Technology

The University of Osaka D3 Center will begin trial operations of the “Osaka University Compute and sTOrage Platform Urging open Science” (OCTOPUS), a computational and data platform promoting open science built by NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701), starting this September, with full-scale operations commencing in December.

Researchers led by Prof. Homer H. Chen at National Taiwan University have developed a way to convert stereo images into light field content, enabling existing AR/VR media to be viewed on next-generation light field displays. The approach could accelerate the move toward more natural and comfortable AR experiences.

Lithium batteries are widely used in electric vehicles and electronic products, but concerns are growing about their environmental impact during mining and disposal. Scholars from Lingnan University’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies and their collaborators have published a pioneering study online in top-tier, peer-reviewed, scientific journal Advanced Energy Materials. The study introduces a novel “anode-free sodium battery” that, by tuning the salt concentration in the electrolyte, reduces the risks of short circuits and shortened lifespan during fast charging. Laboratory tests have demonstrated that this new type of battery can be charged within minutes while maintaining safety and stability.

Just like litter is a big problem on Earth, space junk is cluttering up outer space. To dispose of this junk, a Tohoku University researcher demonstrated the utility of a special plasma thruster

• Singapore’s flagship medical school is doubling down on population health research and technology-enabled solutions to strengthen healthcare systems and prepare tomorrow’s leaders • The School rebrands its Health Services & Systems Research (HSSR) programme to deliver policy-relevant, tech-driven solutions for a healthier Singapore • Launches new education pathways to enhance professional capabilities in population health research

Taiwan Innotech Expo (TIE) 2025 will return from October 16–18 at Taipei World Trade Center, Hall 1, uniting government, academia, and industry under the theme “Cross-Domain AI Innovation: Driving the Future with Intelligence.” The event will feature 450 exhibitors presenting nearly 1,100 patented technologies, highlighting Taiwan’s role as a key driver of global innovation.

Self-healing hydrogel, Cool crawler, AI and world's longest crop experiment & Freeze-framing cells. Plus how media interest helps engineers and society. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed NeuraLeaf, a revolutionary CG model using deep learning to represent diverse plant species and their leaf deformations. This single model overcomes the limitations of traditional manual modeling by disentangling species-specific shapes from dynamic 3D deformations like wilting or curling. NeuraLeaf allows precise tracking of leaf changes, enhancing growth prediction, disease detection, and agricultural management. Presented at ICCV 2025, this technology promises to advance plant science and contribute to "PlantTwin," a project creating digital twins of plants.

Combining multiple sensory inputs has been a big hurdle for developing physical AI robots. Recent research at Tohoku University solves this problem using a brand new approach.

This new crystal growth technology uses tungsten to create single crystals that can stand extreme temperatures - a new achievement in the field.

Researchers from Japan found that macro-heterogeneity (the presence of multiple cell types) and micro-heterogeneity (variability in cell behavior within a cell type) are crucial for muscle breakdown and rearrangement in the pupal stage of fruit fly development. Computational modeling of cell interactions suggested that designing heterogenous robot swarms based on similar principles could improve their ability to multitask.

The School of Graduate Studies (GS) of Lingnan University in Hong Kong hosted the “Empower Your Future” Lingnan Postgraduate Orientation 2025 today, 28 August, welcoming about 3,600 new postgraduate students for the 2025/26 academic year, the highest number ever recorded. The cohort includes students from the Hong Kong SAR, Macau, Mainland China, Canada, France, Portugal, Switzerland, the US, Vanuatu, Ghana, and Cameroon enrolled in taught master’s, doctoral, and MPhil/PhD programmes.

SUTD researchers have developed a generative urban model that upends the notion that walkable neighbourhoods must come at the expense of road access, offering a new way to balance mobility and liveability.

Researchers at Tohoku University have unified experimental and computational data into one valuable resource: a map that instantly guides scientists to suitable materials out of countless candidates.

Cell-free (CF) MIMO network is emerging as a key B5G/6G technology for improved connectivity, spectral efficiency, and service quality. This work proposes a novel CF-MIMO signal detector that can reduce the energy consumption by up to 58%.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a novel technique to enhance the performance and reliability of silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices, a key component in power electronics. This breakthrough utilizes a unique two-step annealing process involving diluted hydrogen, to eliminate unnecessary impurities and significantly improve device reliability.

