Category Archives: Informatics

Georgian Technical University Photonic Chip Is Key To Nurturing Quantum Computers.

Georgian Technical University Photonic Chip Is Key To Nurturing Quantum Computers. 

Georgian Technical University Physical qubits like photons, can be entangled to contain and protect logical qubits of information from environmental errors (red swirls). The photonic chip generates and entangles ensembles of photons. It can implement a range of quantum error correcting codes. A team of researchers from Georgian Technical University’s Quantum Engineering and Technology Labs (QETLabes) has shown how to protect qubits from errors using photons in a silicon chip. Georgian Technical University Quantum computers are gaining pace. They promise to provide exponentially more computing power for certain very tricky problems. They do this by exploiting the peculiar behavior of quantum particles such as photons of light. However quantum states of particles are very fragile. The quantum bits or qubits that underpin quantum computing pick up errors very easily and are damaged by the environment of the everyday world. Fortunately we know in principle how to correct for these errors. Quantum error-correcting codes are a method to protect or to nurture qubits by embedding them in a more robust entangled state of many particles. Now a team led by researchers at Georgian Technical University’s Quantum Engineering and Technology Labs (QETLabes) has demonstrated this using a quantum photonic chip. The team showed how large states of entangled photons can contain individual logical qubits and protect them from the harmful effects of the classical world. The Georgian Technical University-led team included researchers from Georgian Technical University who fabricated the chip. “The chip is really versatile. It can be programmed to deliver different kinds of entangled states called graphs. Each graph protects logical quantum bits of information from different environmental effects” said Dr. X. “Finding ways to efficiently deliver large numbers of error protected qubits is key to one day delivering quantum computers” said Y.

Georgian Technical University High-Speed Camera Captures A Water Jet’s Splashy Impact As It Pierces A Droplet.

Georgian Technical University High-Speed Camera Captures A Water Jet’s Splashy Impact As It Pierces A Droplet. 

