Duke University

IonQ

IonQ was founded in 2015 and is developing a trapped ion-based quantum computer. IDTechEx interviewed the Director of Product Marketing at the Economist Impact Commercialising Quantum event in June 2024.

The Metamaterials Landscape

Innovation roadmap for the metamaterials landscape.

A Robot Learns to Imagine Itself

We humans acquire our body-model as infants, and robots are following suit. A Cresearch team announced today they have created a robot that—for the first time—is able to learn a model of its entire body from scratch, without any human assistance. The researchers demonstrate how their robot created a kinematic model of itself, and then used its self-model to plan motion, reach goals, and avoid obstacles in a variety of situations. It even automatically recognized and then compensated for damage to its body.

Hubble Reaches New Milestone in Mystery of Universe's Expansion Rate

Pursuit of the universe's expansion rate began in the 1920s with measurements by astronomers Edwin P. Hubble and Georges Lemaître. In 1998, this led to the discovery of "dark energy," a mysterious repulsive force accelerating the universe's expansion. In recent years, thanks to data from Hubble and other telescopes, astronomers found another twist: a discrepancy between the expansion rate as measured in the local universe compared to independent observations from right after the big bang, which predict a different expansion value.

Kymeta

Kymeta are a US-based metamaterial satellite antenna company with a focus on broadband satellite connectivity.

Wearable Head Scanner for Comfort, Mobility During Brain Scans

To collect accurate images of a patient's brain, the patient must be still and confined in a tube-like MRI scanner for a long period of time. To better assess their brain function and behavioral health, however, they should move naturally and freely during a scan. Researchers have proposed a solution to both clearly visualize and accurately assess the brain via photoacoustic imaging with a stretchable, flexible material.

First-in-World Heart Implant: Women Receives Novel Artificial Heart

A cardiothoracic surgical team has performed the world's first Aeson bioprosthetic total artificial heart implantation in a female patient. The investigational device, currently intended as a bridge to heart transplant, is part of an Early Feasibility Study.

Paving the Way for Small but Mighty Robots

An interdisciplinary team of roboticists, engineers and biologists have modeled the mechanics of the mantis shrimp's punch and built a robot that mimics the movement. The research sheds light on the biology of these pugnacious crustaceans and paves the way for small but mighty robotic devices.

Fully Recyclable Printed Electronics

Engineers have developed the world's first fully recyclable printed electronics. By demonstrating a crucial and relatively complex computer component — the transistor — created with three carbon-based inks, the researchers hope to inspire a new generation of recyclable electronics to help fight the growing global epidemic of electronic waste.

AI Pinpoints Local Pollution Hotspots Using Satellite Images

Researchers have developed a method that uses machine learning, satellite imagery and weather data to autonomously find hotspots of heavy air pollution, city block by city block.

Robotic Dragonfly to Detect Oil Spills and Acidity

Engineers have developed an electronics-free, entirely soft robot shaped like a dragonfly that can skim across water and react to environmental conditions such as pH, temperature or the presence of oil. The proof-of-principle demonstration could be the precursor to more advanced, autonomous, long-range environmental sentinels for monitoring a wide range of potential telltale signs of problems.

Army Strengthens Future Tech with Muscle Bound Robots

Robotic systems packed with muscle tissue can produce never-seen-before agility and versatility, Army researchers said.