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.
Researchers at Waseda University have developed an integrated smart contact lens that enables real-time intraocular pressure monitoring for early glaucoma diagnosis. The device leverages parity-time symmetry for ultra-sensitive wireless detection, increasing sensitivity by a factor of 183.
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.
Using a laser-induced technique, researchers have created highly transparent and ultra-smooth 3D microphotonic devices with a record length-to-thickness ratio. The new photonic origami method enables tiny, yet complex optical devices for next-generation data processing, sensing, and experimental physics applications.
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Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.
Researchers have created ultra-durable metalenses that can withstand physical stress and maintain high optical efficiency, paving the way for their use in compact, practical optics. The new design incorporates a spin-on-glass layer for self-cleaning functionality.
Scientists at Linköping University have made a significant breakthrough in creating controllable flat optics using nanostructures on a flat surface. By precisely controlling the distance between antennas, they achieved up to tenfold improvement in performance, opening up new avenues for applications such as video holograms and biomedic...
Engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a method to create stable optical knots using laser beams, which could be used to transmit encoded information or measure turbulence in pockets of air. The team found that by adding more squiggles to the knot's features, they could make it stable for longer and resist degradation.
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have successfully fabricated flat lenses called Fresnel zone plates using industry-standard equipment. These lenses have the potential to revolutionize optics in various fields by reducing space requirements while increasing efficiency, but they currently lack the efficiency of traditional lenses.
A University of Houston study found that wearing multifocal contact lenses for myopia control has a lasting effect, slowing eye growth and progression. The study, which followed children from ages 7 to 11 for three years, showed that the treatment benefit remained even after discontinuing treatment.
Research led by University of Pittsburgh scientists found that exposure to long-wavelength red light reduces blood clots in humans and mice. The study's findings have the potential to reduce deaths and disabilities caused by blood clots worldwide.
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Researchers at Seoul National University's Optical Engineering and Quantum Electronics Laboratory developed an optical design technology that dramatically reduces the volume of cameras with a folded lens system utilizing metasurfaces. The new lens system achieves a thickness of 0.7mm, making it suitable for ultra-compact devices such a...
Researchers have developed a deep-learning-powered metalens imaging system that overcomes limitations of traditional metalenses. The system pairs a mass-produced metalens with an image restoration framework driven by AI to achieve aberration-free, full-color images while maintaining compact form factor.
Bifocal lenses with adjustable focal intensities are created by applying external voltage to bilayer liquid crystal structures. The new design enables polarization imaging and edge imaging, highlighting the outlines of objects with fine details.
Researchers propose a leaf-inspired luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) design to overcome scalability limitations. The innovative setup enhances photon collection and transfer, improving efficiency and reducing self-absorption issues.
Researchers developed DeepLens design method based on curriculum learning to optimize complex lens designs. The approach considers key parameters like resolution, aperture, and field of view, providing optimal solutions without human intervention.
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Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.
A new fluorescence detection system can detect fluorescent proteins from bacteria in water down to levels of less than one part per billion, meeting the World Health Organization’s criteria for detecting fecal contamination. The lensless fluorometer reduces device cost, size and weight while providing better performance.
Researchers have developed a flat lens made of tungsten disulphide with concentric rings that focuses light using diffraction, leveraging quantum effects to enhance its efficiency. The lens is half a millimeter wide and just 0.6 nanometres thick, making it the thinnest lens on Earth.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have developed a novel resin for 3D printing intraocular devices, offering unprecedented levels of customization and design precision. This innovation has potential to enhance eye care globally with tailored lenses, faster production, and cost reduction.
A new approach uses artificial intelligence to turn low-quality images into high-quality ones, enhancing the image quality of metalens cameras. This technology could make these cameras viable for intricate microscopy applications and mobile devices.
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Canadian researchers have developed a new 3D printing method called blurred tomography that can rapidly produce microlenses with commercial-level optical quality. The method uses projected light to solidify a light-sensitive resin in specific areas, allowing for rapid prototyping of optical components.
Engineers at Stanford University have developed a prototype augmented reality headset that uses holographic imaging to overlay full-color, 3D moving images on the lenses of regular glasses. The new approach delivers a visually satisfying 3D viewing experience in a compact and comfortable form factor suitable for all-day wear.
Researchers developed a custom-built, low-cost mesoscope that can adapt to different neuroimaging experiments in live mice and rats. The system offers excellent spatial and temporal resolutions, achieved through its reversible tandem lens configuration, which enables flexible experimentation.
