Fast, cheap test can detect COVID-19 virus’ genome without need for PCR

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new test for COVID-19 that combines the speed of over-the-counter antigen tests with the accuracy of PCR tests that are processed in medical labs and hospitals. The Harmony COVID-19 test is a diagnostic test that, like PCR tests for COVID-19, detects genetic material from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But whereas conventional PCR tests can take several hours, the Harmony kit can provide results in less than 20 minutes for some samples and with similar accuracy.

Harnessing noise in optical computing for AI

UW ECE and Physics Professor Mo Li and his research team have developed a way to use stray photons generated by optical computing lasers (“noise”) to help enhance the creativity of artificial intelligence. This line of research holds huge potential for computing speed and efficiency, as well as the promise of reducing environmental impacts of AI and machine learning.

Northwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure announces new seed grants

To support the use of nanotechnology tools to develop innovative, new technologies, the Northwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NNI) is offering seed grants to new, first-time users for work to be conducted in our fabrication or characterization facilities. These grants are designed to help users build and characterize prototypes, obtain preliminary results and conduct proof of concept studies.

NNI is one of 16 sites in the National Science Foundation’s National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) program. As the Pacific Northwest node in NSF’s NNCI network, NNI includes world-class facilities at the University of Washington including the Washington Nanofabrication Facility and the Molecular Analysis Facility.

The deadline to apply is March 1, 2022.

Additional details regarding eligibility, guidelines, and selection, as well as the link to apply, can be found here.

UW researchers developing miniaturized imaging device to treat heart attack, stroke

An interdisciplinary research team at the University of Washington, led by Arka Majumdar, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics, was awarded $3.6 million in funding from the National Science Foundation to use meta-optics to develop a dramatically smaller endoscope that can image previously inaccessible areas of the heart and brain.

Researchers shrink camera to the size of a salt grain

Researchers at the UW and Princeton University have developed an ultracompact camera the size of a coarse grain of salt. The system relies on metasurfaces fabricated at Washington Nanofabrication Facility to produce crisp, full-color images on par with a conventional camera lens 500,000 times larger in volume, the researchers reported in Nature Communications.

Four NanoES faculty among world’s most influential researchers

Professors David Baker, David Cobden, David Veesler and Xiaodong Xu make Web of Science’s 2021 list of Highly Cited Researchers.

UW BIOFAB: A force for reproducible science

The UW’s Biofabrication Center, a unique facility located in the Nanoengineering and Sciences building, is partnering with Agilent Technologies in pursuit of automated, reproducible research.

Professor Mo Li named 2021 Optica Fellow

UW ECE Professor Mo Li recently received the honor of being named an Optica Fellow for his leading contributions to the fields of optics and photonics. Li is also a professor in the UW Department of Physics and a member of the Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems at the UW.

NanoES welcomes new member faculty

The Institute for Nano-engineered Systems (NanoES) is thrilled to welcome seven new faculty members for the 2021-22 academic year. With research ranging from the development of bio-inspired, lightweight sensors to engineering infrastructure for quantum systems, these faculty members are poised to help develop solutions to grand challenges in information processing, energy, health, and interconnected life.

Small Business awards from DARPA and NASA fuel growth of UW spinout Tunoptix

Tunoptix, a Seattle-based optics startup co-founded by University of Washington electrical and computer engineering professors Karl Böhringer and Arka Majumdar, received a $1,500,000 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award from NASA to advance their meta-optics imaging systems.