As cold weather sets in, viruses such as influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 are resurfacing. Quickly identifying symptomatic individuals is an essential part of any strategy to fight their spread. Yet, traditional thermal cameras, which measure facial temperature on the forehead or cheeks, are easily skewed by airflow, sweat, or face coverings—leading to unreliable readings.

To address this, a team at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) led by Professor Jinyang Liang, an expert in computational imaging, has developed SPIRIT (Single-pixel infrared imaging thermometry), a technology that could change how we screen for fever in public spaces.

Japan faces the challenge of aging infrastructure, especially bridges, amidst lack of integration between field expertise and digital data. Providing a novel solution, a researcher from Hosei University, Japan, has proposed an integrated data model that merges two international standards—IFC and CityGML—to significantly streamline and advance maintenance workflows, including inspection, diagnosis, and repair planning, for aging infrastructure. This next-generation technology can lead to a society where future generations can live more securely.

RMIT researchers are advancing new ways to cut the carbon footprint of infrastructure by turning everyday organic waste into useful construction materials.

A life-cycle analysis has shown, for the first time, that biochar made from spent coffee grounds can help produce a lower‑carbon concrete while supporting strength benefits seen in earlier lab trials.

Plants absorb not only nutrients but also toxic metals such as cadmium through their roots. It was previously unclear whether the toxic metals came from the soil or the fertilisers applied. Under the leadership of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, a research team has examined wheat grains to clarify the question. Using a special isotope signature, they found that most of the toxic metals come from the mineral fertiliser. A combination of mineral and organic fertilisation would not only reduce the concentration of toxic metals but also increase the concentration of metals important for human nutrition. The researchers reach this conclusion in their study published in Environment International.