interdisciplinary innovation

Jun 30, 2020

Using Leaf Fungi to Improve Crop Resilience

An NC State team led by Christine Hawkes is identifying beneficial fungi found in five crops to improve disease and drought resistance. 

Jun 12, 2020

New Approach to DNA Data Storage Makes System More Dynamic, Scalable

Researchers are laying out a fundamentally new approach to DNA data storage systems. 

Jun 9, 2020

Low-Cost Cameras Could Be Sensors to Remotely Monitor Crop Stress

Finding new uses for old tech could help farmers. 

Jun 4, 2020

‘Artificial Chemist’ Combines AI, Robotics to Conduct Autonomous R&D

Combining AI and robotics to advance materials R&D and manufacturing. 

May 27, 2020

Researchers Incorporate Computer Vision, Uncertainty Into AI for Robotic Prosthetics

New software aims to improve robotic prosthetics. 

Apr 29, 2020

Plant Aid: A Big-Data Project to Detect Plant Diseases Faster

An interdisciplinary team led by professor Jean Ristaino will combine small sensors with big data for faster detection of the diseases plaguing tomato fields. From a hand-held plant disease ‘sniffer’ to a cloud-based database that can alert farmers about the cause of the stress and suggest possible mitigation strategies, the project aims to detect diseases early, improving yield. 

Feb 20, 2020

Researchers Show What Drives a Novel, Ordered Assembly of Alternating Peptides

Researchers have demonstrated how to engineer two-layered nanofibers consisting of an ordered row of alternating peptides. 

Feb 3, 2020

‘Wristwatch’ Monitors Body Chemistry to Boost Athletic Performance, Prevent Injury

A device the size of a wristwatch can monitor body chemistry to help improve athletic performance and identify potential health problems. 

Aug 2, 2019

Self-Sterilizing Polymer Proves Effective Against Drug-Resistant Pathogens

Researchers have found an elastic polymer that possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, allowing it to kill a range of viruses and drug-resistant bacteria in just minutes – including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 

Jul 29, 2019

Portable Tech Sniffs Out Plant Disease In The Field

Researchers have developed portable technology that allows farmers to identify plant diseases in the field. The handheld device, which is plugged into a smartphone, works by sampling the airborne volatile organic compounds that plants release through their leaves. 

Jun 25, 2019

Researchers Create First Portable Tech For Detecting Cyanotoxins In Water

Researchers have developed the first portable technology that can test for cyanotoxins in water. 

Jun 11, 2019

Study: Intelligence Community Benefits From Collaborations, and Can Do Better

An analysis of U.S. intelligence programs aimed at collaborating with academic and industry partners finds that these collaborations are valuable for addressing complex intelligence challenges. The study also notes that institutional silos, lack of information sharing and lack of trust are obstacles to getting the most out of these collaborative efforts. 

Jun 10, 2019

New Microneedle Technique Speeds Plant Disease Detection

Researchers have developed a new technique that uses microneedle patches to collect DNA from plant tissues in one minute, rather than the hours needed for conventional techniques. 

Jun 3, 2019

Research Sheds Light on the Importance of Police Trust in the Public

A recent study finds that police officers who place more trust in the public are also more likely to pursue cases on their own initiative – termed proactive policing – and have higher arrest rates. 

Jun 3, 2019

Research Overcomes Key Obstacles to Scaling Up DNA Data Storage

New techniques for labeling and retrieving data files in DNA-based information storage systems address two of the key obstacles to widespread adoption of DNA data storage technologies.