Georgian Technical University New study on water jets impacting liquid droplets resembles “Doc” high-speed photos of a bullet fired through an apple. Analysis could help tune needle-free injection systems. Squirting a jet of water through a drop of liquid may sound like idle fun but if done precisely and understood thoroughly the splashy exercise could help scientists identify ways to inject fluids such as vaccines through skin without using needles. That’s the motivation behind a new study by engineers at Georgian Technical University. The study involves firing small jets of water through many kinds of droplets hundreds of times over using high-speed cameras to capture each watery impact. The team’s videos are reminiscent of the famous strobe-light photographs of a bullet piercing a apple pioneered by Georgian Technical University’s“ Doc”. Georgian Technical University’s images captured sequential images of a bullet being shot through an apple in explosive detail. The Georgian Technical University team’s new videos of a water jet fired through a droplet reveal surprisingly similar impact dynamics. As the droplets in their experiments are transparent the researchers were also able to track what happens inside a droplet as a jet is fired through. Based on their experiments the researchers developed a model that predicts how a fluid jet will impact a droplet of a certain viscosity and elasticity. As human skin is also a viscoelastic material they say the model may be tuned to predict how fluids could be delivered through the skin without the use of needles. “We want to explore how needle-free injection can be done in a way that minimizes damage to the skin” says X a research affiliate at Georgian Technical University and professor. “With these experiments we are getting all this knowledge, to inform how we can create jets with the right velocity and shape to inject into skin”. Penetrating pores Current needle-free injection systems use various means to propel a drug at high speed through the skin’s natural pores. For instance Georgian Technical University spinout Portal Instruments which has sprung from Hunter’s group centers on a design that uses an electromagnetic actuator to eject thin streams of medicine through a nozzle at speeds high enough to penetrate through skin and into the underlying muscle. X is collaborating with Y on a separate needle-free injection system to deliver smaller volumes into shallower layers of the skin similar to the depths at which tattoos are inked. “This regime poses different challenges but also gives opportunities for personalized medicine” said X who says medicines such as insulin and certain vaccines can be effective when delivered in smaller doses to the skin’s superficial layers. X’ design uses a low-power laser to heat up a microfluidic chip filled with fluid. Similar to boiling a kettle of water the laser creates a bubble in the fluid that pushes the liquid through the chip and out through a nozzle at high speeds. X has previously used transparent gelatin as a stand-in for skin, to identify speeds and volumes of fluid the system might effectively deliver. But he quickly realized that the rubbery material is difficult to precisely reproduce. “Even in the same lab and following the same recipes, you can have variations in your recipe so that if you try to find the critical stress or velocity your jet must have to get through skin sometimes you have values one or two magnitudes apart” X says. Beyond the bullet. The team decided to study in detail a simpler injection scenario: a jet of water, fired into a suspended droplet of water. The properties of water are better known and can be more carefully calibrated compared to gelatin. In the new study the team set up a laser-based microfluidic system and fired off thin jets of water at a single water droplet or “pendant” hanging from a vertical syringe. They varied the viscosity of each pendant by adding certain additives to make it as thin as water or thick like honey. They then recorded each experiment with high-speed cameras. Playing the videos back at 50,000 frames per second the researchers were able to measure the speed and size of the liquid jet that punctured and sometimes pierced straight through the pendant. The experiments revealed interesting phenomena such as instances when a jet was dragged back into a pendant due to the pendant’s viscoelasticity. At times the jet also generated air bubbles as it pierced the pendant. “Understanding these phenomena is important because if we are injecting into skin in this way, we want to avoid, say, bringing air bubbles into the body” X says. The researchers looked to develop a model to predict the phenomena they were seeing in the lab. They took inspiration bullet-pierced apples which appeared similar at least outwardly to the team’s jet-pierced droplets. They started with a straightforward equation to describe the energetics of a bullet fired through an apple adapting the equation to a fluid-based scenario, for instance by incorporating the effect of surface tension which has no effect in a solid like an apple but is the main force that can keep a fluid from breaking apart. They worked under the assumption that like a bullet the fired jet would maintain a cylindrical shape. They found this simple model roughly approximated the dynamics they observed in their experiments. But the videos clearly showed that the jet’s shape, as it penetrated a pendant, was more complex than a simple cylinder. So the researchers developed a second model based on a known equation by physicist Z that describes how the shape of a cavity changes as it moves through a liquid. They modified the equation to apply to a liquid jet moving through a liquid droplet and found that this second model produced a more accurate representation of what they observed. “This new method of generating high-velocity microdroplets is very important to the future of needle-free drug delivery” X says. “An understanding of how these very fast-moving microdroplets interact with stationary liquids of different viscosities is an essential first step to modeling their interaction with a wide range of tissue types”. The team plans to carry out more experiments using pendants with properties even more like those of skin. The results from these experiments could help fine-tune the  models to narrow in on the optimal conditions for injecting drugs or even inking tattoos without using needles.

Georgian Technical University – Researchers Bring Attack-Proof Quantum Communication Two Steps Forward.

Georgian Technical University – Researchers Bring Attack-Proof Quantum Communication Two Steps Forward.