Researchers at The University of Osaka and collaborating institutions have developed a cryo-optical microscopy technique that rapidly freezes live cells with millisecond precision during optical imaging. This enables detailed quantitative imaging of fast cellular events via optical microscopy techniques, including super-resolution fluorescence and Raman microscopy. With near-instant immobilization, a single time point in the cells can then be visualized with multiple imaging techniques, providing new insights across cell biology, biophysics, and medical research.

Researchers at The University of Osaka have discovered a new type of chiral symmetry breaking (CSB) in an organic crystalline compound. This phenomenon, involving a solid-state structural transition from an achiral to a chiral crystal, represents a significant advance in our understanding of chirality and offers a simplified model to study the origin of homochirality. This transformation also activates circularly polarized luminescence, enabling new optical materials with tunable light properties.

On 19 August, World Humanitarian Day, Lingnan University announced the signing of an Agreement of Cooperation with the United Nations University (UNU) to establish the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University (UNU Hub at Lingnan University), making it the first higher education institution in Asia to set up a UNU Hub. The Hub is scheduled to open officially in October 2025 and will have an annual operating budget of over HK$8 million. Its Humanitarian Innovation and Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab) will spearhead research and design initiatives, education and training programmes, and international collaborations, and improve living conditions in developing countries and regions of the Global South by leveraging innovative and cutting-edge technologies. Scholarships will be awarded to encourage local youth to fulfil their ambitions through knowledge and innovation.

Researchers from The University of Osaka used electricity to drive a reaction to form a novel hetero[8]circulene consisting of five hexagons and three pentagons (called a dioxaza[8]circulene). The dioxaza[8]circulene is unsymmetrical, unlike existing hetero[8]circulenes. The novel molecule can be produced from commercially available materials by a two-step method that simultaneously forms six new bonds with only water as a byproduct. The dioxaza[8]circulene may have potential as a photocatalyst, and be used to speed up reactions triggered by light.

Lingnan University's science and innovation teams have achieved outstanding results at the 11th Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2025 (SVIIF) in their first-ever participation. All 13 participating projects, covering areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, and intelligent transportation, won awards, including 8 gold and 5 silver medals. One of the projects, the AI-based Fencing Training and Assessment System, led by Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), also received a special award ⸺ Prize of the International Federation of Inventors’ Association (IFIA), making Lingnan the Hong Kong higher education institution that won the highest number of total awards and gold medals at this year’s festival.

Whispers in the gut, "Memory foam" for space 🚀, Potassium power 🔋& Intelligent multitasking. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice

From a seed-inspired design to a 26-minute flight time on a single rotor, a new monocopter developed by SUTD researchers marks a 10-year journey towards redefining how efficient small flying robots can be.

A Japanese superconducting quantum computer, designed and built with homegrown components and software, went live on July 28th at The University of Osaka’s Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB). This achievement signifies Japan's technological prowess in quantum computing, demonstrating the nation's capacity to design, manufacture, and integrate a complete quantum system. Visitors to Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan will have the opportunity to interact with this cutting-edge technology through a dedicated exhibit.

Researchers from South Korea engineered a robotic folding sheet that can crawl across a surface as well as grasp and lift various objects.

A joint research team from Japan has observed "heavy fermions," electrons with dramatically enhanced mass, exhibiting quantum entanglement governed by the Planckian time – the fundamental unit of time in quantum mechanics. This discovery opens up exciting possibilities for harnessing this phenomenon in solid-state materials to develop a new type of quantum computer.

A research team led by SUTD proposes a quantum-enhanced framework for processing complex topological signals that could one day outperform classical methods in recommendation systems, network science, and more.

Researchers at Tohoku University unveil a cool new technique that can visualize both the structure and elemental distribution of nanomaterials in frozen solvents.

A novel technique has been developed using cellulose nanofibers, a blue-fluorescing amino acid and a covalent bond to yield an easily viewable, non-disruptive and dye-free alternative to conventional fluorescent tagging.