Award-winning Swansea University spin-out company Bionema Group Ltd has been awarded a major funding boost from Innovate UK.

Inspired by the natural spider web structure, this study innovatively designed an omnidirectional strain sensor array with a bioinspired spider web configuration. Using Ti₃C₂T_x (MXene) conductive ink and 3D printing technology, the sensor array was successfully fabricated. The strain sensor array leverages the isotropic strain response characteristics of the spider web structure, combined with a multi-class multi-output neural network, to achieve signal decoupling of the sensor array, enabling accurate identification and differentiation of both strain direction and magnitude. Within the 0-10% strain range, the sensor demonstrated a gauge factor (GF) of 26.3, with an identification accuracy of approximately 97% for strain magnitude and direction under various surface stimuli. This research provides a novel approach for achieving both high sensitivity and reliability in strain detection, demonstrating potential applications in human motion monitoring and multi-directional stress sensing. Furthermore, it offers promising prospects for applications in intelligent robotics and wearable health monitoring devices.

In a recent breakthrough, researchers from Japan discovered a unique Hall effect resulting from deflection of electrons due to “in-plane magnetization” of ferromagnetic oxide films (SrRuO₃). Arising from the spontaneous coupling of spin-orbit magnetization within SrRuO₃ films, the effect overturns the century-old assumption that only out-of-plane magnetization can trigger the Hall effect. The study offers a new way to manipulate electron transport with potential applications in advanced sensors, quantum materials, and spintronic technologies.

Alveolar bone defects can cause periodontal dehiscence, leading to exposure of dental roots, recession of gums, and increased tooth sensitivity. In a new study, researchers have evaluated the therapeutic potential of abaloparatide (ABL), a synthetic analog of human parathyroid hormone-related protein(PTHrP), in alleviating periodontal dehiscence. Utilizing rat models undergoing orthodontic tooth movement, they demonstrate that submucosal injection of ABL induces alveolar bone formation through a focal adhesion kinase(FAK)-driven mechanism.

Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) is a machine learning technique that can create 3D reconstructions of a scene from 2D images captured from multiple angles, representing it from entirely new perspectives. While well established for static images, existing methods struggle when using monocular videos as input due to motion blur. Now, researchers have developed MoBluRF: a two-stage framework that enables creation of accurate, sharp 4D (dynamic 3D) NeRFs from blurry videos, captured from everyday handheld devices.

A collaborative research team from Peking University has developed a novel method to enhance the tumor-targeting efficiency of γδ T cells through chemical engineering. By conjugating or gluing the cancer cell-targeting antibodies to γδ T cells via fast metabolic glycan labeling and click chemistry, the team achieved improved anti-tumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. This innovative approach holds significant promise for advancing adoptive cell therapy in cancer treatment.