A new flat fiber fabrication technique produces a high fidelity sensor for a wide range of applications, from batteries to bridges, according to a recently-published study.

Researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the University of Southampton in the UK have developed a new type of flat silica optical fiber that performs differently from conventional round fiber. The work, published in Nature Communications, introduces a high-aspect-ratio platform that can be engineered to respond strongly to pressure, temperature and other physical changes.

This collection features articles on Functional Materials published in Smart Materials in Manufacturing. All articles are free to read and download.

Fluorescence molecular imaging is an evolving technology for precision tumor diagnosis and therapy. By means of fluorescence probes, it enables the visualization of tumor-associated molecules, cells, or microenvironmental components, thereby facilitating the efficient identification and localization of lesions. With recent advances in the near-infrared II (NIR-II) window, targeted probes, microenvironment-responsive probes, multimodal imaging strategies, and theranostic integrated probes, fluorescence molecular imaging is shifting from a modality primarily used to “visualize lesions” toward a more comprehensive platform for tumor identification, therapy facilitation, and treatment-response monitoring. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning, can support image denoising, enhancement, resolution improvement, and three-dimensional localization, and may further assist in tumor recognition and grading, minimal residual disease assessment, and metastatic risk estimation. Overall, the integration of fluorescence imaging with AI is advancing oncology toward a more precise, intelligent, and integrated paradigm; however, key challenges remain, including probe biocompatibility and safety, clinical translation, and the lack of standardized imaging protocols.

Dr. Deanna Kennedy of the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management and Drs. Ana Diaz Artiles and Bonnie Dunbar from the Department of Aerospace Engineering have partnered to investigate how differences in gravity influence coordination and movement control. Their latest work looks into how the body performs in altered gravity conditions to identify challenges astronauts encounter in space and how the human body adapts when environmental surroundings shift.

“On Earth, we spend our entire lives moving in a 1G environment, where the gravitational force feels natural,” Kennedy said. “But when that changes, the way our body controls movement changes too and understanding that helps us predict where performance may begin to break down.”

As demand for optical communication capacity continues to grow, the 2 µm wavelength region is emerging as a promising new window for future photonic systems. Researchers have developed a high-speed InGaAs/GaAsSb type-II superlattice photodetector that is heterogeneously integrated on silicon via micro-transfer printing. By combining a backside Au reflector with a low-index BCB cavity, the device achieves broadband operation from 0.8 to 2.5 µm and a 57.9% responsivity enhancement at 2 µm, while maintaining 17–18.7 GHz bandwidth and clear 50 Gbps eye diagrams. The work provides a practical route toward broadband, high-speed photodetectors for silicon photonics and next-generation optical interconnects.