A review, published on September 11 in Cyborg and Bionic Systems by researchers at Tianjin University, summarizes recent advances in intracortical microstimulation (ICMS), a technique that uses tiny electrodes implanted in the brain to activate specific groups of neurons. The researchers discuss how ICMS has evolved from a tool for mapping brain function into a potential technology for sensory feedback, information delivery, closed-loop neuromodulation and biointegrated neural interfaces.

Brain–computer interfaces are increasingly being explored as a way to restore lost functions or provide new channels for communication between the nervous system and electronic devices. While much BCI research focuses on reading neural signals, ICMS provides the complementary ability to write information back into the brain.

“ICMS has emerged as a prominent invasive modality capable of activating intracortical neuronal populations with high precision,” the researchers write. The technology can potentially replace or supplement natural sensory inputs, probe

Five University of Texas at Dallas faculty members received 2026 Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) awards from the National Science Foundation to support research aimed at making computer networks more resilient, developing next-generation electronics, strengthening software security and advancing mathematical understanding of complex systems.

The recipients of the five-year awards are Dr. Waseem Abbas, assistant professor of systems engineering; Dr. Sourav Dutta, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; Dr. Kirill Lazebnik, assistant professor of mathematical sciences; Dr. Kyle McCall, assistant professor of materials science and engineering; and Dr. Xinda Wang, assistant professor of computer science.

Scientists have long assumed that networks function most reliably when individual components are similar. New framework identifies when differences could improve stability. Findings could inform how to deliberately design ‘imperfections’ to improve functionality.

Kyoto, Japan -- You may not know what roll waves are, but you've probably seen them on a rainy day. When it rains, these traveling waves appear on steep asphalt pavements, slowly making their way down the slope. Because roll waves propagate without deforming and are typically characterized by abrupt discontinuities, they play an important role in hydraulic engineering. Understanding unsteady flows like roll waves is crucial for the design, management, and safety of hydraulic structures such as dam spillway chutes.

However, despite one accurate line of research developed by mathematicians, the partial differential equations governing roll waves have remained a niche and "astonishingly" under-explored area of research, according to an international team of scientists at Kyoto University and German Jordanian University. This group realized that a rigorous mathematical investigation was not only compelling, but unavoidable.

"We noticed the striking gap between the mathematical and visual beauty of roll‑wave phenomena, and the civil engineering community's persistently superficial understanding of them," says first author Koichi Unami. "It became difficult to ignore how confidently steady‑state assumptions were repeated despite clear evidence to the contrary."

Topology imprinting of nonlinear metasurfaces is a new concept that enables replication and manipulation of structured light fields while preserving their topological characteristics across new frequencies. In a new study, researchers review this novel paradigm, discussing key experimental demonstrations, current limitations, and future research directions. The study highlights this concept as key for next-generation photonic platforms and its potential impact in different fields.  

Researchers have developed an innovative imaging technique to visualize the transition of single cells into multicellular organisms in new detail.