Show Notes 6 June 2025
Story 1: US scientists and Samsung team hit 100% cooling efficiency with no refrigerants
Source: Timesofinnovation.com Story by Sam Kim
See information posted by Samsung at: https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-develops-next-generation-peltier-cooling-technology-with-johns-hopkins-apl
See research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59698-y
- The basic technology behind refrigerators —which involves using a refrigerant to absorb and release heat—has remained largely unchanged since the early 20th century, when household refrigerators became widely available.
- Korean electronics giant Samsung has teamed up with scientists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory to achieve a groundbreaking milestone in cooling technology. The collaboration has resulted in the development of a cooling system that boasts an unprecedented 100% efficiency without the use of traditional refrigerants.
- Refrigerants, commonly used in air conditioners and refrigerators, have long been known for their harmful environmental impact. These chemicals contribute to ozone depletion and are potent greenhouse gases, accelerating climate change.
- In response to these concerns, researchers have been exploring alternative cooling technologies that are both efficient and environmentally friendly.
- The new cooling system, developed by Samsung and Johns Hopkins scientists, relies on a phenomenon known as “caloric cooling.” This process involves using nano-engineered thin-film thermoelectric materials that heat up when exposed to a magnetic field and cools down when the magnetic field is removed. By cycling the magnetic field on and off, the system can effectively regulate temperatures without the need for traditional refrigerants.
- The implications of this breakthrough are significant. Not only does the new cooling system eliminate the need for harmful chemicals, but it also offers a level of efficiency that was previously thought to be unattainable.
- By achieving 100% cooling efficiency, the new technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we cool our spaces and preserve the environment for future generations.
Story 2: Germany’s shape-shifting smart [building] facade uses compressed air and AI to cut emissions
Source: Interesting Engineering Story by Georgina Jedikovska
Link: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/germanys-shape-shifting-smart-facade
See video here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=170817409104034
- This article discusses an innovative smart façade system in Germany called FlectoLine, designed to enhance energy efficiency and indoor comfort in buildings by dynamically adapting to environmental conditions.
- The system is the result of over a decade of research by [two universities in Germany] the University of Stuttgart and the University of Freiburg.
- The adaptive façade system spanning 898 square feet consists of 101 flexible flaps mounted in front of the building’s windows. Each flap is made from fiber-reinforced plastic laminates that fold or open in response to weather changes.
- Using compressed air and AI, the system predicts optimal settings to balance indoor comfort and energy savings and moves the position of the flaps accordingly.
- Also included are integrated photovoltaic modules to sustainably power the system.
- Installed on a greenhouse in Freiburg, it has undergone two years of testing and recently won an award for bio-inspired innovations.
- Overall, FlectoLine demonstrates a promising step toward adaptive building technologies that reduce energy consumption and enhance sustainability.
Story 3: ‘Super-vision’ contact lenses let wearers see in the dark — even with their eyes closed
Source: LiveScience.com Story by Ben Turner
- This article reports on an innovative breakthrough in vision-enhancement technology: contact lenses that provide “super-vision” by enabling wearers to see infrared light, even in the dark or with their eyes closed.
- Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China have embedded specially engineered nanoparticles into traditional soft contact lens materials. These nanoparticles absorb near-infrared light—in wavelengths typically ranging from 800 to 1,600 nanometers—and convert it into visible light (between 380 and 750 nanometers), allowing the wearer’s eyes to detect details that are normally invisible.
- Initial experiments involved both animal and human trials. Mice wearing the lenses exhibited behavioral changes—such as preferring dark environments—and physiological responses like pupil constriction when exposed to infrared light.
- In human tests, participants were able to detect flickering infrared signals and discern the direction of the light, with the effect being even more pronounced when their eyes were closed.
- This enhanced performance with closed eyes is attributed to the fact that near-infrared light can penetrate eyelids more effectively than visible light.
- Moreover, by tweaking the nanoparticles in the contact lenses to convert specific wavelengths into different colors, the technology holds potential for enhancing color perception, which could benefit people with color blindness.
- Although the lenses currently have limitations in terms of resolution and sensitivity (only responding to strong light sources), the research paves the way for non-invasive, low-power wearable devices with applications in security, rescue, encryption, and anti-counterfeiting settings.
Story 4: Hair-Thin Camera Could Help Doctors Spot Tumors, Cancer Cells Without Major Surgery
Source: StudyFinds.org Story by Sophia Naughton
Link: https://studyfinds.org/hair-thin-camera-spot-tumors-without-major-surgery/
See research paper here: https://opg.optica.org/boe/fulltext.cfm?uri=boe-16-6-2376&id=571299
- Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have created a camera so small it’s thinner than a human hair, flexible enough to bend with your movements, and capable of seeing deep inside living brain tissue without causing major damage.
- The goal was to develop a mini machine to capture high-resolution images of brain activity in real time.
- The device, called the “Microimager,” measures just 7 micrometers thick and 400 micrometers wide. That’s roughly 14 times thinner than a human hair. Unlike bulky traditional endoscopes that can severely damage delicate brain tissue, this ultra-thin camera can slip between neurons, according to the research published in Biomedical Optics Express.
