News on R&D across science and industry. Covers R&D awards, applied studies, quantum institutes, and university research initiatives.
Researchers at Tufts University developed miniaturized sensors that can detect nutrients, chemicals and physiological states, offering a non-invasive way to monitor dietary intake. The sensors, with a footprint of 2mm x 2mm, transmit data wirelessly in response to radiofrequency signals.
The EPA has shifted focus to high-throughput computational models to quickly identify chemicals that require more scrutiny, following a slow start in its previous approach. Researchers have made significant progress, including the development of estrogen and androgen receptor models.
A team of researchers has developed an open-source, clinically validated template for a 3D printed stethoscope that can be created using recycled plastic and costs less than $3 to produce. The device has been shown to have the same acoustic quality as premium brand stethoscopes.
Cass Sunstein has made significant contributions to research in constitutional law, democratic theory, and behavioral economics. He was awarded the Holberg Prize for his work, which has had a far-reaching impact on public policy. Meanwhile, Norwegian political scientist Francesca R. Jensenius received the Nils Klim Prize for her outsta...
A recent study by University of Delaware professors found that while interventions for stigma-based bullying have increased, their implementation and evaluation need improvement. The researchers suggest increasing the capacity of school health professionals to address LGBTQ bullying and developing strategies to reduce stereotypes and p...
Researchers at Bar-Ilan University develop Nano-Drops, a technology that corrects refractive errors by modifying the corneal refractive index. The treatment involves laser stamping onto the cornea to create tiny spots for nanoparticles to enhance optical power.
A new study has developed an automated approach to select and seed teams for the NCAA March Madness basketball tournaments, providing an objective and unbiased starting point. The algorithm achieved high accuracy rates, matching 24 of 38 top teams in seeding and 89.6% being within two seeds of committee rankings.
Researchers at University of Plymouth are developing robots to work alongside farmers in Cornwall, ensuring availability gaps are filled and reducing manual labor costs. The 'ABC project' aims to create small, mobile machines that can perform tasks like harvesting, weeding, and pesticide application with increased efficiency and accuracy.
A new startup, Borês Technologies, is working on low-power-consumption electronics that will enable the haptic revolution in mobile technologies. The technology has the potential to change the way people interact with their electronic devices and with each other remotely.
Researchers developed a new approach that uses a single PET scan to assess PD-L1 positive tumors, enabling personalized cancer treatment. The study demonstrates the feasibility of this non-invasive method, which may help guide treatment decisions and assess treatment response.
Researchers at KAIST developed a hybrid energy storage device that can be charged in less than half a minute using aqueous electrolytes and graphene. The device facilitates rapid charging and high energy density, making it suitable for portable electronic devices.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will collaborate with private sector companies and local transportation agencies to develop changes in freight demand patterns and reduce energy use. The project aims to test new ideas, collect data, and inform research on energy-efficient transportation technologies and systems.
The Rosalind Franklin Institute is investing £1.55m in a unique electron microscope that will allow researchers to visualize structures at near atomic scale in time and space. This technology will enable the development of new treatments for diseases such as cancer, malaria, and Alzheimer's.
The Russian National Technological Initiative aims to intensify heat transfer using nanomodified composite materials and nanostructures, aiming to remove high-density heat fluxes at low temperature differences.
The Estée Lauder Companies presents research on new anti-aging compounds, including hydroxypinacolone retinoate (HPR) that improves skin appearance without irritation. Caffeine enhances epidermal hydration by increasing the transepithelial electric potential and electro-osmosis.
Researchers at Osaka University have developed a nonlinear optical crystal chip combining THz waves with microfluidic devices, enabling sensitive detection of low concentrations in small volumes. The technique has great potential for early disease detection and non-destructive analysis of living cells.
Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark have developed a new method to rapidly transform the soft body of jellyfish into a crunchy treat. The technique, which uses ethanol, produces crispy jellyfish chips that could be of potential gastronomic interest.
Researchers create conditions to test theoretical nuclear effect, capturing excited nuclei and gamma rays for the first time. This advance may improve understanding of star formation and creation of star elements.
The new CU Boulder e-skin has sensors embedded to measure pressure, temperature, humidity and air flow. It can be easily conformed to curved surfaces and is fully recyclable at room temperature, making it a valuable material for diverse medical, scientific and engineering fields.
The new microscope developed by SFU researchers allows for the study of molecular interactions under high forces and fast spinning speeds, revealing new insights into collagen stability. This breakthrough has significant implications for developing better treatments to prevent collagen degradation.
