Organic fluorophores operating in the second near-infrared window can provide deep-tissue images with high contrast, but their performance often depends on nanocarriers that can prevent hydrophobic dyes from leaking in complex biological environments. Researchers at Tong and Xiang’s group have developed multivalent tetraphenylethylene-modified DNA nanoaggregates that remain assembled under denaturing conditions, stably retain NIR-II fluorophores, and enable high-contrast vascular imaging in living mice.

In the review, researchers summarize the latest advances in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) fibers for self-powered sensing in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These fiber- and fabric-based sensors are flexible, breathable, and comfortable, converting the wearer's movements and physiological signals directly into electrical signals that drive immersive human–computer interaction. The authors survey TENG fiber structures, scalable production and integration methods, strategies to boost electrical output, and key VR/AR applications—from wearable virtual buttons to gesture recognition and virtual-character control—while outlining the remaining challenges on the path to practical, commercializable products.

They can be heated using infrared light, release antioxidant substances, and electrically stimulate cells when activated by ultrasound. These are the new nanoparticles designed and produced by a research group at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia), coordinated by Gianni Ciofani, with the aim of providing nanomedicine with a new, versatile and effective therapeutic tool. This is the first time that three properties, being piezoelectric, photothermal and antioxidant, have been combined in a single organic structure measuring 500 nanometres. Described in the international journal ACS Nano, the new nanoparticles could be used to modulate cellular activity, with potential applications in oncology and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Researchers at Aarhus University have developed a soft, tiny sensor that mimics how sensory cells convert touch into electrical signals. Using salt water and charged particles, the sensor generates signals through a mechanism similar to that of human touch receptors. The technology could eventually enable prostheses to connect directly to the nervous system and provide a sense of touch. However, further research is needed before the sensor can stimulate nerves and be tested clinically.

Researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark, have developed a new technology that recognizes and measures drug concentrations in the blood in less than 10 minutes. The faster turnaround time can mean the difference between life and death.

Marine plastic debris can persist for long periods and gradually break down into microplastics that are difficult to remove. Researchers from Ritsumeikan University used a system dynamics model to examine how reducing marine plastic inputs and varying the timing and intensity of cleanup could affect plastic accumulation by 2050. The findings show that halting plastic inputs is essential but insufficient on its own. Earlier cleanup of legacy macroplastics can reduce accumulation, but at higher costs.

The enigmatic assembly pathway behind the refractile-body proteins may have finally been resolved, as reported by researchers from Science Tokyo. Using genetic engineering and several protein structural analysis techniques, they investigated how four different proteins work together to produce the correct nanoscale to microscale structure of these complex, pH-responsive protein machines. These findings could help establish new frameworks to engineer dynamic protein systems as biotechnological tools.

Wearable neuromorphic devices could enable low-power sensing and health-monitoring technologies, but many existing architectures rely on external power sources. Researchers have developed a flexible, self-powered neuromorphic device that combines a triboelectric nanogenerator with an ion-gel-gated transistor to convert mechanical movement into electrical spikes that regulate synaptic behavior. The device reproduces hierarchical memory and spike-rate-dependent learning, highlighting its potential for future wearable neuromorphic applications.