1. An international team of researchers has found that enhancing photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) could become a highly effective treatment. In the study, the nanoparticle surface was modified to attach a photosensitive molecule, allowing light to be absorbed at a particular wavelength. For PTT, that light is converted to heat, while the PDT method creates the reactive oxygen from that light. With sufficient ambient oxygen, the reactive oxygen will kill tumor cells. This combination of techniques was applied while also delivering medications to areas of the body that otherwise have been inaccessible. It shows potential for treating other medical issues as well, including nonhealing ulcers.
2. Researchers in Chicago coupled the light that’s restricted in a nanophotonic waveguide with a 2D, atomically thin semiconductor, guiding the photons in one direction at a small scale. This resulted in development of a small, tunable, on-chip photonic interface, which could create photonic integrated circuits that are more easily integrated into computing systems, autonomous vehicles, and similar technologies.
3. A new technique using high-resolution microscopes could help doctors more effectively treat bacterial infections, particularly in the inner ear. The method features a shortwave-infrared (SWIR) microscope, which is not typically used in this type of treatment, as well as new software made for image processing. With this unconventional technique, researchers are aiming to illuminate blood, bacterial biofilms, cartilage, and soft tissue to display them in 3D and distinguish them from one another. The technique has strong potential to enhance patient safety, as it reduces the risk of damage to sensitive areas such as the labyrinths of the inner ear.
4. A new, low-cost high-resolution lidar chip, based on a focal-plane switch array, could prompt a new generation of 3D sensors for use in drones, robots, and possibly smartphones. The technology is a semiconductor-based matrix of antennas that gathers light, similar to digital camera sensors. Traditional focal plane switch array-based chips offer around 500 pixels or less resolution, while this new lidar chip produces a resolution of more than 16,000 pixels. The chip’s design is scalable to megapixel sizes, thanks to the existing CMOS technology in computer processors.
