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The use of electricity for the industry's transition to a decarbonized economy requires optimization of the energy transfer to deliver efficient, cost‐effective processes. Industrial demand for high‐density plasmas over a wide pressure range has stimulated the use of microwave plasma (MWP) applications. In high‐temperature processing, when microwaves of the correct frequency are absorbed by the plasma, the plasma particles absorb energy from the electromagnetic field and transfer it to the other particles through collisions, heating them. This rapid heating gives MWP properties that can be exploited to increase the conversion, selectivity, and/or energy efficiency of chemical processes. Here, we address questions raised by industrial users who wish to better understand the limitations of MWP applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have prepared a super‐hydrophobic/super‐oleophilic modified sponge material (C‐PDMS‐PU) by attaching carbon powder and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to a sponge skeleton by a simple dip‐coating method using a low‐cost polyurethane sponge as the raw material. The material has a C‐PDMS composite hydrophobic coating, which can efficiently and selectively absorb oil slicks on the water surface or organic solvents underwater that are 21–26 times its weight. Relying on this adsorbent, we have built an oil collection device that can in‐situ absorb/desorb oil with a dynamic viscosity ranging from 0 CP to 172 CP on the water surface or underwater. This oil collection device is small, simple to operate, and portable, thus freeing the adsorbent from the limits of adsorption capacity while continuously and efficiently recovering the oil from the sea surface, hence achieving the integration of adsorption and separation. This new adsorbent and the oil collection device have promising applications in emergencies, such as organic solvent spills, tanker spills, and oil spills from offshore rigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft matter‐based microlasers are widely regarded as excellent building blocks for realizing photonic interconnected networks in optoelectronic chips, owing to their flexibility and functional network topology. However, the potential of these devices is hindered by challenges such as poor lasing stability, high lasing threshold, and gaps in knowledge regarding cavity interconnection characteristics. In this study, the first demonstration of a high‐quality, low‐threshold nanoplatelets (NPLs)‐based polymer microfiber laser fabricated using capillary immersion techniques and its photonic interconnected networks are presented. CdSe/CdS@Cd1‐xZnxS core/buffer shell@graded‐shell NPLs with high optical gain characteristics are adopted as the gain medium. The study achieves a lasing threshold below 14.8 µJ cm−2, a single‐mode quality (Q)‐factor of ≈5500, and robust lasing stability in the fabricated NPLs‐based microfibers. Furthermore, the study pioneers the exploration of polygonal self‐coupling microlasers and the optical characteristics of their interconnected fiber network. Based on the signal generation mechanism observed in the photonic networks, an interconnected NPLs‐based fiber network structure achieving single‐mode lasing emission and laser mode modulation is successfully designed. The work contributes a novel method for realizing microlasers fabricated via soft‐matter technologies and provides a key foundation and new insights for unit design and programming for future photonic network systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na‐ion batteries based on abundant and sustainable materials might become one of the leading alternative technologies especially suitable for large‐scale stationary storage. Various (mixed)phosphate framework materials are attracting much interest mainly due to their high structural stability and diversity. In this study, we report on the successful synthesis of mixed phosphate‐pyrophosphate Na7V4(PO4)(P2O7)4, Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7, and Na4Mn3(PO4)2P2O7. The electrochemical properties of these materials are comprehensively characterized in different organic and aqueous electrolytes. The findings reveal that Na7V4(PO4)(P2O7)4 and Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 exhibit very good cycling performance and rate capability in organic solvent‐based electrolytes. However, their performance deteriorates significantly even in 'water‐in‐salt' aqueous electrolytes due to the rapid electrochemical degradation. Na4Mn3(PO4)2P2O7 demonstrates limited electrochemical activity in organic electrolytes and virtually no activity in 'water‐in‐salt' electrolytes, likely due to degradation processes resulting in blocking interphasial layers on electrode particles. These results underscore the need for further research to optimize the performance of these materials and identify potential strategies for enhancing their stability and activity in different electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of circular economy principles for methane recovery in wastewater treatment plants is already widespread in most mega‐cities of Latin America and the Caribbean. The next step is to promote the adoption of this technology in intermediate wastewater treatment plants for which, this paper estimates its economic and environmental impacts. It does so by calculating the benefits from the methane recovery and electricity generation in plants that together serve 33 million people, distributed in the region, since they are from Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru. The results show an estimated cost of USD $251 million required for these investments, or USD $7.6 person equivalent (p.e.). These investments would allow obtaining incomes for 20 years of USD $10.2 p.e., representing a benefit/cost ratio of 1.34. Regarding environmental benefits, an 88% reduction in methane emissions into the atmosphere would be achieved, equivalent to a third of Nicaragua's total emissions in 2018. Thus, the article shows that this type of investment is feasible in intermediate plants. This is essential to accelerate the achievement of both SDG 6 and seven targets but requires innovative governance as well as access to finance and technological support. One main conclusion is that these endeavors are at the heart of setting standards that allow societies to live within planetary limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tactile sensing technology is crucial for soft grippers. Soft grippers equipped with intelligent tactile sensing systems based on various sensors can interact safely with the unstructured environments and obtain precise properties of objects (e.g., size and shape). It is essential to develop state‐of‐the‐art sensing technologies for soft grippers to handle different grasping tasks. In this review, the development of tactile sensing techniques for robotic hands is first introduced. Then, the principles and structures of different types of sensors normally adopted in soft grippers, including capacitive tactile sensors, piezoresistive tactile sensors, piezoelectric tactile sensors, fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, vision‐based tactile sensors, triboelectric tactile sensors, and other advanced sensors developed recently are briefly presented. Furthermore, sensing modalities and methodologies for soft grippers are also described in aspects of force measurement, perception of object properties, slip detection, and fusion of perception. The application scenarios of soft grippers are also summarized based on these advanced sensing technologies. Finally, the challenges of tactile sensing technologies for soft grippers that need to be tackled are discussed and perspectives