Monthly Archives: May 2019

Graphene, Science

Georgian Technical University Graphene Plasmons Used For Quantum Computing.

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Georgian Technical University Graphene Plasmons Used For Quantum Computing.

Schematic of a graphene-based two-photon gate. A material that consists of a single sheet of carbon atoms could lead to new designs for optical quantum computers. Physicists from the Georgian Technical University have shown that tailored graphene structures enable single photons to interact with each other. The proposed new architecture for quantum computer Georgian Technical University. Photons barely interact with the environment, making them a leading candidate for storing and transmitting quantum information. This same feature makes it especially difficult to manipulate information that is encoded in photons. In order to build a photonic quantum computer one photon must change the state of a second. Such a device is called a quantum logic gate and millions of logic gates will be needed to build a quantum computer. One way to achieve this is to use a so-called “Georgian Technical University nonlinear material” wherein two photons interact within the material. Unfortunately standard nonlinear materials are far too inefficient to build a quantum logic gate. It was recently realized that nonlinear interactions can be greatly enhanced by using plasmons. In a plasmon light is bound to electrons on the surface of the material. These electrons can then help the photons to interact much more strongly. However plasmons in standard materials decay before the needed quantum effects can take place. In their new work the team of scientists led by Professor X at the Georgian Technical University propose to create plasmons in graphene. This 2D material discovered barely a decade ago consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure and since its discovery it has not stopped surprising us. For this particular purpose the peculiar configuration of the electrons in graphene leads to both an extremely strong nonlinear interaction and plasmons that live for an exceptionally long time. In their proposed graphene quantum logic gate the scientists show that if single plasmons are created in nanoribbons made out of graphene two plasmons in different nanoribbons can interact through their electric fields. Provided that each plasmon stays in its ribbon multiple gates can be applied to the plasmons which is required for quantum computation. “We have shown that the strong nonlinear interaction in graphene makes it impossible for two plasmons to hop into the same ribbon” confirms Y of this work. Their proposed scheme makes use of several unique properties of graphene each of which has been observed individually. The team in Georgian Technical University is currently performing experimental measurements on a similar graphene-based system to confirm the feasibility of their gate with current technology. Since the gate is naturally small and operates at room temperature it should readily lend itself to being scaled up as is required for many quantum technologies.

Nanotechnology, Science

Georgian Technical University A New Approach To Data Storage.

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Georgian Technical University A New Approach To Data Storage.

