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Silicon nanopillars for quantum communication

Researchers created silicon nanopillars using MacEtch, a wet etching technique that generates light particles at the right wavelength to proliferate in optical fibers. This breakthrough enables practical quantum communication via optical fibers.

Less invasive treatment for emphysema is as good as more invasive surgery: results from first randomised controlled trial comparing lung volume surgery and bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with valve placement

A randomized controlled trial found that both BVLR and surgery lead to significant improvements in lung function, breathlessness, and exercise capacity. The study suggests that less invasive BVLR may be a good therapeutic option for suitable patients, offering a similar outcome to traditional surgery.

The invention of a flexible ultra-thin endoscope thinner than a needle

Researchers developed a high-resolution holographic endoscope system that can reconstruct microscopic images without attaching equipment to the fiber bundle. The new endoscope has a diameter of 350 μm and achieves spatial resolution of 850 nm, far smaller than the core size of optical fibers.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

‘Plug-and-play’ plasmonic metafibers for ultrafast fibre lasers

Researchers developed a method to integrate plasmonic metasurfaces on optical fibre tips, enabling advanced applications like planar waveshaping and super-resolution imaging. The new metafibers provide 'all-in-fibers' optical systems for sensing, imaging, communications, and more.

Researchers use infrared light to wirelessly transmit power over 30 meters

A new wireless laser charging system uses infrared light to transfer high levels of power over distances of up to 30 meters, sufficient for charging sensors. The system automatically shifts to a safe low power delivery mode if an object or person blocks the line of sight, achieving hazard-free power delivery in free space.

1-Pbps orbital angular momentum fibre-optic transmission

Researchers have developed a fibre-optic transmission system that integrates SDM, PDM, and DWDM over a 34-km long fibre, achieving a raw capacity of 1.223 Pb/s with a spectral efficiency of 156.8 bit/s/Hz. The system utilizes OAM modes to reduce MIMO complexity, enabling low power consumption and scalability.

Customized fiber generates Bessel beams

Customized fibers have been engineered to generate Bessel beams, opening up new applications in imaging and communications. The fibers use a technique called two-photon lithography to fabricate special beam-shaping elements, enabling the creation of compact Bessel beam generators.

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.

Tiny optical sensors could put an end to hospital bed sores

Researchers at the University of South Australia have developed tiny optical fibre sensors to monitor movement and record vital signs, reducing the risk of pressure sores. The technology can detect when patients remain motionless for extended periods, prompting nurses to adjust their position.

Scientists have created optical fibers with unusual properties

Researchers at Ural Federal University develop infrared optical fibers with high transparency and low optical losses, suitable for applications in space, laser surgery and medical imaging. The fibers retain their properties even when exposed to ionizing radiation.

Researchers create biosensor by turning spider silk into optical fiber

A new light-based sensor harnesses the light-guiding properties of spider silk to detect and measure small changes in the refractive index of a biological solution, including glucose and other types of sugar solutions. The sensor is practical, compact, biocompatible, cost-effective, and highly sensitive.

New photoacoustic endoscope fits inside a needle

Researchers have created a photoacoustic imaging endoscope probe that can fit inside a medical needle, resolving subcellular-scale tissue structural and molecular information in 3D. The device has an ultra-thin design, allowing for real-time 3D characterization of tissue during minimally invasive procedures.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

A boost in performances in fibre-integrated quantum memories

Researchers have demonstrated a significant improvement in fibre-integrated quantum memories, achieving an entanglement storage time of over 1000 microseconds. The fully integrated device enables the use of sophisticated control systems, allowing for improved scalability and compatibility with telecommunications infrastructure.

Quantitative phase imaging through an ultra-thin lensless fiber endoscope

Researchers have developed a new algorithm to reconstruct incident light field from far-field speckles, enabling three-dimensional quantitative phase imaging with nanoscale axial sensitivity and lateral resolution. This technology paves the way for in vivo label-free characterization of cells and tissue with minimal invasiveness.

