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Toward safer disposal of printed circuit boards

A new method has been developed to remove harmful compounds from waste printed circuit boards. The technique, known as ball-milling, uses a rotating machine to grind up materials and reduce the presence of brominated flame retardants. By breaking down these potentially toxic substances, scientists aim to minimize environmental pollution.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering·DateJan 15, 2020

Barn owls may hold key to navigation and location

Researchers recreated barn owl brain circuitry in electronics, mimicking the ability to locate prey using sound to within one to two degrees. The electronic circuit can supersede the owl's precision by orders of magnitude and may lead to more accurate and energy-efficient navigation devices.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 1, 2019

Artificial intelligence speeds up!

A team at Politecnico di Milano has developed an electronic circuit that can solve systems of linear equations in a single operation, accelerating computing by orders of magnitude. The memristor-based circuit boasts superior performance to classical digital computers and even quantum computers, paving the way for AI breakthroughs.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 15, 2019

A surprising new superconductor

Researchers have created a new superconductor with a critical temperature over 6 Kelvin, which could enable the development of ultrafast and powerful computers. The electroplated rhenium material is non-toxic, easy to work with mechanically, and melts at high temperatures.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateMay 1, 2018

A major step forward in organic electronics

Researchers at Linköping University developed the world's first complementary electrochemical logic circuits that function stably for long periods in water. This breakthrough has major consequences for many applications, including bioelectronics and printed electronics.

SourceLinköping University·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateJan 11, 2018

Towards the T-1000: Liquid metals propel future electronics

Researchers at RMIT University have developed self-propelling liquid metals, a critical step towards flexible and dynamically reconfigurable soft circuit systems. The breakthrough enables liquid metal to move autonomously in three dimensions, opening the door to new applications in smart engineering solutions and biomedicine.

SourceRMIT University·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 4, 2016

Flexible wearable electronic skin patch offers new way to monitor alcohol levels

Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a flexible wearable sensor that can accurately measure blood alcohol levels from sweat, providing real-time monitoring for doctors and police officers. The device, consisting of a temporary tattoo and portable electronic circuit board, can be worn on the skin and transmit data wirelessly to a ...

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalACS Sensors·DateAug 2, 2016

How to short circuit hunger

Scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have discovered a long-sought component of the neural network that controls eating, finding that the melanoncortin 4 receptor-regulated circuit inhibits and controls hunger. Activating this circuit reduces feeding in mice and removes feelings of intense hunger.

SourceBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateApr 27, 2015

Future electronics based on carbon nanotubes

A team of researchers has found a way to strip out metallic carbon nanotubes from arrays using a simple, scalable procedure, leaving behind semiconducting nanotubes suitable for electronic devices. This breakthrough could lead to the development of smaller, faster, and cheaper electronic devices.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateApr 7, 2015

A new spin on spintronics

A team of researchers from the University of Michigan and Western Michigan University has developed a new radiation-resistant spintronic material that can maintain its spin-dependence after being irradiated. This breakthrough could enable electronic devices to work in harsh environments, such as space-based communications satellites.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateFeb 17, 2015

Laser physics upside down

Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have created a system of coupled lasers that exhibit paradoxical behavior. By adding or reducing energy, the lasers can switch each other on or off, making them suitable for building logical circuits using light.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 17, 2014

With imprecise chips to the artificial brain

Junior Professor Dr. Elisabetta Chicca and colleagues discover that imprecise digital and analog circuits are more efficient than precise ones in building artificial nervous systems. The study, published in Proceedings of the IEEE, reveals a new approach to designing autonomous cognitive systems with minimal power requirements.

SourceBielefeld University·JournalProceedings of the IEEE·DateMay 16, 2014

Progress made in developing nanoscale electronics

Scientists have successfully directed charges through single molecules using a bi-layer arrangement of organic molecules, enabling precise control over electronic properties. This breakthrough brings us closer to nanoscale circuitry, which could be used in various applications such as OLEDs and biomedical devices.

SourceUniversity of Rochester·JournalAdvanced Materials Interfaces·DateApr 21, 2014

Could a computer one day rewire itself?

Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a reconfigurable electronic material that can rearrange itself to meet different computational needs. This new material enables the creation of self-adapting electronic components with directed paths for electron flow.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateOct 16, 2011