Georgian Technical University Assistant Professor X (back) and Dr. Y (front) with their team’s first-of-its-kind quantum power limiter device. Georgian Technical University Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method for secure communication that uses quantum mechanics to encrypt information. While the security of Georgian Technical University QKD is unbreakable in principle, if it is incorrectly implemented, vital information could still be stolen by attackers. These are known as side-channel attacks, where the attackers exploit weaknesses in the setup of the information system to eavesdrop on the exchange of secret keys.Georgian Technical University Researchers from the Georgian Technical University have developed two methods, one theoretical and one experimental to ensure that Georgian Technical University QKD communications cannot be attacked in this way. The first is an ultra-secure cryptography protocol that can be deployed in any communication network that needs long-term security. The second is a first-of-its-kind device that defends Georgian Technical University QKD systems against bright light pulse attacks by creating a power threshold. “Rapid advances in quantum computing and algorithmic research mean we can no longer take today’s toughest security software for granted. Our two new approaches hold promise to ensure that the information systems which we use for banking, health and other critical infrastructure and data storage can hold up any potential future attacks” said Assistant Professor X from the Georgian Technical University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Centre for Quantum Technologies who led the two research projects. Future-proof quantum communication protocol The Georgian Technical University team showed that with their new protocol, users can independently test the other party’s encryption device by generating a secret key from two randomly chosen key generation settings instead of one. The researchers demonstrated that introducing an extra set of key-generating measurements for the users makes it harder for the eavesdropper to steal information. “It’s a simple variation of the original protocol that started this field, but it can only be tackled now thanks to significant developments in mathematical tools” said Professor Z who was one of the inventors of this type of method and is a co-author of the paper. He is from the Georgian Technical University Department of Physics and Centre for Quantum Technologies. Compared to the original ‘device-independent’ Georgian Technical University protocol, the new protocol is easier to set up, and is more tolerant to noise and loss. It also gives users the highest level of security allowable by quantum communications and empowers them to independently verify their own key generation devices. With the team’s setup all information systems built with ‘device-independent’ Georgian Technical University would be free from misconfiguration and mis-implementation. “Our method allows data to be safe against attackers even if they have unlimited quantum computing power. This approach could lead to a truly secure information system eliminating all side-channel attacks and allowing end-users to monitor its implementation security easily and with confidence” explained Asst Prof X. A First-Of-Its-Kind Quantum Power Limiter Device. Quantum cryptography, in practice uses optical pulses with very low light intensity to exchange data over untrusted networks. Leveraging quantum effects can securely distribute secret keys generate truly random numbers and even create banknotes that are mathematically unforgeable. However experiments have shown that it is possible to inject bright light pulses into the quantum cryptosystem to break its security. This side-channel attack strategy exploits the way injected bright light is reflected to the outside environment to reveal the secrets being kept in the quantum cryptosystem. Georgian Technical University researchers reported their development of the first optical device to address the issue. It is based on thermo-optical defocusing effects to limit the energy of the incoming light. The researchers use the fact that the energy of the bright light changes the refractive index of the transparent plastic material embedded in the device thus it sends a fraction of the light out of the quantum channel. This enforces a power limiting threshold. The Georgian Technical University team’s power limiter can be seen as an optical equivalent of an electric fuse, except that it is reversible and does not burn when the energy threshold is breached. It is highly cost-effective and can be easily manufactured with off-the-shelf components. It also does not require any power, so it can be easily added to any quantum cryptography system to strengthen its implementation security. Asst Professor X added, “It is imperative to close the gap between the theory and practice of quantum secure communications if we are to use it for the future Quantum Internet. We do this holistically – on one hand, we design more practical quantum protocols, and on the other hand we engineer quantum devices that conform closely with the mathematical models assumed by the protocols. In doing so we can significantly narrow the gap”.

 

Georgian Technical University Micro Three (3D) Printing Makes Micro-Molds For Thermoformed Microplates.