1-Pbps orbital angular momentum fiber-optic transmission

Researchers demonstrate a fibre-optic transmission system using OAM modes, achieving a raw capacity of 1.223 Pb/s and spectral efficiency of 156.8 bit/s/Hz. The system uses a 34-km long 7-core ring core fibre with low MIMO complexity.

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.

Eavesdropping on whales in the high Arctic

Researchers successfully used Distributed Acoustic Sensing to passively listen to whales, detecting over 830 vocalizations and locating their positions with unprecedented spatial resolution. The technique allows for real-time monitoring of whale behavior, as well as detection of other ocean sounds like storms and earthquakes.

Optical fiber imaging method advances studies of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers develop speckle-based compressive imaging technique to improve deep-tissue imaging in Alzheimer's disease studies. The method reduces pixel measurements needed, producing high-resolution images up to 11 times faster and three times bigger than traditional raster-scan approach.

Light travelling in a distorting medium can appear undistorted

A team of researchers has discovered a property of light that remains unchanged in complex media, allowing for distortion-free communication and sensing. By applying a novel quantum approach, they showed that all light has this invariant property, which can be exploited to correct distortions without losing any light.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Sponge-like solar cells could be basis for better pacemakers

Researchers at the University of Chicago have invented a new type of porous solar cell that can power medical devices, including pacemakers. The innovative technology reduces the size of bulky batteries and eliminates the need for high temperatures or toxic gases in production.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Fiber glow brings more go for underwater communications

Researchers from KAUST have designed an all-inorganic halide-perovskite polymer-fiber-photodetector that can detect light in the green region (around 510 nm), enabling fast underwater optical communications. The system offers a 3dB bandwidth of 13.1 MHz, allowing data transmission speeds of up to 152.5 Mbit/s.

Physics and applications of Raman distributed optical fiber sensing

Raman distributed optical fiber sensing offers flexibility and effectiveness in distributed temperature measurement for various engineering applications. Researchers have developed high-performance systems with optimized performance indices, including accuracy, distance, resolution, and multi-parameter monitoring.

Ultrafast all-optical random bit generator

Researchers proposed and experimentally demonstrated an all-optical random bit generation method using chaotic pulses quantized in the optical domain. This method generated a 10 Gb/s random bit stream, potentially operable at higher rates by exploiting ultrafast fiber response.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Sapphire fiber could enable cleaner energy and air-travel

Researchers have developed a sensor made of sapphire fibre that can withstand temperatures over 2000°C, enabling significant improvements in efficiency and emission reduction in aerospace and power generation. The technology has potential applications in space and fusion power industries.

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.

New polymer materials make fabricating optical interconnects easier

Researchers developed new polymer materials with adjustable refractive index, enabling easy creation of optical interconnects between photonic chips and board-level circuits. The technology has the potential to boost Internet data center efficiency by reducing power consumption and heat generation.

Over half a million dollars for space telecommunications research

A team of researchers led by Prof. Federico Rosei is developing high-power active optical fibers doped with erbium and ytterbium for ultra-fast satellite communications. The goal is to convert heat dissipated by the fibers into electrical energy, enabling near real-time Earth observation imaging.

Volcano monitoring at Mount Etna using fibre optic cables

A fibre optic cable was used to record volcanic events at Mount Etna, detecting seismo-acoustic activity and mapping hidden structural features. The Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) method proved suitable for volcano monitoring and hazard assessment.

3D printing technology could change the optical fiber industry

Researchers successfully fabricated centimeter-scale optical fiber preforms using DLP 3D printing technology, enabling the creation of single-mode and multi-mode fibers. The team also explored doping elements to enhance luminescence properties, reducing fiber loss by controlling temperature and pressure during fabrication.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

New world record for qubit storage

A UNIGE team has successfully stored a quantum bit for 20 milliseconds in a crystal-based memory. This achievement marks a major step towards the development of long-distance quantum telecommunications networks.

