Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General
Published

Vision via sound for the blind      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Smart glasses that use a technique similar to a bat's echolocation could help blind and low-vision people navigate their surroundings, according to researchers. 

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Using sound to test devices, control qubits      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a system that uses atomic vacancies in silicon carbide to measure the stability and quality of acoustic resonators. What's more, these vacancies could also be used for acoustically-controlled quantum information processing, providing a new way to manipulate quantum states embedded in this commonly-used material. 

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Achieving large and uniform particle sizes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Dispersions of polymer particles in a liquid phase (latexes) have many important applications in coatings technology, medical imaging, and cell biology. A team of researchers has now developed a method to produce stable polystyrene dispersions with unprecedentedly large, and uniform, particle sizes. Narrow size distributions are essential in many advanced technologies, but were previously difficult to produce photochemically.

Computer Science: General Physics: Optics
Published

Smartphone attachment could increase racial fairness in neurological screening      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new smartphone attachment could enable people to screen for a variety of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury, at low cost -- and do so accurately regardless of their skin tone. The attachment fits over a smartphone's camera to capture clear video of pupil size changes, which can offer clues about an individual's neurological functions. The device helps the camera see the pupil easily in dark eye colors. 

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General
Published

Adaptive optical neural network connects thousands of artificial neurons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists working with computer specialists have developed a so-called event-based architecture, using photonic processors. In a similar way to the brain, this makes possible the continuous adaptation of the connections within the neural network.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Unexpected behavior discovered in active particles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists have now shown that, depending on the extent to which the propulsion speed of active particles is dependent on their orientation, clusters in different shapes arise in many-particle systems. This might be a possible key to the realization of programmable matter.

Computer Science: General
Published

Eyes may be the window to your soul, but the tongue mirrors your health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 2000-year-old practice by Chinese herbalists -- examining the human tongue for signs of disease -- is now being embraced by computer scientists using machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Engineering: Nanotechnology Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

International team develops novel DNA nano engine      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists has recently developed a novel type of nano engine made of DNA. It is driven by a clever mechanism and can perform pulsing movements. The researchers are now planning to fit it with a coupling and install it as a drive in complex nano machines.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Physical theory improves protein folding prediction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Proteins are important molecules that perform a variety of functions essential to life. To function properly, many proteins must fold into specific structures. However, the way proteins fold into specific structures is still largely unknown. Researchers have developed a novel physical theory that can accurately predict how proteins fold. Their model can predict things previous models cannot. Improved knowledge of protein folding could offer huge benefits to medical research, as well as to various industrial processes.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Electron-rich metals make ceramics tough to crack      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed a recipe to make a certain class of ceramics tougher and more resistant to cracking. The newfound toughness of these ceramics paves the way for their use in extreme applications, such as spacecraft and other hypersonic vehicles.

Computer Science: General Physics: Optics
Published

From square to cube: Hardware processing for AI goes 3D, boosting processing power      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A breakthrough development in photonic-electronic hardware could significantly boost processing power for AI and machine learning applications. The approach uses multiple radio frequencies to encode data, enabling multiple calculations to be carried out in parallel. The method shows promise for outperforming state-of-the-art electronic processors, with further enhancements possible.

Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Wearable device makes memories and powers up with the flex of a finger      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have invented an experimental wearable device that generates power from a user's bending finger and can create and store memories, in a promising step towards health monitoring and other technologies.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Going rogue: Scientists apply giant wave mechanics on a nanometric scale      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have shown how the principles of rogue waves -- huge 30-meter waves that arise unexpectedly in the ocean -- can be applied on a nano scale, with dozens of applications from medicine to manufacturing.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Milestone: Miniature particle accelerator works      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Particle accelerators are crucial tools in a wide variety of areas in industry, research and the medical sector. The space these machines require ranges from a few square meters to large research centers. Using lasers to accelerate electrons within a photonic nanostructure constitutes a microscopic alternative with the potential of generating significantly lower costs and making devices considerably less bulky. Until now, no substantial energy gains were demonstrated. In other words, it has not been shown that electrons really have increased in speed significantly. Two teams of laser physicists have just succeeded in demonstrating a nanophotonic electron accelerator.

Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Superlensing without a super lens: Physicists boost microscopes beyond limits      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Attempts to break the diffraction limit with 'super lenses' have all hit the hurdle of extreme visual losses. Now physicists have shown a new pathway to achieve superlensing with minimal losses, breaking through the diffraction limit by a factor of nearly four times. The key to their success was to remove the super lens altogether.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Nanoparticle vaccine could curb cancer metastasis to lungs by targeting a protein      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed an experimental vaccine that could prevent the spread of metastatic cancers to the lungs. Its success lies in targeting a protein known to play a central role in cancer growth and spread, rather than targeting the primary tumor itself.

Computer Science: General Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How to build greener data centers? Scientists say crank up the heat      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Colder is not always better for energy-hungry data centers, especially when it comes to their power bills. A new analysis says that keeping the centers at 41°C, or around 105°F, could save up to 56% in cooling costs worldwide. The study proposes new temperature guidelines that may help develop and manage more efficient data centers and IT servers in the future.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Art with DNA -- Digitally creating 16 million colors by chemistry      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The DNA double helix is composed of two DNA molecules whose sequences are complementary to each other. The stability of the duplex can be fine-tuned in the lab by controlling the amount and location of imperfect complementary sequences. Fluorescent markers bound to one of the matching DNA strands make the duplex visible, and fluorescence intensity increases with increasing duplex stability. Now, researchers have succeeded in creating fluorescent duplexes that can generate any of 16 million colors -- a work that surpasses the previous 256 colors limitation. This very large palette can be used to 'paint' with DNA and to accurately reproduce any digital image on a miniature 2D surface with 24-bit color depth.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Harnessing molecular power: Electricity generation on the nanoscale      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.

Computer Science: General
Published

Physicists demonstrate powerful physics phenomenon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a new breakthrough, researchers have used a novel technique to confirm a previously undetected physics phenomenon that could be used to improve data storage in the next generation of computer devices.