The Acoustical Society of America and the Canadian Acoustical Association are co-hosting a joint meeting May 13-17 at the Shaw Centre/Westin Ottawa Hotel.
While asleep, the area of birds’ brains dedicated to singing remains active, triggering vocal muscles without producing sound. In Chaos from AIP Publishing, researchers translate the muscle activity to synthesize the songs of avian dreams. Reproducing distinctive bird calls provides a window into the contents of the bird’s dreams.
With climate change and rising urbanization, the likelihood and severity of urban flooding are increasing. But not all city blocks are created equal. In Physics of Fluids, an AIP Publishing journal, researchers investigated how urban layout and building structures contribute to pedestrian safety during flooding.
Polymer-based hydrogels are used to treat skin ailments and in tissue engineering because of their ability to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade. However, they are complicated to manufacture and not very resilient to external forces like rubbing against clothing, sheets, or wound dressings.
An AAPM team has received a $250,000 Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to fund a project titled “Radiation risk in medicine: Identifying and enabling patient-provider shared decision-making.”
By evaluating sound vibrations produced by the airflow induced within the lungs and bronchial tree during normal breathing as well as those produced by the larynx during vocalizations, doctors can identify potential disease-related abnormalities within the respiratory system.
For telescopes operating in the vacuum of space, or optical equipment in extreme environments, existing coatings are often insufficient. In the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology Aresearchers in China turned to atomic layer deposition and developed an ultrablack thin-film coating for aerospace-grade magnesium alloys. The team used alternating layers of aluminum-doped titanium carbide and silicon nitride and together the materials prevent nearly all light from reflecting off the coated surface. The coating absorbs 99.3% of light while being durable enough to survive in harsh conditions.
Despite the technological advances keeping meat fresh for as long as possible, certain aging processes are unavoidable. Adenosine triphosphate is a molecule produced by breathing and responsible for providing energy to cells. When an animal stops breathing, ATP synthesis also stops, and the existing molecules decompose into acid, diminishing first flavor and then safety. Hypoxanthine and xanthine are intermediate steps in this transition. Assessing their prevalence in meat indicates its freshness. In AIP Advances, researchers developed a biosensor using graphene electrodes modified by zinc oxide nanoparticles to measure HXA. The team demonstrated the sensor’s efficacy on pork meat.
In JVSTB, researchers report successful results from a hand-held breast cancer screening device that can detect breast cancer biomarkers from a tiny sample of saliva.
AIP is delighted to announce the appointment of Trevor Owens as its first Chief Research Officer.
China’s Chang’e-5, the first lunar sample return mission since the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 in 1976, delivered 1.73 kilograms of regolith from the Oceanus Procellarum, a plane named for its vast size.
AIP and APS are pleased to announce David Brydges as the recipient of the 2024 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics “for achievements in the fields of constructive quantum field theory and rigorous statistical mechanics, especially the introduction of new techniques including random walk representation in spin systems, the lace expansion, and mathematically rigorous implementations of the renormalization group.”
Inspired by a 1725 fire engine that pumped water at larger distances and higher speeds than previously possible, authors publishing in the American Journal of Physics analyzed the pressure chamber’s Windkessel effect to capture the physics behind this widely used, enduring technology. They compared the initial state of the chamber, the rate at which bucket brigades could pour water in (volumetric inflow), the length of time pressure builds, and the effects on output flow rate. Next, the authors plan to examine the physiological Windkessel involved in the heart-aorta system.
AIP Publishing is excited to announce the appointment of Julia R. Greer as the new editor-in-chief of Journal of Applied Physics. Greer is the Mettler Chair Professor of Materials Science, Mechanics, and Medical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology and the Fletcher Jones Foundation Director of Caltech’s Kavli Nanoscience Institute. As editor-in-chief, Greer’s vision for Journal of Applied Physics is to build upon its long and distinguished history and establish an even broader reach.
The Heineman Foundation, AIP, and American AAS are pleased to announce John E. Carlstrom as the winner of the 2024 Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics.
Shuttlecocks, also known as birdies or birds, are traditionally made from duck feathers, but nylon shuttlecocks have become more widely used because of their superior durability. Their flight behavior, however, is far different from that of traditional feather birdies. In Physics of Fluids, scientists in India explored the aerodynamic performance of nylon shuttlecocks at various flight speeds. Through computational analyses based on two-way fluid-structure interactions, the team coupled equations governing air flow with equations determining skirt deformation of a shuttlecock in flight.
In The Physics Teacher, researchers from Fordham University partnered with middle and high schools in the Bronx and Manhattan in a citizen science project to collect real-time air quality data.
In Physics of Fluids, researchers from the University of Utah report snowflake accelerations in atmospheric turbulence.
Hannah White and her colleagues at Macquarie University researched how creaky voice is reflected in Australian English used in Sydney, and what factors influence its prevalence.