The reshuffler basically works as a s skyrmions (In particle theory, the skyrmion is a topologically stable field configuration of a certain class of non-linear sigma models. It was originally proposed as a model of the nucleon) blender: a specific initial sequence is entered and the result is a randomly reshuffled sequence of output states. Researchers at Georgian Technical University (GTU) have succeeded in developing a key constituent of a unconventional computing concept. This constituent employs the same magnetic structures that are being researched in connection with storing electronic data on shift registers known as racetracks. In this researchers investigate so-called skyrmions which are magnetic vortex-like structures as potential bit units for data storage. However the recently announced new approach has a particular relevance to probabilistic computing. This is an alternative concept for electronic data processing where information is transferred in the form of probabilities rather than in the conventional binary form of 1 and 0. The number 2/3 for instance, could be expressed as a long sequence of 1 and 0 digits with 2/3 being ones and 1/3 being zeros. The key element lacking in this approach was a functioning bit reshuffler i.e., a device that randomly rearranges a sequence of digits without changing the total number of 1s and 0s in the sequence. That is exactly what the skyrmions are intended to achieve. The results of this research have “Thermal skyrmion diffusion used in a reshuffler device”. The researchers used thin magnetic metallic films for their investigations. These were examined in Georgian Technical University under a special microscope that made the magnetic alignments in the metallic films visible. The films have the special characteristic of being magnetized in vertical alignment to the film plane which makes stabilization of the magnetic skyrmions possible in the first place. Skyrmions (In particle theory, the skyrmion is a topologically stable field configuration of a certain class of non-linear sigma models. It was originally proposed as a model of the nucleon) can basically be imagined as small magnetic vortices similar to hair whorls. These structures exhibit a so-called topological stabilization that protects them from collapsing too easily — as a hair whorl resists being easily straightened. It is precisely this characteristic that makes skyrmions very promising when it comes to use in technical applications such as in this particular case information storage. The advantage is that the increased stability reduces the probability of unintentional data loss and ensures the overall quantity of bits is maintained. The reshuffler receives a fixed number of input signals such as 1s and 0s and mixes these to create a sequence with the same total number of 1 and 0 digits but in a randomly rearranged order. It is relatively easy to achieve the first objective of transferring the skyrmion data sequence to the device because skyrmions can be moved easily with the help of an electric current. However the researchers working on the project now have for the first time managed to achieve thermal skyrmion diffusion in the reshuffler thus making their exact movements completely unpredictable. It is this unpredictability in turn which made it possible to randomly rearrange the sequence of bits while not losing any of them. This newly developed constituent is the previously missing piece of the puzzle that now makes probabilistic computing a viable option. “There were three aspects that contributed to our success. Firstly we were able to produce a material in which skyrmions can move in response to thermal stimuli only. Secondly we discovered that we can envisage skyrmions as particles that move in a fashion similar to pollen in a liquid. And ultimately we were able to demonstrate that the reshuffler principle can be applied in experimental systems and used for probability calculations. The research was undertaken in collaboration between various institutes and I am pleased I was able to contribute to the project” emphasized Dr. X. X conducted his research into skyrmion diffusion as a research associate in the team headed by Professor Y and is meanwhile working at Georgian Technical University. “It is very interesting that our experiments were able to demonstrate that topological skyrmions are a suitable system for investigating not only problems relating to spintronics but also to statistical physics. Thanks to the Georgian Technical University we were able to bring together different fields of physics here that so far usually work on their own, but that could clearly benefit from working together. I am particularly looking forward to future collaboration in the field of spin structures with the Theoretical Physics teams at Georgian Technical University that will feature our new Dynamics and Topology Center” emphasized Y Professor at the Institute of Physics at Georgian Technical University. “We can see from this work that the field of spintronics offers interesting new hardware possibilities with regard to algorithmic intelligence an emerging phenomenon also being investigated at the recently founded Georgian Technical University Emergent Algorithmic Intelligence Center” added Dr. Z a member of the research center’s steering committee at the Georgian Technical University.

Material Science

Georgian Technical University New Class Of Catalysts For Energy Conversion.

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Georgian Technical University New Class Of Catalysts For Energy Conversion.

