Category Technology/Electronics

Are Nearby Planets Sending Radio Signals to Each Other?

Illustration of star with two orbiting planets communicating with radio signals
Illustration showing communication between planets beyond our solar system looking from the perspective of Earth. New research using the Allen Telescope Array looked for this type of communication, similar to communication between Earth and our rovers on Mars, in the TRAPPIST-1 star system. Credit: Zayna Sheikh

Researchers have developed a new method using the Allen Telescope Array to search for interplanetary radio communication in the TRAPPIST-1 star system.

A new technique allows astronomers to home in on planets beyond our solar system that are in line with each other and with Earth to search for radio signals similar, for example, to ones used to communicate with the rovers on Mars...

Read More

Researchers Develop System Cat’s Eye-Inspired Vision for Autonomous Robotics

Optical simulation of the characteristics of the feline eye–inspired vision system

Feline-inspired vision technology enhances accuracy in challenging environments, paving the way for smarter, more efficient autonomous systems

Researchers have unveiled a vision system inspired by feline eyes to enhance object detection in various lighting conditions. Featuring a unique shape and reflective surface, the system reduces glare in bright environments and boosts sensitivity in low-light scenarios. By filtering unnecessary details, this technology significantly improves the performance of single-lens cameras, representing a notable advancement in robotic vision capabilities.

Autonomous systems like drones, self-driving cars, and robots are becoming more common in our daily lives...

Read More

Ancient 3D Paper Art, Kirigami, could Reshape Modern Wireless Technology

Credit: Drexel University

The future of wireless technology—from charging devices to boosting communication signals—relies on the antennas that transmit electromagnetic waves becoming increasingly versatile, durable and easy to manufacture. Researchers at Drexel University and the University of British Columbia believe kirigami, the ancient Japanese art of cutting and folding paper to create intricate three-dimensional designs, could provide a model for manufacturing the next generation of antennas.

Recently published in the journal Nature Communications, research from the Drexel-UBC team showed how kirigami—a variation of origami—can transform a single sheet of acetate coated with conductive MXene ink into a flexible 3D microwave antenna whose transmission frequency can be adju...

Read More

Researchers develop a Laser that produces the Strongest Ultra-Short Laser Pulses to date

A peek inside the record-breaking laser. The image shows the round amplifier disk, through which the laser beam passes several times (bright spot at the centre). (Image: Moritz Seidel / ETH Zurich)

The word laser usually conjures up an image of a strongly concentrated and continuous light beam. Lasers that produce such light are, in fact, very common and useful. However, science and industry often also require very short and strong pulses of laser light.

These pulses can be used to machine materials or to create high harmonic frequencies up to X-rays, which can help to make extremely fast processes in the attosecond range (a billionth of a billionth of a second) visible.

A team of researchers at ETH Zurich led by Ursula Keller, professor at the Institute for Quantum Electronics,...

Read More