The Ubicquia Innovation Center for Intelligent Infrastructure will accelerate the development and deployment of advanced industrial sensors, large language models, AI, and real-time analytics to digitize and monitor critical infrastructure across utility, municipal, commercial, and industrial sectors. The center will drive research that strengthens power grids, boosts energy efficiency, and enhances public safety through smarter, data-driven solutions.

Published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, a new study presents a novel composite hydrogel combining bacterial cellulose, conductive polypyrrole, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat diabetic wounds. The hydrogel mimics the skin’s natural healing cascade, offering antibacterial protection, immune regulation, and enhanced tissue regeneration. In vitro and in vivo results show accelerated wound closure, improved vascularization, and reduced inflammation. The material’s electrical responsiveness allows controlled release of bioactive molecules, making it a promising advanced wound dressing for chronic diabetic ulcers.

A theoretical framework predicts the emergence of non-reciprocal interactions that effectively violate Newton’s third law in solids using light, report researchers from Japan. They demonstrate that by irradiating light of a carefully tuned frequency onto a magnetic metal, one can induce a torque that drives two magnetic layers into a spontaneous, persistent “chase-and-run” rotation. This work opens a new frontier in non-equilibrium materials science and suggests novel applications in light-controlled quantum materials.

Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are capable of detecting single photons by harnessing a process called avalanche multiplication. 4H-SiC APDs have demonstrated high sensitivity in the deep ultraviolet range. However, at higher wavelengths of light, APDs require advanced architectures to improve their unity-gain quantum efficiency to maintain single-photon sensitivity. Optimizing avalanche photodiodes for high wavelength operation brings several design challenges. Researchers have now created a numerical model with a calibrated 4H-SiC material library for designing avalanche photodiodes for near-ultraviolet photodetection.

Polyoxometalates are complex molecular cages made of metal and oxygen atoms and are an important tool in experiments. However, they often behave differently than expected in solutions. Chemists at the University of Vienna have now systematically tested their properties and developed an 'atlas' for experiments. In doing so, they are providing a valuable tool for scientists who want to make chemistry, materials research and biomedical applications more reproducible and efficient. The study has been published in Science Advances.

Microorganisms in the Black Sea can produce large amounts of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O). However, this gas never reaches the atmosphere because it is swiftly consumed by other microorganisms, which convert it to harmless dinitrogen gas (N₂). Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology have now investigated this process and identified the key players involved.

Researchers have developed a nitrogen-doped graphitic biochar using chitosan for efficient removal of nitrogen-containing contaminants, such as imidacloprid, from water. The material demonstrated notable adsorption performance, achieving a capacity of 140.1 mg/g and a removal efficiency of 97.2% for imidacloprid. The study reveals the key role of nitrogen-functional groups, particularly pyridinic-N and graphitic-N, in driving the adsorption process through π–π interactions and Lewis acid-base reactions. These findings provide valuable insights for designing advanced adsorbents for environmental remediation.