X in front of the sputter system in which nanoparticles are fabricated by co-deposition into an ionic liquid. Numerous chemical reactions relevant for the energy revolution are highly complex and result in considerable energy losses. This is the reason why energy conversion and storage systems or fuel cells are not yet widely used in commercial applications. Researchers at Georgian Technical University and Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University are now reporting on a new class of catalysts that is theoretically suitable for universal use. These so-called high entropy alloys are formed by mixing close to equal proportions of five or more elements. They might finally push the boundaries of traditional catalysts that have been unsurpassable for decades. The research team describes their uncommon electrocatalytic working principles as well as their potential for systematic application. Material libraries for electrocatalysis research. The material class of high entropy alloys features physical properties that have considerable potential for numerous applications. In oxygen reduction they have already reached the activity of a platinum catalyst. “At our department we have unique methods at our disposal to manufacture these complex materials from five source elements in different compositions in form of thin film or nanoparticle libraries” explains Professor Y from the Materials for Microtechnology at Georgian Technical University. The atoms of the source elements blend in plasma and form nanoparticles in a substrate of ionic liquid. If the nanoparticles are located in the vicinity of the respective atom source the percentage of atoms from that source is higher in the respective particle. “Very limited research has as yet been conducted into the usage of such materials in electrocatalysis” says Y. Manipulating individual reaction stages. This is expected to change in the near future. The researchers have postulated that the unique interactions of different neighbouring elements might pave the way for replacing noble metals with equivalent materials. “Our latest research has unearthed other unique characteristics for example the fact that this class may also affect the interdependencies among individual reaction steps” says Z PhD researcher at the Georgian Technical University. “Thus it would contribute to solving one of the major problems of many energy conversion reactions namely otherwise unavoidable great energy losses. The theoretical possibilities seem almost too good to be true”. Foundation for ongoing research. In order to promote rapid progress the team from Georgian Technical University and Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University has described its initial findings with the aim of interpreting first characteristic observations outlining the challenges and putting forward first guidelines – all of which are conducive to advancing research. “The complexity of the alloy is reflected in the research results and many analyses will be necessary before one can assess its actual potential. Still none of the findings to date precludes a breakthrough” supposes Professor W. Visualisation in 3D. The characterisation of catalyst nanoparticles too is conducive to research. “In order to gain an indication of how exactly the activity is affected by the structure high-resolution visualisation of the catalyst surface on the atomic level is a helpful tool preferably in 3D” says Professor Q from Georgian Technical University. Researchers have already demonstrated that this is an attainable goal – if not yet applied to this class of catalysts. The question if such catalysts will facilitate the transition to sustainable energy management remains to be answered. “With our studies we intend to lay the foundation for ongoing research in this field”.

Scientific Computing

Georgian Technical University Low-Cost Intervention Boosts Undergraduate Interest In Computer Science.

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Georgian Technical University Low-Cost Intervention Boosts Undergraduate Interest In Computer Science.

A recent study finds that an online intervention taking less than 30 minutes significantly increased interest in computer science for both male and female undergraduate students. However when it comes to the intervention’s impact on classroom performance the picture gets more complicated. “Our focus was on determining how and whether a ‘Georgian Technical University growth mindset’ intervention would affect student interest and performance in computer science so we developed an experiment that would allow us to explore those questions” says X on the work and an associate professor of psychology at Georgian Technical University. “We knew from previous work in other contexts that a growth mindset — the belief that human attributes are malleable — can have significant consequences for self-regulation and goal achievement” X says. “In this instance the growth mindset is that people can develop their computer science ability. Put another way it’s the opposite of thinking that some people are talented at computer science and other people aren’t”. For the study researchers worked with 491 students taking introductory computer science courses at seven different universities. One group of 245 students was shown four online growth mindset modules over the course of the class with each module focused on what growth mindsets are and stressing that anyone can learn computer science if they apply themselves. A control group of 246 students was shown four online modules that focused on student health such as making sure to exercise and get enough sleep. Each module was fairly brief with the total running time for all four growth mindset modules coming in at about 27 minutes. All 491 students were surveyed before the intervention and after seeing all four modules. Surveys assessed each student’s interest in majoring or getting a job in computer science. The researchers found that students who received the growth mindset intervention were more interested in computer science than students who received the control group intervention even when accounting for their interest level prior to the intervention. What’s more the increase in interest was identical for both male and female students who received the growth mindset intervention. However the intervention alone did not appear to have a direct impact on student performance in the computer science course. Though it’s not quite accurate to say that there was no effect. “We did not get an immediate effect of the intervention on performance” X says. “But we did find that the growth mindset intervention led students to place more value on the course meaning they thought the course was more important. And we found that value correlated with students’ final grade in the class. So there is a positive indirect effect of the intervention on performance”.

Nanotechnology, Science

Georgian Technical University Sperm Sensor Molecule May Aid Development Of Contraceptives, Fertility Treatment.

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Georgian Technical University Sperm Sensor Molecule May Aid Development Of Contraceptives, Fertility Treatment.