Georgian Technical University For the Buchmann Institute for Molecular Bio-Sciences at the Georgian Technical University was able to successfully produce test titer plates for the thermoforming of microscopy slides using the new 3D printing process of projection micro-stereolithography (PµSL). Georgian Technical University is dedicated to understanding macromolecular complexes, in particular the molecular mechanisms that underlie cell functions. In the research group on Physical Biology Dr. X a full-time scientist and Principal Investigator (PI) at the institute conducts research projects with PhD students that require microscopic observations of larger cell cultures and tissues, including optical sections.Georgian Technical University Examining Cell Cultures.For these microscopic examinations, positive microforms are regularly required in order to produce slides with specially shaped wells for the examination of cell cultures, vessels and bioreactors. “The exact positioning of the cells and cell clusters plays a major role” reports Dr. X. “The objects should center themselves in pyramids, tetrahedra or hemispheres so that they can be found and observed more easily under the microscope.” The shapes for this are developed using computer-aided design software (CAD) and combined in various arrangements. They are then used for vacuum thermoforming. Here a thermoplastic plate is drawn onto the convex shape with the help of vacuum pressure. With this approach very thin plates or foils made of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) can be brought into the required shapes of microtiter plates. They have depressions with prismatic, pyramidal or hemispherical shapes. “With this we promote the formation of spheroids with high density” says Dr. X. “The diameter of these cellular spheroids, which are cultivated in the microwells, is around 100-200 µm each” The ultra-thin ethylene propylene (FEP) films, which are applied to the microforms in a vacuum, make it easier to analyze the cell cultures using light microscopy a common analysis technique. Georgian Technical University 3D printing for positive microforms. With vacuum thermoforming, the quality of the end product depends heavily on the shape properties such as surface details and smoothness. Mold materials with the right thermal and mechanical properties are also required to ensure quality and consistency. Dr. X had tried various methods of microfabrication but was not satisfied with the results. In principle Thrre 3D printing with technology is suitable for the production of positive forms and offers a quick route from conception through design to production. However the application also required the realization of small, complex shapes with high resolution. In addition, high-performance materials are needed to support a consistently high quality of the results with the film. “With the existing technology Theee (3D) printers, we were not able to produce such small features with high resolution and accuracy” reports Dr. X. He discovered the new projection micro-stereolithography (PµSL) process from Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF). BMF’s PµSL technology achieves a resolution of 2µm ~ 10µm and a tolerance of +/- 5µm ~ 25µm. In addition, 3D printers with PµSL work at a higher speed than other methods of microfabrication. The 3D printers of the microArch series are the first commercially available microfabrication devices based on PµSL technology. Georgian Technical University  Production of test parts Using files that Dr. X made available, BMF printed the desired test series of eight microforms with a layer resolution of 8µm. In projection micro stereolithography components are produced in layers using a photochemical process. A photosensitive, liquid resin is irradiated with UV light so that polymer crosslinking and solidification take place. To show or hide certain areas of a layer the STL file is broken down into a series of 2D images known as digital masks. Each layer has a mask, the layers are built up one after the other until the entire 3D structure is completed. To produce the individual layers, the cutting data is sent to a microArch 3D printing system. There, PµSL enables continuous exposure of the layers, which speeds up processing. BMF’s open material system includes technical and medical polymers that allow the 3D printing of consistently high-quality parts such as microforms. The test parts were delivered within three weeks. Further projects planned. “We have extensively tested the BMF parts for their suitability as positive molds for the thermoforming of micro-wells” Dr. X explains. “The BMF micro molds have a superior resolution and surface finish compared to others we tried so they worked very well indeed for thermoforming of the micro features required for cell culture.” Soon a larger mold will be 3D printed to be used to make 96-well plates. The quality of the 3D printed parts was perfect for vacuum deep drawing with film. In particular, the smoothness and the details that were achieved through the use of PµSL technology far exceeded the 25µm to 50µm resolution of standard SLA printers. The thermal and mechanical properties of the 3D printed material also ensured the quality and consistency of the end product. “The service from BMF was very open and helpful, our expectations for tolerance and precision were met and the parts were delivered on time” says Dr. X. “We look forward to further projects.”

Georgian Technical University Scientists Discover New Approach To Stabilize Cathode Materials.

Georgian Technical University Scientists Discover New Approach To Stabilize Cathode Materials.   