Xinyang Wu from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has designed a computer algorithm to intelligently create mashups using the drum tracks from one song and the vocals and instrumentals from another. The algorithm mimics the process used by professionals, identifying the most dynamic moments to adjust the tempo of the instrumental tracks and add the drum beat mashup at exactly the right moment for maximum effect. The result is a unique blend of pleasing lyrics and exciting instrumentals with wide-ranging appeal.
James Boland, an acoustician for SLR Consulting, employed insights from the field of sensory criminology to better understand the unique acoustic needs inside prison environments. By focusing on speech intelligibility, strategic reduction of noise levels, and the incorporation of privacy considerations, acoustic design can significantly improve the overall prison environment. Creating distinct zones within the prison and balancing moments of quiet with activity are essential to fostering a more comfortable and secure space.
Gea Oswah Fatah Parikesit and their team at Universitas Gadjah Mada have investigated the physics behind why the bundengan, a portable shelter woven from bamboo that features a collection of strings and bamboo bars, sounds better when played in the rain. The bundengan is constructed by weaving bamboo splits, which are covered by overlapping bamboo culm sheaths with ropes to secure everything in place. When wet, the culm sheaths seek to return to their curled form, but tied down in their planar formation, they instead press into each other. The resulting tension allows the sheaths to vibrate together.
Phoebe Peng, an Engineering Honours student at the University of Sydney, is researching ways to allow people with low vision and blindness to play pingpong using sound. The process uses neuromorphic cameras and an array of loudspeakers, designed to allow players to track the ball and movements based on sound. Using two perfectly positioned cameras, Peng could identify and track a ball in 3D in real time. She then fed that data into an algorithm controlling loudspeakers along the sides of the table, which created a sound field matching the position of the ball.
Joe Wolfe and John Smith from the University of New South Wales conducted acoustic experiments to study the didjeridu’s unusual and complicated performance techniques.
Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a promising new solar-powered atmospheric water harvesting technology that could help provide enough drinking water for people to survive in difficult, dryland areas: They synthesized a super hygroscopic gel capable of absorbing and retaining an unparalleled amount of water. .
Parag Chitnis of George Mason University led a team that developed a wearable ultrasound system that can produce clinically relevant information about muscle function during dynamic physical activity. The system uses a patented approach that uses long-duration chirps and ultrasound sensing, and it allowed the team to design a simpler, cheaper system that could be miniaturized and powered by batteries. The result is an ultrasound monitor with a small, portable form factor that can be attached to a patient.
As humans age, our eyes adjust based on how we use them, growing or shortening to focus where needed, and we now know that blurred input to the eye while the eye is growing causes myopia.
The sound a disc makes while soaring through the air is full of information about how fast the disc is flying and how quickly it spins.
Darcy Dunn-Lawless, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, is investigating the potential of a painless, needle-free vaccine delivery by ultrasound. The method uses cavitation, which is the formation and popping of bubbles in response to a sound wave. Though initial in vivo tests reported 700 times fewer vaccine molecules were delivered by the cavitation approach compared to conventional injection, the cavitation approach produced a higher immune response. The researchers theorize this could be due to the immune-rich skin the ultrasonic delivery targets. The result is a more efficient vaccine that could help reduce costs and increase efficacy.
Press conferences for Acoustics 2023 Sydney will be held virtually at 8:00 a.m. AEDT, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. Topics will focus on a wide range of newsworthy sessions from the upcoming meeting, which runs Dec. 4-8 in Sydney, Australia.
In Physics of Fluids, scientists demonstrate how bloodstains can yield valuable details by examining the protrusions that deviate from the boundaries of otherwise elliptical bloodstains. The researchers studied how these “tails” are formed using a series of high-speed experiments with human blood droplets less than a millimeter wide impacting horizontal surfaces at various angles. They found that the tail length can reflect information about the size, impact speed, and impact angle of the blood drop that formed the stain.
The Acoustical Society of America and the Australian Acoustical Society are co-hosting Acoustics 2023 Sydney, Dec. 4-8. The scientific conference brings together acousticians, researchers, musicians, and more experts from around the world.
AIP Publishing and the Journal of Rheology congratulate Norman J. Wagner, Julie B. Hipp, and Jeffrey J. Richards, winners of the 2023 Journal of Rheology Publication Award for their paper, “Direct measurements of the microstructural origin of shear-thinning in carbon black suspensions.” The winning paper demonstrates how shearing forces impact the microstructure responsible for viscosity in suspensions containing carbon black, a material used in energy storage. The paper also provides a quantitative master curve which relates the material’s properties to how it may behave under stress.
In Chaos, researchers in Spain incorporate language ideologies, along with the impact of interaction between individuals with opposing preferences, on the language shift process. The team chose a quantitative approach based on a society in which only one language with two varieties, the standard and the vernacular, existed. The resulting mathematical model can predict the conditions that allow for the coexistence of different languages, presenting a comprehensive view of how language varieties are distributed within societies.
Absorbing excess sound to make public environments like theaters and concert halls safer for hearing and using the unwanted sound waves to create electricity is the aim of a paper in Physics of Fluids.
