Researchers at EPFL have created a technology to amplify light inside hollow-core optical fibers filled with air, increasing the light intensity significantly. This breakthrough enables longer-distance transmission and potential applications in thermometers and temporary optical memory.
SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Photonics·DateAug 10, 2020
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.
Researchers have created an optical fiber made of agar derived from marine algae that is edible, biocompatible and biodegradable. The fiber can be used for body structure imaging, localized light delivery, and localized drug delivery in various medical applications.
SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 24, 2020
Researchers develop sensitive optical fiber sensors using D-A based aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecular rotors and one-dimensional polymer fibers. The sensors respond to ambient humidity rapidly and reversibly with observable chromatic fluorescence change.
SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateJul 16, 2020
Scientists have developed a new class of light-powered, remotely controlled grippers grown on optical fibers. These micro-tools can change shape in response to light and are vital for various technologies. The researchers used liquid crystal elastomer technology to create the micro-grippers.
SourceUniversity of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateJul 15, 2020
Researchers have developed a technology that can detect various fabric deformations, such as stretch, pressure, and torque, using soft fiber-shaped sensors. These sensors operate like transmission lines and measure time intervals to determine deformation location, type, and intensity.
SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Electronics·DateJun 1, 2020
Researchers developed flexible sensor technology to detect fabric deformation, opening doors for smart textiles in clothing, hospital beds and robots. The technology measures time between sent and received signals to determine deformation location, type and intensity.
SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Electronics·DateJun 1, 2020
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.
Researchers have developed an efficient way to create micro-combs and exploit them in highly performing and robust frequency multiplexed optical fibre networks. This breakthrough enables the record-high data transmission over 75 km of standard optical fibre using a powerful class of micro-comb called soliton crystals.
SourceInstitut national de la recherche scientifique - INRS·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 25, 2020
Researchers from Monash, Swinburne and RMIT universities recorded Australia's fastest internet data speed and the world's from a single optical chip, capable of supporting 1.8 million households' high-speed connections. The technology has the potential to scale up existing infrastructure and enable ultra-high speed communications.
SourceMonash University·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 22, 2020
The BladeSense project has shown strong potential for advancing rotor blade health monitoring through real-time data collection. This technology could substantially save on lifecycle costs and provide new pathways for performance monitoring, using novel interferometric fibre optic shape measurement.
Researchers have developed hollow-core fibers that can preserve light's essential attributes over long distances, overcoming challenges in optical interferometric systems and sensors. The technology has the potential to enhance performance in applications such as gravitational wave sensing and inertial navigation.
SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalNature Photonics·DateMay 12, 2020
Researchers at KAUST developed a cost-effective approach to detect red palm weevil infestation using laser pulses and optical fibers. The system can identify larvae as young as 12 days old and provide noninvasive, 24/7 monitoring of large-scale farms.
SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalScientific Reports·DateMay 6, 2020
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.
A recent study used fiber optic cables to capture seismic signatures of the Rose Parade, capturing the vibrations of marching bands and floats. The technique, called distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), revealed distinct signals from the parade, including harmonic frequencies corresponding to even-stepping marching bands.
SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalSeismological Research Letters·DateMay 6, 2020
Scientists have developed an all-fiber optical wavelength converter using few-layer gallium selenide (GaSe) nanoflakes, enhancing efficiency by over four orders of magnitude compared to traditional microfibers. The converter can operate in a wide wavelength range, covering C, L telecom bands and the O band, with minimal power consumption.
SourceLight Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics And Physics, CAS·DateMay 5, 2020
Researchers developed a new design to reduce energy loss in optical fiber communications by radiating light in a single direction. This breakthrough has the potential to improve data communications for commercial data centers and enable battery-powered photonic computers.
SourceU.S. Army Research Laboratory·JournalNature·DateApr 22, 2020
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.