Researchers at Cornell University developed a novel analytical technique to visualize polymer chain growth in real-time. By combining magnetic tweezers, optical microscopy, and spectroscopic techniques, they discovered that individual polymer chains undergo consecutive wait-and-jump steps.
A team of UMass Lowell researchers has developed sensing fabrics with optical fibers and sensors to monitor structural health and integrity of vital infrastructures. These fabrics can detect cracks and strain early on, minimizing maintenance costs and environmental impacts.
A study by the University of Waterloo found that mixed-use developments in Toronto neighbourhoods led to increased costs and reduced social diversity, disproportionately affecting low-income groups. The study suggests that good policy, such as inclusionary zoning and affordable housing trusts, is needed to address these issues.
Researchers developed a novel probabilistic approach to mine big data, enabling the creation of an 'Optimal Information Network' (OIN) for assessing health outcomes in U.S. cities. The OIN identified poor and favorable health metrics, with some cities showing high variability over time.
The proposed integrated Materials Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) could cut the average time for developing a useful new material from 20 years down to one or two years. The report recommends six key areas to create these platforms, including self-driving laboratories, AI for materials discovery, and modular materials robotics.
The partnership between Rothamsted Research and Timac Agro UK aims to develop practical solutions for farmers through research, development, and real-life improvements. By investing in research and people, the collaboration seeks to create a flexible industry that provides innovative solutions for agriculture.
The DRIVE-AB consortium recommends a market entry reward of $1 billion per antibiotic globally to increase innovative antibiotic development and sustainable use. The report estimates up to 16-20 new antibiotics could be developed in the next 30 years, addressing priority pathogens identified by the WHO.
Aalto University researchers have developed a new work model that allocates caregivers to a shared pool, reducing the need for temporary agency staff by up to 60%. This approach has improved home care services and reduced carers' workload, enabling them to better respond to clients' needs.
Researchers have successfully implanted protons into iron-based superconductors, inducing bulk superconductivity with Tc at 20 K. Protonation also enhances Tc in FeS, overcoming the difficulty of lacking sensitive NMR isotopes.
Research suggests that cervical dilatation during labor for vaginal births can progress more slowly than the widely accepted benchmark of 1 cm/hour in many women. Women giving birth to their first child and progressing at the slowest rates may take up to 7 hours to reach full dilation.
Researchers developed the Situation awareness-based Agent Transparency model to enhance agent transparency, improving human-agent team performance. Higher levels of transparency led to better trust calibration and overall team effectiveness.
Researchers have created an environmentally friendly red light flare using a lithium-based pyrotechnic composition, avoiding hazardous elements like strontium and chlorinated organic materials. The new formulation shows high color quality and purity, and the team plans to further optimize its luminosity.
A new removable implant has been developed to control type 1 diabetes, with hundreds of thousands of islet cells protected by a thin hydrogel coating and attached to a polymer thread. This therapy could replace daily insulin injections and offer a more effective management solution for the disease.
A new drone system detects voices and sounds from disaster victims through background noise, helping rescue teams locate them faster. The system combines microphone array technology, sound source localization, and automatic speech recognition.
A Penn State research group extended its food safety training program to Armenia, showing significant improvements in students' knowledge, behavior, and attitudes towards food safety. The project aims to replicate the program in Ukraine, Africa, and Latin America to combat global foodborne illness.
The Gulf Research Program aims to develop new technologies to improve understanding and management of systemic risk in offshore oil and gas operations. The program focuses on addressing the risks associated with hydrocarbon releases, which pose threats to human health, safety, environment, and infrastructure.
Researchers developed a human agent's opinion model to make decisions by aggregating evidence under uncertainty. A small fraction of agents propagating true information can significantly help mitigate false information propagation, making it an important national security problem.
A US Army Research Laboratory researcher has won a best paper award at an internet conference in Thailand for his work on NDN fuzzy interest forwarding. The technique enables discovery and retrieval of data using approximate knowledge of the data namespace, alleviating the need for exacting name matching.
A team of Army scientists published new findings on modeling insights into battery electrolyte structure and stability, highlighting the importance of tailoring electrolytes to support fast and reversible lithium transport. The research aims to improve battery efficiency and lifespan.
The HADES system creates a simulated environment that alters certain data points, leading hackers to doubt the authenticity of the information. This allows researchers to gather actionable intelligence and detect malware more effectively.