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine is pleased to announce C. David Gammel as its incoming Executive Director.
Smith College Physics Department has earned a Bronze Award from the Physics and Astronomy SEA Change Committee for their work to create a more inclusive and diverse physics department.
AIP and the National Society of Black Physicists congratulate Charles D. Brown II as the winner of the 2023 Joseph A. Johnson Award for Excellence. Dante O’Hara and Danielle Speller are also being recognized with Honorable Mentions. The Johnson Award recognizes early-career scientists who demonstrate scientific ingenuity and impactful mentorship and service – the core values of NSBP founder Joseph A. Johnson. The award and honorable mentions will be presented at the 2023 National Society of Black Physicists Annual Conference on Nov. 12, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
An examination of the impact of image size on measurements from magnetic force microscopy has won the Advances in Magnetism Award, sponsored by AIP Advances. The paper was selected as the winner from nearly 200 papers submitted and Michael Vaka, now a data engineer at Zontal, was awarded a cash prize and a travel stipend to next year’s conference for his work, performed at BYU under the supervision of Karine Chesnel.
In Physics of Fluids, researchers examine how ventilation can affect transmission of airborne viruses in a typical cruise ship cabin based on guidelines developed before and after the pandemic. They conducted simulations for virus droplets from a cough in a typical cabin that accommodates two or more people, with different ventilation rates and different positions of the person emitting the cough. Computational fluid dynamics testing ranged from 1.5 to 15 air changes per hour to capture all possible scenarios, from minimal ventilation to rates exceeding the most recent recommendations.
By detecting cardiovascular ailments and helping assess overall cardiac health, wearable electrocardiograms save lives, not to mention exorbitant hospital care costs. In Applied Physics Reviews, researchers present a novel wearable electrocardiogram patch for enhanced point-of-care diagnostics. The study focused on the advantages of using active dry electrodes for ECG signaling, and they created a compact, lightweight, gel-free hexagonal-shaped ECG patch. The configuration was then integrated with wireless Bluetooth communication for remote sensing capabilities.
Physics of Plasmas has bestowed the 2023 Davidson Award to Debra Callahan for her paper “Exploring the limits of case-to-capsule ratio, pulse length, and picket energy for symmetric hohlraum drive on the National Ignition Facility Laser.” The annual award of $5,000 is presented in collaboration with the APS Division of Plasma Physics to recognize outstanding plasma physics research by a Physics of Plasmas author.
Climate change and the rapid increase in frequency of extreme weather events around the globe reinforces the reality that these events are interconnected. In Chaos, researchers describe a climate network analysis method to explore the intensity, distribution, and evolution of this interlinked climate behavior, or teleconnections. The analysis combines the directions and distribution patterns of teleconnections to evaluate their intensity and to identify sensitive regions using global daily surface air temperature data. The method relies on advanced data processing and mathematical algorithms to find meaningful insights.
In APL Materials, researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.
AIP is pleased to announce Sidney Perkowitz as the winner of the 2023 Andrew Gemant Award, presented to those who have made significant contributions to the cultural, artistic, or humanistic dimension of physics. Perkowitz was chosen by the award selection committee for his enduring commitment to bridge the physics community with the arts and humanities by using a variety of media, including books, essays, public lectures, and theatrical productions.
In Journal of Applied Physics, researchers describe an acoustic metasurface that uses pingpong balls, with small holes punctured in each, as Helmholtz resonators to create inexpensive but effective low-frequency sound insulation. The coupling between two resonators led to two resonance frequencies, and more resonant frequencies meant the device was able to absorb more sound. At the success of two coupled resonators, the researchers added more, until their device resembled a square sheet of punctured pingpong balls, multiplying the number of resonant frequencies that could be absorbed.
In Review of Scientific Instruments, scientists developed a microwave microstrip line planar resonator sensor tool to detect water adulteration in honey. The tool is compact, cost-effective, and easily fabricated. The microstrip line resonator sensor is fabricated on a dielectric substrate, which is an insulator that can efficiently support electrostatic fields, such as ceramic or glass. The team tested honey samples with varying water content and found that the sensor's resonance frequency consistently decreases with increased added water content.
To help journalists and the public understand the context of this year’s Nobel Prize, AIP is compiling a resources page featuring relevant scientific papers and articles, quotes from experts, photos, multimedia, and other resources.
To help journalists and the public understand the context of this year’s Nobel Prize, AIP is compiling a resources page featuring relevant scientific papers and articles, quotes from experts, photos, multimedia, and other resources.
TEAM-UP Together is pleased to announce its second cohort of scholars: 62 students who will each receive $10,000 for the 2023-24 academic year. Among these high-achieving students, 15 are second-time award recipients. By offering financial support to promising undergraduates, TEAM-UP Together encourages more young Black and African American students to follow their passion for science. Scholarship awardees become members of the Society of Physics Students and will also gain access to professional development opportunities, mentoring, training, conference travel funding, and more through the TEAM-UP Together community.
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