This is the conference of the SIAM Activity Group on Imaging Science.

Researchers created a modular system that lets users build interactive structures with many possible shapes while maintaining working electrical connections. This could enable adaptable smart devices, interactive spaces, and shape-changing interfaces. 

A map produced by Yale School of the Environment researchers suggests priorities for protected areas in Mexico to maximize carnivore habitat and ensure more inclusive conservation planning. 

 

New research shows that swimming in rivers and lakes is linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and rashes. 

Researchers found that people who swam in rivers and lakes were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems, while higher levels of bacteria linked to faecal pollution were associated with an increased risk of stomach bugs.

The findings come amid growing public concern over water quality and a boom in open-water swimming.

This study was carried out at freshwater bathing sites in Hungary, but the the results were consistent with a similar study in Germany and the team say they would expect to find similar results in the UK.

Portland State University has been awarded a $5.9 million National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation (ART) grant to accelerate the translation of PSU research from the lab into companies, products and partnerships that strengthen the Portland-metro and Oregon economies. 

The three-year award — PSU’s largest NSF grant to date — arrives as the university’s research enterprise reaches new heights, with research expenditures rising from $74 million in fiscal year 2024 to $91 million in 2025 in fields with strong commercial potential, including artificial intelligence and computational intelligence, semiconductors and transportation and infrastructure. The ART grant is designed to close the gap between that research strength and the region's need for new companies, traded-sector jobs and industry investment.

"PSU's motto is ‘Let Knowledge Serve the City,’ and this award puts that commitment to work for our regional economy," said Ann Cudd, president of Portland State University. "Our researchers are producing discoveries with real commercial and civic value. This investment helps us turn more of that work into Oregon companies, Oregon jobs and Oregon solutions." 

Packing isn’t just about fitting everything into a certain space – it’s also about being able to retrieve important items quickly and correctly. In a pair of new studies, researchers from North Carolina State University developed packing models that optimize spatial usage while including item priority, location and weight distribution. The new models could improve efficiencies in areas ranging from combat loading in military logistics to warehouse storage and multi-drop delivery services.

New research from the lab of Srikanth Singamaneni, the Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, shows the early success of a microneedle patch that can be applied on the skin to quickly and safely capture biomarkers from the biofluid in the skin, or dermal interstitial fluid, and quantify them accurately on the patch. The patch detected early signs of kidney injury and may one day support home or point-of-care monitoring without requiring refrigeration.