in addressing these challenges are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing literature demonstrates the significance of aesthetics within processes of world‐class city making, as decisions about who gets to live and work in the city are increasingly made on the basis of codes of appearance. However, less attention has been paid to how such codes are (re)produced and (re)directed by informal workers and their organisations in everyday practice. Drawing upon a multisided ethnography in Kampala and Delhi, this paper explores the ways in which market vendors and waste collectors have responded to the proliferation of three aesthetic technologies: the identity card, the uniform, and the code of conduct. We show that workers have appropriated these technologies in creative ways in order to defend their livelihoods against the threat of displacement. However, this act of appropriation has come at the cost of the exclusion of the more vulnerable workers, who now find their activities policed not only by the state but also by a range of non‐state organisations. These findings contribute to debates on labour organisation and world‐class city making by demonstrating the ways in which aesthetic rationalities emerge through an encounter with the tactics of everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great importance to develop high‐capacity electrodes for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) using low‐cost and abundant materials, so as to deliver a sustainable technology as alternative to the established lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Here, a facile ball milling process to fabricate high‐capacity SIB anode is devised, with large amount of amorphous SeP being loaded in a well‐connected framework of high‐conductivity crystalline graphene (HCG). The HCG substrate enables fast transportation of Na ions and electrons, while accommodating huge volumetric changes of the active anode matter of SeP. The strong glass forming ability of NaxSeP helps prevent crystallization of all stable compounds but ultrafine nanocrystals of Na2Se and Na3P. Thus, the optimized anode delivers excellent rate performance with high specific capacities being achieved (855 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 and 345 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1). More importantly, remarkable cycling stability is realized to maintain a steady capacity of 732 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles, when the SeP in the SeP@HCG still remains 86% of its theoretical capacity. A high areal capacity of 2.77 mAh is achieved at a very high loading of 4.1 mg cm−2 anode composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Sex, Tech & Faith: Ethics for a Digital Age" by Kate Ott is a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between sexuality and technology. The author operates from a Western liberal democratic perspective, assuming that sexuality is good and technology is ethically neutral. The book raises important questions about the appropriate use of technology for sexuality and the impact of technology on our understanding of gender and sexual practice. While the book may not align with conservative or traditionalist views, it encourages readers to consider these perspectives and engage in thoughtful discussions about the topic. [Extracted from the article]

Mitigating non‐point source nitrogen in coastal estuaries is economically, environmentally, logistically, and socially challenging. On Cape Cod, Massachusetts, nitrogen management includes both traditional, centralized wastewater treatment and sewering as well as a number of alternative technologies. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 37 participants from governmental and non‐governmental organizations as well as related industries to identify the barriers and opportunities for the use of alternative technologies to mitigate nitrogen pollution. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed using content analysis and rhetorical analysis. Cost and technical capacity to reduce nitrogen were the most discussed considerations. Beyond those, there were a slew of additional considerations that also impacted whether a technology would be installed, permitted, and socially accepted. These included: maintenance and monitoring logistics, comparisons to sewering, co‐benefits, risk/uncertainty, community culture, extent of public engagement, permitting/regulatory challenges, and siting considerations. The insights about these additional considerations are valuable for transferring to other coastal areas managing nutrient impairments that may have not yet factored in these considerations when making decisions about how to meet water quality goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical limiter (OL) is a nonlinear device that protects sensitive photodetectors or human eyes from high-intensity illumination. However, current OLs have low open-state transmittance and a limited turndown ratio in some cases. In this study, first it is demonstrated that combining the insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) of vanadium dioxide (VO2) with anti-reflection layers can enable both high and broadband open-state transmittance (>-0.9 dB at the peak wavelength) while preserving a large turndown ratio (>21.8 dB). Furthermore, optothermal simulation is conducted to analyze the performance of the VO2 OL under ultrafast laser irradiation. The result reveals that IMT of the VO2 OL occurs at 0.23 µs when the incident laser intensity is 90 kW cm-2. These benefits offer a promising alternative to OLs in technologies ranging from sensor protection to human eye defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning methods have revolutionized the discovery process of new molecules and materials. However, the intensive training process of neural networks for molecules with ever‐increasing complexity has resulted in exponential growth in computation cost, leading to long simulation time and high energy consumption. Photonic chip technology offers an alternative platform for implementing neural networks with faster data processing and lower energy usage compared to digital computers. Photonics technology is naturally capable of implementing complex‐valued neural networks at no additional hardware cost. Here, the capability of photonic neural networks for predicting the quantum mechanical properties of molecules is demonstrated. To the best of knowledge, this work is the first to harness photonic technology for machine learning applications in computational chemistry and molecular sciences, such as drug discovery and materials design. It is further shown that multiple properties can be learned simultaneously in a photonic chip via a multi‐task regression learning algorithm, which is also the first of its kind as well, as most previous works focus on implementing a network in the classification task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the size of transistors to nano‐dimensions has brought new problems and challenges to the semiconductor field‐effect transistor industry. Therefore, quantum cells are considered as an alternative technology to solve these problems. The efforts of the past few years on the earth of nano‐electronics circuits have focused more on minimizing the cost of hardware by processing more than two values per basic action. In this paper, for the first time, the ternary XOR circuit has been designed and simulated in ternary quantum cells (TQCA) technologies. The proposed ternary XOR‐based on TQCA with 369 cells, area‐delay cost (m2 − scc) is 136.76, power equal to 1704.7 × 10−20 J equivalent to 106.4 eV, area 0.074128 μm2, and a delay of 1.25 clock was designed and simulated for validation with TQCAsim software. In addition, the