ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

Researchers have developed devices to automate blood smears. Their devices, called autohaem smear and smear+, can consistently create high-quality smears equivalent to those created by human experts, automating the smearing process so every smear is correct and consistent. A key goal of the project was to make the devices accessible to as many people as possible, so the researchers designed their devices to be easy to build, using readily available or 3D-printed components.

Researchers used the characteristics of owl wings to inform airfoil design and significantly reduce trailing-edge noise. The team used noise calculation and analysis software to conduct a series of detailed theoretical studies of simplified airfoils with characteristics reminiscent of owl wings. They applied their findings to suppress the noise of rotating machinery. Improving the flow conditions around the trailing edge and optimizing the shape of the edge suppressed the noise.

Researchers have successfully demonstrated proof-of-concept of using their multimodal transistor (MMT) in artificial neural networks, which mimic the human brain. This is an important step towards using thin-film transistors as artificial intelligence hardware and moves edge computing forward, with the prospect of reducing power needs and improving efficiency, rather than relying solely on computer chips.

Around the world, energy systems are increasingly impacted by the effects of a changing climate. Energy systems, especially the electric-power system, are vulnerable to natural stressors such as wildfires, severe storms, extreme temperatures and long-term disruptions of the hydrological cycle.