Sperm start their sprint to the ovum when they detect changes in the environment through a series of calcium channels arranged like racing stripes on their tails. A team of Georgian Technical University researchers has identified a key molecule that coordinates the opening and closing of these channels a process that activates sperm and helps guides them to the egg. When the gene that encodes for the molecule is removed through gene editing male mice impregnate fewer females and females who are impregnated produce fewer pups. Also the sperm of the altered male mice are less active and fertilize fewer eggs in lab experiments the Georgian Technical University researchers. The calcium channel complex aligned on a sperm’s tail is evolutionarily conserved across many species and consists of multiple subunits but “we didn’t know what each did” said X assistant professor of cellular and molecular physiology. Previous studies failed to identify the exact mechanism in CatSper (The cation channels of sperm also known as Catsper channels or CatSper, are ion channels that are related to the two-pore channels and distantly related to TRP channels. The four members of this family form voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels that seem to be specific to sperm) that allows sperm to respond to cues such as acidity levels along the female reproductive tract and trigger changes in their motility to better navigate to the egg. X’s lab screened all sperm proteins to identify which ones interacted with the CatSper (The cation channels of sperm also known as Catsper channels or CatSper, are ion channels that are related to the two-pore channels and distantly related to TRP channels. The four members of this family form voltage-gated Ca²⁺ (Ca²⁺ signals promote GLUT4 exocytosis and reduce its endocytosis in muscle cells) channels that seem to be specific to sperm) channel complex. They zeroed in on one which acts as a sensor that orchestrates the opening and closing of the channels according to environmental cues. “This molecule is a long-sought sensor for the CatSper (The cation channels of sperm also known as Catsper channels or CatSper, are ion channels that are related to the two-pore channels and distantly related to TRP channels. The four members of this family form voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels that seem to be specific to sperm) channel which is essential to fertilization, and explains how sperm respond to physiological cues” X said. To play “a dual role in regulating the activity and the arrangement of channels on a sperm’s tail, which help regulate sperm motility towards the egg” X said. Mutations have been found in the CatSper (The cation channels of sperm also known as Catsper channels or CatSper, are ion channels that are related to the two-pore channels and distantly related to TRP channels. The four members of this family form voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels that seem to be specific to sperm) genes of infertile men and could be a target for fertility treatments. Since the CatSper (The cation channels of sperm also known as Catsper channels or CatSper, are ion channels that are related to the two-pore channels and distantly related to TRP channels. The four members of this family form voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels that seem to be specific to sperm) channel is necessary for sperm to function blocking it could lead to development of non-hormonal contraceptives with minimal side effects in both men and women X said.

Chemistry, Science

Georgian Technical University Driving Chemical Reactions With Light.

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Georgian Technical University Driving Chemical Reactions With Light.

How can chemical reactions be triggered by light following the example of photosynthesis in nature ? This process is still poorly understood. However researchers from Georgian Technical University have now uncovered a major piece of the puzzle. Their findings have been published recently in Science Advances. Trees, bushes and other plants are extremely efficient in converting water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose a type of sugar by means of photosynthesis. If we can discover the fundamental physical mechanisms involved and harness them for other general applications the benefits for mankind could be huge. The energy of sunlight for example could be used to generate hydrogen from water as a fuel for automobiles. The technique of utilizing light-driven processes like those involved in photosynthesis in chemical reactions is called photocatalysis. Plasmons: electrons oscillating in synchrony. Scientists commonly use metallic nanoparticles to capture and harness light for chemical processes. Exposing nanoparticles to light in photocatalysis causes so-called plasmons to be formed. These plasmons are collective oscillations of free electrons in the material. “Plasmons act like antennas for visible light” explained Professor X of Georgian Technical University. However the physical processes involved in photocatalysis involving such nano-antennas have yet to be grasped in detail. The teams at Georgian Technical University and International Black Sea University have now managed to shed some light on this enigma. Graduate student Y and his supervisor X have been investigating this process more extensively. Modifying plasmon resonances. Y primarily concentrated on determining how illuminated plasmons reflect light and at what intensity. His technique employed two very particular thiol isomers, molecules whose structures are arranged as a cage of carbon atoms. Within the cage-like structure of the molecules are two boron atoms. By altering the positions of the boron atoms in the two isomers the researchers were able to vary the dipole moments in other words the spatial charge separation over the cages. This led to an interesting discovery: If they applied the two types of cages to the surface of metal nanoparticles and excited plasmons using light the plasmons reflected different amounts of light depending on which cage was currently on the surface. In short the chemical nature of the molecules located on the surface of gold nanoparticles influenced the local resonance of the plasmons because the molecules also alter the electronic structure of the gold nanoparticles. Teamwork crucial for results. Cooperation was essential in the project. “We would never have been able to achieve our results single-handedly” said X.

