http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org provides the latest news from University of Twente Researchers at the University of Twente's MESA+ research institute have given the first demonstration of how the drag exerted on liquids flowing through tiny "fluidic chips" is affected by the introduction of diminutive gas bubbles. Armed with this knowledge, scientists can directly manipulate flow resistance in a variety of applications involving combinations of liquids and gas bubbles. This could be useful in areas ranging from the manufacture of fizzy drinks to the development of artificial lungs. http://phys.org/news287741273.html Physics Tue, 14 May 2013 09:08:26 EST news287741273 Researchers from the University of Twente's CTIT research institute have developed a prototype lightweight panel that uses anti-noise to reduce noise levels inside aircraft. The panels can be used as a replacement for the heavy insulation materials in aircraft fuselages, leading to a significant reduction in fuel consumption. This will make flying not only cheaper, but also more environmentally friendly. The research is being conducted in collaboration with Airbus, TNO, NXP and Merford. Some funding is being provided by the STW Technology Foundation. The researchers expect that the panels can be installed in aircraft in five years' time. http://phys.org/news287221837.html Technology Wed, 08 May 2013 08:50:48 EST news287221837 What happens if you slowly evaporate a droplet containing dissolved particles? The question sounds simple, but it involves a surprising amount of basic physics and mathematics. Hanneke Gelderblom of the University of Twente devoted a full four years of research to this problem, looking into a variety of aspects including the physics behind coffee stains. "I found this study to be particularly interesting because of the combination of theory and experimentation." Gelderblom will defend her doctoral dissertation on 19 April. http://phys.org/news285492056.html Physics Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:21:05 EST news285492056 Researchers at the MIRA research institute have succeeded in imprinting microscopically small shapes on the surfaces of miniscule fibres. They were able to create all kinds of patterns on the surfaces of fibres just six micrometres in diameter. These fibres can be used to steer stem cell development in a specific direction. For instance, if you want to create bone cells then it is best to use fibres with a ribbed pattern. This research was recently published in the scientific journal Small. http://phys.org/news285410235.html Nanotechnology Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:37:29 EST news285410235 Researchers from the University of Twente's MESA+ and MIRA research institutes have succeeded in visualizing THC, the active ingredient of cannabis, in intact plant structures. The substance is mainly found in trichomes (fine outgrowths) and in the small leaves around the flowers of the cannabis plant. Little or no THC is present in the stems and flowers. While these findings are not new, the study carried out by these researchers has shown their method (hyperspectral CARS Microscopy) to be a powerful tool for investigating the medicinal properties of plants. An article describing this research was published today in a scientific journal, the Journal of Biomedical Optics. http://phys.org/news285410077.html Chemistry Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:35:37 EST news285410077 Dutch nanotechnologists at the University of Twente's MESA+ research institute have developed a tiny chip that makes it easy to create micrometre scale gradients. Gradients are gradual transitions in specific properties, such as acidity. This newly-developed system can be used to efficiently measure the reaction kinetics of various chemical or biological reactions. The results of this research work will be published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, on April 9. http://phys.org/news284974535.html Nanotechnology Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:35:51 EST news284974535 Teaching science and technology in primary education is a must if we are to avoid massive shortages of skilled technical staff in the future. It will also equip young people with the skills needed for the 21st century. For quite some time now, Prof. Juliette Walma van der Molen of the University of Twente has been advocating a new approach to education. This is based on research showing that children's natural interest in research and design (and the related professions) simply fades away if they do not encounter these activities in a positive context during their time at primary school. http://phys.org/news284800979.html Other Sciences Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:23:12 EST news284800979 The influence of ICT on traditional crimes such as burglary, robbery, intimidation and fraud is on the rise. Researchers from the University of Twente examined a large number of crimes in the east of the Netherlands on behalf of and in collaboration with PAC – the police cybercrime programme – and the five regional police forces which now form the East Netherlands unit. They looked into 136 burglaries, 140 commercial burglaries, 259 instances of threatening behaviour and 274 cases of fraud. The fraud cases in particular had a strong digital component. http://phys.org/news284283621.html Technology Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:40:28 EST news284283621 Accidents with pool grilles result in fatalities every year. Pool owners and builders are hardly aware of the risks of suction entrapment. UT student Joost Avezaat studied the technical safety of water circulation systems in European pools together with the Blue Cap Foundation. This resulted in workable solutions. http://phys.org/news284283596.html Technology Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:40:02 EST news284283596 Organizations and government bodies are making ever increasing use of shared service centres for the provision of their HR services. How employees perceive these centres depends to a large extent on what they know about how such a shared service centre operates. This is the conclusion reached by Jeroen Meijerink in his PhD thesis. He recently obtained his doctorate from the IGS research institute within the University of Twente on the basis of his research into satisfaction levels with HR shared services centres among employees and managers. His research is not only relevant for HR departments, but is also applicable to other centrally organized services (e.g. finance, communications). http://phys.org/news283763064.html Other Sciences Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:04:29 EST news283763064 In a project commissioned by the European Space Agency, researchers at the University of Twente have developed a novel cooling technique for optical detectors on spacecraft. Using this technology, it is possible to detect extremely weak signals that contain information about the history of the universe. http://phys.org/news282471551.html Space & Earth Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:40:02 EST news282471551 One of the top ten highlights of the past year, in terms of technology that is inspired by nature. That was how the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics described a paper by researchers from the University of Twente's MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. The publication describes new technology involving the use of sensors to measure flow patterns. Source of inspiration: the hairs on cricket abdomens. http://phys.org/news282214817.html Nanotechnology Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:00:31 EST news282214817 Of the 42,000 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) surveyed, just 20 were found to be responsible for nearly half of all the internet addresses that send spam. That just is one of the striking results of an extensive study by the University of Twente's Centre for Telematics and Information Technology (CTIT). This study focused on "Bad Neighbourhoods" on the internet (which sometimes correspond to certain geographical areas) that are the source of a great deal of spam, phishing or other undesirable activity. In his thesis, Giovane Moura describes this situation in detail. http://phys.org/news281948405.html Technology Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:00:11 EST news281948405 Active systems in helicopter rotor blades can adapt the blades' aerodynamic properties to local airflow conditions. The use of such systems leads to lower fuel consumption, increased maximum speed and reduced noise and vibration. A French PhD researcher at the University of Twente, Alexandre Paternoster, has developed a method for implementing these innovative systems, thereby bringing the smart helicopter one step closer. http://phys.org/news281781083.html Technology Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:31:37 EST news281781083 People are less likely to trust a poorly written article if the visual cues suggest it comes from Wikipedia. Presented with the same information in an alternative layout, their trust will be greater. The presence of serious factual errors has little or no effect on the trust placed in a Wikipedia article, even among experts on the subject in question. People who take a negative view of Wikipedia are less good at estimating whether an individual article is trustworthy or not. These are among the findings of the doctoral research carried out by Teun Lucassen at the University of Twente's CTIT research institute. Lucassen investigated how internet users assess the reliability of online information. He will defend his doctoral dissertation on 1 March. http://phys.org/news281262314.html Technology Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:40:06 EST news281262314