Technology

This study presents a method to record the temperature of materials with exceptional temporal resolution, using a Doppler broadening effect in neutron resonance absorption. Using a high-powered laser to generate pulses of neutrons 100 nanoseconds long, a test on samples of silver and tantalum successfully returned characteristic information for both materials and their temperatures.

- Insert electrodes inside the luminescent layer to luminate stably even in harsh environments - Strong brightness and durability even in variations... Expected to be used across many different applications, such as outdoor displays and luminous banners

- Professor Jin-ho Chang’s team at DGIST developed high-performance ultrasound-assisted photothermal therapy (ULTRA-PTT) technology using proprietary ultrasound-induced optical clearing technology. - The team developed a handpiece based on ULTRA-PTT technology, demonstrating exceptional therapeutic effects in animal experiments. - The related research is published in the prestigious international journal “Advanced Optical Materials.”

Approach could have applications for microchemistry, quantum dots

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are how changing cloud patterns might be promoting a warmer climate and technology to see through walls or part of the invisible light spectrum.

The NSF Center for Molecularly Optimized Networks team, of which Professor Jian Ping Gong of the Faculty of Advanced Life Science and the Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD) at Hokkaido University is a member, has won a Horizon Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Silicone-based elastomeric 3D microchannel networks were created using direct ink writing 3D printing with simultaneous incorporation of electronic components into the microchannel. By injecting liquid metal into the coil-shaped multilayered microchannel, flexible and stretchable microfluidic antenna coils with a high Q factor were developed.

Blue energy future, Off switch for brain cells, New Japanese lily species, Generative AI in motion, Economies take off with new airports and Braille-shaped electrodes for retinal implants. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus SciCom Coffee with Catriona Child.

Rapidus and Hokkaido University Sign Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement aiming to enhance scientific and technological capabilities and develop human resources through the semiconductor industry.

The traditional optimal audio experience depended on the interplay between space, speakers and music carriers, such as CDs or vinyl records. Invisible Tech, a local start-up specialising in acoustic design, uses recycled wine crates, wood waste and reclaimed furniture to produce a range of speakers. With the support of HK Tech 300 of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), Invisible Tech worked with CityUHK audio technology researchers to develop a sound system tailored for the modern living environment and habits. The system is designed to provide users with immersive surround sound music enjoyment.

A research group at Osaka University developed a mixed reality (MR) system to intuitively share flooding forecasts, which can be visualized on mobile devices via server rendering. This system addresses the challenge of displaying detailed flood risks, enhancing understanding among both experts and the public. By offloading computational tasks to servers, the system allows for real-time MR visualization over large city areas, potentially integrating advanced features like deep learning to improve disaster resilience and public safety.

Expected to enable rapid and accurate verification of videos collected and distributed online. - Professor In-kyu Moon’s research team received about 4.8 billion KRW over 2 years and 9 months from the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the project commenced in April 2024.

An SUTD professor and his collaborators propose a new tree-inspired one-time password scheme that provides security and privacy while supporting changing user environments.

Springer Nature’s latest survey, focused on Japan, shows a high proportion of Japanese researchers have access to research integrity training and builds on results from previous surveys that highlight data training as the greatest unmet need.

ITEX 2024 Sets the Stage for Innovation and Investment

New research employs shutter speed analogies to validate 55-year-old theory about chemical reaction rates.

Walking and running is notoriously difficult to recreate in robots. Now, a group of researchers has overcome some of these challenges by creating an innovative method that employs central pattern generators - neural circuits located in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic patterns of muscle activity - with deep reinforcement learning. The method not only imitates walking and running motions but also generates movements for frequencies where motion data is absent, enables smooth transition movements from walking to running, and allows for adapting to environments with unstable surfaces.

Using image-based deep learning and dynamic shape classification techniques, SUTD researchers developed a novel method of checking red blood cell deformability that is less invasive, more cost-effective, more sensitive, and has higher throughput.

- A research team led by DGIST Professor Sohee Kim has touted the electrodes’ potential for large-area retinal stimulation given that they closely adhere along the retinal curvature to ensure a wide field of view. - The electrodes are expected to be used in retinal implants to restore partial visual function to patients with blindness.

The mini air purifier PureAura, designed and developed by Lingnan University's Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI), has received the 2024 iF Design Gold Award in the Product - Building Technology category. The iF Design Award is widely regarded as the Oscars of the design industry, and Lingnan University is the sole Hong Kong institution, and one of only eight universities worldwide, to be given this honour since the Gold Awards' inception in 1954.

A global study by an SUTD researcher in collaboration with scientists from Japan explores the economic benefits of airport investment in emerging economies using nighttime satellite imagery.

Charge-recharge cycling of lithium-superrich iron oxide, a cost-effective and high-capacity cathode for new-generation lithium-ion batteries, can be greatly improved by doping with readily available mineral elements.

Researchers from Osaka University used structured light and switchable fluorescent molecules to reduce the background light from the out-of-plane regions of microscope samples. This method allowed for the acquisition of images that surpassed the conventional resolution limit, and it may be useful for further study of cell clusters and other biological systems.

Numerical basis found for picosecond laser endpoints in effective clinical treatments with fewer complications

- A team led by DGIST Professor Jeongho Kwak proposes VisionScaling algorithm, enhancing user experience in 6G vision services while conserving energy in mobile devices - Efficient technology development anticipated to enhance user experience in various vision services of the upcoming 6G era (AR/XR, autonomous driving, etc.)

A team of researchers has proposed a new concept for magnet-based memory devices, which might revolutionize information storage devices owing to their potential for large-scale integration, non-volatility, and high durability.

Researchers from Osaka University conducted a series of participatory deliberation workshops at Osaka University in which the participants were asked to consider issues of future society and manufacturing, in general, and as they relate to hydrothermally produced porous glass. In workshops where the perspective of “imaginary future generations” was adopted, participants’ perceptions of the technology’s feasibility and future potentiality changed significantly.

The 12th Starch Value Chain ASIA conference was held in Vientiane, at Crowne Plaza Hotel, from February 27 to 29, 2024. The conference encompassed four key themes: Asia’s starch markets, industrial and food-grade tapioca starch in Laos with expansion plans, sustainable climate-smart agri-technology for rice and cassava cultivation, and challenges for future growth in Asia's biogas-to-energy sector.

Researchers from Osaka University developed a system that enables projection mapping within an illuminated environment. Several standard projectors and one large-aperture projector reproduce the environmental illumination in all areas except for the target object, whereas texture projectors display the texture on the unilluminated object’s surface. Experiments show that participants perceived the objects using surface-color mode instead of aperture-color mode, verifying that the proposed system has the potential to produce highly realistic interactive environments.