https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) Some information, such as exam questions or bid prices, must remain unreadable until an agreed time, even if it has already been delivered. KAIST researchers have used changes in the electric current inside a semiconductor to develop encryption in which information is revealed only after a set amount of time has passed, or can be read correctly only at a specific time. In addition to the key needed to restore the original information, the technology adds a second condition: when the information is read. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-hardware-method-condition-decoding-encrypted.html Hardware Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:20:15 EDT news711206350 Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, only a few atomic layers thick, are promising materials for making AI chips faster and more energy efficient by stacking additional semiconductor layers on top of existing computing circuits. However, when crystals form at multiple random locations during growth, it is difficult to produce high-quality semiconductors at the desired positions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-scientists-2d-semiconductor-crystals-key.html Electronics & Semiconductors Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:40:16 EDT news711109801 Researchers have developed a technology that lets a user move a small robot by bending and straightening a finger. The user can also pick up and move objects while checking the images and contact information that the robot sends back. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-beetle-soft-robot-finger-relay.html Robotics Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:40:14 EDT news711104490 What happens at the nanoscale when information is written to memory? Researchers at KAIST have shown how tiny regions with a new polarization direction form while previously formed regions continue to expand in a promising ferroelectric material. By linking these nanoscale changes to electrical measurements, the team developed a model that captures both processes, offering a basis for designing faster and more stable memory. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-written-ferroelectric-memory-nanoscale.html Nanophysics Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:40:10 EDT news710679781 When new information is continually added and old information is removed, an AI system may fail to find the correct material even when that material exists. KAIST researchers have developed a vector database technology that preserves the search paths leading to the needed information as data changes. This allows AI to find up-to-date information more accurately and quickly. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-index-ai-accuracy-added-deleted.html Computer Sciences Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:40:01 EDT news710503801 When everyone in a meeting voices the same opinion, an organization can miss important warning signs and new ideas. A research team from KAIST suggests that when members feel securely accepted within their group, they can express dissenting opinions in greater detail and more persuasively, and other members may be more willing to use those opinions in decision-making. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-group-dissenters-stronger-arguments.html Social Sciences Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:00:06 EDT news709827267 Azobenzene is one of the best-known molecules that can be switched between two forms by light. However, the question of how the molecule moves in the first few picoseconds (trillionths of a second) after it absorbs light has remained unresolved for nearly 50 years. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ultrafast-rays-reveal-responsive-molecular.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 02 Oct 2026 16:00:06 EDT news710158423 Lymphatic vessels act as the body's "drainage system," collecting excess fluid from tissues. When lymphatic drainage is impaired because lymphatic vessels are underdeveloped, damaged or dysfunctional, lymphedema can develop, causing swelling, particularly in the arms and legs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-hidden-lymphatic-amplifier-treatments-lymphedema.html Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:00:17 EDT news710158561 A Venus flytrap closes its leaves to trap prey when it senses a stimulus. Taking inspiration from this plant, KAIST researchers have combined the roles of skin that senses approaching objects and muscle that grasps them in a single soft material. When an electrically charged object comes near, ions inside the material move and produce an electrical signal. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-venus-flytrap-robot-material-grasps.html Robotics Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:40:18 EDT news709893062 Microbial cell factories that produce pharmaceutical ingredients and other useful compounds include both the bacterium Escherichia coli and yeast, the organism used to leaven bread and ferment alcohol. The two organisms turn genes on by different rules, so a production design built for one has been hard to transfer to the other. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-dna-genes-bacteria-yeast.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 28 Sep 2026 15:00:10 EDT news709821914 For a wearable device to distinguish walking from a brief swing of the arm, it must recognize how movement changes over time. Korean researchers have developed a technology that stacks semiconductor devices with different response speeds, allowing them to recognize both a change that has just occurred and earlier changes. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-stacked-ai-chip-fast-layers.html Hardware Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:00:01 EDT news709811157 Which genes need to be controlled to guide a stem cell toward a desired cell type or modulate an immune cell's inflammatory response? A Korean research team has developed a general-purpose computational framework that identifies the key targets needed to steer a cell toward a desired state with a single temporary intervention, without permanently altering its genes. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-temporary-stimulus-redirect-cell-fate.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 22 Sep 2026 14:40:02 EDT news709304282 Radicals, atoms or molecules that readily react with other substances to form new bonds, are useful tools for building complex substances such as pharmaceuticals. But even when a radical is generated efficiently, the reaction cannot continue unless the catalyst returns to its original state. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ligand-radical-generation-catalyst-regeneration.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:00:01 EDT news709213681 A new AI technology has been developed that retains and reuses knowledge, much like writing down a solution in a notebook and applying it to similar problems rather than asking an expert for help each time. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-smartphone-ai-solutions-tackle-similar.html Computer Sciences Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:20:05 EDT news709213441 Korean researchers have developed a technology that could make electric-vehicle (EV) batteries smaller and lighter while helping EVs travel farther on a single charge. A KAIST research team has proposed a new solution to a persistent problem in anode-free batteries, which reduce weight and volume by eliminating anode materials such as graphite that normally store lithium during charging. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-lifespan-graphite-free-anode-batteries.