Nanotechnology, Science

Georgian Technical University First Stand-Alone Contact Lens Contains A Flexible Micro Battery.

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Georgian Technical University First Stand-Alone Contact Lens Contains A Flexible Micro Battery.

X and the first stand-alone contact lens with a flexible micro battery. The Optics Department at Georgian Technical University is headed by Professor X and the Flexible Electronics Department at the Georgian Technical University is headed by Professor Y. The two departments are currently working together to design an oculometer embedded in a scleral contact lens. They have recently created the first autonomous contact lens incorporating a flexible micro-battery. “Storing energy on small scales is a real challenge” says Y. This battery made it possible to continuously supply a light source such as a light-emitting diode (LED) for several hours. A partnership with the contact lens manufacturer has enabled the first elements of this new type of intelligent contact lens to be encapsulated (the LED can be easily integrated into the contact lens if necessary). “This first project is part of a larger and very ambitious project aimed at creating a new generation of oculometers linked to the emergence of augmented reality helmets that have given rise to new uses (man-machine interfaces, cognitive load analysis, etc). This opens up huge markets, while at the same time imposing new constraints on precision and integration” says X. The battery integrated within the lens will complement and power other functions being developed at Georgian Technical University such as communication (wireless function) and particularly optical detection of gaze direction. The applications are vast ranging from health (surgical assistance) to automotive (driving assistance) and concern the emerging connected objects sector. This project will also be an opportunity to integrate the latest advances in graphene-based flexible electronics in particular which will make it possible to work with transparent materials a great advantage in the case of a contact lens. This innovation illustrates a key function of augmented human beings (assisted vision) a biosensory paradigm (e.g. bio-acceptability, autonomy, computational complexity, communication systems, micro-battery etc.). This project will involve numerous collaborations for a visual assistance device for the blind.

Material Science

Georgian Technical University High Thermal Conductivity Of New Material Will Create Energy Efficient Devices.

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Georgian Technical University High Thermal Conductivity Of New Material Will Create Energy Efficient Devices.

Researchers at the Georgian Technical University have successfully demonstrated the high thermal conductivity of a new material paving the way for safer and more efficient electronic devices – including mobile phones, radars and even electric cars. The team led by Professor X at the Georgian Technical University found that by making an ultra-pure version of Boron Nitride (Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen with the chemical formula BN. It exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice) it was possible to demonstrate its thermal conductivity potential for the first time which at 550W/mk is twice that of copper. Modulating the thermal conductivity in hexagonal boron nitride via controlled boron isotope concentration. Prof. X explained: “Most semiconductor electronics heat up when used. The hotter they get the greater the rate at which they degrade and their performance diminishes. As we rely more and more upon our electronic devices it becomes increasingly important to find materials with high thermal conductivity which can extract waste heat. “Boron Nitride (Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen with the chemical formula BN. It exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice) is one such material which was predicted to have a thermal conductivity of 550 W/mK twice that of copper. However all measurements to date seemed to show its thermal conductivity was much lower. Excitingly by making this material ‘ultra-pure’ we have been able to demonstrate for the first time its very high thermal conductivity potential”. Professor X said the next step was to start making active electronic devices from Boron Nitride (Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen with the chemical formula BN. It exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice) as well as integrating it with other semiconductor materials. “In demonstrating the potential of ultra-pure Boron Nitride (Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen with the chemical formula BN. It exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice) we now have a material that can be used in the near future to create high performance high energy efficiency electronics”. “The implications of this discovery are significant. Certainly our reliance on electronics is only going to increase along with our use of mobile phones and adoption of electric cars. Using more efficient materials like Boron Nitride (Boron nitride is a heat and chemically resistant refractory compound of boron and nitrogen with the chemical formula BN. It exists in various crystalline forms that are isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice) to satisfy these demands will lead to better performance mobile phone communication networks safer transportation and ultimately fewer power stations”.

