When a microscopic lab worm grows an eye-popping oddity, scientists locate the mutated gene that caused it. It’s truly interesting. Yet, more important findings, medically relevant ones, may be hiding in traits invisible to the eye, even with the best microscope. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are exposing these secrets - micron-sized bumps and grooves - and the intricate web of gene mutations possibly behind them i...

In the fight against cancer, doctors dish out combination-blows of surgery, chemotherapy and other drugs to beat back a merciless foe. Now, scientists have taken early steps toward adding a stinging punch to clinicians' repertoire. A novel targeted therapy using nanoparticles has enabled researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology to purge ovarian tumors in limited, in vivo tests in mice.

For scientists listening in on the faint whispers of brain neurons, a first-ever robotic technique for cleaning the tiny devices that record the signals could facilitate a new level of automation in neuroscience research. That could accelerate the gathering of information used to map the functions of brain cells and ultimately provide a better understanding what’s going on between our ears.

Bleeding disorders could one day be diagnosed by putting platelets through strength tests, researchers have proposed. Biomedical engineers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have devised a microfluidic testing ground where platelets can demonstrate their strength by squeezing two protein dots together. Imagine rows and rows of strength testing machines from a carnival, but very tiny. A platelet is capable of exerti...

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a process for treating metal surfaces that has the potential to improve efficiency in piston engines and a range of other equipment. The method improves the ability of metal surfaces to bond with oil, significantly reducing friction without special oil additives. “About 50% of the mechanical energy losses in an internal combustion engine result from piston assembly fric...

Photonics, the technology that helps drive today’s telecommunications systems, offers major advances in the area of signal transmission. Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are adapting optical techniques from the photonics telecom arena to enhance U.S. EW capabilities. Optical approaches provide greatly increased frequency coverage and long distance low-loss transfer of analog signals when compared to traditional...

Materials scientists have developed a strategy for crafting one-dimensional nanorods from a wide range of precursor materials. Based on a cellulose backbone, the system relies on the growth of block copolymer “arms” that help create a compartment to serve as a nanometer-scale chemical reactor. The outer blocks of the arms prevent aggregation of the nanorods. The produced structures resemble tiny bottlebrushes with polymer “...

Fabrics that can generate electricity from physical movement have been in the works for a few years. Now researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have taken the next step, developing a fabric that can simultaneously harvest energy from both sunshine and motion. Combining two types of electricity generation into one textile paves the way for developing garments that could provide their own source of energy to power devices such as smart...

When roboticists create behaviors for teams of robots, they first build algorithms that focus on the intended task. Then they wrap safety behaviors around those primary algorithms to keep the machines from running into each other. Each robot is essentially given an invisible bubble that other robots must stay away from. As long as nothing touches the bubble, the robots move around without any issues. But that's where the problems begin.

  Multiple teams of Georgia Tech researchers are utilising cyber techniques to support accelerated materials design. Here are a few of the innovative efforts underway by research teams that include engineers, chemists, physicists, computer scientists, and others.

A research team from the Georgia Institute of Technology and ExxonMobil has demonstrated a carbon-based molecular sieve membrane that could dramatically reduce the energy required to separate a class of hydrocarbon molecules known as alkyl aromatics. The material is based on polymer hollow fibers treated to retain their structure – and pore sizes – as they are converted to carbon through pyrolysis.

Using a unique single-molecule force measurement tool, a research team has developed a clearer understanding of how platelets sense the mechanical forces they encounter during bleeding to initiate the cascading process that leads to blood clotting. Beyond providing a better understanding of this vital bodily process, research into a mechanoreceptor molecule that triggers clotting could provide a potential new target for therapeutic intervent...

Smart devices that wake up with voice commands have gained popularity in recent years, and now researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have taken it one step farther: an always-on camera. Designed with a combination of low-power hardware and energy efficient image processing software, the always-on camera is capable of watching for specific types of movement without draining batteries or running up electricity bills.

A $9.4 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) could lead to development of a technique for wirelessly monitoring IoT devices for malicious software – without affecting the operation of the ubiquitous but low-power equipment. The technique will rely on receiving and analysing side-channel signals, electromagnetic emissions that are produced unintentionally by the electronic devices as they execute progr...

Solid-state thermophotovoltaics (TPV) could provide a high-efficiency alternative for directly converting high-temperature heat from concentrated solar thermal to utility-scale electricity. New computer modeling suggests that high temperature TPV conversion - which captures infrared radiation from very hot surfaces - could one day rival combined-cycle turbine systems when combined with thermal storage using liquid metal at temperatures aroun...

Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a method to recycle nearly 100% of the materials in certain types of thermoset carbon fibre composites. The method involves soaking the composites in an alcohol solvent, which slowly dissolves the epoxy that binds and gives shape to the carbon fibres. Once dissolved, the carbon fibres and the epoxy can be separated and used in new applications.

A novel 3D solar cell design developed at Georgia Tech will soon get its first testing in space aboard the International Space Station. An experimental module containing 18 test cells was launched to the ISS, and will be installed on the exterior of the station to study the cells’ performance and their ability to withstand the rigors of space. In addition to testing the 3D format, the module will also study a low-cost copper-zinc-tin-sulfid...

Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have created what they say is the most efficient-walking humanoid ever created. While most machines these days are hunched at the waist and plod along on flat feet, Georgia Tech's DURUS strolls like a person. Its legs and chest are elongated and upright. It lands on the heel of its foot, rolls through the step and pushes off its toe. It's even outfitted with a pair of size-13 trainers as it walks under ...

Baratunde Cola would like to put sand into your computer. Not beach sand, but silicon dioxide nanoparticles coated with a high dielectric constant polymer to inexpensively provide improved cooling for increasingly power-hungry electronic devices. The silicon dioxide doesn't do the cooling itself. Instead, the unique surface properties of the coated nanoscale material conduct the heat at potentially higher efficiency than existing heat sink materi...

  Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed a flexible, generic data-fusion software that simplifies interacting with sensor networks. Known as FUSE, it provides a framework to standardise the diverse IoT world. Its API lets users capture, store, annotate and transform any data coming from Internet-connected sources.