ternary decoder circuit was simulated with 14 cells, cost (m2 − scc) is 0.0339, area 0.0021 μm2, and delay of one clock cycle. The comparison indicates that TQCA technology has unique behaviors and advantages in various criteria such as low power consumption, delay reduction, reduction of occupied space, and a significant increase in working frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma‐activated water (PAW) is emerging as a green alternative technology in biomedicine due to its rich and diverse aqueous reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RONS). This study explores how to configure a pin to water (P2W) discharge to generate neutral pH high‐strength plasma‐activated water (hs‐PAW) and its bactericidal activity on hypervirulent multidrug resistance (MDR) pathogens. The factors affecting the strength of PAW, namely: water type, PAW temperature, plasma enclosure, and activation time, were studied and optimized to generate hs‐PAW having 650 ± 40 mg/l of NO2− ${\mathrm{NO}}_{2}^{-}$ and 215 ± 15 mg/l of H2O2 at a pH of 7. This study demonstrates a simple P2W discharge set up to handle the MDR pathogens and can be easily scalable for real‐world medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: 464XLAT and MAP‐T are both IPv4‐as‐a‐Service technologies aiming to provide IPv4 service to the customers, while ISPs use only IPv6 in their access and core networks. The ISPs need to consider several different aspects, like scalability, compatibility with the applications, and efficiency of public IPv4 address sharing, when selecting the most appropriate IPv4aaS technology for their specific application scenario. The aim of our current effort is to make an initial step towards the comparison of the scalability of the 464XLAT and of the MAP‐T IPv4aaS technologies. We point out the gap between the most desirable measurement method and the available testing tools. We measure the scale‐up of the performance of the Jool implementation of 464XLAT and MAP‐T as a function of the number of active CPU cores up to 16 cores using an available testing tool called dns64perf++. We fully disclose our detailed measurement setup and our results, as well as the analysis of our results pointing out the bottleneck during the measurements. We also outline the directions of our future research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The advancement of 3D digital scanners has allowed educators to uphold the quality of education whilst implementing novel methods of assessment. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare two evaluation methods, conventional and digital scanned assessments, on student cavity preparations and students and faculty's perceptions of these assessment methods. Methods: Predoctoral students performed Class II amalgam and Class III resin composite preparations on simulated teeth for their preclinical competency examinations. Two calibrated faculty evaluated the students' preparations using dental instruments for conventional assessments and 3D scanned images for digital assessments. Faculty scores from both assessment methods were compared and statistically analysed (p <.05). Students also self‐assessed their performance using the digital scanned images and filled out a perception survey. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the conventional (Class II; 73.3 ± 12.2 and Class III; 82.5 ± 8.9) and the digital assessment with scanned images (Class II; 71.3 ± 11.0 and Class III; 82.2 ± 8.2). Faculty scores from both methods have shown a trend of comparability. Most students agreed that digital ideal preparation models were useful (84.2%) and almost all students agreed that digital technology helped them learn operative dentistry (91.1%). In contrast, most students agreed that conventional assessment should be the main self‐evaluation system (82.2%) and disagreed that digital assessment is more effective than conventional self‐assessment (68.3%). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that 3D digital technology could be an alternative and/or supplementary educational tool to aid in upholding the quality of dental education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological organisms present marvelous morphing behaviors from the quiescent blooming of flowers to the energetic wing‐flapping of birds that have always inspired humans to design better‐engineered products. The diversity of natural motion is attributed primarily to the intricate and hierarchical structure of actuators that are self‐assembled from nanoscale structures to superstructures. Compared to the biological actuators, their manmade counterparts, often with significantly limited capabilities, are fabricated from various materials with relatively simple structures using limited fabrication techniques. With the rapid developments in technologies that require soft robotics and human‐machine interfaces, there is increasing demand for soft actuators with improved capabilities such as larger output force, repeatability, and a more comprehensive range of motion. Biological actuators provide critical insights into the structure‐function relationship and offer exciting concepts to advance the science and technology of artificial soft actuators. Here, the design approaches found in natural actuation systems are discussed from the nanoscale to the highest levels in the structural hierarchy and the physical principles involved in their diverse actuation capabilities. In that context, finally, the fabrication techniques that have been utilized for manmade soft actuators, with a focus on the advantages, challenges, and concepts for potential future developments are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E‐health technology has been widely implemented in healthcare systems and has many benefits. However, available studies that focus on the acceptance and adoption of e‐health technology, particularly among older people in primary care centers, are still limited. A qualitative approach was adopted in this study to explore the acceptability and adoption of health technology among older people who use primary health care. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 older people to gain in‐depth insight into their perspectives on health technology. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted to gain insight from older people. Three main themes emerged: (1) "demand of care" refers a situation where participants realized that they had a health problem, sought ways to solve the health problem, and expected to be cared and monitored; (2) "resistance and openness" represent technology acceptance by older people; and (3) "preference for home health monitoring": We found older people preferred home health monitoring in terms of comfort and ease of use. The study has provided important new knowledge in relation to acceptance and preference for health technology that currently exists, particularly among older people in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarized spectroscopic photodetection enables numerous applications in diverse areas such as sensing, industrial quality control, and visible light communications. Although organic photodetectors (OPDs) can offer a cost‐effective alternative to silicon‐based technology—particularly when flexibility and large‐area arrays are desired—polarized OPDs are only beginning to receive due research interest. Instead of resorting to external polarization optics, this report presents polarized OPDs based on directionally oriented blends of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and benchmark polymer or nonfullerene acceptors fabricated using a versatile solution‐based method. Furthermore, a novel postprocessing scheme based on backfilling and plasma etching is advanced to ameliorate high dark‐currents