In Physics of Fluids, researchers in China focus on enhancing the aerodynamic performance of autonomous vehicles by reducing drag induced by externally mounted sensors such as cameras and light detection and ranging instruments. After establishing an automated computational platform, they combined the experimental design with a substitute model and an optimization algorithm to improve the structural shapes of AV sensors. They then performed simulations of both the baseline and optimized models. After optimizing the design, researchers found a 3.44% decrease in the total aerodynamic drag of an AV.

A new imaging technique using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) shows promise for improving the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). By integrating an acousto-optic modulator, the system extends its range to capture high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the upper airway during both awake and sleep states. In a study involving a 28-year-old patient with sleep disorder breathing, researchers identified significant airway obstruction, particularly in the oropharynx, and pinpointed obstruction sites using computational fluid dynamics. This innovative approach could enhance surgical decision-making and improve outcomes for OSA patients by providing more accurate, detailed airway assessments.

Researchers from Osaka University have developed a technology for voltage-controlled magnetization switching, which has the potential to be implemented in next-generation computational memory. This advanced technology enables low-energy data writing operations with non-volatility, making it scalable for future applications that require stable and reliable memory.

Micro/nanorobots with controllable deformation and navigation capability are highly promising candidates to perform complicated biomedical tasks in complex and unstructured biological environments. However, it is still a big challenge to accurately control the deformation and navigation of soft microrobots to better adapt to variable environments for task execution. A recent work published in PhotoniX, a photonic nanojet-regulated soft microalga robot (saBOT) based on Euglena gracilis was developed, which has highly controllable deformation and precision navigation capability working in complex and unstructured microenvironments. Such asBOT can precisely navigate in complex and unstructured microenvironments to perform different biomedical tasks, such as precision drug delivery toward a target cell within cell clusters (Figure 1). This saBOT holds great promise in executing different biomedical tasks in complex and unstructured microenvironments that cannot be reached by conventional tools and rigid microrobots.

The study focuses on the synthesis of mesoporous biochar (MC) derived from biomass, using a dual-salt template method involving ZnCl₂ and KCl.