Engineering & Technology

Groundbreaking cerium oxide-based thermal switches achieve remarkable performance, transforming heat flow control with sustainable and efficient technology.

A team from Osaka University has reported a Raman microscopy technique that produced images up to eight times brighter than those achieved with conventional Raman techniques. Imaging of frozen biological samples reduced the noise introduced by the motion of material over long acquisition times. The technique is expected to broaden understanding in many areas of the biological sciences by allowing high-quality images and chemical information to be captured without the need for staining.

Combining metallic glass with the Berreman mode of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) thin films achieves a dual-function system for infrared camouflage and thermal management within an identical wavelength region of the atmospheric window. Metallic glasses were selected for their tunable optical properties, providing adjustable emissivity for versatile thermal camouflage while maintaining effective thermal management.

Even highly realistic androids can cause unease when their facial expressions lack emotional consistency. Traditionally, a "patchwork method" has been used for facial movements, but it comes with practical limitations. A team developed a new technology using "waveform movements" to create real-time, complex expressions without unnatural transitions. This system reflects internal states, enhancing emotional communication between robots and humans, potentially making androids feel more humanlike.

This bioengineering breakthrough has found a way to make neurons grown in a dish react just like the real thing.

- DGIST Professor Jang Kyung-In’s research team has developed a highly efficient wearable energy harvester that can power electronic devices using only body movements - The research results are published in ACS Nano, a top-tier journal in the field of nanoscience

- DGIST Professor Kim So-hee's research team opens the possibility to safely and precisely stimulate specific areas of the brain with an ultra-small 3.5mm coil - The technology can facilitate convenient and precise brain stimulation treatment at home without visiting a hospital

Cell wall proteins exhibit emulsifying action, offer possible alternative to emulsifiers derived from milk, other known allergens

Redefining the art of matter manipulation at the nanoscale

We might all be able to breathe a bit easier thanks to copper nanoclusters that can help us reduce carbon emissions through an electrochemical reaction.

Experts from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, team up with their Indian counterparts to make IIT Hyderabad’s stunning new campus a reality

Venice of the Pacific, Membrane transformers, Diverse meals, Nano dots and spirals & Extinct swimmers. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Researchers in Singapore and China observe the emergence of steady currents in new experimental approach.

Hiroshima University, in partnership with four Japanese institutions and five global collaborators, has launched the “Global Research Initiative on Wireless Terahertz (GROW-THz).” Backed by the JST ASPIRE program with ¥500 million in funding over five years, this project aims to advance next-generation ultra-high-speed wireless communication technologies, strengthen international research networks, and foster intellectual mobility, including the long-term overseas placement of doctoral students for up to one year.

By identifying the ideal manufacturing conditions, machine learning reduces the need for expensive and time-consuming experimentation.

- DGIST Prof. Kwon Hyuk-joon's research team developed liquid-processed thin-film transistors that can maintain high performance at low temperatures - They are expected to be used in the next generation of high-performance flexible electronics and wearable devices as they can operate on plastic substrates and maintain stable performance under repeated mechanical bending

Copolymer solution uses water-loving differential to induce desorption at lower temperatures

This unobtrusive, leaf-mounted sensor saves time and improves productivity by remotely monitoring the health of plants in real-time.

- Development of a wireless brain neural signal recorder without batteries paves the way for treating intractable brain diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's - Research findings published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, a top international journal in the biomedical field

Researchers at Osaka University have developed the world’s first compact, tunable-wavelength blue semiconductor laser, a breakthrough in far-ultraviolet light technology. Utilizing a novel periodically slotted structure, tunable single-mode oscillation was successfully demonstrated. The laser is suitable for pumping compact second harmonic generation devices, and far-ultraviolet light emitted from the combination enables safe, continuous sterilization and disinfection. Its compact, long-lasting design makes it ideal for integration into household appliances, with wide-ranging potential to enhance indoor health and safety.

SUTD researchers developed a novel bilayer metasurface that enables unidirectional circularly polarised waves to be emitted, opening up possibilities in the fields of biological and chemical sensing, optical communications, and quantum computing.

Experts in Food Science, Technology, and Innovation Gather to Strengthen Food Security Efforts

Hokkaido University and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. signed a partnership agreement in June 2022 to address various social issues in Hokkaido and lead the creation of a sustainable society. As part of this collaboration, Hokkaido Air System Co., Ltd. will equip one of its aircraft with an external camera to commence the world's first regular flight-based red tide monitoring starting in the summer of 2025.

King of nanomaterials, Old but new, Probing stardust properties, Two-in-one, The good grain & Brain-inspired electronic skin. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Osaka University and NEC Corporation will showcase a research result at the International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage, and Analysis (SC24) scheduled to be held from November 17 to 22, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. The experiment to be conducted will transfer huge research data between servers using a 100 Gbps line between Japan and the United States. One file of huge research data stored in the storage of one server is transferred to the other server at high speed. In the preliminary evaluation, we have confirmed that the transfer of 1TB of data can be completed in 87 seconds (effective 92.0Gbps) over a short distance. This experiment will confirm the performance of the long-distance transfer between Japan and the U.S.

Research suggests that urban areas could reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by optimizing their urban form. However, the relationship between urban form and emissions is highly context-dependent and generalizations cannot be made.

Polymer’s long spin relaxation time helps researchers gain spintronic insights

28 October 2024, Singapore – EDUtech Asia 2024, will be back for its 9th edition from 6 to 7 November. Organised by Terrapinn, EDUtech Asia 2024 will offer a distinguished lineup of education leaders, decision-makers, policy makers, educators, innovators and disruptors to collaborate and reimagine the future of education with the power of tech.

Researchers from Osaka University show that the improvements in signal strength during surface-enhanced fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy can extend even through a nanoscale protective layer. This research may lead to significant improvements in the sensitivity of biosensors and the development of novel point-of-care diagnostics.

- DGIST, KAIST, and Korea University collaborated to develop a three-dimensional device with reversible heating/cooling based on the thermal radiation phenomenon - Research published as a cover article in Advanced Materials