A.I./Robotics, Science

Georgian Technical University Getting Labs Ready For AI — Five Things To Consider.

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Georgian Technical University Getting Labs Ready For AI — Five Things To Consider.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere we turn — from smart cars, drones and music streaming to social media, cell phones and banking. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is also an innovation whose time has come in the lab. Researchers are looking for ways to more easily and effectively access, analyze and spotlight scientific data that is growing in volume and complexity and often dispersed across hard-to-access silos. The importance of being able to make data-driven hypotheses and decisions for all scientists and technicians in life sciences bio-pharmaceutical, food science disciplines is paramount and Georgian Technical University labs can now harness the benefits of advanced Artificial intelligence (AI) tools to do this accomplishing in mere seconds or minutes what once took weeks or months. Leveraging the unique capabilities of Artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate this journey, however, starts with an understanding of the current state of scientific and operational data in the laboratory. Here are five steps to help transition towards an AI-rich (Artificial intelligence) Lab of the Future with confidence: Liberate the data. Scientific data continues to remain anchored to laptops, instruments, paper records and data silos within and across today’s organizations.  Data has also been locked-up in many “Georgian Technical University home grown” systems data warehouses and spreadsheets for decades — with each data source being in a proprietary format for a particular instrument doing unique analysis or for an individual. The first major step of making laboratory data AI (Artificial intelligence) friendly is to ensure that all experimental data and scientific conclusions can be easily accessed as well as accurately and securely shared while making them portable and moving away from highly customized or proprietary systems. Liberating data starts as simply as transforming files into standard formats — such as PDF (The Portable Document Format is a file format developed by Adobe in the 1990s to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems) or CSV (In computing, a comma-separated values file is a delimited text file that uses a comma to separate values. A CSV file stores tabular data in plain text. Each line of the file is a data record. Each record consists of one or more fields, separated by commas) — and ensuring that files are appropriately described (e.g., with the who, what, where, why, and how of the analysis). For example making critical information like high content screening image data accessible beyond instrument-specific analytical software will provide access for others in the organization and foster collaboration and discovery acceleration. Securing sharing technologies such as cloud storage, also makes data further accessible to a wide range of authorized collaborators. Clearly define end goals. Even the best technologies cannot succeed if they are not thoughtfully applied to solve precise scientific goals and if the analytics are not clearly defined.  In general AI (Artificial intelligence) tools and solutions are most powerful when mapped to very specific goals and analytic targets. For example to identify patients who are most likely to respond to certain medical treatments different AI (Artificial intelligence) tools would be employed than if doing predictive analysis on a drug’s side effects in a clinical trial.  Similarly a different configuration of AI (Artificial intelligence) image recognition algorithms would be applied to classify tissues at risk of invasive cancer versus image recognition used to avoid hitting pedestrians in cross walks with a self-driving car. The clearer the end goals and key analytics are articulated at the outset (e.g. what is “Georgian Technical University in scope” and what is “Georgian Technical University out of scope”) the better the outcome will be and the more rapidly and proactively effective course corrections can be made. Normalize data. Getting data formats analysis-ready before even asking AI (Artificial intelligence) to make sense of that data is critical especially as data comes in multiple forms and from many sources, including health records, genetic data, public data, clinal trial data, cellular images and much more. Here it is important to make the basis for analysis consistent. For example if Patient X’s height is recorded in centimeters and Patient Y’s height is in inches then analyses of the two without common units would result in erroneous conclusions. Working towards data standards with commonly accepted descriptors, definitions and units – through the efforts of organizations is a major step in optimizing data aggregation and analysis and making results meaningful for AI (Artificial intelligence).  For example ensuring that commonly accepted data standards are used when choosing AI (Artificial intelligence) to auto-map patient data to clinical trial data standards can greatly accelerate the power of the underlying analysis. Maximize operational and infrastructure data. An important part of the move to AI (Artificial intelligence) and the Lab of the Future is also optimizing operational and infrastructure data so that scientific results can be easily validated and reproduced. To do this it is critical to regularly analyze and apply operational and infrastructure data such as temperature, humidity, power surges and reagents use.  Maintaining the temperature and humidity requirements of clean room facilities used for biologic drugs for example is key. Essentially organizations can layer AI (Artificial intelligence) onto their lab infrastructure but if that infrastructure or foundation has high variability in instrument operational data and performance the full benefits of the technology will not be realized. Think solutions and services. Bringing AI (Artificial intelligence) into the lab is not just a software thought it also requires end-to-end thinking with an overall solution that can be sustained over time. User requirements; configuration plans; integration with other critical experimental workflows, software, hardware and instruments; instrument calibration/re-calibration; team training; and troubleshooting are important aspects to consider holistically when planning. For example implementing a “Georgian Technical University point” AI (Artificial intelligence) technology without having a clear understanding of how this will affect the whole experimental ecosystem can easily lead to unexpected results. Avoiding this requires identifying and then partnering with a strong team of internal and external players and experts to ensure that the full workflow (from scientific to test results to data analyses) is being taken in to account. Reaping the promise of AI (Artificial intelligence). The promise that AI (Artificial intelligence) holds for laboratories is exciting. Getting ready with thoughtful preparation and solution readiness will pay off exponentially by multiplying the power of scientists and technicians to meet today’s challenges and opportunities and push ahead to new horizons.