Researchers have successfully visualized terahertz radiation by converting it into bright, visible light using the rattling motion of oxygen ions in a cage-like structure. The crystal, called mayenite, is composed of calcium, aluminum, and oxygen, making it an inexpensive material with potential applications in T-ray detection.
A new study by The George Institute for Global Health at the University of Oxford found that heart failure cases are on the rise in the UK, with the poorest people being the most affected. The study analyzed data from four million people in England and found a 12% increase in new cases between 2002 and 2014.
An Army scientist has discovered a new pattern in thunderstorms that can help predict how weather and environment affect unmanned aerial systems on the battlefield. Strong downdrafts and super-cooled raindrops pose significant threats to UAS, but current models struggle to accurately predict these factors.
Argonne National Laboratory researchers have developed several groundbreaking technologies, including an oil absorbent that can clean up sub-surface oil droplets and a proactive defense mechanism to enhance computer system security. The Oleo Sponge can absorb up to 90 times its weight in oil and is reusable, while the Multiple Operatin...
The INQNET research program aims to develop scalable quantum computing infrastructure through the creation of a quantum network and investigation of fundamental challenges in quantum science. The first phase of the Fermilab quantum network teleportation experiment (FQNET) is expected to produce results by late spring.
The University of Strathclyde has received a Grand Challenges Explorations grant to monitor premature and at-risk babies using a new skin-worn sensor. The Neo-PATch prototype detects plasma analytes without blood samples, enabling timely treatment and keeping newborns safe with their mothers.
A team of UCLA engineers is developing an Internet of Things (IoT) system tailored to the challenges of the battlefield, enabled by data-driven decision making and secure platforms. The system aims to increase mission success and reduce casualties in rapidly changing situations.
Researchers at Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering developed an immersive virtual reality system to visualize and interact with large volumes of 3D anatomical brain data. The system allows users to explore the brain's cellular structure, highlighting key findings in neurotechnology development and research.
Researchers will develop microfluidic biomarker detection platforms to monitor human responses to space radiation, focusing on hematopoietic and gastrointestinal systems. The goal is to prevent or lessen negative effects of simulated space radiation on these tissues.
A study published in Motivation and Emotion suggests that narrowing attention on a desirable object increases desire for it. Researchers found that people who were focused on dessert images reacted faster to pull them towards them than to mundane items.
The Phase II study demonstrated an overall response rate of 60%, including partial responses in 12% and stabilization of the disease in 48% of cases. Median progression-free survival was also achieved at 3 months, with manageable adverse effects related to myelosuppression.
Researchers at NC State University found that amputees using powered knee prostheses faced difficulties when carrying loads, but load-adaptive settings reduced exertion and improved performance. The study highlights the need for more real-world testing in prosthetics research to expand device utility.
Professor Sang-Young Lee's 'all-inkjet-printed flexible batteries on paper' technique fabricates batteries directly on conventional A4 paper using a commercial desktop inkjet printer. This technology enables printing portable electronic devices on any surface, regardless of shape, holding promise for IoT and wearable electronics.
The pilot project identified significant bottlenecks in data sharing practices among IDRC-funded projects, including lack of resources, expertise, and tailored data management platforms. The study recommends empowering Program Officers with training and support to enhance policy implementation.
A team of scientists developed an innovative way to prevent sleeping sickness in cattle using the smell of antelopes. By mimicking the waterbuck's repellent scent, more than 80 percent of cows were spared from infection. The method is cheaper and more popular among Maasai herders than traditional treatments.
Scientists used animation techniques from 'Star Wars' to develop a new molecular modeling tool, yielding insights into sperm tail movement and protein motors. The project also tackled a fundamental challenge in science: modeling hierarchical cellular and molecular motions across various scales.
A French and Japanese research group developed a new way to turn AFM measurements into clear color images, enabling observation of materials and substances like alloys, semiconductors, and chemical compounds. The newly developed method holds promise for becoming widely used in the research and development of surfaces and devices.
Researchers at Osaka University have developed a new method to make non-stick fluoropolymers adhesive by combining heat and plasma treatments. This approach improves the bonding strength of PTFE with other materials, avoiding the use of harsh chemicals and increasing its industrial applications.
Mousensor, LLC has been awarded a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop a human-nose-on-a-chip based on fundamental research at CUNY. The company aims to detect and digitize every single smell, enabling fragrance houses to increase competitive advantage through unique product development.
The licensed technology increases deposition rates by three orders of magnitude, improving quality and minimizing roughness in printed parts. This enables the production of high-resolution parts with reduced post-processing needs.