subjective experience of work demand plays a crucial role in the quality of care they provide. The study found that perceived workload was consistently associated with missed essential care activities, regardless of staffing ratios or patient acuity.
Tropical Cyclone 03S has formed in the Southern Indian Ocean with maximum sustained winds near 35 knots. The storm is moving west-southwestward and is expected to strengthen over the next several days, according to NASA satellite imagery.
A new MIT study suggests that most fantasy sports, including football, baseball, basketball, and hockey, are contests that reward skill over chance. The researchers analyzed thousands of fantasy players' win/loss records over multiple seasons, finding a clear signal for skill in the data.
Researchers develop autonomous drone system that collaboratively maps terrain under dense forest canopies without GPS, enabling more efficient searches for lost hikers. The system uses LIDAR and path-planning software to fuse individual drone maps into a global 3D map, facilitating human rescuers.
QuesTek and Pitt engineering researchers will utilize new computer modeling and optimization techniques to enable faster adoption of additive manufacturing in various NASA missions. They aim to improve the quality and structural integrity of components with reduced costs.
The Army Research Laboratory has granted over $130,000 to Kent State University's Blake Stringer to study propulsion systems for intermediate-sized drones. The goal is to create a drone that can serve various functions, such as supply delivery and personnel extraction.
A new MIT study finds that 10 major European auto manufacturers produced diesel cars emitting up to 16 times more NOx on the road than in lab tests, resulting in approximately 2,700 premature deaths per year across Europe. Improving emissions control technologies could prevent up to 1,900 premature deaths annually.
Researchers developed innovative business models for space-related start-ups, including DIT Space, which commercialized satellite images and created competitive advantages. The study highlights the growth of space entrepreneurship worldwide, with a focus on Central America.
The optical society laser engineers have successfully designed and tested a high-resolution laser system for the GEDI mission, which will study Earth's forests and topography from the International Space Station. The laser systems must withstand heat and vibration for journey to and operation aboard ISS.
Researchers found that fruit flies use a small, bright spot (the simulated sun) as a landmark to fly straight with respect to its position. The study also shows that these flies have compass neurons in their brains associated with this navigational behavior.
Coastal wetlands in the southeastern United States are expanding and building soil to keep pace with sea level rise. Mangroves are showing increased surface elevation when warmed, indicating their potential as a natural barrier against severe weather events like hurricanes.
Ken M. Mitchell, a mechanical engineering graduate student at the University of Memphis, has won the 2018 AIAA Foundation Abe M. Zarem Award for his research paper on thermal conductivity and specific heat measurements. The award recognizes his outstanding scholarship in astronautics and aeronautics.
Graduate student Geoffrey Andrews from Purdue University has won the 2018 AIAA Foundation Abe M. Zarem Award for Distinguished Achievement in Aeronautics. He received the award for his paper on hybrid length scale similarity solution for swirling turbulent jets, which explores a crucial aspect of hypersonic aerodynamics.
A new procedure harnessing ultrasound technology to reposition kidney stones is being tested in emergency patients at UW Medicine's Harborview Medical Center and University Center. The approach could benefit astronauts as well as Earth-side patients, providing quick relief and avoiding unnecessary pain medications.
Purdue researchers have developed methods to make batteries safer, which could be scaled up for larger batteries used in naval strategic systems. The project aims to incorporate these safety measures into lithium-sulfur technology, potentially increasing energy density and reducing overheating.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new chip design called Navion that can process camera images and inertial measurements in real-time, allowing for accurate navigation of miniature drones. The chip consumes just 24 milliwatts of power and is about the size of a LEGO minifigure's footprint.
The CONEX-Plus project will attract and professionally train 30 young researchers in various technological areas, including Energy and Nanotechnology. The five-year program aims to develop cross-cutting skills and accelerate professional growth through secondments and training actions.
A recent climate assessment reveals that Antarctica's ice sheet has been losing mass at an unprecedented rate, contributing to a threefold increase in global sea level rise. The continent's ice losses have risen from 53 billion tonnes per year in the 1990s to 159 billion tonnes per year since 2012.
Researchers at MIT developed an algorithm to prioritize and transmit data from sensors in real-time, ensuring the freshest possible data is received by a network. The algorithm calculates an 'index' based on data age, channel reliability, and node priority, guaranteeing optimal decision-making without overloading wireless channels.