Scientists have developed a new technique called electron ptychography that boosts the resolution of electron microscopes using computation, allowing for record-breaking resolution without expensive aberration correctors. This breakthrough enables state-of-the-art resolution at a fraction of the cost, making microscopy more accessible.
Researchers developed a spiral-shaped lens that provides clear focus at different distances in varying light conditions, potentially revolutionizing ophthalmology. The lens works by creating multiple clear focus points through optical vortices, allowing for improved depth perception and visual acuity.
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Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.
A team of researchers at Ghent University and imec developed a silicon photonic temperature sensor that measures up to 180°C. The sensor was realized in the framework of the European SEER project, where partners focus on integrating optical sensors in manufacturing routines for composite parts.
The researchers successfully created a stable hybrid laser by 3D printing micro-optics onto fibers, reducing the size and cost of traditional lasers. The new design enables high-power laser sources with compactness and robustness, opening up opportunities for applications such as autonomous vehicles, medical procedures, and lithography.
A team of researchers from POSTECH successfully engineered a dual metalens capable of switching between different imaging modes using a single lens. This innovation enables fast mode-switching and acquisition of high-resolution images for applications such as bio-imaging and cellular reactions.
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Scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have developed a system that can adjust the size, shape, and refractive index of microscopic lenses in real-time. The design uses hydrogels and polydimethylsiloxane to create a dynamic platform for soft robotics and liquid optics applications.
Researchers create practical way to implement superlensing with minimal losses, breaking through diffraction limit by nearly four times. The method allows scientists to improve super-resolution microscopy, advancing imaging in fields like cancer diagnostics and archaeology.
Scientists developed computational eye models to help patients and surgeons select ideal intraocular lenses and predict visual outcomes. The technology uses anatomical information of the patient's eye to provide guidance on expected optical quality post-operatively.
A new imaging technique, multifocal acoustic radiation force-based reverberant optical coherence elastography (RevOCE), has been developed to measure the elasticity of multiple eye components simultaneously. This approach offers high resolution measurements of the stiffness of eye structures and could revolutionize how we study ocular ...
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Metalenses have been developed with differentiated design principles to eliminate chromatic aberration. By merging bright spots into a single focusing spot, researchers achieved an efficiency of up to 43% and demonstrated the versatility of their approach for various optical applications.
A team of chemists at UC Riverside has discovered that the distribution of a magnetic field is itself chiral, allowing for the rapid formation of chiral structures. This method has potential applications in sensing and anti-counterfeit technology, such as detecting chiral or achiral molecules linked to certain diseases.
A team of scientists at DESY has developed a new technique using X-rays to image biological specimens without damaging them. The method, which generates high-resolution images at nanometre resolution, could be used for applications such as imaging whole unsectioned cells or tracking nanoparticles within a cell.
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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.
Researchers at Flinders University have developed a new polymer material made from sulfur and cyclopentadiene, which can be used to make lenses for thermal imaging. This material has the potential to expand the use of thermal imaging to new industries, including space exploration and autonomous vehicle operation.
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a multifunctional interface between photonic integrated circuits and free space, allowing for simultaneous manipulation of multiple light beams. The device operates with high accuracy and reliability, enabling applications in quantum computing, sensing, imaging, energy, and more.
The European Space Agency has commissioned an engineering study to test the reliability of meta-optical elements in space. The collaboration aims to advance remote sensing systems while overcoming size and weight constraints, enabling innovative applications for Earth observation data.
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Researchers found that accounting for exact lens mounting structure is crucial in ensuring robustness of lens systems against temperature changes. The study demonstrated the importance of considering specific mounting structures in athermalization, highlighting the impact of changing mounting characteristics on thermal stability.
Researchers at KAIST have successfully developed a new X-ray microscope technology that can overcome the resolution limitations of existing microscopes. This breakthrough enables high-resolution imaging of nanoscale structures, with a resolution of 14 nm, which is comparable to that of electron microscopes. The technology uses random d...
Researchers have developed a new type of microscope objective inspired by the eyes of scallops, which can capture images in various immersion media, including liquids. This innovative approach uses a mirror instead of lenses and has been shown to provide excellent image quality in homogeneous fluids as well as in air.
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Scientists at Göttingen University have created a novel approach to produce X-ray images in color from a single exposure, eliminating the need for focusing and scanning. This breakthrough method uses an X-ray color camera and a specially structured plate to capture the intensity pattern of fluorescing atoms in a sample.