Researchers successfully demonstrated high-capacity transmission of 172 terabit/s over 2040km using a standard outer diameter coupled-3-core optical fiber. This achievement more than doubles the current world record and paves the way for early adoption in backbone high-capacity transmission systems.
SourceNational Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)·DateApr 2, 2020
Researchers demonstrate the potential for using existing optical fibers as seismic sensors, providing high-resolution maps of shallow subsurface and validating a new technique. The approach has great potential for use in large earthquake-threatened cities with extensive networks of buried optical cables.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab are developing fiber optic sensors to monitor offshore wind operations and underground natural gas storage. These sensors aim to detect issues such as gearbox failure and marine mammal activity, improving the reliability and safety of these systems.
SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·DateMar 30, 2020
Researchers at the University of Würzburg have discovered a new quantum state of matter that enables light to be accumulated at a specific point in an optical fiber. This effect, known as a 'light funnel', has the potential to improve the sensitivity of optical detectors and unlock new technological applications.
SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalScience·DateMar 27, 2020
Researchers demonstrate chip-based devices that enable secure quantum key exchange over long distances, reducing size and power needs while maintaining high-speed performance. The new platform facilitates citywide networks and will eventually support complex communication protocols.
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.
Researchers explore alternative materials to improve optical fiber's data transmission capabilities, as telecom demands grow. They discovered fluoride glass can transmit light over a wider range of wavelengths, but it is more expensive and brittle.
SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalChemical & Engineering News·DateMar 18, 2020
Researchers have demonstrated a significant leap in hollow-core fibre performance, enabling faster data transmission rates and reducing latency. The new technology has shown a 50% reduction in attenuation and a doubling of maximum transmission length compared to conventional glass fibres.
Researchers in Japan have developed a low-noise fiber link to connect high-precision clocks, enabling the creation of powerful networks for applications like earthquake detection and communication systems. The system uses a cascaded link with ultralow-noise laser repeater stations to minimize noise and stabilize the laser signal.
A breakthrough in optical fiber sensors has enabled the measurement of refractive index outside the cladding of standard fibers, addressing a decades-long challenge. The new concept uses Brillouin dynamic gratings to create acoustic oscillations within the core, allowing for precise measurement and spatially-distributed analysis.
SourceBar-Ilan University·JournalOptica·DateMar 9, 2020
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer
Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a trick to precisely control photons, the basic particles of light. This breakthrough enables the creation of light-based chips that could deliver far greater computational power than electronic chips.
SourceStanford University School of Engineering·JournalScience·DateFeb 19, 2020
Researchers have successfully demonstrated a world record transmission capacity of 10.66 peta-bit per second over a 38-core 3-mode optical fiber, achieving a spectral efficiency of 1158.7 bits per second per Hz. This breakthrough enables a drastic increase in data-rate per fiber for intra- and inter data-center communication.
SourceNational Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)·DateFeb 14, 2020
The study proposes smart data chip circuits that consume up to 10 times less energy than conventional chips. Researchers also developed an optimisation algorithm to control fibre optic communications at the network level, reducing energy consumption by up to 70%.
SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 13, 2020
Researchers successfully demonstrated the transport of an entangled state between an atom and a photon via an optic fiber over a distance of up to 20 km. This achievement sets a new record for quantum communication and confirms that quantum information can be distributed on a large scale with little loss.
SourceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 24, 2020
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.
A team from Wits and HUST shows that multiple quantum patterns of twisted light can be transmitted across a conventional fibre link, enabling a new approach to realising a future quantum network. The researchers demonstrated transfer of multi-dimensional entanglement states over 250m of single-mode fibre.
SourceUniversity of the Witwatersrand·JournalScience Advances·DateJan 24, 2020
Researchers at IBS have engineered a new biological tool that controls calcium signaling in the brain of mice using blue light. The study found that this non-invasive approach triggers memory and emphatic fear responses, indicating its potential for studying Ca2+ signaling and its role in neurodegenerative diseases.
SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 21, 2020
The new sensor detects hydrogen molecules at concentrations below 2%, outperforming traditional methods that require expensive equipment and trained personnel. Its sensitivity and resistance to interfering gases make it a game-changer for remote hydrogen leak detection.
SourceTomsk Polytechnic University·JournalACS Sensors·DateJan 14, 2020
Researchers have transformed submarine cables into a seismic network, tracking earthquakes and ocean waves. The new technology has the potential to fill blind spots in the global seismic network.
SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 18, 2019
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.
Scientists have successfully detected seismic waves using submarine telecommunications cables, which can also detect earthquakes, swell, and underwater noise. The researchers deployed a 41 km-long cable to retrieve data from an underwater observatory, converting it into over 6000 seismic sensors.
Researchers successfully transmitted a signal over 520 km at 200 Gbps using commercial cables and stimulated Raman scattering effect, increasing signal-to-noise ratio. The system uses remote optically pumped amplifiers to amplify the signal along the link without electrical power sources.
SourceMoscow Institute of Physics and Technology·JournalIEEE Photonics Technology Letters·DateDec 16, 2019
Researchers used a fiber optic network to detect thunderquakes, allowing them to track lightning storms and potentially image the Earth's interior. The study found that fiber optic cables can pick up a wider range of frequencies than traditional seismometers.
Researchers at Penn State used fiber-optic cables to detect tiny seismic events caused by thunder during a storm, marking the first time scientists have recorded thunder-induced seismic events.
Scientists are exploring the use of fiber optic cables as earthquake sensors due to their potential for accurate seismic data collection. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology uses internal flaws in fibers to detect changes in temperature, strain, or vibrations caused by seismic waves.
SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalSeismological Research Letters·DateDec 4, 2019
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.
Researchers at VTT created an optical fibre from cellulose, suitable for measuring moisture levels in buildings. The cellulose-based fibre absorbs and releases water, allowing for accurate measurements.
SourceVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland·JournalCellulose·DateDec 3, 2019
Researchers used fiber-optic cables to create a seismic network that can detect earthquakes and map fault zones. The technique, known as Distributed Acoustic Sensing, uses laser light to measure strain in the cable, providing detailed images of the ocean floor.
SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalScience·DateNov 28, 2019
Researchers used existing underwater fiber optic cables to create an array of seismic sensors, mapping a previously unknown fault system off California's coast. The technique, known as Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), allows for unprecedented detail in monitoring seafloor seismic activity and potential offshore resources.
SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateNov 28, 2019
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.
A new project by University of Limerick aims to deliver more effective brachytherapy cancer treatment through advanced real-time radiation dose imaging and source localisation. The Origin project has the potential to reduce treatment errors in prostate and gynaecological cancers by up to 55%.
Researchers from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, University of Salento, and Harvard Medical School have developed a new light-based method to capture and pinpoint the epicenter of neural activity. The approach allows for novel ways to map connections across different brain regions.
SourceIstituto Italiano di Tecnologia - IIT·JournalNature Methods·DateNov 19, 2019
A new particle analysis technique offers a promising way to monitor air pollution by capturing and analyzing individual airborne particles. The approach provides highly reproducible, real-time results and can identify the size and refractive index of particles, which is essential for assessing health risks.
The researchers developed a method to print silica optical fibers using additive manufacturing, eliminating the need for precise core centering. This allows for the creation of complex fiber designs and applications, such as fiber optic sensors, with reduced costs and improved longevity.
The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has developed a large-scale optical switching testbed capable of handling 1 Petabit per second optical signals. This breakthrough demonstrates the feasibility of ultra-high capacity petabit-class backbone networks, which can support increasing internet services ...
SourceNational Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)·DateOct 17, 2019
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.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a stretchable optical lace material that enables soft robots to sense their environment through mechanosensors. The material allows robots to detect changes in stress and strain, enabling them to adjust their actions accordingly.