that are otherwise inherent to fibrillar active layers. The resulting polarized P3HT:N2200 OPDs exhibit a broad enhancement across all principal figures of merit compared to reference isotropic devices, including peak responsivities of 70 mA W−1 and up to a threefold increase in 3 dB bandwidth to 0.75 MHz under parallel‐polarized illumination. Polarization ratios of up to 3.5 are obtained across a spectral range that is determined by the specific donor–acceptor combinations. Finally, as a proof‐of‐concept demonstration, polarized OPDs are used for photoelasticity analysis of rubber films under tensile deformation, highlighting their potential for existing and emerging applications in advanced optical sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electro‐reforming of renewable biomass resources is an alternative technology for sustainable pure H2 production. Herein, we discovered an unconventional cation effect on the concurrent formate and H2 production via glycerol electro‐reforming. In stark contrast to the cation effect via forming double layers in cathodic reactions, residual cations at the anode were discovered to interact with the glycerol oxidation intermediates to steer its product selectivity. Through a combination of product analysis, transient kinetics, crown ether trapping experiments, in situ IRRAS and DFT calculations, the aldehyde intermediates were discovered to be stabilized by the Li+ cations to favor the non‐oxidative C−C cleavage for formate production. The maximal formate efficiency could reach 81.3 % under ≈60 mA cm−2 in LiOH. This work emphasizes the significance of engineering the microenvironment at the electrode–electrolyte interface for efficient electrolytic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electro‐reforming of renewable biomass resources is an alternative technology for sustainable pure H2 production. Herein, we discovered an unconventional cation effect on the concurrent formate and H2 production via glycerol electro‐reforming. In stark contrast to the cation effect via forming double layers in cathodic reactions, residual cations at the anode were discovered to interact with the glycerol oxidation intermediates to steer its product selectivity. Through a combination of product analysis, transient kinetics, crown ether trapping experiments, in situ IRRAS and DFT calculations, the aldehyde intermediates were discovered to be stabilized by the Li+ cations to favor the non‐oxidative C−C cleavage for formate production. The maximal formate efficiency could reach 81.3 % under ≈60 mA cm−2 in LiOH. This work emphasizes the significance of engineering the microenvironment at the electrode–electrolyte interface for efficient electrolytic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Credit has been identified as an essential tool to improve poor households' livelihood. Therefore, for rural farm households to improve their welfare and invest in productive agriculture activity, access to credit must be promoted. This paper examines how credit accessibility influences rural farm households' farmland abandonment reduction in Ghana. Using survey data collected from four regions in Ghana, the endogenous switching regression (ESR) model, and the problem confronting index (PCI) model were employed in the estimation. The findings revealed that households with access to credit are more likely to not abandon their farmland than a random farmer from the sample. Also, different household groups showed a heterogeneous impact of credit on farmland abandonment. Our findings provide policy implications to reduce farmland abandonment. For example, the negative credit accessibility impact on farmland abandonment implies that government and policymakers should target policies (e.g., improving the rural financial market) that will motivate farmers to reduce farmland abandonment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic covalent organic framework nanosheets (iCOFNs) with long‐range ordered and mono‐dispersed ionic groups hold great potential in many advanced applications. Considering the inherent drawbacks of oil–water biphase method, herein, we explore an oil–water–oil triphase method based on phase engineering strategy for the bottom‐up synthesis of iCOFNs. The middle water phase serves as a confined reaction region, and the two oil phases are reservoirs for storing and supplying monomers to the water phase. A large aqueous space and low monomer concentration lead to the anisotropic gradual growth of iCOFNs into few‐layer thickness, large lateral size, and high crystallinity. Notably, the resulting three cationic and anionic iCOFNs exhibit ultra‐high aspect ratios of up to 20,000. We further demonstrate their application potential by processing into ultrathin defect‐free COF membranes for efficient biogas separation. Our triphase method may offer an alternative platform technology for the synthesis and innovative applications of iCOFNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic covalent organic framework nanosheets (iCOFNs) with long‐range ordered and mono‐dispersed ionic groups hold great potential in many advanced applications. Considering the inherent drawbacks of oil–water biphase method, herein, we explore an oil–water–oil triphase method based on phase engineering strategy for the bottom‐up synthesis of iCOFNs. The middle water phase serves as a confined reaction region, and the two oil phases are reservoirs for storing and supplying monomers to the water phase. A large aqueous space and low monomer concentration lead to the anisotropic gradual growth of iCOFNs into few‐layer thickness, large lateral size, and high crystallinity. Notably, the resulting three cationic and anionic iCOFNs exhibit ultra‐high aspect ratios of up to 20,000. We further demonstrate their application potential by processing into ultrathin defect‐free COF membranes for efficient biogas separation. Our triphase method may offer an alternative platform technology for the synthesis and innovative applications of iCOFNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Meat is an excellent source of protein with a good balance of amino acids. It is also rich in several minerals, vitamins and bioactive compounds, which play important roles in metabolism and are easily assimilated from meat compared with other foods. The nutritional value of meat is one of the factors that influence consumer acceptance. However, it can be significantly reduced during processing. Moreover, some operations, such as curing, smoking or fermentation, used for processing can lead to the formation of harmful components in meat, and hence, nutritionists associate high consumption of processed meat with an increased risk of several diseases such as cardiovascular disorders and cancers. This review deals with the distinctive aspects of the technological strategies that can be used to improve the nutritional value of meat products, including the incorporation of bioactive components, reduction or elimination of harmful components (e.g. nitrite/nitrate, fat) and alternative technologies (ultrasound). