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Photonic chips advance real-time learning in spiking neural systems

Researchers developed photonic computing chips that enable fast, all-optical learning and decision making, overcoming key limitations for photonic spiking neural systems. The new chips could improve autonomous driving technologies and enable robotic systems that learn through real-world interactions.

Trapping light on thermal photodetectors shatters speed records

Electrical engineers at Duke University have developed the fastest pyroelectric photodetector, capable of capturing light from the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The device requires no external power and operates at room temperature, making it suitable for on-chip applications and multispectral cameras.

Ateneo spearheads int’l cooperation for photonics R&D in the Philippines

The Ateneo de Manila University's ROSES Lab is the country's first facility for designing Photonic Integrated Circuits and training PIC designers. The lab has over 85 scientific publications and support from various global partners, positioning it as a driver of international collaboration in photonics research and innovation.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed high-performing optical microresonators that can trap light and build up its intensity. By guiding light smoothly through the resonator, they dramatically reduced light loss, allowing photons to circulate longer and interact more strongly inside the device.

Generating micro-combs of light

Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have discovered a new way to generate ultra-precise, evenly spaced laser light combs on a photonic chip. This breakthrough could miniaturize optical platforms like spectroscopic sensors or communication systems.

Microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks

The Harvard team developed a new microfabrication method to produce high-performance, curved optical mirrors with extremely smooth surfaces. The mirrors can control light at near-infrared wavelengths, enabling fast and efficient quantum networking.

Microscopic laser can halve a computer’s energy use

Researchers at Technical University of Denmark developed a groundbreaking nanolaser that can halve a computer's energy consumption. This technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including information technology and healthcare, by enabling ultra-small and energy-efficient lasers.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Could light-powered computers reduce AI’s energy use?

A new prototype device accelerates and reduces energy cost of AI computation by encoding data into light patterns, enabling faster and more efficient processing. This innovation aims to ease the energy bottleneck in AI technology, making it more sustainable and accessible for various applications.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Discovered by chance: the refractive-index microscope

Researchers at TU Wien combined two microscopy techniques to create a method for measuring the optical properties of biological samples with high precision. By analyzing the size of fluorescent molecules' light disks, they can determine the refractive index of materials and reconstruct three-dimensional images.

New light-based platform sets the stage for future quantum supercomputers

A team at Stanford University developed a new optical cavity architecture that enables efficient collection of single photons from single atoms, paving the way for million-qubit quantum computer networks. This breakthrough could lead to significant advances in materials design, chemical synthesis, and medical research.

Cars and planes could avoid hazardous ice, freezing rain with new sensors

Researchers at the University of Michigan developed a pair of sensors that can detect ice and freezing rain, alerting pilots to potential hazards and reducing crashes. The sensors use microwaves and lasers to detect ice on planes and roads, potentially saving lives by slowing down drivers and preventing accidents.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

An unexpected breakthrough in flat optics

A team from Harvard and University of Lisbon found that silica, a low-refractive index material, can be used for making metasurfaces despite long-held assumptions. They discovered that by carefully considering the geometry of each nanopillar, silica behaves as a metasurface, enabling efficient design of devices with relaxed feature sizes.

Chuanmin Hu selected as Fellow of The Oceanography Society

Hu's work spans harmful algal blooms, oil spills, coastal water quality, and floating macroalgae with impacts at local, regional, national, and global scales. His discovery of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has profound ecological, economic, and public health implications.

Optics research uses dim light to produce bright LEDs

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new technique to convert low-energy light into high-energy LEDs, improving the ability to upconvert green light to blue or ultraviolet light. The method uses plasmonics to boost upconversion on a thin metal film, reducing the power needed by 19 times compared to previous setups.

Efficient holographic solutions for vehicle head-up displays

Researchers introduce a novel calculation approach to achieve high-quality holographic imaging in vehicle head-up displays. The 'zoom lens' method reduces computation time by 58% and eliminates zero-padding, enabling seamless virtual and physical reality.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Transformative advancement in terahertz spectroscopy

A new terahertz spectroscopy system combines high spectral resolution with micrometer-level spatial resolution, enabling the study of complex light-matter interactions. The system achieved a spatial resolution of 20 µm and a spectral resolution of up to 100 MHz.