SourceCornell University·JournalScience Robotics·DateSep 11, 2019
Scientists at EPFL have developed perfect soliton crystals in optical microresonators, allowing for the generation of pulse trains with high repetition rates and enhanced power. This breakthrough enables applications in spectroscopy, distance measurements, and low-noise terahertz radiation.
SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Physics·DateSep 9, 2019
The new self-calibrating endoscope produces 3D images of objects smaller than a single cell, opening new opportunities for medicine and research. The device measures just 200 microns across and enables minimally invasive access and high-contrast imaging.
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.
Engineers at the University of Illinois have found a way to redirect misfit light waves to reduce energy loss during optical data transmission. By exploiting an interaction between light and sound waves, they were able to suppress backscattering in silica glass, a common material used in fiber optic cables.
SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalOptica·DateAug 12, 2019
A team of seismologists from Caltech is tracking thousands of tiny aftershocks in the Ridgecrest region using a novel fiber optic network. This technique involves shooting light down unused fiber optic cables, which act as individual seismometers, allowing for unprecedented detail on the evolution of earthquake sequences.
Researchers developed new accelerometers to measure acceleration and vibration on trains, enabling real-time monitoring of track or train problems. The sensors use polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber and can detect frequencies double that of traditional accelerometers.
A tiny fibre-optic sensor has the potential to save lives in open heart surgery and during surgery on pre-term babies. The continuous cardiac flow monitoring probe is a safe way to give real-time measurement of blood flow.
SourceFlinders University·JournalJournal of Biophotonics·DateJul 8, 2019
Engineers at the University of California, Riverside, have developed a new technology that tunnels light into the quantum realm with unprecedented efficiency. The device integrates a glass optical fiber with a silver nanowire condenser to squeeze visible light to the tip of the condenser and interact with molecules locally.
SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Photonics·DateJun 10, 2019
Meta Quest 3 512GB
Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.
Researchers at NTNU have developed a method to make optical fibers using gallium antimonide, which can emit infrared light, allowing for longer wavelengths and improved transmission. This could lead to better medical diagnoses and more precise environmental monitoring.
SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 23, 2019
Researchers at RMIT University have developed a new technique to produce microscopic 3D images of tissue inside the body using existing optical fibre technology. This approach enables clinicians to examine living tissue in real-time, paving the way for minimally-invasive 3D optical biopsies.
SourceRMIT University·JournalScience Advances·DateApr 26, 2019
Researchers at NICT and Furukawa Electric successfully demonstrated a record SDM transmission experiment, achieving 715 Tb/s over 2009 km using a 19-core optical amplifier. The demonstration showcases the potential of high-core count cladding pumped EDFAs for long-haul transmission in both C and L bands.
SourceNational Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT)·DateApr 8, 2019
A new approach enables the smooth navigation of photons through complex optical fiber obstacle courses, preserving entanglement and correlation. This breakthrough boosts expectations for quantum key distribution (QKD) technology, which uses signals in particles of light to create encryption keys.
SourceCentre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateApr 4, 2019
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.
Researchers develop AI algorithm to optimize traffic management in optical telecommunications networks, increasing efficiency by 30%. The new approach uses deep reinforcement learning and can learn autonomously without prior knowledge.
Researchers have found a way to exploit multicore fiber technology to solve the encryption problem in secure data transmission. The approach uses dedicated cores of a multicore fiber to avoid noise generated by core-to-core crosstalk, allowing for up to 341 QKD channels.
Researchers have developed an integrated silicon photonic switch capable of processing 240 inputs and 240 outputs simultaneously, achieving the lowest signal loss ever reported. The device, measuring 4cm x 4cm, surpasses previous records by nearly doubling the size of existing silicon photonic switches.
A team of researchers from Infinera achieved a record efficiency for data transfer in the MAREA transatlantic fiber optic cable, nearly doubling its capacity to 26.2 terabits per second. The method uses 16QAM modulation and extends record-setting capacity across longer distances without requiring new cables.