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems have garnered recent widespread attention due to increased accessibility, functionality, and affordability. These systems sense user inputs and typically provide haptic, audio, and visual feedback to blend interactive virtual environments with the real world for an enhanced or simulated reality experience. With applications ranging from immersive entertainment, to teleoperation, to physical therapy, further development of this technology has the potential for impact across multiple disciplines. However, VR/AR devices still face critical challenges that hinder integration into everyday life and additional applications; namely, the rigid and cumbersome form factor of current technology that is incompatible with the dynamic movements and pliable limbs of the human body. Recent advancements in the field of soft materials are uniquely suited to provide solutions to this challenge. Devices fabricated from flexible and elastic bio‐compatible materials have significantly greater compatibility with the human body and could lead to a more natural VR/AR experience. This review reports state‐of‐the‐art experimental studies in soft materials for wearable sensing and haptic feedback in VR/AR applications, explores emerging soft technologies for on‐body devices, and identifies current challenges and future opportunities toward seamless integration of the virtual and physical world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robotic manipulators are continuum robots made of soft materials and flexible components. The goal of soft robotic manipulators research is to enable these manipulators to adapt their shapes to cluttered environments and to have safer interactions with human. However, there is still a problem with effectively using soft robotic manipulators in practical applications. The challenges of soft robotic manipulators in terms of materials and structure design, stiffness control, perception, and function control remain to be overcome. Here, an overview of recent advances in this field is presented, covering device architectures, actuation, variable stiffness, and sensing. Actuator technologies are discussed and roughly divided into three categories: a) tendon‐driven actuation, b) fluidic actuation, and c) stimuli‐responsive actuation, which is based on smart materials. Considering the working principle of stiffness variation technologies, stiffness variation technologies can be divided into two categories: a) using the interactions between structural elements, b) direct material rigidity tuning strategies. A briefly review of soft sensing technologies is presented. From the functional perspective, sensor technologies are divide into two categories: proprioception and exteroception. A conception for designing soft robotic manipulators is proposed from the perspective of soft robotic manipulator applications. Finally, the challenges this field faces are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct synthesis of inherently defect‐free, large‐area graphene on flexible substrates is a key technology for soft electronic devices. In the present work, in situ plasma‐assisted thermal chemical vapor deposition is implemented in order to synthesize 4 in. diameter high‐quality graphene directly on 10 nm thick Ti‐buffered substrates at 100 °C. The in situ synthesized monolayer graphene displays outstanding stretching properties coupled with low sheet resistance. Further improved mechanical and electronic performances are achieved by the in situ multi‐stacking of graphene. The four‐layered graphene multi‐stack is shown to display an ultralow resistance of ≈6 Ω sq−1, which is consistently maintained during the harsh repeat stretching tests and is assisted by self‐p‐doping under ambient conditions. Graphene‐field effect transistors fabricated on polydimethylsiloxane substrates reveal an unprecedented hole mobility of ≈21 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at a gate voltage of −4 V, irrespective of the channel length, which is consistently maintained during the repeat stretching test of 5000 cycles at 140% parallel strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growing need to use sunscreens is a concrete reality, and it is associated with the increase in the population's awareness of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage. Inorganic UV filters promote the formation of particles/pigments film over the skin surface, reflecting, dispersing, and absorbing the radiation. Investigations of this class of filters demonstrate the emergence of alternative ingredients and new technologies. Aims and Methods: In this review, we presented potential candidates for alternative UV inorganic filters, such as hydroxyapatite, cerium dioxide, and hydrotalcite. Results: Specialized literature identified hydroxyapatite and cerium dioxide as actives with good performances, with a broad spectrum of absorption against UV radiation. Both of them were considered safe against degradation and skin erythema formation. Inorganic compounds as an alternative to circumvent degradation problems of organic UV filters containing PABA were also analyzed, with hydrotalcite having a good performance in improving the performance of classic ingredients, bypassing photoinstability, and improving safety, in addition to preventing skin irritability. Conclusion: Further investigations of these ingredients and interactions with sunscreen formulations are necessary to overall explore their safety and efficacy, encouraging future researches for more inorganic UV filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter describes best practices for adapting traditional, face‐to‐face, team‐based learning principles to develop online application exercise design, support effective facilitation, and use appropriate technology to promote effective online team collaboration. The unique challenges of online TBL applications include maintaining effective team collaboration, discussion facilitation, and simultaneous reporting. A framework is proposed to guide practitioners to make appropriate, systematic choices in the development of online TBL applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent photochromic molecules that exhibit distinct light‐triggered changes in their emission colors are highly desirable for the fabrication of smart soft materials and advanced photonic devices. α‐Cyanodiarylethenes, that is, α‐cyano‐functionalized diarylethenes, as alternative "non‐azo" Z/E photochromic molecular switches, are popular choices due to their unique characteristics such as their aggregation‐induced emission or aggregation‐induced‐enhanced emission behavior in their self‐assembled states, and visible changes in fluorescence colors during Z/E photoisomerization. In recent years, the development of fluorescent photochromic α‐cyanodiarylethene‐based compounds including α‐cyanostilbenes, dicyanodistyrylbenzenes, and diaryldicyanoethenes, has mainly focused on molecular design, photochemical and photophysical behavior in solution, and smart soft matter technologies. In this review, recent significant achievements in light‐responsive systems based on the Z/E photoisomerization of fluorescent photochromic α‐cyanodiarylethene switches that span the range from liquid crystals to gels and finally to self‐assembled nanostructures, are highlighted. The smart soft materials constructed from α‐cyanodiarylethene molecular switches find use in a plethora of areas, including display, sensing, encrypting, actuating, and biomedical imaging applications, among others. The review concludes with a brief perspective on some major challenges and opportunities for the future development of light‐responsive smart soft photonic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser beam melting (LBM) of aluminum alloys is gaining a wide popularity in different industrial applications as an alternative technology for the production of individual and complex parts. A long build time and the high amount of experimental work for optimizing or finding new process parameters are two of the current challenges for reaching an industrial maturity. This paper proposes an efficient way to determine new process parameters for aluminum alloy aluminum‐silicon10‐magnesium with highest build‐up rates by using a 3D finite element model on the mesoscopic level. High laser power in combination with the hull‐core build strategy was used to increase the build‐up rate without impairing the part accuracy. The influences of