MIT scientists engineer starfish cells to shape-shift in response to light
The research may enable the design of synthetic, light-activated cells for wound healing or drug delivery.
Tiny, wireless antennas use light to monitor cellular communication
As part of a high-resolution biosensing device without wires, the antennas could help researchers decode intricate electrical signals sent by cells.
Physicists magnetize a material with light
The technique provides researchers with a powerful tool for controlling magnetism, and could help in designing faster, smaller, more energy-efficient memory chips.
Noninvasive imaging method can penetrate deeper into living tissue
Using high-powered lasers, this new method could help biologists study the body’s immune responses and develop new medicines.
A portable light system that can digitize everyday objects
A new design tool uses UV and RGB lights to change the color and textures of everyday objects. The system could enable surfaces to display dynamic patterns, such as health data and fashion designs.
New security protocol shields data from attackers during cloud-based computation
The technique leverages quantum properties of light to guarantee security while preserving the accuracy of a deep-learning model.
Startup’s displays engineer light to generate immersive experiences without the headsets
“We are adding a new layer of control between the world of computers and what your eyes see,” says Barmak Heshmat, co-founder of Brelyon and a former MIT postdoc.
Nanostructures enable on-chip lightwave-electronic frequency mixer
Lightwave electronics aim to integrate optical and electronic systems at incredibly high speeds, leveraging the ultrafast oscillations of light fields.
Researchers leverage shadows to model 3D scenes, including objects blocked from view
This technique could lead to safer autonomous vehicles, more efficient AR/VR headsets, or faster warehouse robots.
Researchers demonstrate the first chip-based 3D printer
Smaller than a coin, this optical device could enable rapid prototyping on the go.
Modular, scalable hardware architecture for a quantum computer
A new quantum-system-on-chip enables the efficient control of a large array of qubits, moving toward practical quantum computing.
Physicists arrange atoms in extremely close proximity
The technique opens possibilities for exploring exotic states of matter and building new quantum materials.
How light can vaporize water without the need for heat
Surprising “photomolecular effect” discovered by MIT researchers could affect calculations of climate change and may lead to improved desalination and drying processes.
With a quantum “squeeze,” clocks could keep even more precise time, MIT researchers propose
More stable clocks could measure quantum phenomena, including the presence of dark matter.
In a surprising finding, light can make water evaporate without heat
A newly identified process could explain a variety of natural phenomena and enable new approaches to desalination.