Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) and the mobility technology company Magna have unveiled one of the most sophisticated driving simulators in the world at the new Advanced Driving Simulation Center on Campus Inffeldgasse. The simulator reproduces an extremely realistic driving experience in a unique way. Research and development teams can use the simulator to realistically test and optimise different vehicles, chassis and tyre set-ups as well as various advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Magna covered the acquisition and installation costs, while TU Graz is financing the ongoing running of the Advanced Driving Simulation Center.

Researchers at AppliedPhysics.org report early evidence that cells respond selectively to mathematically structured sound, not just acoustic power. In an exploratory Biosystems study, Fibonacci based acoustic signals triggered distinct responses across different cell types, suggesting sound can be tuned to cellular size and mechanics rather than applied as brute force.

The findings point to a potential new direction for cancer research: using low intensity, physics driven acoustic design to target physical differences between cancer and healthy cells. While preliminary and based on model organisms, the work opens the door to a future of more precise, less invasive, mechanically selective therapies.

Glaucoma is a prevalent and chronic eye disease that requires regular intraocular pressure monitoring to prevent disease progression. In an innovative study, scientists in Japan have developed a PEDOT:PSS/PVA thin-film-based integrated smart contact lens for real-time, effective monitoring of intraocular pressure. Notably, the proposed device leverages parity-time symmetry-based wireless technology for ultra-sensitive detection, facilitating early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Carbon nanohoops, or [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs), are ring-shaped molecules with exceptional optical properties but are difficult to synthesize and functionalize. Researchers in Japan have now used a gold-mediated synthetic strategy to construct a hexabrominated [9]CPP derivative, providing a versatile and scalable platform for post-functionalization. Using this scaffold, they created π-extended chiral nanohoops that exhibit extremely high g_lum value in their circularly polarized luminescence, opening new pathways for advanced optoelectronic materials and precisely designed nanocarbon architectures.

Topological defects govern how many advanced materials behave, but predicting them has traditionally required slow, resource-intensive simulations. Researchers at Chungnam National University have developed a deep learning method that predicts stable defect configurations in nematic liquid crystals in milliseconds rather than hours. This rapid and accurate approach could speed the design of advanced materials that currently rely on lengthy trial-and-error processes.

Five new projects for the development of innovative health technologies have been funded by the European Research Council (ERC) at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology) at its sites in Milan, Genoa and Naples. The announcement made today by the European body includes, among the 136 winners across Europe: Annamaria Petrozza and Mario Caironi in Milan, Alessandra Sciutti and Giuseppe Vicidomini in Genoa, and Velia Siciliano in Naples. The three female researchers and the two male researchers at IIT will receive Proof of Concept (PoC) grants of approximately €150,000 each, which will allow them to explore the commercial potential of their research. The fields of application include cancer, dyslexia and diagnostics.

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has been awarded a new Proof of Concept (PoC) grant by the European Research Council (ERC) in its latest call for the RT-FLOW project, led by Stefano Discetti from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at UC3M. The project aims to transform the way aerodynamic experiments are conducted by enabling near-instantaneous flow field measurements using compact hardware, thereby reducing both the time and cost of these tests.