An Osaka Metropolitan University research team conceptualized eye-level streetscapes along routes to parks as a complementary dimension of park accessibility to explain residents’ walking behavior and extend the traditional distance-based accessibility.

An international team, including the University of Tokyo, has created a sensor inspired by the lateral line in fish – their “sixth sense” organ – which measures the pulse of lab-grown 3D heart tissue (cardiac organoids). The device, called a biomechanical well plate, looks like a small white box containing four liquid-filled wells. When an organoid is placed in a well, each beat causes the liquid to bulge into an air cavity below, changing the air pressure. This change bends a cantilever sensor, which sends live data wirelessly to an app. The device is precise, reusable and less labor-intensive than some other methods. Due to its scalability, hundreds of tests could potentially be monitored simultaneously, with advantages for drug screening and future personalized medicine. 

Electric vehicles (EVs) are crucial for sustainable transport, but their environmental benefit depends heavily on when they charge. Charging during periods when the grid relies on fossil fuels can significantly increase their carbon footprint. New research from Multimedia University reveals that "carbon-aware" charging strategies can unlock substantial emission reductions simply by optimizing charging times.

The study, led by Md Sabbir Hossen and Gobbi Ramasamy from Multimedia University, quantifies the real-world carbon emission reduction potential of smart EV charging. Researchers reconstructed hourly residential charging data and combined it with time-varying grid carbon intensity from the Malaysian Peninsula power system. They then evaluated a reinforcement learning-based carbon-aware smart charging strategy, comparing its performance against both uncontrolled charging and an intelligent but carbon-unaware charging approach, all while delivering identical total energy.

The Power of Carbon Awareness

The findings are compelling: while intelligent charging without carbon awareness failed to reduce total carbon emissions, the carbon-aware strategy achieved a statistically significant reduction of approximately 1.62%. This crucial difference comes from proactively shifting charging demand away from periods when grid electricity is most carbon-intensive. Specifically, evening peak hours were found to be approximately 18% more carbon-intensive than off-peak periods, making targeted load shifting highly effective.

research team led by Professor Moon Choi of the Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy quantitatively analyzed “digital ageism” embedded in generative artificial intelligence.

older adults are outwardly described as “wise and caring,” expressions of agency and competence decrease with age.

biases in AI could, through repeated exposure, deepen the social marginalization and digital exclusion of older adults.

Researchers at Okayama University of Science are advancing Veterinary Medical Engineering through collaboration between veterinary medicine and engineering to improve the health and wellbeing of both animals and people. As part of the university’s “Quality of All Lives” Project, the team has developed Makiyoru ONE, a compact bandage pressure measurement device that enables veterinary nursing students to visualize and quantify bandaging pressure during practical training. By transforming tacit skills into measurable data, the device improves learning efficiency and helps students acquire clinical techniques more effectively. Beyond education, the project is developing innovative technologies for animal healthcare, livestock production, disaster preparedness with companion animals, and veterinary clinical practice. Guided by the concept of One Wellbeing, the initiative aims to establish the emerging field of Veterinary Medical Engineering while creating practical solutions that enhance the quality of life for both animals and humans.