Room-Temperature-Processable Highly Reliable Resistive Switching Memory with Reconfigurability for Neuromorphic Computing and Ultrasonic Tissue Classification

Reversible metal-filamentary mechanism has been widely investigated to design an analog resistive switching memory (RSM) for neuromorphic hardware-implementation. However, uncontrollable filament-formation, inducing its reliability issues, has been a fundamental challenge. Here, an analog RSM with 3D ion transport channels that can provide unprecedentedly high reliability and robustness is demonstrated. This architecture is realized by a laser-assisted photo-thermochemical process, compatible with the back-end-of-line process and even applicable to a flexible format. These superior characteristics also lead to the proposal of a practical adaptive learning rule for hardware neural networks that can significantly simplify the voltage pulse application methodology even with high computing accuracy. A neural network, which can perform the biological tissue classification task using the ultrasound signals, is designed, and the simulation results confirm that this practical adaptive learning rule is efficient enough to classify these weak and complicated signals with high accuracy (97%). Furthermore, the proposed RSM can work as a diffusive-memristor at the opposite voltage polarity, exhibiting extremely stable threshold switching characteristics. In this mode, several crucial operations in biological nervous systems, such as Ca²⁺ dynamics and nonlinear integrate-and-fire functions of neurons, are successfully emulated. This reconfigurability is also exceedingly beneficial for decreasing the complexity of systems—requiring both drift- and diffusive-memristors.     

An effective oxidation approach for luminescence enhancement in CdS quantum dots by H2O2

The effects of surface passivation on the photoluminescence (PL) properties of CdS nanoparticles oxidized by straightforward H₂O₂ injection were examined. Compared to pristine cadmium sulfide nanocrystals (quantum efficiency ≅ 0.1%), the surface-passivated CdS nanoparticles showed significantly enhanced luminescence properties (quantum efficiency ≅ 20%). The surface passivation by H₂O₂ injection was characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and time-resolved PL. The photoluminescence enhancement is due to the two-order increase in the radiative recombination rate by the sulfate passivation layer.     

Predictively encoded graph convolutional network for noise-robust skeleton-based action recognition

Applied Intelligence - In skeleton-based action recognition, graph convolutional networks (GCNs), which model human body skeletons using graphical components such as nodes and connections, have...     

Hemodynamics in a three-dimensional printed aortic model: a comparison of four-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance and image-based computational fluid dynamics

Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine - This study aims to compare an electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated four-dimensional (4D) phase-contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging...     

Flow control in paper-based microfluidic device for automatic multistep assays: A focused minireview

Although lateral flow tests (LFTs) are easy-to-use diagnostics, they have fundamental limitations for sequential multistep assay that can be reduced to a single chemical reaction step. Paper-based microfluidic devices have attracted considerable attention for use in automatic multi-step assays because paper can be an excellent platform to control sequential fluid flow without external equipment. This review focuses on recent developments on how to control flow rate in paper-based microfluidic devices for automating sequential multi-step assays. The aim of this review is to discuss the limitations of LFTs and potential paper-based microfluidic devices for automated sequential multi-step assays in developing countries; and the existing fluidic control technologies for sequential multi-step assays. In addition, we present future challenges for commercialization of paper-based microfluidic devices to perform automatic multi-step assays.     

Influence of the expansion device on the performance of a heat pump using R407C under a range of charging conditions

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the expansion device on the performance of a water-to-water heat pump using R407C, which has been considered as one of the alternative refrigerants to replace R22 with “soft-optimization”, at various charging conditions. The heat pump applying the expansion devices of a capillary tube and an EEV was tested by varying refrigerant charge amount from −20% to +20% of full charge and changing water temperature entering the condenser from 30 °C to 42 °C, while maintaining water temperature entering the evaporator at 25 °C. The R22 capillary tube system is utilized as a baseline unit for the performance comparison with the R407C system. The performance of the capillary tube system is more sensitive to off-design charge than that of the EEV system. As the refrigerant charge deviates from the full charge, the R407C EEV system shows a much lower degradation of capacity and COP as compared to the R22 and R407C capillary tube systems due to an optimum control of superheat by electronically adjusting the EEV opening. In addition, the R407C EEV system shows more a stable compressor discharge temperature at off-design charge than the R407C capillary tube system.     

A generalized correlation for refrigerant mass flow rate through adiabatic capillary tubes

A capillary tube is a common expansion device used in small sized refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. A generalized correlation for refrigerant flow rate in adiabatic capillary tubes is developed by implementing dimensionless parameters based on extensive experimental data for R-22, R-290, and R-407C measured in this study. Dimensionless parameters are derived from the Buckingham Pi theorem, considering the effects of tube inlet conditions, capillary tube geometry, and refrigerant properties on mass flow rate. The generalized correlation yields good agreement with the present data for R-22, R-290, and R-407C with average and standard deviations of 0.9 and 5.0%, respectively. Approximately 97% of the present data are correlated within a relative deviation of ±10%. Further assessments of the correlation are made by comparing the predictions with measured data for R-12, R-134a, R-152a, R-410A, and R-600a in the open literature. The correlation predicts the data for those five refrigerants with average and standard deviations of −0.73 and 6.16%, respectively.     

Highly dense protein layers confirmed by atomic force microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance

Protein adsorption on a gold surface is investigated by comparing the results of quartz crystal microbalance method and atomic force microscopy. The adsorption of streptavidin on functional gold surfaces is directly monitored by a quartz crystal microbalance, and confirmed by atomic force microscopy. For this investigation, a modified gold substrate is fabricated to obtain a topographic image of streptavidin molecules. Both methods show a correlation in terms of the highly dense protein single-layer formation, and the modified gold electrode shows a slightly denser protein layer formation because of the difference in substrate geometry as compared with that of a mica surface.