As Australia busily wraps up gifts in time for Christmas, we have spent our time wrapping up something else- innovative research from across the globe. We believe in quality over quantity so our list is short, covering 10 relevant innovations from November-December 2023. We feature, among others, reports of yield-boosting superhero fungi, microbes that reduce the need for chemical fertilisers, fluorescent artificial seeds, self-healing robotic grippers, and, just in time for the summer heat, technology that can harvest water from the air.

Flies and robot eyes

Australian robotics researchers from Flinders University are using insect-eye models to make camera systems that recognise subtle differences and small contrast changes, allowing humans to decipher the complex environments. Hoverflies estimate where objects are through optic flow. Optic flow is effectively the ratio of speed to distance. The closer the object, the faster it appears to move, relative to the observer. The researchers study hoverfly vision to make better sensors for detecting fine-scale changes in the environment, such as unauthorised drones at airports and military sites. Trials at Woomera in South Australia, showed prototypes could “spot incoming objects on a direct collision course coming immediately over the horizon directly towards the camera when they are smaller than a single pixel”. The researchers built cameras able to detect objects camouflaged against messy backgrounds. Essentially, they were able to separate the signal they wanted from the noise. The technology switches from the low resolution but really fast hoverfly-like vision to focused mode to get as clear a picture of the object as possible using acoustic or optical sensors or both. Collaborators from University of New South Wales and University of Queensland are also using the honey bee’s ability to visually navigate complex environments to develop autonomous miniature drones for use in precision agriculture, search and rescue, wildlife monitoring and war zones. The project follows more than 20 years of research. Current hypotheses are tested using a 2kg eight-rotor drone, paired with honey bee experiments. The miniature drone is fitted with a panoramic vision system to provide the broad field of view so important to insects’ flight control.

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Researchers Turn the Dregs of Wine Into Jelly Sweets

Wine lees are the residual dead yeast cells left over after wine has been fermented. Certain wines reuse these dregs to add unique flavours. But up to 2.5 million tons of lees are still left over from wine production each year, globally. Researchers from Kirklareli University in Turkey investigated whether wine lees could be converted into gelatine-based confectionery. The researchers compared the properties of jellies coloured with wine lees and a widely used commercial colorant. They demonstrated that wine lees improved the texture of the jellies while also adding a desirable flavor profile. While the control jellies had superior characteristics when fluid as well as greater hardness value when solid, the jellies with wine lees exhibited superior color stability and retained higher levels of phenolic and anthocyanin components. Due to their high phenolic content and antioxidant activity, wine lees may be incorporated into the formulation of dietary supplements and healthful snack foods with potential cardioprotective and anti-cancer properties.

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New water treatment method can generate green energy

Micromotors have emerged as a promising tool for environmental remediation, largely due to their ability to autonomously navigate and perform specific tasks on a microscale. The micromotor is comprised of a tube made of silicon and manganese dioxide in which chemical reactions cause the release of bubbles from one end. These bubbles act as a motor that sets the tube in motion. Researchers from the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) have built a micromotor covered with laccase, a chemical compound which accelerates the conversion of urea into ammonia. Urea is an emerging contaminant, being a common pollutant from residential activities and from different industrial processes. The outside of the micromotor is coated with the chemical compound laccase. This enables the motor to convert the urea in the water into ammonia. Converting urea into ammonia can remove the pollutant. Ammonia can also be decomposed for the production of hydrogen and can be storage as green fuel. Thanks to a machine learning method developed by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, it is possible to estimate the movements of the micromotors. This method also enables several motors in the liquid to be monitored simultaneously.

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Microbes could help reduce the need for chemical fertilisers

MIT chemical engineers have devised a metal-organic coating that protects bacterial cells from damage without impeding their growth or function. They found that these coated bacteria improved the germination rate of a variety of seeds. To protect the microbes from both heat and freeze-drying, the engineers decided to apply a coating called a metal-phenol network (MPN) to encapsulate microbes for other uses, such as protecting therapeutic bacteria delivered to the digestive tract. For this study, the researchers created 12 different MPNs and used them to encapsulate Pseudomonas chlororaphis, a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that also protects plants against harmful fungi and other pests. They found that all of the coatings protected the bacteria from temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius, and also from relative humidity up to 48%. The coatings also kept the microbes alive during the freeze-drying process. The researchers found that the coated microbes improved the seeds’ germination rate by 150%, compared to seeds treated with fresh, uncoated microbes. One of the researchers has started a company called Seia Bio to commercialize the coated bacteria for large-scale use in regenerative agriculture. The low cost of the manufacturing process may help make microbial fertilisers accessible to small-scale farmers.

