Optics and Photonics News

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New Photonic Processor Could Revolutionize Artificial Intelligence

An international team of researchers, including Professor Roberto Morandotti of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), just introduced a new photonic processor that could revolutionize artificial intelligence, as reported by the prestigious journal Nature.

12 Jan 2021

Optical Computing Core Prototype can Accelerate Neural Networks Used in AI

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already an integral part of our everyday lives online. For example, search engines such as Google use intelligent ranking algorithms and video streaming services such as Netflix use machine learning to personalize movie recommendations.

12 Jan 2021

Researchers Use 'Damaged' Part of Optical Fiber to Develop a Magnetic Field Sensor

The invention of optical fibers has revolutionized not only telecommunications but also sensing technology. Optical fiber sensors can measure strain, temperature, pressure, and many other physical parameters along the fibers, but they are currently immune to electromagnetic noise -- interference from other external electric or magnetic interactions.

8 Jan 2021

Photonic Processors Speed Up Tasks in the Field of Machine Learning

The exponential growth of data traffic in our digital age poses some real challenges on processing power. And with the advent of machine learning and AI in, for example, self-driving vehicles and speech recognition, the upward trend is set to continue. All this places a heavy burden on the ability of current computer processors to keep up with demand.

7 Jan 2021

Researchers Develop a Light-Sensitive 3D-Printed Smart Gel

Inspired by the color-changing skin of cuttlefish, octopuses and squids, Rutgers engineers have created a 3D-printed smart gel that changes shape when exposed to light, becomes "artificial muscle" and may lead to new military camouflage, soft robotics and flexible displays.

6 Jan 2021

Moiré Metalenses Show Wide Focal Length Tunability

The odd, wavy pattern that results from viewing certain phone or computer screens through polarized glasses has led researchers to take a step toward thinner, lighter-weight lenses. Called moiré, the pattern is made by laying one material with opaque and translucent parts at an angle over another material of similar contrast.

5 Jan 2021

Using Light to Turn Gut Bacteria Genes On and Off

Baylor College of Medicine researcher Meng Wang had already shown that bacteria that make a metabolite called colanic acid (CA) could extend the lifespan of worms in her lab by as much as 50%, but her collaboration with Rice University synthetic biologist Jeffrey Tabor is providing tools to answer the bigger question of how the metabolite imparts longer life.

23 Dec 2020

KAUST Researchers Develop New Approach to Fabricate White-Light LEDs

The advantages of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), such as their tiny size, low cost and excellent power efficiency, mean they are found everywhere in modern life. A KAUST team has recently developed a way of producing a white-light LED that overcomes some critical challenges.

22 Dec 2020

New Chromophores Emit Light in UV Region when Excited with Visible Light

In general, fluorescence involves the transformation of light at shorter wavelengths to light at longer wavelengths. Now, researchers have come up with a new chromophore system that works inversely.

21 Dec 2020

Complementary Imaging Methods Help Study Composition of Aged Jewish Scroll

A famous adage says “A picture is worth a thousand words.” However, multiple images of an artifact captured over the electromagnetic spectrum can reveal a rich story related to the original creation and degradation of historical objects as time passes.

21 Dec 2020

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