- The researchers built their camera using something called “Parylene photonics,” essentially tiny light highways made from biocompatible polymers that the body won’t reject. These microscopic waveguides act like fiber optic cables, but they’re flexible enough to bend and twist without breaking.
- Side note on Parylene Photonics – Parylene photonics is an emerging optical technology that leverages Parylene, a biocompatible and flexible polymer, to create miniaturized optical waveguides. These waveguides are designed for biomedical applications, particularly for targeted light delivery in biological tissue.
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Key Features:
- Biocompatibility: Parylene is safe for use in biological environments.
- Flexibility: Unlike traditional rigid optical materials, Parylene photonics can conform to soft tissues.
- Miniaturization: The technology enables ultracompact optical waveguides that minimize tissue damage.
- Broadband Optical Performance: It supports a wide range of wavelengths for various imaging and stimulation applications.
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Applications:
- Optogenetics: Used for stimulating neurons in the brain.
- In Vivo Imaging: Enables minimally invasive imaging of biological structures.
- Biomedical Diagnostics: Potential for real-time monitoring of physiological processes.
- This technology is particularly promising for implantable photonic systems, allowing precise and localized light delivery for medical and research purposes.
- Surgeons could one day use this technology to precisely identify tumor boundaries during operations, potentially saving more healthy brain tissue.
- With this breakthrough researchers studying neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s could observe brain cells in action without the invasive procedures currently required.
- And unlike rigid fiber optic cameras that can only capture a single point of light, this flexible device has 20 independent channels that create detailed images.
Honorable Mentions
Story: Ultra-light robotic prosthetic hand enables efficient and stable grasping through simple control
Source: Tech Xplore Story by science staff
Link: https://techxplore.com/news/2025-05-ultra-robotic-prosthetic-enables-efficient.html
- This article discusses the development of an ultra-light robotic prosthetic hand by a research team at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM). Here are the main points:
- The prosthetic hand features a **linkage-wire hybrid actuation system** that combines the natural grasping ability of traditional four-bar linkage systems with the shape adaptability of wire-driven mechanisms.
- The hand can independently control (adduction/abduction and flexion/extension), making the device lighter and more functional.
- The prosthetic hand enables amputees to grasp objects naturally and securely using simple motion commands, reducing the physical burden on users.
- The shape-adaptive grasping lowers energy consumption, extends battery life, and improves interaction with objects
- The core technologies may be applied to humanoid robots, enhancing their efficiency and response time.
- The research team has filed patent applications and is working on technology transfer and commercialization.
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Story: Breakthrough lithium–CO₂ battery captures carbon while storing energy
Source: Energy Live News
- This article discusses a breakthrough in clean energy technology—a new lithium–CO₂ battery developed by scientists at the University of Surrey.
- The battery stores 2.5 times more energy than conventional lithium batteries.
- It absorbs carbon dioxide while operating, converting pollution into power.
- If commercialized, it could reduce emissions from vehicles and industrial sources, and even function on Mars, where the atmosphere is 95% CO₂.
- Previous lithium–CO₂ batteries struggled with wear and rechargeability. This new battery uses caesium phosphomolybdate (CPM), a low-cost and easy-to-manufacture catalyst.
- Scientists estimate one kilogram of the catalyst can absorb carbon dioxide equivalent to a 100-mile car drive—suggesting it could help offset daily commutes.
- This discovery has the potential to revolutionize battery technology while tackling climate concerns
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Story: Smallest inorganic semiconductor enables eco-friendly hydrogen production
Source: Phys.org Story by Baby Clark
Link: https://phys.org/news/2025-05-smallest-inorganic-semiconductor-enables-eco.html
- Researchers have successfully produced eco-friendly solar hydrogen using the world’s smallest inorganic semiconductor material, a quantum semiconductor nanocluster. This material, (CdSe), consists of 26 atoms and is sub-1-nm in size.
- The team designed a superstructure where the nanoclusters self-arrange and bond three-dimensionally, achieving structural stability. They also doped cobalt ions (Co²⁺) within the cluster to enhance electrical properties and improve photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.
- This breakthrough suggests new applications in energy, environment, and quantum science. You can read more [here](https://phys.org/news/2025-05-smallest-inorganic-semiconductor-enables-eco.html).
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Story: Nurabot: Taiwan’s AI Nurse on the Frontlines
Source: 1Nurse.com
Link: https://www.1nurse.com/blog/story/2025/05/28/ai-healthcare-taiwans-technological-transformation/
- Taiwan is rapidly integrating AI into healthcare, transforming hospitals with AI-powered nurse robots, AI copilots, and precision medicine tools.
- Nurabot, an AI nurse robot developed by Foxconn and NVIDIA, is being tested in hospitals. It autonomously delivers medications, monitors vitals, and guides visitors, aiming to reduce nurses’ workloads by 30%.
- Chi Mei Medical Center uses Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to assist healthcare professionals with medical reports, patient histories, and dietary guidance. AI copilots have been used 36,000 times in a month.
- AI chatbots are being adopted for mental health support, offering private and accessible guidance, though experts stress they should not replace licensed therapists.
- China Medical University Hospital employs AI for precision medicine, using hundreds of AI algorithms to diagnose cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
- Taiwan’s AI healthcare innovations will be showcased at Medical Taiwan 2025, featuring AI diagnostic tools, smart hospital systems, and home care technologies.