Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers at University of Manchester and the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, have revealed an innovative approach to track individual molecule dynamics within nanofluidic structures, illuminating their response to molecules in ways never before possible. Nanofluidics, the study of fluids confined within ultra-small...
‘Countercation engineering’ for thermoresponsive graphene-oxide nanosheets
Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Graphene-based two-dimensional materials have recently emerged as a focus of scientific exploration due to their exceptional structural, mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties. Among them, nanosheets based on graphene oxide (GO), an oxidized derivative of graphene, with ultrathin and extra wide dimensions and oxygen-rich surfaces...
Growing triple-decker hybrid crystals for lasers
Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk News) By controlling the arrangement of multiple inorganic and organic layers within crystals using a novel technique, researchers at Duke University and Purdue University have shown they can control the energy levels of electrons and holes (positive charge carriers) within a class of materials called perovskites....
Tiny, shape-shifting robot can squish itself into tight spaces (w/video)
Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Coming to a tight spot near you: CLARI, the little, squishable robot that can passively change its shape to squeeze through narrow gaps—with a bit of inspiration from the world of bugs. CLARI, which stands for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect, comes from a team...
Researchers test quantum theory with precision-engineered thin films
Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Comparing experimental results and theoretical calculations can be difficult for quantum materials. These are materials that have special properties, such as superconductivity, that can only be understood using the rules of quantum mechanics. One way that scientists compare experiments and computations is to use sample...
Better paths yield better AI (w/video)
Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Deep Learning (DL) performs classification tasks using a series of layers. To effectively execute these tasks, local decisions are performed progressively along the layers. But can we perform an all-encompassing decision by choosing the most influential path to the output rather than performing these decisions...
Bioinspired electronic skin mimics and enhances human sensory capabilities
Aug 31, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Wearable electronic sensors have garnered great interest in recent years for their potential to revolutionize health monitoring and medical care. Through flexible patches applied to the skin, these devices could track vital signs, motion, and muscle activity during everyday life. This around-the-clock data could provide...
New ‘droplet battery’ could pave the way for miniature bio-integrated devices
Aug 30, 2023 (Nanowerk News) University of Oxford researchers have made a significant step towards realising miniature bio-integrated devices, capable of directly stimulating cells. The work has been published today in the journal Nature ("A Microscale Soft Ionic Power Source Modulates Neuronal Network Activity"). Small bio-integrated devices that can interact...
Newly engineered versions of bacterial enzyme reveal how antibiotics could be more potent
Aug 30, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Modern medicine depends on antibiotics to treat infections by disabling targets inside bacterial cells. Once inside these cells, antibiotics bind to certain sites on specific enzyme targets to stop bacterial growth. Randomly occurring changes (mutations) in the genes for these targets occur naturally, in some...
AI enabled soft robotic implant monitors scar tissue to self-adapt for personalized drug treatment
Aug 30, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Research teams at University of Galway and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have detailed a breakthrough in medical device technology that could lead to intelligent, long-lasting, tailored treatment for patients thanks to soft robotics and artificial intelligence. The transatlantic partnership has created a smart implantable...