Touch is the sense that brings us into direct contact with reality, revealing shape, texture, and resistance. Designing soft sensors to mimic biological fingertips facilitates natural haptic communications in telerobotics and prostheses, but suffers from inaccurate tactile decoding. Scientists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University reported a 3D-architected pressure sensor featuring a hydrogel lattice encapsulated within an origami-inspired framework. The designed linear electro-mechanical responses enable sophisticated pressure input for robotic control and an intelligent fingertip for modulus detection.

A research team led by Associate Professor Yukihide Ishibashi at the Graduate School of Science and  Engineering, Ehime University, has successfully achieved the direct observation of exciton diffusion processes within individual copper phthalocyanine（CuPc）nanofibers using a custom-built femtosecond microspectroscopy technique, which enables clarification of exciton dynamics in mesoscopic materials. Previously, only ensemble-averaged information（e.g., CuPc thin films）was available for exciton diffusion coefficients and diffusion lengths. By measuring these parameters for single nanofibers, the team revealed that the diffusion coefficient of η-phase CuPc nanofibers is about three times higher than that of β-phase ones. This enhancement arises from the larger molecular tilt angle and stronger π–π overlap in the η-phase, which promote intermolecular excitonic interactions. Moreover, the diffusion coefficient was found to decrease with increasing fiber length, indicating a “size effect” in exciton hoopping. This study not only deepens the understanding of optical properties in organic molecular crystals but also provides important insights for improving the efficiency of organic photovoltaic and photoenergy-conversion devices. The findings were published online in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters by the American Chemical Society on October 31, 2025.

Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) have definitively resolved a two-decade-long controversy regarding the direction of electron spin on the surface of gold. Using a state-of-the-art Photoelectron Momentum Microscope (PMM) at the UVSOR synchrotron facility, the team captured complete two-dimensional snapshots of the Au(111) Shockley surface state, mapping both the electron's spin (its intrinsic magnetic property) and its orbital shape in a projection-based measurement. The experiment unambiguously confirmed the Rashba effect--where an electron's motion is coupled to its spin--by assigning a clockwise (cw) spin texture to the outer electron band and a counter-clockwise (ccw) texture to the inner band when viewed from the vacuum side. This work establishes a robust, trustworthy reference dataset for spin-resolved photoemission, paving the way for the development of highly efficient spintronic devices.

A high-frequency wildlife-deterrent device known as Shika Sonic, jointly deployed by Okayama University of Science (OUS) and Nanto City, has resulted in zero bear sightings for more than two and a half months near a school in a mountainous area of Toyama Prefecture. Developed by T.M.WORKS and scientifically evaluated by OUS’s Specially Appointed Professor Masachika Tsuji, the device was installed in June near Toga Gakusha, where bear encounters had been frequent. The new model, tuned specifically to deter bears, operates automatically at night and covers a radius of approximately 100–150 meters. According to the city, even an AI-equipped detection camera has recorded no bear activity since installation. Nanto City’s mayor has praised the initiative as a major success and is considering expanding the technology to tourist areas. Professor Tsuji’s on-site inspection in September confirmed stable operation while noting that further study is needed to assess long-term effectiveness.

A transformative approach to clean hydrogen production is set to take center stage in an upcoming international webinar that bridges molecular innovation with industrial-scale decarbonization.