A new lane-change algorithm developed by MIT allows autonomous vehicles to model an entire range of driving styles, from conservative to aggressive, with safety guarantees. The system computes buffer zones on the fly and ensures collision avoidance within a given time frame.
MIT engineers create a new virtual-reality training system for drones, enabling vehicles to navigate through an empty physical space while 'seeing' a rich, virtual environment. The system, dubbed Flight Goggles, reduces the number of crashes that drones experience in actual training sessions.
Researchers have designed a robotic glider that can skim along the water's surface, riding the wind like an albatross while also surfing the waves like a sailboat. The system can cover a given distance using one-third as much wind as an albatross and traveling 10 times faster than a typical sailboat.
Electrically charging a plane could significantly reduce its risk of being struck by lightning, according to MIT researchers. The proposed system would charge the aircraft to a negative level to dampen the more highly charged positive end, preventing it from reaching a critical level and initiating a lightning strike.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport has implemented a $20 million stormwater/glycol treatment system to address community concerns and meet operational requirements. The system successfully eliminated the airport's contribution to nuisance biofilm growth in Trout Creek, improving the local ecosystem.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professor Farhan Gandhi has received the AIAA Faculty Advisor Award for reviving the RPI Student Branch, facilitating seminars, astronaut visits, and providing students with a sense of community. Gandhi's research focuses on rotary-wing aircraft, adaptive cellular structures, and morphing technologies.
Dr. Helen L. Reed, a renowned expert in aerospace engineering, has been awarded the 2018 Yvonne C. Brill Lectureship for her groundbreaking work on student design-build-fly micro- and nano-satellites. Her expertise in laminar-to-turbulent transition has significantly influenced the development of aerospace systems.
Researchers detected objects in extragalactic galaxies with masses ranging from the Moon to Jupiter using microlensing. The discovery marks the first time planets have been found outside the Milky Way galaxy.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute develop theory that chemical reactions supporting life today could have occurred with ingredients likely present on early Earth. The citric acid cycle's precursor, glyoxylate, is identified as a key molecule in these reactions.
The US space exploration program should focus on robotic sample recovery and human missions to Mars, according to Scott Hubbard, Editor-in-Chief of New Space. He highlights the benefits of this strategy, including offsetting costs through international partnerships.
Researchers at Caltech have characterized the adaptations of Mono Lake flies, enabling them to crawl underwater without getting wet. The flies create a protective bubble around their bodies using an extreme water-repelling phenomenon called superhydrophobicity.
A new AI system can analyze a large dataset of research papers to extract recipes for producing specific materials. The system can identify paragraphs containing recipes and classify words within those paragraphs according to their roles, allowing scientists and engineers to access detailed instructions for material production.
A three-year study will explore how population growth, climate change, and lake-specific factors affect water quality in approximately 2,000 lakes in the Northeast. The research team will use satellite, drone, and mobile app data to identify patterns and understand relationships between complex systems.
W. Stanley Wilson, founder of NASA's Oceanography from Space Program and organizer of the international coalition supporting the Argo observing system, is recognized for his key role in these initiatives. He will be formally recognized on February 13, 2018, during a ceremony at the Ocean Sciences Meeting.
The Dartmouth-led research team will explore how human population growth, climate change, and land use have affected lake water quality in the Northeast, with a focus on cyanobacterial blooms and real-time monitoring. Citizen scientists will also be involved in collecting data through the Lake Observer app.
New research found that global livestock methane emissions for 2011 are 11% higher than previously estimated. The study used revised emissions factors and spatially distributed annual carbon fluxes to calculate the increased emissions.
The university's researchers compiled a large solar dataset from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory mission, making several hundred thousand solar events available to the public. The dataset has improved the quality of the data and will accelerate computer vision research on these solar images.
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine and VA St. Louis Health Care System found that breathing dirty air may harm kidneys. The research analyzed data on nearly 2.5 million people over 8.5 years, concluding that high levels of particulate matter increase the risk of chronic kidney disease and failure.
A new roadmap is being published by Purdue University's Advanced Lyophilization Technology Hub to identify improvements needed in the lyophilization process. The road map will focus on three key areas: products, processes, and equipment, with the goal of increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
A new app has been developed that can noninvasively provide detailed information about heart health using a smartphone camera. The app measures pressure waveforms of blood flow through the cardiovascular system and has been shown to be as accurate as echocardiography in estimating left ventricular ejection fraction.