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Innovative aquaculture system turns waste wood into nutritious seafood

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and University of Plymouth hope to rebrand a marine pest as a nutritious food. Scientifically named Teredinids, Naked Clams have no shell, but are classed as bivalve shellfish and related to oysters and mussels. Naked Clams don’t put energy into growing shells and grow much faster than mussels and oysters. Naked Clams are highly nutritious and they can be produced with a really low impact on the environment. The researchers found that the levels of Vitamin B12 in the Naked Clams were higher than in most other bivalves. And with the addition of an algae-based feed to the system, the Naked Clams can be fortified with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The researchers developed a fully-enclosed aquaculture system that can be completely controlled, eliminating the water quality and food safety concerns often associated with mussel and oyster farming. The modular design means it can be used in urban settings, far from the sea. The scientists are growing Naked Clam using wood that would otherwise go to landfill or be recycled, to produce food that is high in protein and essential nutrients. The team is now trialing different types of waste wood and algal feed in their system to optimise the growth, taste and nutritional profile of the Naked Clams and is working with Cambridge Enterprise to scale-up and commercialise the system.

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The first eco-friendly fluorescent artificial seed for monitoring soil temperature by using drones

A new kind of artificial seed to sense environmental parameters without impacting on the health of environment is the invention coming from the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) in Genova, Italy. The soft robot, named Acer i-Seed, is inspired by natural Acer seeds and can monitor the temperature of the soil by becoming luminescent. It is made of a biocompatible and compostable material and has been realized with 3D printing technologies. The fluorescent artificial seed-like fliers hold potential for deployment by drones equipped with fLiDAR (fluorescence Light Detection and Ranging), enabling remote and distributed monitoring of the soil temperature and other parameters. Researchers have already tested on-field the Acer i-Seed released by a drone, demonstrating its feasibility. The next step is to collaborate with interested companies to use these new soft robots in larger areas for a distributed, simultaneous, and wireless and eco-friendly environmental analysis.

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Self-healing robotic gripper could be the future of sustainable soft robotics

Researchers have developed a self-healing robotic gripper for use in soft robotics that is adaptable, recyclable and resilient to damage, thanks to heat-assisted autonomous healing. A self-healing elastomer developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Vrije Universiteit Brussel forms the flexible and deformable membrane of the gripper. The elastomer, a special class of polymer with unique properties such as elasticity and toughness, can self-heal from macroscopic damages, including scratches and punctures sustained from direct contact with sharp objects or surfaces. Unlike other universal robotic grippers, this proposed self-healing universal gripper can be fully reprocessed and recycled.

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Natural superhero fungi boosts crop yields by 40%

A large-scale field study has demonstrated how treating farmland soil with mycorrhizal fungi can improve crop yields of maize by 40%, without the use of any additional fertilisers or pesticides. In the Swiss study, researchers from the University of Zurich, the agricultural research centre Asgroscope and University of Basel mixed Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) into soil, prior to sowing, at 800 trial plots on 54 maize farms. AMF occurs naturally in healthy soil and penetrates the roots of plants to form tree-like structures. When these structures branch out, they increase the plant’s root surface area and bolster nutrient uptake. Investigating why a third showed little increase or even a decrease in yield, the researchers found that healthy soil produced the same (or in some instances lower) yields. They discovered that the inoculation functioned best when there were lots of fungal pathogens already in the soil. Based on the broad results, the team then used soil microbiome indicators to successfully determine the variation in plant growth, with 86% accuracy, for any given plot prior to sowing and could predict the success of inoculation in nine out of 10 fields. This could also predict the harvest yield even before the field season.

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NUS-SCELSE scientists uncover plant hormone that can boost plant growth by 30%

An exciting discovery holds great promise for the productivity and sustainability of agriculture. Scientists at the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering have conducted a 5-year study (2018-2023) into methyl jasmonate (MeJA), a hormone that plants typically release above ground during periods of stress. The team found that MeJA can act as a “secret language” that allows plants to talk to microorganisms in the soil and, when released, helps soil bacteria form groups (called biofilms). The bacteria in these biofilms then release a different set of chemicals that can boost plant growth by up to 30%. The researchers have filed a patent for the use of this novel application so that it can be enhanced to improve the resilience of agricultural systems. Building upon these initial discoveries, the team plans to further investigate the exact chemical composition of the compounds released by the soil microbial environment that stimulates plant growth.

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Harvesting Water from Air with Solar Power

The global population is growing, climate change is triggering more extreme weather patterns and many countries are stressed for water. Conveniently, the areas most in need of improved drinking water are also located in some of the sunniest places in the world. This has created a strong demand for harnessing sunlight to help obtain clean water. Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China have succeeded in developing a solar-powered water harvesting technology that “could provide enough drinking water for people to survive in those difficult, dryland areas.” They synthesised a hygroscopic (water-absorbing) gel using plant derivatives and hygroscopic salts that can absorb and retain an “unparalleled” amount of water- one kilogram of dry gel is capable of adsorbing 1.18 kilograms of water in arid atmospheric conditions and up to 6.4 kilograms when atmospheric environments are humid. The gel is “simple”, “inexpensive” and suitable for “large-scale preparation.” Furthermore, the team also developed a prototype with chambers suitable for desorption and condensation, which increases the recovery of desorbed water to more than 90%. The team is now working on further optimizing system performance.

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