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Sholl and Mohseni design and synthesise soft actuators with multiple active degrees of freedom by introducing sliding polymer filaments (tendons) driven by an external servomotor within inflatable, fiber-reinforced elastomer membranes. These structures mimic the broad motility of a natural hydrostatic skeleton, exploiting the full extensibility of the elastomer matrix.
Yuki Higuchi and colleagues report a method to directly observe the distribution of water and ice in large polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). This information is critical for understanding the cold start performance of these cells. Their findings could guide the design of more effective coldstart protocols for PEFCs.
Yanmin Zhu and colleagues design an optical spectroscopic holography system to combine the polarization, holographic and texture features to distinguish material molecular structures and was demonstrated to identify microplastics in real-time.
Watanabe and colleagues investigate the effects of different lubricants on the friction coefficient during colonoscopy. They also develop a corresponding model to measure the dynamic friction coefficient and determine the optimal viscosity for minimizing colonoscopy invasiveness, enhancing patient comfort, and improving surgical efficiency.
Salman, Garzón Ramos and Birattari report a strategy to automatically design stigmergy-based collective behaviours for robot swarms. This approach is demonstrated through simulations and real-robot experiments, encompassing a diverse range of four distinct tasks.
With the increasing use of Li-ion batteries, Li extraction from brine and seawater, as well as recovery from used Li-ion batteries have become a necessary step for achieving sustainability. Kazuya Sasaki and colleagues report a three-electrode dual-power-supply electrochemical pumping system for recovering high-purity Li from ionic solutions with much higher energy efficiency than the conventional approaches.
David Le and colleagues report a deep learning approach to construct optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images by analyzing spatial variance in the structural images within retinal vasculature. This method has the potential to eliminate the need for repeated acquisitions at identical locations, thereby enhancing the clinical utility of OCTA.
Zhang, Pan, Liu, and their colleagues propose a self-locking kirigami pattern that utilizes in-plane tension and release to fold 3D configurations. This method has been applied to construct a series of modular surfaces.
Hanwen Luo and colleagues report a device-compatible ultra-high-order quantum noise stream cipher encrypted method. The approach flexibly regulates the data transmission rate and security performance of high-speed long-distance communications networks.
Learning from the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence offers valuable insights into disaster recovery. Carmine Galasso and Eyitayo Opabola delve into the intricacies of the “Build Back Better” (BBB) concept, underscoring the importance of recovery and reconstruction efforts toward a future that is not only more resilient but also more sustainable and equitable.
Recent high-profile concrete material failures, including the collapse of parts of public buildings in the UK, have highlighted the need for a greater understanding of the durability of concrete. Here, John Provis explores the need to recognise the complexity of concrete when planning both the research and application of this key construction material.
This review explores adaptive neuron models from computational neuroscience, emphasizing their significance in the future development of power efficient artificial intelligence applications and hardware integration.
Wang, Nolen and colleagues present an iteration of the existing visible light optical coherence tomography system, which improves both imaging depth, resolution and suppresses noise. The system was demonstrated in human retinal imaging.
Maximilian Gießler and colleagues introduce a wearable sensor to track human movement by directly measuring the angular acceleration. This approach eliminates the noise associated with numerical differentiation. The authors show that the improved tracking accuracy leads to benefits when assessing balance recovery responses to perturbed locomotion.
High-resolution fiber shape sensors face limited application due to high costs. Manavi et al. proposed a solution employing deep learning for shape prediction directly from the fiber sensor’s spectrum. This approach eliminates the need for expensive measurements and complex post-processing, providing a cost-effective yet accurate method for detecting complex multi-bend deformations.
Xingyu Zhao and colleagues report a Bayesian learning framework for runtime self-verification of robotics systems. This framework allows robots to autonomously evaluate and reconfigure themselves after both regular and singular events, using only imprecise and partial prior knowledge.
Dickmann and colleagues present an interferometric sensing scheme that delivers improved accuracy with wider dynamic range and high speed. They use the multiple modes of a Fabry-Perot laser diode with the weighted power to measure with moderate coherence and thus break up the periodicity of the sensor signal.
Yao and Ning present a method for sensing the folding and deployment behavior of tape spring hinges using skin-like strain and motion sensors. The integration of these soft sensors does not affect the structural deformations, thereby providing a solution to monitor the mechanical behavior of high-strain components under large deformations.
Hyun Kum and colleagues report on the heterogeneous integration of high-k single-crystalline strontium titanium oxide within gallium nitride high-electron-mobility transistors. As the dielectric material is epitaxially grown and transferred, they achieve low defect density between the gate oxide and transistor heterostructures.
Large-scale deployment of direct air carbon capture and storage (DACS) is required to offset CO2 emissions. Here, Moritz Gutsch and Jens Leker present a cost model and life cycle assessment for several combinations of off-grid DACSs, powered by photovoltaic energy and heat pumps combined with battery storage. They find a cost optimal energy system layout for implementation in Nevada USA.