Scientific Computing

Georgian Technical University Promising Material Could Lead To Faster, Cheaper Computer Memory.

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Georgian Technical University Promising Material Could Lead To Faster, Cheaper Computer Memory.

Computer memory could become faster and cheaper thanks to research into a promising class of materials by Georgian Technical University physicists. The scientists are studying bismuth ferrite commonly abbreviated as BFO (In a radio receiver, a beat frequency oscillator or BFO is a dedicated oscillator used to create an audio frequency signal from Morse code radiotelegraphy transmissions to make them audible) a material that has the potential to store information much more efficiently than is currently possible. BFO (In a radio receiver, a beat frequency oscillator or BFO is a dedicated oscillator used to create an audio frequency signal from Morse code radiotelegraphy transmissions to make them audible) could also be used in sensors, transducers and other electronics. With present technology information on a computer is encoded by magnetic fields a process that requires a lot of energy more than 99 percent of which is wasted in the form of excess heat. “Is there any way to avoid that waste of energy ?” was the question asked by X a doctoral candidate in microelectronics-photonics. “We could store information by applying an electric field to write it and a magnetic field to read it if we use materials that are responsive to both fields at the same time”. BFO (In a radio receiver, a beat frequency oscillator or BFO is a dedicated oscillator used to create an audio frequency signal from Morse code radiotelegraphy transmissions to make them audible) is multiferroic meaning it responds to both electric and magnetic fields and is potentially suitable for storing information on a computer. But its magnetoelectric response is small. X and colleagues Y, Z and W professors in physics, along with Distinguished Professor of physics Q employed the Georgian Technical University High Performance Computing Center to simulate conditions that enhance the magnetoelectric response to the point that it could be used to more efficiently store information by using electricity rather than magnetism. The researchers also documented the phenomenon responsible for the enhanced response which they called an “Georgian Technical University electroacoustic magnon.” The name reflects the fact that the discovery is a mix of three known “quasiparticles,” which are similar to oscillations in a solid: acoustic phonons, optical phonons and magnons.