high laser power, laser diameter and scan speed on the melt pool were studied by using a thermal simulation of single laser tracks. Based on the simulation results the process window could be derived and was tested on a laser beam melting (LBM) system. The achieved reduction of the build time of up to 31 % without loss in part accuracy proved the novel approach for the prediction of the required process window as an efficient method to reduce costly and time‐consuming experimental work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Wireless networks have many advantages for emergency situations especially disaster cases. A disaster might happen because of various reasons such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes. In these emergency situations, wireless communication technologies are very important for the rescue of human life. Wireless technologies, especially body area networks, might monitor, collect, and send data about human in trouble to rescue unit. In this paper, Internet of things‐based wireless body area network is proposed for disaster cases. The proposed architecture guarantees lifesavings by using wireless technologies for location determination, vital signs transmission, and SOS calls. Also, a gateway selection algorithm based on fuzzy logic is developed for selecting more appropriate wireless technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐source navigation has become increasingly relevant over the past decade with the development of viable alternative sensor technologies. However, as the number and type of sensors informing a system increases, so does the probability of corrupting the system with sensor modeling errors, signal interference, and undetected faults. Though the latter of these has been extensively researched, the majority of existing approaches have constrained faults to biases and designed algorithms centered around the assumption of simultaneously redundant, synchronous sensors with valid measurement models, none of which are guaranteed for all‐source systems. As part of an overall all‐source assured or resilient navigation objective, this research contributes a fault‐ and sensor‐agnostic fault detection and exclusion method that can provide the user with performance guarantees without constraining the statistical distribution of the fault. The proposed method is compared against normalized solution separation approaches using Monte‐Carlo simulations in a 2D non‐GPS navigation problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their emergence in the 1990s, light‐emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) have attracted much attention due to their unique properties and potential for use as an alternative technology for illuminations and displays. After decades of development, however, the performance of LECs remains far from satisfactory for practical applications, in particular for those requiring blue light. Efforts have been made to develop of highly efficient blue‐emitting materials and more advanced device structures, aiming at realizing blueshifted emission, enhancing efficiency, and extending prolonged device lifetimes. A timely review into the current state of blue LECs is deemed imperative, as a full understanding of the molecular and device design strategy and identification of the major challenges that must be addressed to realize practical applications is necessary. A specific summary of recent progress on blue LECs is provided, with the focus placed on design strategies for blue emitters for LECs and device structures with respect to color tuning, efficiency enhancement, and stability improvement. Finally, the direction of development strategies in the future is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Quantum dot cellular automata (QCA) with the characteristics such as low energy dissipation and high density is a suitable alternative technology to CMOS technology. Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) is one of the most important critical components of a microprocessor, and it is the core component of central processing unit (CPU). In this work, a novel reversible ALU in QCA nanotechnology is proposed. The reversible ALU contains three Ferdkin gates and one HNG gate. The proposed structure needs one constant input and generates only one garbage output. The proposed circuit does not need any rotated cells and only uses one layer that improves the manufacturability of the design interestingly. This circuit can perform 20 operations such as AND, OR, XOR, XNOR, COPY, addition, and increment. Our design contains only 480 cells and 12 majority voters and requires 15 clock phases. The proposed structures are simulated using QCADesigner version 2.0.3. The reversible ALU, despite a 25% increase in operations, has a 28% improvement in cell numbers and a 6% improvement in delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft polymer materials, which are similar to human tissues, have played critical roles in modern interdisciplinary research. Compared with conventional methods, 3D printing allows rapid prototyping and mass customization and is ideal for processing soft polymer materials. However, 3D printing of soft polymer materials is still in the early stages of development and is facing many challenges including limited printable materials, low printing resolution and speed, and poor functionalities. The present review aims to summarize the ideas to address these challenges. It focuses on three points: 1) how to develop printable materials and make unprintable materials printable, 2) how to choose suitable methods and improve printing resolution, and 3) how to directly construct functional structures/systems with 3D printing. After a brief introduction on this topic, the mainstream 3D printing technologies for printing soft polymer materials are reviewed, with an emphasis on improving printing resolution and speed, choosing suitable printing techniques, developing printable materials, and printing multiple materials. Moreover, the state‐of‐the‐art advancements in multimaterial 3D printing of soft polymer materials are summarized. Furthermore, the revolutions brought about by 3D printing of soft polymer materials for applications similar to biology are highlighted. Finally, viewpoints and future perspectives for this emerging field are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and development of advanced rechargeable battery technologies is dominated by application‐specific targets, which predominantly focus on cost and performance targets, including high gravimetric energy, volumetric energy, and related power densities, while ensuring a high safety and long lifetime. The need for high‐performance and low‐cost batteries is driven by the growing market of electromobility, in order to fulfill key requirements, such as a sufficient driving range and fast charging ability, for achieving broad consumer acceptance. Currently, the lithium ion battery (LIB) is one of the state‐of‐the‐art technologies able to meet most of these key requirements at a reasonable cost. In addition to performance and costs, the environmental impact, i.e., the sustainability of the battery and in particular of the battery cell over the whole life cycle—i.e., from raw material extraction and battery material production, to cell and battery pack production, battery utilization, and to possibilities for second life usage and recycling—does receive continuously increasing attention. Within this review, different approaches for the development of "greener" batteries are introduced with a view on the complete battery life cycle, while focusing on the LIB technology. Moreover, alternative battery technologies are critically evaluated regarding their sustainability aspects and competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetism‐based