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Politecnico di Milano


Disability, Politecnico di Milano experiments with AI to make historic city centers accessible

Researchers used machine learning and mobile mapping systems to analyze the town of Sabbioneta's streets and pavements, identifying accessible trajectories and paths for citizens with motor disabilities. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of AI in assessing physical accessibility in historic urban contexts.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalInternational Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 1, 2023

The chip that makes calculations with light

Scientists at Politecnico di Milano have created photonic chips that can mathematically calculate the ideal shape of light to pass through any environment, increasing transmission capacity. The devices generate multiple overlapping beams with unique shapes, reducing interference and enabling high-bandwidth data transfer

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 29, 2023

The swansong of African hydropower?

New study finds that up to 67% of future hydropower plants in Africa may not be worth the investment due to economic competition with solar and wind power. However, some new hydropower plants could still provide cheap power in the short-term and help integrate solar and wind energy.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateAug 24, 2023

Offshore floating wind farms, environmental benefits throughout the life cycle

Research by Politecnico di Milano finds offshore wind farms significantly reduce climate change impacts, with a 92% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. The study also highlights the importance of life cycle analysis for assessing environmental sustainability of renewable energy technologies.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalSustainable Production and Consumption·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 7, 2023

Neural networks on photonic chips: harnessing light for ultra-fast and low-power artificial intelligence

Researchers have developed photonic neural networks that can achieve precision comparable to conventional neural networks but with considerable energy savings. The devices use a programmable grid of silicon interferometers to perform calculations in under 0.1 nanoseconds, paving the way for faster and more efficient AI applications.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 2, 2023

Brain cells inspire new computer components

Researchers developed memristors based on halogenated perovskite nanocrystals for more powerful and energy-efficient computing. Inspired by the human brain's synapses, these components combine data storage and processing, reducing energy consumption.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 14, 2023

Aerospace: research by the Politecnico di Milano protagonist of the launch of the NASA DART impactor

The Politecnico di Milano has successfully contributed to the DART mission, a historic planetary defense test that deflected an asteroid's trajectory. The mission's scientific results reveal the effectiveness of kinetic impact technology in planetary defense and provide insights into the structure and evolution of binary asteroids.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2023

Water wars: causes and possible solutions

Researchers from Politecnico di Milano investigated water's role in conflicts, focusing on socio-hydrological conditions and unequal resource use. The study provides a new methodological approach to understanding natural resource conflicts, with potential applications for creating more accurate representations of socio-ecological systems.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 23, 2022

A new nanomaterial for precision medicine and the green transition

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano developed a new nanomaterial with a superfluorinated gold cluster, exhibiting unique optical and catalytic properties. The findings have potential applications in precision medicine and the green transition, including diagnostic and therapeutic applications and efficient production of green hydrogen.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 15, 2022

The use of photons to create an artificial quantum neuron

Researchers have engineered an optical device with functional characteristics similar to memristors, which can operate on quantum states of light and encode quantum information. This breakthrough enables the creation of a quantum memristor, potentially bridging artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 7, 2022

More efficient perovskite-based solar cells thanks to supramolecular chemistry. A study by the Politecnico di Milano

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano developed a new approach using additives that form halogen bonds with halide ions in perovskites, improving stability and efficiency. This technique enables the creation of hydrophobic and water-repellent perovskites, blocking trap states and increasing electrical energy conversion.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateMar 15, 2022

Controlling how fast graphene cools down

Researchers have demonstrated control of graphene's relaxation time, allowing for novel functionalities in devices such as light detectors and modulators. This work paves the way for the development of ultrafast optical devices with potential applications in photonics and telecommunications.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalACS Nano·TypeObservational study·DateMar 4, 2022

Paving the way for a new type of material the properties of which can be controlled and modified at will

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano have discovered a new type of phase transition in a quasi-crystal made of laser light, allowing for the simultaneous control and modification of its properties. This breakthrough could lead to the development of novel materials with unprecedented flexibility and controllability.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2022

Water as a precious commodity: Competition for natural resources prevents sustainable development and excludes entire communities from water resources

A study by Politecnico di Milano reveals that large-scale land acquisitions for agriculture lead to increased water scarcity, impacting local users. The research analyzed 160 acquisitions and found that 105 resulted in competition for water, often at the expense of local communities.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 26, 2022

Super fast quantum battery

Researchers have developed a quantum battery with a counter-intuitive property where recharge time decreases with increasing battery capacity. This leads to a hyper-fast charge that can be applied in various scientific and technological fields such as wireless chargers, solar cells, and cameras.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScience Advances·TypeNews article·DateJan 17, 2022

Violinmaking meets artificial intelligence

Politecnico di Milano researchers used neural networks to predict the acoustic behavior of violin plates based on geometric parameters. The results showed an accuracy close to 98%, enabling luthiers to design and build violins with optimal sound quality, exploring new designs and materials.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 12, 2021

Economic and social consequences of human mobility restrictions under COVID-19

A recent study analyzed anonymized Facebook data from over 3m Italians to examine the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on human mobility. The research found that while national mobility declined by an average of 70%, regional variations were significant, with some areas experiencing reduced mobility despite low COVID-19 cases.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 22, 2020

Artificial intelligence is becoming sustainable!

Researchers at Politecnico di Milano developed a novel circuit that can execute advanced AI operations in one operation, reducing energy consumption and paving the way for more sustainable AI computing accelerators. This breakthrough enables faster and more efficient training of neural networks, crucial for applications like facial rec...

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 13, 2020