Researchers have created a high-performance infrared detector that operates at room temperature without requiring external power or cooling. By growing high-quality lead sulfide films and using an asymmetric electrode design, the device achieves fast response and clear imaging, paving the way for affordable, compact infrared cameras in smartphones, automobiles, and security systems.

Optical fiber sensors function as the nervous system of modern engineering, tracking fluid flow and high-frequency vibrations. But their extreme sensitivity makes them vulnerable to the chaotic environments of factory floors or deep-sea pipes.

In International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, Prof. Wei Xiong's team at Huazhong University of Science and Technology has built a protective shield directly onto the tip of a fiber. Their resulting device reduces the footprint of industrial sensors from the size of a finger to roughly 100 micrometers, or the thickness of a single human hair.

Researchers have explored human preferences for robot motion on a variety of household tasks. The study aimed to investigate whether preferences were similar between tasks, users, and if robots should behave in a human-like manner. The results found that preferences should be highly individualized, presenting a challenging future for integrating robots into everyday lives.

Converting sugarcane waste to biofuel could become more environmentally friendly and cost effective, thanks to a joint project at The University of Queensland and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. PhD candidate Ms Neethu Joshikumar has successfully tested a process to simplify the preparation of sugarcane waste, known as bagasse.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have proposed a compact LED design that directly emits circularly polarized light using a nanoscale GaN metasurface integrated onto the device. This design removes the need for bulky optical components traditionally used to create polarized light and could help enable smaller optical systems for applications such as 3D displays, augmented reality, and photonic technologies.

A Korean research team has developed an innovative technology that simultaneously produces two high-value chemicals using only glucose. The research team led by Dr. Young Kyu Hwang, Dr. Kyung-Ryul Oh, and Dr. Jihoon Kim at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has developed a circular low-carbon catalytic process that co-produces gluconic acid—a key ingredient in detergents and pharmaceuticals—and sorbitol, widely used in sweeteners and cosmetics.

A research team led by Jae-Pil Heo, Professor in the Department of Software at Sungkyunkwan University(SKKU), has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that can accurately recognize new actions from only a small number of example videos.