A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science have developed a novel sensor to detect nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the atmosphere. The sensor, which can catch a single nitrogen dioxide molecule among millions of other molecules, is one of the most sensitive in the world. Also, unlike other NO2 sensors which perform at high temperatures, the new sensor works even at room temperature.
The advancements in material technology have necessitated the development of sophisticated instruments to study materials at the scale of atoms and molecules. One such popular instrument is an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). It measures and controls the forces from the surface atoms of a substance- also called the sample. A spatial map of these regulated forces generates a 2-dimensional topography image of its surface. The AFM measures these forces using micro-meter sized mechanical structures called 'probes', which have sharp tips to explore the surface and a recording device to store these measurements.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science have developed an accurate pressure sensor that can be operated remotely from kilometres away. Built using optical fibres, this sensor can detect minute variations in pressure and operates at high speeds. Unlike conventional pressure gauges, this sensor is not affected by electromagnetic interference.
An optical fibre is a flexible, transparent wire like structure made of glass that is slightly thicker than human hair. It can be drawn kilometres long and transmits light from one end to the other. The optical fibre is widely used in communication systems such as telephone cables among others due to its ability to transmit information at very high speeds with minimal loss. The use of these fibres is so wide-spread that all the continents except Antarctica is connected by optical fibre under the sea for internet, telephony and private data transfer!
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science have developed a novel waste-water filtration technique that can transform highly contaminated water into very clean water, with no water wastage. The system is membrane-less, chemical free and scalable: from a hand-held water bottle to large community based system. The system can also be used as a pre-filter for membrane based purifiers thereby improving the lifetime of the membranes.
Anyone who has stepped into the IISc campus is aware of its enormous expanse that is comparable to the area of a small city; however, it is not quite as simple to judge the scope of scientific work done at this institute. It is the uniqueness of each laboratory that makes the work done at IISc so valuable. Some researchers here work on things as large as satellites and ships while others work with the thinnest known material, called graphene. The Nano-micro Systems Laboratory, headed by Assistant Professor Dr. Abha Misra, is busy with cutting-edge research involving materials which are classified into the lowest physical size scale.
Mixing light sheets and light-sensitive polymers can be used to build three dimensional nanostructures. This novel technique, a great improvement over the existing ones, can lead to a new array of devices in space science and consumer electronics.
Imagine a surveillance technology, like a CCTV, that can tell you the shape, height, distance and speed of an object, in an instant. Scientists at Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have realized this goal at a staggeringly economical price. The study was recently published in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Sensors Journal.
Myopathies are muscular diseases where muscle fibres do not function optimally, resulting in muscular weaknesses. Scientists from IISc have shown for the first time that a technique generally used to analyse atomic structure of chemicals, Raman spectroscopy, can be utilized as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between different types of myopathies.
In a collaborative study, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science and an ENT surgeon from M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru have devised a novel sensor to assess blockage of the nose.
As the name indicates the specialty of the Depa