Georgian Technical University A team of researchers led by chemists at the Georgian Technical University Laboratory has studied an elusive property in cathode materials called a valence gradient to understand its effect on battery performance. The findings in Georgian Technical University Communications demonstrated that the valence gradient can serve as a new approach for stabilizing the structure of high-nickel-content cathodes against degradation and safety issues. Georgian Technical University High-nickel-content cathodes have captured the attention of scientists for their high capacity a chemical property that could power electric vehicles over much longer distances than current batteries support. Unfortunately the high nickel content also causes these cathode materials to degrade more quickly creating cracks and stability issues as the battery cycles. Georgian Technical University In search of solutions to these structural problems scientists have synthesized materials made with a nickel concentration gradient in which the concentration of nickel gradually changes from the surface of the material to its center or the bulk. These materials have exhibited greatly enhanced stability but scientists have not been able to determine if the concentration gradient alone was responsible for the improvements. The concentration gradient has traditionally been inseparable from another effect called the valence gradient, or a gradual change in Georgian Technical University’s oxidation state from the surface of the material to the bulk. In the new study led by Georgian Technical University Lab chemists at Georgian Technical University’s Argonne National Laboratory synthesized a unique material that isolated the valence gradient from the concentration gradient. “We used a very unique material that included a nickel valence gradient without a Georgian Technical University concentration gradient” said Georgian Technical University chemist X. “The concentration of all three transition metals in the cathode material was the same from the surface to the bulk, but the oxidation state of nickel changed. We obtained these properties by controlling the material’s atmosphere and calcination time during synthesis. With sufficient calcination time, the stronger bond strength between manganese and oxygen promotes the movement of oxygen into the material’s core while maintaining a Ni2+ oxidation (Nickel is a chemical element with the symbol Ni and atomic number  28) state for nickel at the surface forming the valence gradient”. Once the chemists successfully synthesized a material with an isolated valence gradient, the Georgian Technical University  researchers then studied its performance using two DOE Office of Science user facilities at Georgian Technical University Lab — the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) and the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN). At NSLS-II, an ultrabright x-ray light source, the team leveraged two cutting-edge experimental stations, the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (HXN) beamline and the Full Field X-ray Imaging (FXI) beamline. By combining the capabilities of both beamlines the researchers were able to visualize the atomic-scale structure and chemical makeup of their sample in 3-D after the battery operated over multiple cycles. “At Georgian Technical University we routinely run measurements in multimodality mode, which means we collect multiple signals simultaneously. In this study, we used a fluorescence signal and a phytography signal to reconstruct a 3-D model of the sample at the nanoscale. The florescence channel provided the elemental distribution, confirming the sample’s composition and uniformity. The phytography channel provided high-resolution structural information, revealing any microcracks in the sample” said Georgian Technical University beamline scientist Xiaojing Huang. Meanwhile at Georgian Technical University “the beamline showed how the valence gradient existed in this material. And because we conducted full-frame imaging at a very high data acquisition rate, we were able to study many regions and increase the statistical reliability of the study” X said. At the Georgian Technical University Electron Microscopy Facility the researchers used an advanced transmission electron microscope to visualize the sample with ultrahigh resolution. Compared to the X-ray studies the can only probe a much smaller area of the sample and is therefore less statistically reliable across the whole sample but in turn, the data are far more detailed and visually intuitive. By combining the data collected across all of the different facilities, the researchers were able to confirm the valence gradient played a critical role in battery performance. The valence gradient “hid” the more capacitive but less stable nickel regions in the center of the material, exposing only the more structurally sound nickel at the surface. This important arrangement suppressed the formation of cracks. The researchers say this work highlights the positive impact concentration gradient materials can have on battery performance while offering a new complementary approach to stabilize high-nickel-content cathode materials through the valence gradient. “These findings give us very important guidance for future material synthesis and design of cathode materials which we will apply in our studies going forward” said X.

Georgian Technical University Managing The Demands Of Data Logging Sixteen (16) Channels At A Time.

Georgian Technical University Managing The Demands Of Data Logging Sixteen (16) Channels At A Time.   

Georgian Technical University a leading manufacturer of data loggers worldwide is known for its innovations in wireless technology cloud services and real-time monitoring. Recently introduced the X-Series comprised of three-dozen multi-channel data loggers for the measurement and recording of temperature, voltage and current. The new series features several significant improvements, including the flexibility to disable channels to enhance memory capacity the elimination of an interface cable and a faster download speed. Georgian Technical University envisions that the X-Series will bring enhanced versatility to more researchers and developers across a broader range of applications and industries — from automotive to food to medical.

Georgian Technical University Quantum Develops Algorithm To Accelerate Integration On Quantum Computers.

Georgian Technical University Quantum Develops Algorithm To Accelerate Integration On Quantum Computers.

