Researchers at Rice University have developed a new machine learning (ML) algorithm that excels at interpreting the “light signatures,” or optical spectra, of molecules, materials and disease biomarkers, potentially enabling faster and more precise medical diagnoses and sample analysis. “Imagine being able to detect early signs of diseases like Alzheimer’s or COVID-19 just by shining […]
If you haven’t heard of a tardigrade before, prepare to be wowed. These clumsy, eight-legged creatures, nicknamed water bears, are about half a millimeter long and can survive practically anything: freezing temperatures, near starvation, high pressure, radiation exposure, outer space and more. Researchers reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters took advantage of the tardigrade’s nearly indestructible
MIT engineers have developed a technique to grow and peel ultrathin “skins” of electronic material. The method could pave the way for new classes of electronic devices, such as ultrathin wearable sensors, flexible transistors and computing elements, and highly sensitive and compact imaging devices. As a demonstration, the team fabricated a thin membrane of pyroelectric
Cornell University researchers have developed a new robotic framework powered by artificial intelligence — called RHyME (Retrieval for Hybrid Imitation under Mismatched Execution) — that allows robots to learn tasks by watching a single how-to video. Robots can be finicky learners. Historically, they’ve required precise, step-by-step directions to complete basic tasks and tend to call
Thermoelectric materials enable the direct conversion of heat into electrical energy. This makes them particularly attractive for the emerging “Internet of Things,” for example for the autonomous energy supply of microsensors and other tiny electronic components. In order to make the materials more efficient, at the same time heat transport via the lattice vibrations must
The compound — Tiâ‚„MnBiâ‚‚ — becomes only the second known metallic system with confirmed one-dimensional magnetism. A study by researchers from the University of British Columbia’s Blusson Quantum Matter Institute (UBC Blusson QMI) has found a rare form of one-dimensional quantum magnetism in the metallic compound Tiâ‚„MnBiâ‚‚, offering evidence into a phase space that has
The exponential miniaturization of electronic chips over time, described by Moore’s law, has played a key role in our digital age. However, the operating power of small electronic devices is significantly limited by the lack of advanced cooling technologies available. Aiming to tackle this problem, a study published in Cell Reports Physical Science, led by
Neural networks are one typical structure on which artificial intelligence can be based. The term ›neural‹ describes their learning ability, which to some extent mimics the functioning of neurons in our brains. To be able to work, several key ingredients are required: one of them is an activation function which introduces nonlinearity into the structure.
Imagine if phones never got hot no matter how many apps were running. Picture a future where supercomputers use less energy, electric cars charge faster, and life-saving medical devices stay cooler and last longer. In a study published in Nature Materials, a team of engineers at the University of Virginia and their collaborators revealed a
As the demand for innovative materials continues to grow — particularly in response to today’s technological and environmental challenges — research into nanomaterials is emerging as a strategic field. Among these materials, quantum dots are attracting particular attention due to their unique properties and wide range of applications. A team of researchers from ULiège has
