News from 1/2015, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois

#1

High-Resolution Printing of Quantum Dots
Tuesday, 27 January 2015 IEEE Spectrum –
Using a technique much like inkjet printing, engineers have created high-resolution patterns of quantum dots. The research was led by full-time faculty member John Rogers, of the 3D Micro- and Nanosystems Group.
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#2

Researchers Improve Semiconducting Capabilities of Graphene
Tuesday, 27 January 2015 Engineering at Illinois –
Research from a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and Beckman affiliate faculty member Moonsub Shim at Illinois demonstrated a new way to change the amount of electrons that reside in a given region within a piece of graphene, providing the fundamental building blocks for semiconductor devices to use graphene.
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#3

Smartphone Conducts Lab-Quality Diagnostic Tests
Monday, 26 January 2015 Bioengineering at Illinois –
The internal camera of a smartphone can function as a high-resolution laboratory spectrometer to provide measurements that match the sensitivity performance of laboratory instruments for popular analytic tests used in medical diagnostics, food safety, and other applications. This research was led by Brian Cunningham of the Nanoelectronics and Nanomaterials Group.
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#4

INSIGHT Enters Second Phase
Monday, 26 January 2015
INSIGHT, a multidisciplinary study to determine what kind of training best improves adaptive reasoning and fluid intelligence, has entered the second phase of the project with funding totaling $13.1 million from the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
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#5

Christianson Explains Science of Deflategate
Friday, 23 January 2015 ESPN SportsCenter –
Beckman part-time faculty member Kiel Christianson discusses how and why footballs can become deflated on ESPN, in response to the recent NFL controversy.
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#6

Software Helps Translate Words to Math
Wednesday, 21 January 2015 Illinois News Bureau –
With new software developed at the University of Illinois, led by Beckman part-time faculty member Dan Roth, machines can learn to understand mathematical reasoning expressed in language, which could greatly improve search engines and access to data as well as boost mathematics education.
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#7

Graduate Student Seminar on Feb. 4
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Neil Krueger (3D Micro- and Nanosystems), Giang-Chau Ngo (Bioimaging/Human Perception and Performance), and Itamar Livnat (NeuroTech) will present on Wednesday, February 4 at noon in Beckman room 1005 as part of the Graduate Student Seminars. Lunch will be served.
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#8

Autonomous Aerial Robots to Monitor Construction
Wednesday, 21 January 2015 Civil and Environmental Engineering at Illinois –
In order to monitor construction sites for progress and continuous performance data, a team of researchers, including Timothy Bretl of the Artificial Intelligence Group and Derek Hoiem of the Human Perception and Performance Group, are developing quadcopters, small aerial robots with four propellers, that will be computer-controlled to fully automate the data collection and the analysis and reporting of progress information on the construction site.
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#9

Lavalle Brings Experience at Oculus Rift to the Classroom
Wednesday, 21 January 2015 Engineering at Illinois –
After working as head scientist for Oculus VR, the maker of a virtual reality gaming headset called Oculus Rift, Beckman affiliate Steve Lavalle is now splitting his time between the Oculus Rift and Illinois. He is teaching a course in virtual reality this semester.
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#10

Research Shows Link Between Active Lifestyle and Brain Function
Tuesday, 20 January 2015 Illinois News Bureau –
A host of research, conducted by Beckman director Art Kramer, Beckman affiliate Charles Hillman, and Beckman postdoctoral researcher Agniezka Burzynska, finds that increased physical activity leads to many cognitive benefits, including better brain connectivity, enhanced cognitive function in children, and increased integrity of the brain’s white matter.
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#11

Two Healthcare Projects Receive Funding
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
A 3D computerized avatar capable of showing emotion and a robotic forearm are two Illinois projects that received nearly $50,000 in funding for their innovations in healthcare. Beckman full-time faculty member Thomas Huang and Beckman affiliate Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler were involved with these projects.
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#12

Campus Insights: Matthew Wheeler
Tuesday, 13 January 2015 Illinois1867 YouTube –
Eight faculty members from the Urbana-Champaign campus gave brief presentations to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees on their research and outreach activities. Beckman affiliate Matthew Wheeler researches reproductive biology, tissue engineering, and stem cells, and holds seven patents in stem cells, gene transfer, and transgenic livestock. His research led to the development of 3D airway splints for infants with tracheobronchomalacia and to bone replacement implants.
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#13

Leburton Combines Biology and Nanoelectronics to Find Innovative Solutions
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
As a Beckman Institute original faculty member, Jean-Pierre Leburton has been a pioneer in using physics to develop devices with novel functionality and higher performances.
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#14

Director's Seminar on Jan. 29: Frances Wang
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
The first Director's Seminar of the semester on Jan. 29 will feature Ranxio (Frances) Wang, psychology professor and part-time faculty member of the Human Perception and Performance Group. The presentation will start at noon in Beckman room 1005, and lunch will be provided.
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#15

CUBE Inspires Setting in New Novel
Monday, 12 January 2015
A trip to the CUBE, an immersive virtual reality environment at Beckman's Illinois Simulator Lab, inspired the dystopian world in Adam Sternbergh's new novel, Near Enemy.
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#16

Printing 3D Silicon Microstructures
Friday, 09 January 2015 Science –
John Rogers, of the 3D Micro- and Nanostructures Group, comments on a unique process for geometrically transforming two dimensional micro/nanostructures into extended 3D layouts by exploiting mechanics principles similar to those found in children's "pop-up" books.
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#17

Gelatin Nanoparticles Could Deliver Drugs to the Brain
Monday, 05 January 2015
Stroke victims could have more time to seek treatment that could reduce harmful effects on the brain, thanks to tiny particles of gelatin that could deliver the medication to the brain noninvasively. Researchers from Illinois and South Korea, led by Beckman affiliate Kyekyoon "Kevin" Kim, published details about the gelatin nanoparticles in the journal Drug Delivery and Translational Research.
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#18

Plan on Attending Beckman Open House
Monday, 05 January 2015
Save the date for the biennial Beckman Open House, Friday, March 13 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Saturday, March 14 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Held in conjunction with the Engineering Open House, the Beckman Institute Open House features exhibits highlighting the work taking place at one of the nation’s leading centers for interdisciplinary research. Schools, clubs, and other large groups are welcome. View the full list of exhibits.
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