Femtosecond ultraviolet-C photonics

Scientists have developed a platform for generating and detecting ultrashort UV-C laser pulses using atomically-thin semiconductors. The system demonstrates a free-space communication system and has the potential to unlock new opportunities in non-line-of-sight communication systems.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Structured light gets intelligent

Research reveals AI's potential to harness structured light for optical communications, microscopy, and computing. Complex patterns in structured light enable natural robustness and vast encoding possibilities.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

AI at the speed of light just became a possibility

Researchers have demonstrated single-shot tensor computing at the speed of light, a breakthrough step towards next-generation AI hardware. This method uses optical computation to perform complex tensor operations, enabling fast and low-power processing.

Peering inside 3D chaotic microcavities with X-ray vision

A new study uses X-ray microcomputed tomography to image and analyze 3D chaotic microcavities without harming them. The team found that distorted shapes lead to Arnold diffusion, confirming a long-standing theoretical prediction about 3D chaotic light dynamics.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Attosecond plasma lens

Scientists at Max Born Institute and DESY develop a plasma lens that focuses attosecond pulses, improving the study of ultrafast electron dynamics. The technique offers high transmission rates and allows for focusing light across different colors.

A platform of gold reveals the forces of nature’s invisible glue

A new platform allows researchers to study the forces that bind tiny objects together, revealing insights into self-assembly processes and fundamental forces in nature. The platform uses gold flakes in a salt solution, with light bouncing back and forth through nanometre-sized cavities to display colors.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Time crystals could power future quantum computers

Researchers at Aalto University have successfully connected a time crystal to an external system, enabling the development of highly accurate sensors and memory systems for quantum computers. This breakthrough could significantly boost the power of quantum computing by harnessing the unique properties of time crystals.

Multidimensional multiplexing geometric phase metaholography

Scientists develop a method for multi-dimensional holographic multiplexing and encryption using full-modulation dielectric geometric-phase metasurfaces. This enables accurate high-capacity information integration with low crosstalk and ideal energy uniformity.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Novel technique shines light on next-gen nanomaterials: how MXenes truly work

Researchers discovered how individual MXene flakes behave at the single-flake level, revealing changes in conductivity and optical response. The new spectroscopic micro-ellipsometry technique allowed for non-destructive measurements of individual MXene flakes, providing fundamental knowledge needed to design smarter technologies.

Quantum uncertainty tamed at the University of Arizona

The team developed a new method to produce ultrafast squeezed light, which can fluctuate between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the position of fused silica relative to the split beam. This breakthrough could lead to more secure communication and advance fields like quantum sensing, chemistry, and biology.

Breakthrough in 3D printing glass — without glue

Researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a binder-free method for 3D printing silica glass using light to trigger a chemical reaction. This breakthrough enables custom, high-performance glass components that were previously impossible to manufacture.

New photodiode design solves key challenge in on-chip light monitoring

A new photodiode design using germanium-ion-implanted silicon overcomes trade-offs in existing power monitors for on-chip light monitoring, enabling faster processing speeds and higher energy efficiency. The device demonstrates high responsivity and low dark current, making it suitable for integration into photonic circuits.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Electrically tunable metasurface unlocks real-time THz holography

Researchers developed an electrically tunable metasurface for THz holographic devices, leveraging VO2's reversible transition to minimize energy consumption and response time. The microladder design enables real-time operation, fast switching times, and robust performance.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Color-thermal multispectral camouflage with VO2-based dynamic regulator

A team of scientists developed a multispectral dynamic regulator based on vanadium dioxide (VO2) for tunable control in visible and mid-infrared bands. The device achieves dynamic color-thermal camouflage, mitigating interference from additional heat sources and enhancing performance across diverse environments.

New light-powered motor fits inside a strand of hair

Scientists at the University of Gothenburg have developed the smallest on-chip motor in history, capable of fitting inside a human hair. The new motor uses laser light to set gears in motion, enabling microscopic machines that can control light and manipulate small particles.