Scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered a way of enhancing the capabilities of an emerging nanotechnology that could open the door to a new generation of electronics. In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers show how they have pushed the memristor – a simpler and smaller alternative to the transistor, with the capability of altering its resistance and storing multiple memory states –...

Did you know the UK has the sixth-largest Electronics industry in the world? With an annual turnover of £9bn and over 1,000,000 related jobs. It contributes six percent of the UK’s GDP, making the sector strategically important to the economic success of the UK. Electronics is essential to enable future technologies, including the IoT, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, wearables and renewables.

  An international team of astronomers, including a University of Southampton expert, has discovered a type of explosion in a distant galaxy. The explosion, called PS1-10adi, seems to prefer active galaxies that house supermassive black holes consuming the gas and material around them.

Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a new 3D system to study human infection in the laboratory. The team, which includes infection researchers, engineers and bioinformaticians in Southampton and University College London, have used an electrostatic encapsulation technique to make tiny 3D spheres within which human cells are infected with tuberculosis (TB) bacteria to generate conditions that more closely reflect event...

Research led by the University of Southampton has demonstrated that a nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be used to power artificial systems that can mimic the human brain. ANNs exhibit learning abilities and can perform tasks which are difficult for conventional computing systems, such as pattern recognition, on-line learning and classification. Practical ANN implementations are currently hampered by the lack of efficient hardware ...

Research led by the University of Southampton, has demonstrated that a nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be the ‘missing link’ in the development of implants that use electrical signals from the brain to help treat medical conditions. Monitoring neuronal cell activity is fundamental to neuroscience and the development of neuroprosthetics – biomedically engineered devices that are driven by neural activity.

Scientists from the University of Southampton have reengineered the fundamental process of photosynthesis to power useful chemical reactions that could be used to produce biofuels, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Photosynthesis is the pivotal biological reaction on the planet, providing the food we eat, the oxygen we breathe and removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Engineers from the University of Southampton are helping to develop an electric-hybrid engine for Venice water taxis this summer to provide cleaner, greener transport. Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage city, has approximately 20,000 leisure craft and 550 taxi boats serving some 32m visitors every year. All are currently diesel-powered meaning Venice suffers from high levels of air and noise pollution which affects the water, architecture and h...

Doctors and scientists at the University of Southampton have used advanced 3D X-ray imaging technology to give new insight into the way an aggressive form of lung disease develops in the body. Originally designed for the analysis of substantial engineering parts, such as jet turbine blades, the powerful scanning equipment at Southampton’s µ-VIS Centre for Computed Tomography, has been used to image Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) ...

A tiny pilotless aircraft, built by the University of Southampton, has launched from the Royal Navy’s ice patrol ship HMS Protector for the first time to assist with navigating through the Antarctic. The 3D-printed aircraft, along with a quadcopter, scouted the way for the survey ship so she could find her way through the thick ice of frozen seas.

Scientists from the University of Southampton, in partnership with the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), have developed a graphene-based sensor and switch that can detect harmful air pollution in the home with very low power consumption. The sensor detects individual CO2 molecules and VOC gas molecules found in building and interior materials, furniture and even household goods, which adversely affect our livin...

Members of the public are being sought to take part in a new study by the University of Southampton to understand people’s perceptions of automated vehicles. Participants will be required to view a series of four to five second videos of a car (a white Tesla Model S) making lane changes, while driving down the motorway, and to decide whether it is being driven by a human driver or a computer. 

A team from the University of Southampton has been awarded beam time at the Diamond synchrotron to develop a new technique for looking within a single neuron, to understand its physical and chemical structures. The technique uses two novel X-ray imaging processes simultaneously: X-ray fluorescence, which can identify the presence of particular elements within the neuron, in combination with a new technique known as ptychography.

Researchers from the University of Southampton have designed innovative membrane wings which have been inspired by the flight of bats. This could potentialy open the door for next-gen Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) that offer improved aerodynamic properties, can fly over longer distances and are more economical to run.

Scientists at the University of Southampton have made a major step forward in the development of digital data storage that is capable of surviving for billions of years. Using nanostructured glass, scientists from the University's Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) have developed the recording and retrieval processes of five dimensional (5D) digital data by femtosecond laser writing.

Scientists at the University of Southampton are to develop and trial a new wearable technology to help people who have had a stroke recover use of their arm and hand. Led by Professor Jane Burridge, the team will create a wireless sleeve, which will provide automatic, intelligent information about muscle movement and strength while patients practice every-day tasks at home.

New research could lead to new treatments to prevent blockages and urinary tract infections experienced by many long-term catheter users. Up to 50 per cent of long-term catheter users experience encrustations and subsequent blockage, which result in severe trauma and pain for the individual and place high burdens on healthcare services and finances.

The University of Southampton is to lead a research project to help achieve low carbon cities in the UK and China. The project is one of four that will receive over £3m in funding from the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with matched equivalent resources from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). The announcement comes in parallel with the State visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping ...

University of Southampton researchers are at the forefront of a new science that is finding ways in which computers can work intelligently in partnership with people. This could support the management of some of today's most challenging situations, such as the aftermath of major disasters and smart energy systems.

Researchers from the University of Southampton have demonstrated how a pioneering ultrasonic device can significantly improve the cleaning of medical instruments and reduce contamination and risk of infection. StarStream, invented and patented by the University of Southampton and in commercial production by Ultrawave Ltd., makes water more efficient for cleaning by creating tiny bubbles which automatically scrub surfaces.