Topic
materials science
Technology A Startup Is Using Special Polymers to Better Help Nerves Heal
Tissium, a French startup, has developed a biodegradable polymer liquid that attaches to nerve tissue when exposed to light, acting as a splint to hold severed nerves in place. In a US trial of 12 patients with finger nerve injuries, all regained sensation, compared to roughly 80% with standard methods. The company has raised €60 million to commercialize the product and expand to hernia and cardiovascular applications.
AI Method Overcomes Labelled Data Scarcity for Defect Classification in STM
Scanning tunneling microscopy image analysis traditionally requires extensive manual labeling. A new approach combines few-shot learning and unsupervised learning to automate defect classification, achieving high accuracy on multiple surfaces with minimal labelled data. The model can adapt to unseen surfaces with as few as one additional data point.
Can AI Accelerate Technological Progress? Researchers See Promise and Pitfalls in Manufacturing and Materials Science
A study based on 32 interviews with U.S. academic manufacturing and materials researchers found that AI/ML tools primarily accelerate sustaining innovations by enabling faster, cheaper modeling and design space exploration. However, researchers warned of unreliability outside well-documented data ranges and potential suppression of disruptive theoretical advances.