Researchers analyzed Akatsuki data to uncover wind velocities with temporal and spatial variabilities in lower-to-middle cloud layers. The discovery of an equatorial jet near the equator has significant implications for understanding superrotation theories.
A new method for controlling self-balancing mobile robots has been proposed by Prof. Mou Chen, improving their tracking performance. The technique utilizes a disturbance observer to fully utilize dynamic information and adjust the robot's behavior.
Engineers at MIT created a robot that can follow pedestrian rules, avoiding collisions while keeping pace with foot traffic. The 'socially aware navigation' system uses reinforcement learning to adapt to unpredictable pedestrian behavior.
Researchers at Caltech simulated earthquakes in a lab to measure dynamic friction and its impact on seismic events. They found that slip velocity is the key factor in dynamic friction, contradicting previous assumptions.
A new micropropulsion system for CubeSats uses an innovative design of tiny nozzles that release precise bursts of water vapor to maneuver the spacecraft. The FEMTA thruster technology demonstrates a thrust-to-power ratio of 230 micronewtons per watt, making it a viable method for attitude control of CubeSats.
The journal published two ultraviolet radiation datasets covering China, providing long-term measurements from 1961 to 2014. This move aims to promote translational applications for the general public by making atmospheric and physical oceanographic data traceable and citable.
Researchers used simulations to show that plasma from hypervelocity impacts creates damaging electromagnetic radiation by separating ions and electrons at different speeds. The study aims to verify the theory of senior author Sigrid Close, who previously suggested that hypervelocity impact plasmas are responsible for satellite failures.
A team of scientists has created a novel photothermocatalytic reaction that reduces CO2 to form useful carbon sources, opening new avenues for efficient CO2 conversion. The process utilizes powdered elemental boron as an all-in-one catalyst, light harvester, and hydrogen source.
Physicists have developed a new feedback controller to control fusion plasma energy and rotation. The algorithm uses sensors, algorithms, and actuators to modify the plasma's rotation profile and stored energy.
A study using human stem cells found that deep space radiation may increase the risk of leukemia in humans. The research team identified a dietary supplement as a potential protector against these effects.
Excess emissions from Volkswagen's diesel cars sold between 2008 and 2015 will cause approximately 1,200 premature deaths across Europe. The countries hardest hit include Germany, Poland, France, and the Czech Republic.
The new automated measurement system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory improves Pu-238 production quality by reducing human handling. The system enables the efficient processing of neptunium-237 feedstock, resulting in high-quality plutonium-238 for NASA's Mars missions.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo have developed software that allows a swarm of low-cost drones to quickly map an offshore oil spill. The system uses principles from nature, such as flock dynamics, to optimize communication and data sharing among the drones, enabling them to determine the size of the spill in just nine minutes.
UC researchers successfully employed fuzzy logic in a simulation to show it is an ideal system for navigating under dynamic conditions. The concept, also known as genetic-fuzzy, allows drones to make good navigational decisions amid statistical noise and has real-world applications such as autonomous delivery.
A new study suggests that warmer conditions could make years like 2015, with historically low snowpack levels, occur about once a decade, while snowpack similar to 2014 will happen every 4-5 years. The region's snowpack is highly sensitive to increasing temperatures.
MIT researchers incorporated human strategies into automatic planners, achieving significant improvements in performance. By encoding high-level strategies from skilled human planners, they improved the performance of competition-winning algorithms on complex planning problems.
Frank Lu, a UTA aerospace engineering professor, has been named an AIAA Fellow for his sustained contributions to gasdynamics and detonation-based technologies. He is the first UTA faculty member to earn this honor, which recognizes his novel experimental facility and measurement techniques.
MIT engineers analyzed a simple vehicle-platooning scenario and found that relatively simple scheduling policies can save fuel and minimize delays for autonomous vehicle fleets. The findings may also apply to conventional long-distance trucking and ride-sharing services.
A recent study found that fragmented forest edges in New England absorb more carbon than expected due to increased growth rates, but also experience more heat stress. This mixed outcome suggests that while forests may be valuable carbon sinks, they are also sensitive to climate change.
The USDA is providing up to $5 million in funding for research on cyber-physical systems to improve efficiency and sustainability in the agricultural industry. This initiative aims to develop data-driven analytical tools throughout the food supply chain to promote smarter decision-making and reduce waste and increase safety.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced $3 million in funding for robotics research, application, and education in agriculture. This funding will support research on collaborative human-robot interactions, including the development of customizable robots and infrastructure to lower barriers to entry.