Researchers develop new method to evaluate telescope performance before installation, enabling better optimization and reduced scattering. This approach uses near-field radio holography to map the optics at cryogenic temperatures, improving signal-to-noise ratio and ensuring accurate space observations.
Harvard scientists create a high-performance on-chip femtosecond pulse source using a time lens, enabling broadband, high-intensity pulse sources. The device is highly tunable, integrated onto a small chip and requires reduced power compared to traditional table-top systems.
A team at KAUST has created an ultrathin dielectric metalens that improves focusing capabilities and can be scaled down for integration with photonics equipment. The metalens, designed from a custom array of TiO2 nanopillars atop a DBR, offers negligible intrinsic loss and easy fabrication.
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Researchers have developed a flexible endoscopic imaging probe using a bendable graded index (GRIN) lens, enabling 3D microscopic imaging of tissue. The new technology could shorten biopsy waiting times to minutes and enable real-time monitoring of tissue changes.
Researchers aim to improve and expand Enzymatic Construction Material (ECM), a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete that can repair cracks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The grant will also support programs to inspire girls' interests in engineering and construction, addressing the industry's gender gap.
Researchers from TU Wien and Hebrew University develop 'light trap' that allows complete absorption of light in thin layers using mirrors and lenses. The system works by steering the light beam into a circle and then superimposing it on itself, blocking any escape.
Dielectric metalenses have made significant progress in compact imaging systems, offering aberration-correction and dispersion-engineering capabilities. However, challenges such as phase discretization, diffraction constraints, and crosstalk among sub-units need to be addressed for practical development.
A team of researchers from TU Wien and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has developed a 'light trap' that absorbs light perfectly in thin layers. This method uses mirrors and lenses to steer the light beam into a circle and then superimpose it on itself, preventing the light from escaping.
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Researchers developed a novel biologically-inspired intraoral camera with a wide-angle insect eye structure, increasing field of view and resolving optical aberrations. The device provides multifunctional dental imaging, including high dynamic range, 3D depth, and autofluorescence, without discomfort or image blur.
A newly developed polarizer-embedded metalens microscope system achieves high-quality, wide-field imaging with a large depth-of-field, significantly expanding human eyesight to the microworld. The chip-scale device offers a thousand-fold reduction in volume and weight compared to traditional microscopes.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have successfully developed a novel Vacuum Ultra-Violet (VUV) meta-lens, which can generate and focus the VUV light. The focused VUV light source enables nanolithography, material processing, and advanced manufacturing applications.
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A team from the Institute for X-ray Physics at the University of Göttingen has developed a new method for X-ray microscopy that uses imperfect lenses to achieve higher image quality and sharpness. The researchers used a lens consisting of finely structured layers deposited on a thin wire and adjusted it between the object to be imaged ...
A new approach using artificial intelligence generates designs automatically, allowing researchers to create complex metasurfaces with billions of nanopillars. This enables the development of larger, more complex metalenses for virtual reality and augmented reality systems.
A team of scientists led by Professor Barbara Pierscionek has made significant progress in developing an anti-cataract drug. Lab trials showed improvement in refractive index profiles and lens opacity in 61% and 46% of cases, respectively.
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Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.
Researchers at Rice University have created a 'metalens' that transforms long-wave UV-A into a focused output of vacuum UV radiation. The technology uses nanophotonics to impart a phase shift on incoming light, redirecting it and generating VUV without the need for specialized equipment.
Researchers developed a new way to apply antireflective coatings to 3D printed micro-optical systems, reducing light losses and improving imaging quality. The low-temperature coating technique can be used for applications such as miniature fiber endoscopes and virtual reality devices.
Researchers at Tohoku University propose a new method to form an electron lens using a light field, which can correct spherical aberration and reduce installation costs. The light-field electron lens generates a negative spherical aberration, opposing the aberration of conventional electrostatic and magnetic electron lenses.
Researchers at Hebrew University have developed a standardized method to compare flat lens technologies, enabling the creation of ultra-thin lenses that are cheap, lightweight and efficient. This breakthrough has significant implications for various industries, including consumer electronics and VR headsets.
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Researchers at Rice University have developed a new type of electronics using undulating graphene, which creates mini channels that produce detectable magnetic fields. This technology has the potential to facilitate nanoscale optical devices and valleytronics applications, such as converging lenses and collimators.