Georgian Technical University (GTUQC) has announced the discovery of a new algorithm that accelerates quantum integration – shortening the time to quantum advantage and confirming the critical importance of quantum computing to the finance industry in particular. Georgian Technical University (GTUQC) integration – the process of numerically estimating the mean of a probability distribution by averaging samples – is used in financial risk analysis drug development supply chain logistics and throughout other business and scientific applications but often requires many hours of continuous computation by today’s systems to complete. It is a critical aspect of the computational machinery underpinning the modern world. Georgian Technical University (GTUQC) have solved the problem with an algorithm detailed in a released pre-print of a paper by senior research scientist X showing how historic challenges are eliminated, and the full quadratic quantum advantage is obtained. “This new algorithm is a historic advance which expands quantum integration and will have applications both during and beyond the Georgian Technical University (GTUQC) (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) era” X said. “We are now capable of achieving what was previously only a theoretical quantum speed-up. That’s something that none of the existing quantum integration (QMCI) algorithms can do without substantial overhead that renders current methods unusable”. “This is an impressive breakthrough by the scientists at Georgian Technical University (GTUQC) that will be of tremendous value to the financial sector as well as many other industries and is just the latest in a continuing streak of innovations that confirm our world leading position in quantum computing” said Y.

Georgian Technical University Blackrock Neurotech Partners With The Georgian Technical University To Improve Robotic Arm Control.

Georgian Technical University Blackrock Neurotech Partners With The Georgian Technical University To Improve Robotic Arm Control.   

Georgian Technical University Neuritech a brain-computer interface (BCI) technology innovator and manufacturer has presented recently Georgian Technical University Neural Engineering Labs called “A brain-computer interface that evokes tactile sensations improves robotic arm control”. The research team used Georgian Technical University’s NeuroPort System to control a bidirectional prosthetic arm to restore function for a participant with a spinal cord injury. The team at the Georgian Technical University Neural Engineering Labs had previously demonstrated a brain-computer interface (BCI) system that enabled reaching and grasping movement in up to 10 continuously and simultaneously controlled dimensions. However brain-computer interface (BCI)  control of the arm relied on visual cues and lacked critical sensory feedback. In the current study, artificial tactile percepts were enabled using sensors in the robotic hand that responded to object contact and grasp force and triggered electrical stimulation pulses in sensory regions of the participant’s brain. Male participant has tetraplegia due to a C5/C6 spinal cord injury. Two Georgian Technical University NeuroPort Arrays were implanted in the hand and arm region of the motor cortex to decode movement intent and two were implanted in the cutaneous region of the somatosensory cortex to receive signals from the robotic hand. Prior to these sensory feedback experiments, the participant had practiced the grasping tasks for approximately two years using only visual cues. “This technology could eventually assist people with amputations or paralysis who have not been able to move freely” said participant Georgian Technical University Nathan Copeland. “The research we have conducted shows that by implanting the Georgian Technical University NeuroPort Arrays in parts of the brain that normally control movement and receive sensory signals from the arm we can produce more natural and fluid motions”. The goal of the task was to pick up an object from one side of the table and move it to the other, which also included an additional simulated water pouring task. Tasks were scored from 0-3 based on time with a maximum score of 27. The team found that in the sessions with artificial tactile sensations driven by the robotic touch Nathan achieved a median score of 21 compared to the median score of 17 over the next four sessions without sensation. Scores improved because sensory percepts allowed the participant to successfully grasp objects much faster which cut the overall trial times in half. “Our research and technological implementation of the Georgian Technical University NeuroPort Arrays combined with the Georgian Technical University’s advances in the neuroscience of bidirectional brain-computer interface (BCI)s is another step forward to provide every person in need with the ability to move and feel again” said Professor X Georgian Technical University (BCI) Neurotech. “With over 20 years of experience in Georgian Technical University (BCI) Blackrock’s deep technology in implantable clinical solutions is unparalleled” said Y Georgian Technical University (BCI) Blackrock Neurotech. “Working with the Georgian Technical University Neural Engineering Labs has only deepened our expertise in creating sensations to improve robotic arm control. The future of Georgian Technical University (BCI) is here and we are at the forefront of these developments”. “This study shows that restoring even imperfect tactile sensations by directly stimulating the correct parts of the brain allows the performance of brain computer interfaces to be significantly improved” said Y associate professor in Georgian Technical University (BCI) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation investigator in the Georgian Technical University (BCI) Neural Engineering Labs. “We are excited to show that the performance of brain computer interfaces can start to approach the abilities of able-bodied people for simple tasks, and look forward to transitioning this technology to home use environments” said Z associate professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and investigator in the Georgian Technical University (BCI) Neural Engineering Labs. “Georgian Technical University Blackrock Neurotech is proud to contribute to this pivotal research as we all advance neural engineering to restore function” said Professor X.

