Polarization photodetectors (pol-PDs) are increasingly utilized in fields such as geological remote sensing, machine vision, and biological medicine. Traditional commercial pol-PDs are often based on bulky and intricate optical systems that include lenses, polarizers, and mechanical ...

As Swiss forests increasingly embrace the planting of deciduous trees, which often face direct incineration, the need for innovative solutions to sustainably utilize Swiss hardwood is more pressing than ever. Researchers at Empa are, therefore, enhancing wood with novel functionalities. ...

A team of researchers from around the world, headed by Texas Engineers, has devised a method for using a laser to disintegrate the molecules in plastics and other substances into their smallest components for potential reuse. This innovative approach involves placing the materials on ...

The surge in the electric vehicle market has led to a massive increase in the demand for lithium, a key mineral used in lithium-ion batteries. Over the past decade, global lithium production has more than tripled. However, the current methods of extracting lithium from rock ores or brines are ...

Stroke is a major cause of death related to cerebrovascular diseases in China, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Its aftermaths, such as hemiparesis, facial paralysis, and speech or swallowing disorders, can significantly impact the daily lives of affected individuals and their ...

Fumaric acid is a versatile dicarboxylic acid that’s often used as a precursor for biodegradable plastics like poly(butylene succinate) and poly(propylene fumarate), which have potential applications in medicine and packaging. However, most of the fumaric acid produced today comes from ...

Many robotic sensors designed for reading Braille currently use a method that reads one letter at a time in a discrete manner. However, this approach is less efficient than a biomimetic sliding approach inspired by the human fingertip’s remarkable sensitivity. Human fingertips are highly ...

Researchers have been using advanced methods to learn how fluids interact with surfaces. They use tiny silicon nitride chips in high-tech electron microscopes as small-scale containers for their experiments. However, progress in this field has been hindered because the material around these chips ...