Research raises hope for erbium-based integrated photonics device

An Arizona State University researcher has made another breakthrough using the rare-earth metal erbium as the gain material for an optical amplifier, this time with an achievement that will enable its use for the first time with small chip optical technologies. The discovery attains a decades-long goal in the field of photonic integration, in which different small optical components are tightly combined for better performance and ease of fabrication.

Details of the new optical amplification, "Giant optical gain in a single-crystal erbium chloride silicate nanowire," were published in the July online edition of Nature Photonics.

Cun-Zheng Ning, an ASU electrical engineering professor, and Hao Sun from China's Tsinghua University, and their teams have succeeded in raising erbium's optical gain from the typical low level of a few dB to over 100 dB per centimeter of propagation. The significant increase in optical gain will make it possible for erbium-based materials to be integrated on a chip for optical amplifiers and lasers.

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Nanomesh Enables Wearable Sensors for Long-Term Health Monitoring

A hypoallergenic electronic sensor can be worn on the skin continuously for a week without discomfort, and is so light and thin that users forget they even have it on, says a Japanese group of scientists.

The elastic electrode constructed of breathable nanoscale meshes holds promise for the development of non-invasive e-skin devices that can monitor a person's health continuously over a long period.

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MRI device could bridge neuro-technologies for medical diagnostics, increase safety

A technology being developed at Purdue University could provide an affordable, smart, self-learning device that, when placed into existing MRI machines could allow medical professionals to monitor patients more effectively and safely, by performing concurrent medical imaging and recording for diagnostic purposes.

Purdue researchers recently presented their findings, "Multimodal Imaging: MR-Compatible, Gradient Artifact free, Wireless recording system integrated with MR-scanner for Simultaneous EEG and fMRI acquisition," at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. The article also received an ISMRM magna cum laude merit award, and power-pitch highlight, for highly-rated scientific merits.

The technology was developed by Ranajay Mandal and Nishant Babaria, graduate research assistants in Purdue's College of Engineering, under the supervision of Zhongming Liu, an assistant professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

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Doctors find new ways to treat migraine pain with green LED lights

LOS ANGELES -- Bright lights can worsen headaches, but a new study shows an LED light might do the opposite.

Doctors Mohab Ibrahim and Rajesh Khanna tested green LED lights and white LED lights on small samples of people with chronic migraines.

They found that the pain of the group looking at the green light dropped 40 to 50 percent. Participants in the trial were asked to stare at green LED lights for one-to-two hours a day over a 10-week period.

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Wake Forest, Daktronics announce LJVM Coliseum display upgrades

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest Athletics and Daktronics announced Tuesday (July 11) their partnership to bring 35 LED displays to the LJVM Coliseum. The installation of more than 5,000 square feet of LED displays will be completed this summer and will enhance the fan experience starting with 2017-18 Demon Deacon home games.

The entire project will use a total 4.8 million LEDs while it would take 133 60-inch televisions to cover the five centerhung displays.

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Samsung plans $19b investment to increase semiconductor manufacturing

The second-largest manufacturer of semiconductors in the world wants to lead the global production of memory chips and next-generation smartphone displays. It intends to spend KRW1.4 trillion (US$1.22 billion) on a new NAND flash memory chip factory in Pyeongtaek as well as KRW6 trillion (US$5.23 billion) for a semiconductor facility in Hwaseong.

This year, with a new Apple handset on the horizon, chipmakers worldwide are ramping up their productivity and manufacturing capabilities to keep up with consumer demand. Every memory maker is expected to clock record profits for the 2017 financial year, with ever increasing demand and a persistent shortage driving up the prices of these chips.

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Panasonic IoT wireless modules pre-certified at Avnet Abacus

The RF modules from Panasonic cover a range of communication protocols with ready-to-use modules for Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi.

“This extended distribution deal with Avnet Abacus delivers an even better choice for engineers looking to add pre-tested, certified and fully supported wireless connectivity into their products,” said Max Jakob, Panasonic’s distribution sales director EMEA, product marketing department.

Panasonic also supports RF network protocols, including Bluetooth, ISM and SNAP, through partnerships with software firms. And is able to offer pre-tested and certified RF modules.

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