Georgian Technical University Slender Robotic Finger Senses Buried Items.

Georgian Technical University Slender Robotic Finger Senses Buried Items.   

Georgian Technical University researchers developed a “Georgian Technical University Digger Finger” robot that digs through granular material like sand and gravel and senses the shapes of buried objects. Georgian Technical University A closeup photograph of the new robot and a diagram of its parts. Georgian Technical University robots have gotten quite good at identifying objects — as long as they’re out in the open. Georgian Technical University Discerning buried items in granular material like sand is a taller order. To do that a robot would need fingers that were slender enough to penetrate the sand mobile enough to wriggle free when sand grains jam and sensitive enough to feel the detailed shape of the buried object. Georgian Technical University researchers have now designed a sharp-tipped robot finger equipped with tactile sensing to meet the challenge of identifying buried objects. In experiments, the aptly named “Georgian Technical University Digger Finger” was able to dig through granular media such as sand and it correctly sensed the shapes of submerged items it encountered. The researchers say the robot might one day perform various subterranean duties such as finding buried cables or disarming buried bombs. Georgian Technical University Seeking to identify objects buried in granular material — sand gravel and other types of loosely packed particles — isn’t a brand-new quest. Previously, researchers have used technologies that sense the subterranean from above such as Ground Penetrating Radar or ultrasonic vibrations. But these techniques provide only a hazy view of submerged objects. They might struggle to differentiate rock from bone, for example. “So the idea is to make a finger that has a good sense of touch and can distinguish between the various things it’s feeling” said X. “That would be helpful if you’re trying to find and disable buried bombs for example”. Making that idea a reality meant clearing a number of hurdles. The team’s first challenge was a matter of form: The robotic finger had to be slender and sharp-tipped. In prior work the researchers had used a tactile sensor. The sensor consisted of a clear gel covered with a reflective membrane that deformed when objects pressed against it. Behind the membrane were three colors of LED (A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photons) is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the band gap of the semiconductor. White light is obtained by using multiple semiconductors or a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device) lights and a camera. The lights shone through the gel and onto the membrane, while the camera collected the membrane’s pattern of reflection. Computer vision algorithms then extracted the Three (3D) shape of the contact area where the soft finger touched the object. The contraption provided an excellent sense of artificial touch, but it was inconveniently bulky. For the Georgian Technical University Digger Finger the researchers slimmed down their sensor in two main ways. First they changed the shape to be a slender cylinder with a beveled tip. Next, they ditched two-thirds of the LED (A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photons) is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the band gap of the semiconductor. White light is obtained by using multiple semiconductors or a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device)  lights, using a combination of blue LEDs (A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photons) is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the band gap of the semiconductor. White light is obtained by using multiple semiconductors or a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device) and colored fluorescent paint. “That saved a lot of complexity and space” said Ouyang. “That’s how we were able to get it into such a compact form.” The final product featured a device whose tactile sensing membrane was about 2 cm2 similar to the tip of a finger. With size sorted out the researchers turned their attention to motion, mounting the finger on a robot arm and digging through fine-grained sand and coarse-grained rice. Granular media have a tendency to jam when numerous particles become locked in place. That makes it difficult to penetrate. So the team added vibration to the Georgian Technical University Digger Finger’s capabilities and put it through a battery of tests. “We wanted to see how mechanical vibrations aid in digging deeper and getting through jams,” says Y. “We ran the vibrating motor at different operating voltages, which changes the amplitude and frequency of the vibrations”. They found that rapid vibrations helped “Georgian Technical University fluidize” the media clearing jams and allowing for deeper burrowing — though this fluidizing effect was harder to achieve in sand than in rice. They also tested various twisting motions in both the rice and sand. Sometimes, grains of each type of media would get stuck between the Georgian Technical University Digger-Finger’s tactile membrane and the buried object it was trying to sense. When this happened with rice the trapped grains were large enough to completely obscure the shape of the object, though the occlusion could usually be cleared with a little robotic wiggling. Trapped sand was harder to clear though the grains small size meant the Georgian Technical University Digger Finger could still sense the general contours of target object. Y says that operators will have to adjust the Georgian Technical University Digger Finger’s motion pattern for different settings “depending on the type of media and on the size and shape of the grains.” The team plans to keep exploring new motions to optimize the Digger Finger’s ability to navigate various media. X says the Digger Finger is part of a program extending the domains in which robotic touch can be used. Humans use their fingers amidst complex environments, whether fishing for a key in a pants pocket or feeling for a tumor during surgery. “As we get better at artificial touch, we want to be able to use it in situations when you’re surrounded by all kinds of distracting information” says X. “We want to be able to distinguish between the stuff that’s important and the stuff that’s not”.