systems are widely utilized for sensing and imaging biological phenomena, for example, the activity of the brain and the heart. Magnetomyography (MMG) is the study of muscle function through the inquiry of the magnetic signal that a muscle generates when contracted. Within the last few decades, extensive effort has been invested to identify, characterize and quantify the magnetomyogram signals. However, it is still far from a miniaturized, sensitive, inexpensive and low‐power MMG sensor. Herein, the state‐of‐the‐art magnetic sensing technologies that have the potential to realize a low‐profile implantable MMG sensor are described. The technical challenges associated with the detection of the MMG signals, including the magnetic field of the Earth and movement artifacts are also discussed. Then, the development of efficient magnetic technologies, which enable sensing pico‐Tesla signals, is advocated to revitalize the MMG technique. To conclude, spintronic‐based magnetoresistive sensing can be an appropriate technology for miniaturized wearable and implantable MMG systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Visible light communication (VLC) is an alternative technology to the radio frequency (RF) for different applications in the indoor and outdoor environments, it could be utilized for illumination and communication simultaneously, and it offers several advantages over contemporary RF technologies such as low power consumption, free license, large bandwidth, and being friendly to the environment. In this paper, an indoor VLC system uniformity improvement in terms of high received power, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and bit rate, with RMS delay spread reduction, is proposed. It features a novel model that utilizes a 13‐optical attocells configuration on the ceiling. Moreover, proposed model was evaluated at different semi‐angle at half power. The average received power and SNR were improved to 2.85 dBm and 75.5 dB, while achieved received power and SNR levels at the center of the room were 4.92 dBm and 79.5 dB, respectively. A minimum average RMS delay spread of 0.4749 nanoseconds is obtained, while the highest average bit rate calculated is 211 Mb/s. The proposed model provides a better communication quality and meets illumination standards requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and nondestructive method for the analysis of soluble solid content in citrus was established using portable visible to near‐infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) in reflectance mode in combination with appropriate chemometric methods. The spectra were obtained directly by the portable Vis/NIRS without destroying samples. Outlier detection was performed by using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation (LOOCV) with the 3σ criterion, and the calibration models were established by partial least squares (PLS) algorithm. Besides, different data pretreatment methods were used to eliminate noise and background interference before calibration, to determine the one that will lead to better model accuracy. However, the correlation coefficients are all <0.62 and the results of all pretreatments are still unsatisfactory. Variable selection methods were discussed for improving the accuracy, and variable adaptive boosting partial least squares (VABPLS) method was used to get higher robustness models. The results show that standard normal variate (SNV) transformation is the best pretreatment method, while VABPLS can significantly simplify the calculation and improve the result even without pretreatment. The correlation coefficient of the best prediction models is 0.82, while the value is 0.48 for the raw data. The high performance shows the feasibility of portable Vis/NIRS technology combination with appropriate chemometric methods for the determination of citrus soluble solid content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for comparative effectiveness research, they are unable to provide the answers to all pertinent clinical and research questions. Real world evidence (RWE), that is, clinical evidence obtained outside RCTs and often through routine clinical practice, offers the potential to conduct observational studies that accelerate advances in care, improve outcomes for patients, and provide important insights that can answer important questions. Once appropriate information technology is available, real world data can be cost‐effective to generate. RWE serves a vital role in the evaluation of treatment strategies for which there are no RCTs and for describing patterns of care. RWE also serves as an important adjunct to RCTs and can be used to determine if benefits seen in RCTs extend to clinical practice, provide insight into the findings of RCTs, generate hypotheses for future RCTs, and inform the design of future RCTs. These potential benefits must be balanced against some of the important limitations of RWE, including variable data quality, lack of granularity for important clinical variables, and the potential for bias and confounding. By using appropriate analytic techniques and study design, these limitations can be minimized but not eliminated. Going forward, RWE studies may be enhanced by using rigorous data quality standards, incorporating randomization, developing more prospective registries, and better leveraging data from electronic health records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for comparative effectiveness research, they are unable to provide the answers to all pertinent clinical and research questions. Real world evidence (RWE), that is, clinical evidence obtained outside RCTs and often through routine clinical practice, offers the potential to conduct observational studies that accelerate advances in care, improve outcomes for patients, and provide important insights that can answer important questions. Once appropriate information technology is available, real world data can be cost‐effective to generate. RWE serves a vital role in the evaluation of treatment strategies for which there are no RCTs and for describing patterns of care. RWE also serves as an important adjunct to RCTs and can be used to determine if benefits seen in RCTs extend to clinical practice, provide insight into the findings of RCTs, generate hypotheses for future RCTs, and inform the design of future RCTs. These potential benefits must be balanced against some of the important limitations of RWE, including variable data quality, lack of granularity for important clinical variables, and the potential for bias and confounding. By using appropriate analytic techniques and study design, these limitations can be minimized but not eliminated. Going forward, RWE studies may be enhanced by using rigorous data quality standards, incorporating randomization, developing more prospective registries, and better leveraging data from electronic health records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: While life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool often used to evaluate the environmental impacts of products and technologies, the amount of data required to perform such studies make the evaluation of emerging technologies using the conventional LCA approach challenging. The development paradox is such that the inputs from a comprehensive environmental assessment has the greatest effect early in the development phase, and yet the data required to perform such an assessment are generally lacking until it is too late. Previous attempts to formalize strategies for performing streamlined or screening LCAs were made in the late 1990s and early 2000s, mostly to rapidly compare the environmental performance of product design candidates. These strategies lack the transparency and consistency required for