Nanomodulators of light on optical micro-probes to study the brain

An international research team developed nanometric light modulators to study neuronal tissue in deep brain regions. The new approach enables the creation of minimally invasive neural probes that can be used to study specific brain diseases, including brain tumors and epilepsy.

A new amplifying technique for weak and noisy signals

Researchers at INRS developed a method to amplify weak optical signals while reducing noise content using the Talbot self-imaging effect. This technique has potential applications in various fields like telecommunications, bioimaging, and remote sensing.

When light loses symmetry, it can hold particles

Scientists at Huazhong University of Science and Technology have created a new type of fiber optical tweezers that can trap particles using transverse electromagnetic modes. This breakthrough enables the manipulation of single biomolecules like DNA and proteins, opening up new possibilities for bioparticle research.

Seeing inside cells with an integrated nanowire probe

Researchers developed a multifunctional microfiber probe for real-time monitoring of cellular molecules and changes in cell morphology. The nanowire probe enabled sensitive detection of refractive index distribution in single living cells during apoptosis.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Optical sensing for orthopedic surgery

The integration of optical sensing into orthopedic surgical devices has the potential to increase accuracy and improve outcomes in musculoskeletal repair. Researchers explore various types of optical sensing, including spectroscopy and imaging, to address unmet clinical needs in orthopedic surgery.

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.

A clear and undamaged view of optical fiber

A team of scientists developed a unique technology to measure optical fiber diameter without damaging it, using forward stimulated Brillouin scattering. This allows for accurate measurements up to several kilometers and significantly higher spatial resolution.

Flattening the curve: Nano-film enhanced supercontinuum edition

Researchers create a novel concept to improve supercontinuum light sources by incorporating nano-films into microstructured fibers. This results in broad and flattened output spectra with low input energy, ideal for applications like optical coherence tomography and field hand-held spectroscopy.

Side-polished SMS based RI sensor employing perfluorinated POF

The research team proposes a method to fabricate a refractive index sensor using perfluoropolymer fiber and single mode-m multimode-single mode (SMS) structure, which achieves high sensitivity. The experimental results show that the refractive index sensitivity is -219.504 dB/RIU.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

A superconducting silicon-photonic chip for quantum communication

Researchers have developed a superconducting silicon-photonic chip for quantum communication, enabling optimal Bell-state measurement of time-bin encoded qubits. This breakthrough enhances the key rate of secure quantum communication and removes detector side-channel attacks, significantly increasing security.

Controlling light with a material three atoms thick

Scientists have developed a new material, black phosphorous, only three atoms thick, which can control light with unprecedented precision. This breakthrough technology has the potential to revolutionize telecommunications and pave the way for Li-Fi, a light-based replacement for Wi-Fi.

Two beams are better than one

Researchers have made a breakthrough in Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) by sending two laser beams together, reducing distortion caused by atmospheric turbulence. This innovation promises to improve wireless communication speeds and security for applications such as high-speed internet, airplanes, drones, and satellites.

German scientists develop multimodal fiber probe for in vivo tissue diagnostics

A team of scientists from Germany develops a novel all-fiber based endoscopic set-up for multimodal non-linear endoscopy, allowing for the reliable assessment of tissue and successful surgery. The probe enables label-free tissue diagnostics, including tumor margin detection, and has the potential to improve patient care and reduce costs.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Smuggling light through opaque materials

Electrical engineers at Duke University have discovered a way to extend the use of chalcogenide glasses into the visible and ultraviolet parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. By nanostructuring these materials, they can create high-order harmonic frequencies that enable transmission of light at previously inaccessible wavelengths.

First observation of energy-difference conservation in optical domain

A research team at POSTECH observes synchronized oscillations of optical intensity and symmetry-breaking transitions at an exceptional point. They also discover energy-difference conservation for the first time in the optical domain using APT symmetry platforms based on nonlinear four-wave-mixing.

Compact amplifier could revolutionize optical communication

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a unique optical amplifier that offers high performance, is compact enough to integrate into a chip just millimeters in size, and does not generate excess noise. This breakthrough technology has the potential to revolutionize both space and fiber communication.

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.