This week we investigate a breakthrough in a two dimensional material that may enable smart contact lenses and a range of other applications. We look at a new sticker that will allow ultrasounds to identify tiny leaks in abdominal surgery and we examine a new way to run MagLev trains on existing rail networks. Finally we discover how to remove nanoplastics from our water.
Smart Contact Lenses
A group of researchers, including the 2010 Nobel Prize for Physics winner Konstantin Novoselov, has unearthed some unique properties in two compounds based upon Rhenium (75 on the Periodic Table). Novoselov won his Nobel for his work on the properties of Graphene a two dimensional material. The two new compounds are also two dimensional materials i.e. the materials have breadth and width but as they are 1 atom thick they have no depth.
The compounds, Rhenium Disulfide (ReS2) and Rhenium Diselenide (ReSe2) can both create a novel manipulation of light. The optical axes in the materials can move in different directions, including more than 90 degrees for some components. By adjusting the wavelength of the light the direction of the light can be changed.
The team is working with Dubai based startup Xpanceo on commercial applications. The Rhenium breakthrough enables a path for Xpanceo to merge every gadget into one unlimited field of view via a smart contact lens. Embedding the materials in smart contact lenses they plan to augment human color perception. This will allow applications from XR (Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality etc.) to health monitoring.
They are also working on using the materials in a technique called Raman Spectroscopy which uses lasers to analyze chemical structures. The technology has application in early disease diagnosis. It may allow detection of cancers and viruses at an earlier stage at a much reduced cost.
Photonic computer circuits may also benefit from the use of these materials which could create faster more powerful computers for AI processing and development. See the story last month on photonic chips here.
Shape Shifting Ultrasound Stickers
A joint team from Northwestern University in Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis have developed a sticker that allows doctors to monitor the health of a patient’s organs and deep tissues with an ultrasound device.
During surgery the sticker is attached to an organ. The sticker will change shape in response to the bodies changing pH levels. This is an early warning sign for post surgery complications such as anastomotic leaks. The doctor can view the shape changes in real time via an ultrasound. There is no other current way to detect these leaks that is non invasive. This will allow early intervention. Once the patient has recovered the sticker will dissolve away removing the need for surgical extraction.
The patch is comprised of a hydrogel that will swell in response to a changing pH level. The small metal discs on the patch provide a very different acoustic response to surrounding tissue allowing changes in size or shape to be easily identified. The stickers range inside from 4 mm to 12 mm. Given the tiny size of the metal discs and the subtly of the movement due to tiny leaks into the abdomen, a software program has been developed to detect any movement with a high degree of accuracy.
Most of these types of leaks arise from small perforations in tissue in the stomach, small intestine and the pancreas. These minor leaks can not be identified with ultrasound imaging tools alone. Most will escape detection by CT and MRI scans. All surgery in the abdomen carries a risk of leaking from parts being sewn back together.
This new patch will allow leaks to be detected earlier allowing intervention before significant side effects arise. A undetected leak carries a 30% risk of the patient spending the next 6 months in hospital and a 20% chance of dying. Currently between 40% and 60% of pancreatic surgeries cause complications from leaking.
The team is now working on patches that can detect changes in body temperature and internal bleeding.
Maglev Trains on Existing Rail Networks
Magnetic levitation or Maglev technology has been around for the past 40 plus years however despite the promise of a cleaner, faster and quieter transport system there are only 6 Maglev train lines in the world. 3 in China, 2 in South Korea and 1 in Japan. The problem is that building the initial lines is prohibitively expensive.
Italian startup, IronLev is developing a new MagLev technology that will run Maglev trains on existing rail networks. The principle idea is to create a cushion of air that physically separates the vehicle from the track. This gives advantages in terms of friction, efficiency, noise and vibrations.
The first test run on an existing track with no modifications was at 70kph over two kilometers. The proposed system will be driverless. The train will eventually be able to go much faster than current trains using significantly less energy. The next test vehicle will weigh 20 tons and will travel to a speed of 200kph.
IronLev have also developed MagLev elevators, windows, doors and walls allowing some significant innovations in future architecture. They are also working on industrial applications for moving large equipment easily and quickly. It will take some time however it is likely that one day all our railways will be repurposed as fast, quiet and efficient MagLev lines.
Removing Nanoplastics from Water
All of our waterways and drinking water are polluted with nanoplastics. Nanoplastics have been found at the North and South Poles. They are all over the planet. Nanoplastics are less than a micrometer is size and are formed by the natural erosion of larger plastics through physical, chemical and biological processes. Nanoplastics have been found to have a detrimental affect on aquatic and human life. They can penetrate cells and are difficult to detect.
We currently have very limited options to eliminate nanoplastics from our waterways. A team from the University of Waterloo in the UK have now developed a new purification and separation technology that will remove nanoplastics from contaminated water with 94% efficiency.
Using a waste polymer, epoxy and a process called thermal decomposition the team converted the epoxy into activated carbon, a material capable of removing nanoplastics. The team then used the activated carbon to treat water contaminated by nanoplastics from water bottles. The nanoplastics are physically trapped in the porous structure of the activated carbon.
The team is now extending their work to include a wider variety of plastics and to scale up testing in wastewater treatment facilities. Wastewater plants are a natural place for us to remove contaminants. Waste water eventually finds it way back into all our water systems.
Understanding How AI Language Models Work
This short clip is a great introduction into how language models work and how they are built. It gets a bit mathematical however despite the math it is quite easy to follow.
Paying it Forward
If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.
If you have any questions or comments please comment below.
I would also appreciate it if you could forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might be interested.
Till next week.