the environmental screening of large numbers of early‐development candidates, for which data are even sparser. We propose the Lifecycle Screening of Emerging Technologies method (LiSET). LiSET is an adaptable screening‐to‐LCA method that uses the available data to systematically and transparently evaluate the environmental performance of technologies at low readiness levels. Iterations follow technological development and allow a progression to a full LCA if desired. In early iterations, LiSET presents results in a matrix structure combined with a "traffic light" color grading system. This format inherently communicates the high uncertainty of analysis at this stage and presents numerous environmental aspects assessed. LiSET takes advantage of a decomposition analysis and data not traditionally used in LCAs to gain insight to the life cycle impacts and ensure that the most environmentally sustainable technologies are adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technologies for upgrading fast pyrolysis bio‐oil to drop‐in fuels and coproducts are under development and show promise for decarbonizing energy supply for transportation and chemicals markets. The successful commercialization of these fuels and the technologies deployed to produce them depend on production costs, scalability, and yield. To meet environmental regulations, pyrolysis‐based biofuels need to adhere to life cycle greenhouse gas intensity standards relative to their petroleum‐based counterparts. We review literature on fast pyrolysis bio‐oil upgrading and explore key metrics that influence their commercial viability through life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno‐economic analysis (TEA) methods together with technology readiness level (TRL) evaluation. We investigate the trade‐offs among economic, environmental, and technological metrics derived from these methods for individual technologies as a means of understanding their nearness to commercialization. Although the technologies reviewed have not attained commercial investment, some have been pilot tested. Predicting the projected performance at scale‐up through models can, with industrial experience, guide decision‐making to competitively meet energy policy goals. LCA and TEA methods that ensure consistent and reproducible models at a given TRL are needed to compare alternative technologies. This study highlights the importance of integrated analysis of multiple economic, environmental, and technological metrics for understanding performance prospects and barriers among early stage technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the explosive growth of the bioscience and biopharmaceuticals, the demand for high efficient analysis and separation of proteins is urgent. High‐performance liquid chromatography is an appropriate technology for this purpose, and the stationary phase is the kernel to the separation efficiency. In this study, flow‐through poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) microspheres characteristic of the binary pores, i.e. flow‐through pores and mesopores, were synthesized; this special porous structure would benefit the convective mass transfer while guarantee the high specific surface area. Owing to the hydrophobic nature, poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) microspheres were suitable as the reversed‐phase stationary phase for separation of proteins. For the high permeability of the poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) microspheres packed column, fast separation of the studied six proteins in ∼2 min was achieved. The recoveries of studied proteins were acceptable in the range of 79.0–99.4%. The proposed column had good pH stability of 1–13 and repeatability. Moreover, the column was applied for egg white fast separation, further demonstrating its applicability for complex bio‐sample separation. The flow‐through poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) microspheres were promising for fast separation of large molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key pointsThe relationship between the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) and Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice (JISTaP) enables both to benefit from the other.KISTI is able to test new systems with its own journal, JISTaP.JISTaP benefits from both financial and technical support of its parent, although this can restrict its ability to make changes and use alternative technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although traditionally associated with defence and security domains, radar sensing has attracted significant interest in recent years in healthcare applications. These include the monitoring of vital signs such as respiration, heartbeat, and blood pressure, analysis of gait and mobility levels, classification of human activities to promptly detect critical events such as falls, as well as the evaluation of fitness and reactivity levels. The attractiveness of radar against alternative technologies such as wearable sensors or cameras lies in its contactless capabilities, whereby people do not need to wear, carry, or interact with any additional device, and plain images of people and private environments are not recorded. In this letter, we discuss some of the most recent achievements and outstanding research challenges related to radar applications in healthcare and present some results from our work at the University of Glasgow, including a dataset of radar signatures of human activities that are openly shared with the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyaluronic acid (HA) dispersion obtained from the bacteria Streptococcus equi was concentrated by electrofiltration. In the conventional downstream processing of HA, extraction and precipitation lead to increase in environmental issues, structural changes, and time and energy related costs. Using electrofiltration as an alternative technology delivers solutions to these limitations. Experiments were conducted in order to test the applicability of electrofiltration to downstream processing of the negatively charged HA. The structural changes and molecular weight distributions, often a consequence of the employed separation method, were tested by analysis of the initial dispersions and final products. In comparison to the conventional filtration, concentration factors were increased up to almost four times without any detectable structural change in the final product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative technology for reducing the bromine index value, which represents trace impurity of unsaturated hydrocarbon, in the industrial benzene feedstock was systematically developed in this study using the adsorption approach. Effects of different physicochemical properties of MCM-22, Na-Y, HY, and ZSM-5 on the reduction of the bromine index value were investigated under ambient temperature and pressure. It was found that the molecular sieve approach by using the medium pore size zeolite and strong interaction between the adsorbent and unsaturated hydrocarbon by using the lower SiO2:Al2O3 molar ratio were the key factors for designing the right adsorbent for this industrial application. Most of unsaturated hydrocarbon impurity was finally removed from the industrial benzene feedstock resulting in nearly zero of the bromine index value after passed through the right adsorbent with maximum adsorption capacity of 78.6 wt%. Adsorption's active site was also determined in this study revealing that this adsorption technology was active site insensitive process. This adsorption technology has been started up in the commercial scale by SCG Chemicals since 2010 which can overcome various drawbacks of the existing technology. © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]