news 2021

The technologies behind one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of the century - the detection of gravitational waves - are now being used in the long-standing search for dark matter. Thought to make up roughly 85% of all matter in the Universe, dark matter has never been observed directly and remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in modern physics.

The light from a smartphone screen can be used to print medications, in a new 3D printing technique developed by UCL researchers. The method could make it easier for personalised medicines to be prepared in clinics, remote areas or even in patients' homes. The report in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics is the first published study of smartphone-based 3D printing of pharmaceuticals.

AI-enabled sensors for parts machining set to improve quality and help manufacturers cut costs. A new generation of high-precision, low-cost sensors for future smart cutting tools are in development at the University of Bath. The SENSYCUT project aims to create low-cost, nano-scale resolution sensors and cutting tools for machining operations of high value aerospace products, to increase precision, lower costs and prevent manufacturing errors.

New GW4 research led by Bath's Dr Max Western is published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Last updated on Friday 12 November 2021 Technology-based health and exercise programmes and apps, designed to offer a convenient and accessible way to boost physical activity, are dramatically less beneficial for users with low socio-economic status, a study has shown.

Advanced manufacturing experts from Manchester have revealed what human life in space could look like - with a graphene-enhanced space habitat developed to meet anticipated demand for human settlements beyond Earth. A community of specialists at The University of Manchester have teamed up with global architect firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to research the design and manufacturing of space habitats for the space industry.

Entrepreneurs pitching to investors should pay more attention to their visual cues to increase their chances of success. Visual information, that is, body language, gestures, facial expressions and visible passion, are far more influential on investor decision-making than previously thought. In the paper, published in Academy of Management Discoveries , the researcher found that when both expert investors and novices were played silent videos of entrepreneurial pitches, they were able to correctly identify the original investors' selections of winning pitches.

The touchscreen technology used in billions of smartphones and tablets could also be used as a powerful sensor, without the need for any modifications. Instead of interpreting a signal from your finger, what if we could get a touchscreen to read electrolytes, since these ions also interact with the electric fields? Ronan Daly Researchers from the University of Cambridge have demonstrated how a typical touchscreen could be used to identify common ionic contaminants in soil or drinking water by dropping liquid samples on the screen, the first time this has been achieved.

An accurate, non-invasive, and low-cost method of testing for COVID-19 using samples taken from the screens of mobile phones has been developed by a team led by UCL researchers at Diagnosis Biotech. The study, published in eLife and led by Dr Rodrigo Young (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology), analysed swabs from smartphone screens rather than directly from people, and found that people who tested positive by the regular nasal swabbing PCRs were also positive when samples were taken from phone screens.

The basis for this breakthrough was published in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology and describes new technology developed by lead researcher, Professor Shelby Temple, to measure how well octopuswhich are colour-blind - could detect polarized light, an aspect of light that humans can't readily see.

New energy tariffs designed for a low carbon future could leave people on bad deals even worse off, research has found. The Leeds-led study found new types of contracts could benefit all types of customer, with opportunities to sell excess energy from solar panels or incentives for using energy at off-peak times.

Academics from the University of Sussex Business School and Coventry University have teamed up to produce a groundbreaking book on agile working and working from home. The new book draws on new and existing research and literature to provide impactful insights and new findings into the impact of home-working and technology on productivity and personal welfare.