Smart implants that not only stabilize a fracture but also monitor the healing process from day one – and deliver targeted support when required – are currently being developed at Saarland University by a team of engineers, medical researchers and computer scientists. The engineering team led by Professor Paul Motzki is contributing shape‑memory micro‑actuators with integrated sensing capabilities, while Professor Bergita Ganse and her research group provide the medical expertise in fracture healing. If a fracture is not healing as it should, these novel implants can respond mechanically at the fracture gap by adapting their stiffness or by applying controlled micro‑movements to mechanically stimulate tissue and promote bone regeneration. Visitors can find out more at Hannover Messe (20–24 April) at the ‘Germany’s Saarland’ joint stand, Hall 11, Stand D41.

A fast-track method of breeding disease-resistant ash trees has been developed by researchers leading efforts to conserve the species

DTU researchers find that a particular type of lactic acid bacteria has considerable potential for producing plant-based yoghurt alternatives. The bacteria inhibit potentially harmful bacteria and break down sugars that can cause stomach discomfort.

Salk scientist Terrence Sejnowski will receive the inaugural World Digital Technology Academy Scientific Breakthrough Award alongside Nobel Laureate Geoffrey Hinton for their foundational development of the Boltzmann machine—a precursor to modern AI tools. The WDFT Awards were launched in 2025 at the United Nations World Summit for Social Development in Doha to celebrate “groundbreaking contributions across science, engineering, societal impact, and global collaboration in the era of digital technologies.”
 

A new technology has been proposed that could fundamentally solve the issue of smartphones overheating during high-spec gaming or extended video streaming. Researchers at KAIST have discovered the principle of processing signals using the minute vibrations of magnets (spin waves) instead of electrons. This method significantly reduces heat generation and power consumption while enabling instantaneous frequency switching within the several GHz range. This breakthrough is expected to pave the way for smart devices with less heat and longer battery life, as well as ultra-low-power, high-speed computing.

Kyoto, Japan -- A team of researchers at Kyoto University have demonstrated that the chaotic component of heartbeat variability is uniquely sensitive to cognitive brain activity. Conventional hear rate variability, HRV, indices show no consistent response, whereas chaos-based measures reveal clear and reproducible changes, providing a new non-invasive indicator of brain-heart interaction.

HRV is widely used as an indicator of autonomic nervous system function. However, its ability to reflect higher-order brain activity has remained unclear. In this study, the researchers applied nonlinear analysis and chaos theory to examine heartbeat dynamics under cognitive load.

The researchers had participants perform cognitive tasks designed to engage higher-order brain functions. They then analyzed heartbeat signals using both conventional HRV indices -- such as time-domain and frequency-domain measures -- and chaos-based metrics derived from nonlinear dynamics.

Wireless signals do not travel well through the human body, especially in high-frequency bands, such as the UWB band, making it difficult for swallowable medical devices to reliably send data outside the body. By accounting for how different frequencies behave in the body, researchers adjusted each part of the signal to match how it is absorbed and distorted by tissue, creating a stronger, clearer signal at the receiver.