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:50:01 EDT news709202270 KAIST's discovery of graphene oxide liquid crystals in 2011 laid the foundation for 15 years of research worldwide, leading to technologies for producing graphene fibers with high strength and thermal conductivity. The fundamental materials research that helped bring antibacterial toothbrushes and functional sportswear to market is now advancing into materials for thermal management. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-toothbrushes-aerospace-graphene-advances-fibers.html Nanomaterials Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:40:01 EDT news708863195 A new approach could help make future AI chips smaller and more energy-efficient. A KAIST-led research team has used a single material to address one of the major obstacles facing atomically thin semiconductors: the difficulty of efficiently injecting charge. The technology could contribute to next-generation AI and low-power semiconductor devices in which multiple ultrathin layers are vertically integrated to increase device density and performance. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-material-transistor-universal-injector-densely.html Electronics & Semiconductors Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:32:29 EDT news708791526 KAIST researchers have demonstrated the potential of using microorganisms to produce a bio-based alternative to petroleum-derived materials for hot-melt adhesives (HMAs). These heat-activated glues are widely used in packaging, furniture, electronics and automobiles. Using Escherichia coli, the team produced a new polymer from glucose and demonstrated adhesive performance and thermal properties that support its potential use as an HMA. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-microbes-adhesive-materials-glucose-petroleum.html Biochemistry Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:40:07 EDT news708766801 A "wearable electroceutical" has been developed that could reduce the need to visit a hospital or rely on painkillers every time pain occurs. When attached to the skin, it modulates pain through electrical stimulation and can be remotely controlled via smartphone even across long distances, such as between Korea and the United States. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-smartphone-microneedle-patch-drug-free.html Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:07 EDT news708610141 Much like a courier reading an address on a package, neurons must deliver RNA to the precise locations where it is needed. A KAIST research team has discovered how a small chemical modification on RNA acts as a "delivery tag," helping selected RNAs travel to distant regions of neurons. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-rna-delivery-tags-key-messages.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:00:01 EDT news708593521 A future in which AI can recognize a person's unspoken "that's not what I meant" response from brain signals and adjust its behavior on its own is coming closer. KAIST researchers have developed a technology that detects cognitive mismatch between humans and AI through brainwaves, enabling AI systems to revise their actions in real time according to human goals. The achievement is expected to accelerate the shift from AI that follows explicit commands to AI that can infer human intent. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-ai-infer-human-intent-meant.html Hi Tech & Innovation Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:20:04 EDT news708268441 Immune cells can become exhausted after prolonged exposure to cancer, gradually losing their ability to attack tumor cells. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in aggressive brain tumors and can severely limit the effectiveness of immunotherapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-vitamin-metabolite-immune-cells-recurrent.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 10:20:04 EDT news708080102 A signal that appears to show ions moving inside a battery may, in fact, be an illusion caused by an uneven surface. A KAIST research team has identified the origin of this type of artifact, which can lead researchers to misinterpret what is happening inside a battery, and has developed a method to reduce it. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bumpy-battery-surfaces-masquerade-nanoscale.html Nanomaterials Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:20:04 EDT news708013082 Copper has been knocked off the top of a stability ranking it had dominated for decades. Without altering the atoms directly bonded to the metal, a KAIST research team reversed the longstanding trend in which copper generally forms the most stable complexes by tuning only the weak hydrogen bonds in its surrounding environment. The findings, which appear in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could open new avenues for selective metal separation and recognition, as well as catalyst design. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-weak-hydrogen-bonds-dethrone-copper.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:00:01 EDT news708004262 "Find the best-selling product from last year." When an AI system attempts to answer a question like this by querying a company database, even a single reference to a nonexistent item can cause the query to fail. Until now, correcting such an error often required regenerating the entire SQL query from scratch. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-09-safe-query-space-ai-sql.html Computer Sciences Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:40:06 EDT news707739662 Among the gases used in semiconductor manufacturing, tetrafluoromethane (CF₄) is a greenhouse gas more than 6,000 times as potent as carbon dioxide. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-power-disorder-cf-semiconductor-greenhouse.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:30:01 EDT news707669882 Home beauty devices that allow users to care for their skin conveniently at home have grown popular recently, but conventional LED masks are limited by their rigid structures and point-emitting LEDs, which must be positioned away from the skin to spread light over a broader area. This inherently prevents close skin contact and increases optical loss. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-micro-mask-skin-elasticity.html Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:00:08 EDT news707579081 The question is no longer whether microbial foods can be made. The question now is who can be first to turn them into an industry. KAIST researchers have analyzed the conditions required for the microbial food industry to succeed across manufacturing, markets and regulation, and have proposed growth strategies for the next-generation protein industry. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-industrial-scale-microbial-foods-growth.html Biotechnology Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:00:04 EDT news707411941 A smartphone can now be transformed into a "hidden-camera detector." KAIST researchers have developed AI technology that can detect hidden cameras using only a smartphone and a low-cost LED device. This security technology enables users to protect their privacy more easily and is expected to help prevent illegal filming in everyday spaces such as hotels and short-term rentals. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-smartphone-based-technology-hidden-cameras.html Engineering Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:40:02 EDT news707385471 3D printers that once could only produce rigid objects can now create products as soft and stretchable as rubber. A team of Korean researchers used AI to identify the optimal "recipe" for a material that can be printed into complex shapes while stretching to more than six times its original length. The material is expected to expand the range of applications for 3D printing, from robotic hands to form-fitting wearable devices and custom medical devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-soft-3d-robotic-gently-eggs.html Robotics Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:00:08 EDT news707385292