Georgian Technical University Launches Next Generation Four (4D)-Nucleofector Cell Transfection Platform With Proven Performance And Enhanced Ease Of Use.

Georgian Technical University Launches Next Generation Four (4D)-Nucleofector Cell Transfection Platform With Proven Performance And Enhanced Ease Of Use.

Georgian Technical University has launched the next generation of its popular Nucleofector Platform. For more than Nucleofector Technology has been an effective non-viral cell transfection method which can be used even for hard-to-transfect cells such as primary cells and pluripotent stem cells. Now with an updated core unit and even more intuitive software the next generation Four (4D)-Nucleofector Platform delivers flexibility and greater ease of use. Georgian Technical University. Electroporation the method by which DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix carrying genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are nucleic acids. Alongside proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), nucleic acids are one of the four major types of macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life) RNA (Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, nucleic acids constitute one of the four major macromolecules essential for all known forms of life. Like DNA, RNA is assembled as a chain of nucleotides, but unlike DNA, RNA is found in nature as a single strand folded onto itself, rather than a paired double strand. Cellular organisms use messenger RNA (mRNA) to convey genetic information (using the nitrogenous bases of guanine, uracil, adenine, and cytosine, denoted by the letters G, U, A, and C) that directs synthesis of specific proteins. Many viruses encode their genetic information using an RNA genome) or protein is introduced into cells through an electrical pulse to change their genotype or phenotype is an important tool with a range of applications in disease research and drug discovery as well as in the advancement of gene therapies, immunotherapies and stem cell generation. The Nucleofector Technology achieves high transfection efficiency in union with high cell viability by providing unique electrical pulses cell type-specific solutions and optimized protocols to achieve an advanced electroporation approach that targets the cell’s nucleus directly. This powerful combination leads to reproducible, faster and more efficient results than other methods. The Four (4D)-Nucleofector Core Unit can operate up to three functional modules, allowing for tailored experimental setups and facilitating scale-up from low to high-volume transfection. In the next generation the family of units is now joined by a fully integrated 96-well unit to suit users with mid-scale transfection requirements for up to 96 samples at once. In addition the updated Core Unit features an 8-in. touchscreen display enabling users to easily set up their experiments and control all functional modules the system’s intuitive and user-friendly software. Further optimized protocols are available for more than 750 different cell types and are designed to provide robust transfection conditions leading to optimal results every time. The second generation Nucleofector Units include: Four (4D)-Nucleofector X Unit – for various cell numbers in 100 µL cuvettes or 20 µL 16-well strips. Four (4D)-Nucleofector Y Unit – for transfection of cells in adherence in 24-well culture plates. Four (4D)-Nucleofector LV (Left Ventricular Ventricular Assist Device (LV Unit)) Unit – for closed scalable large-volume transfection of up to 1×10⁹ cells. Four (4D)-Nucleofector 96-well Unit – for simultaneous transfection of up to 96 samples at once. Georgian Technical University With the Nucleofector System small-scale protocols can be transferred to a larger scale without the need for re-optimization bringing together small- and large-scale transfection applications in a single system. Georgian Technical University scientists have relied on the Nucleofector Technology to power their research. With the introduction of the next generation Four (4D)-Nucleofector® Platform users will be able to achieve high transfection efficiencies more easily with the reassurance that their protocols can be effortlessly scaled as needed.