{"title":"Triple-chord trussed submerged floating tunnels: hybrid construction concept, feasibility and design.","authors":"Fa-Cheng Wang, Tao Zhuge, Zheng-Qing Cheng, Lin-Hai Han, Jian-Min Zhang, Leroy Gardner","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00454-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00454-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Submerged floating tunnels (SFT) offer a promising solution for deep-water crossings and intercontinental transportation. However, current SFT designs struggle to meet the high structural performance demands associated with the harsh service environments while remaining economically viable, thus limiting their implementation in practice. Here, we propose a conceptual SFT design using a triple-chord trussed concrete-filled double-skin tubular (CFDST) hybrid structure, featuring CFDST chords and hollow steel tubular braces. This design is highly adaptable and allows the steel tubes and sandwiched concrete to work synergistically, achieving efficiency in withstanding multiple loading conditions including lateral flow, internal fire, fatigue and impact loading. We further develop a multi-scale structural analysis methodology that integrates three-dimensional solid finite element (3-D FE) and simplified fibre modelling for the efficient evaluation of global deformations, fire performance and joint behaviour. The results demonstrate that the proposed design leads to considerably enhanced resistance against lateral flow loading, vibrations and internal fire, and is more adaptable and cost-effective than existing solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12217642/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144546337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On the limitations of closed-loop geothermal systems for electricity generation outside high-geothermal gradient fields.","authors":"Sri Kalyan Tangirala, Víctor Vilarrasa","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00458-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00458-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems (CLGS) involve connecting the injection and production wells through several borehole-sized parallel laterals instead of circulating a working fluid through a fracture network. Companies have garnered millions of dollars in investments on the claim that CLGS is truly scalable for both heating and electricity generation purposes. We show that high flow rates in the laterals lead to a steep drop in production temperatures because of a rapid cooling of the rock matrix surrounding the wells. Overcoming this physical limitation of CLGS demands an expensive task of drilling several multilaterals to reduce the lateral flow rate. Yet, simulation results indicate that, for a reservoir temperature of 180 °C, the total revenue of these systems fail to recover the lifetime costs incurred, even with 30 multilaterals and a production rate of 75 kg/s, which clearly indicates that CLGS are not scalable for solely electricity generation.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12219759/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144546323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tomoya Horide, Shin Okumura, Shunta Ito, Yutaka Yoshida
{"title":"Integrated process-property modeling of YBa<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> superconducting film for data and model driven process design.","authors":"Tomoya Horide, Shin Okumura, Shunta Ito, Yutaka Yoshida","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00434-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00434-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Process engineering of materials determines not only materials properties, but also cost, yield and production capacity. Although process design is generally based on the experience of process engineers, mathematical/data-science modeling is a key challenge for future process optimization. Here we create new opportunities for process optimization in YBa<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> film fabrication through data/model-driven process design. We show integrated modelling of substrate temperature and critical current density in YBa<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> films. Gaussian process regression augmented by transfer learning and physics knowledge was constructed from a small amount of data to show substrate temperature dependence of critical current density. Non-numerical factors such as chamber design and substrate material were included in the transfer learning, and physics-aided techniques extended the model to different magnetic fields. Magnetic field dependence of critical current density was successfully predicted for a given substrate temperature for a five-sample series deposited using different pulsed laser deposition systems. Our integrated process and property modelling strategy enables data/model-driven process design for YBa<sub>2</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub> film fabrication for coated conductor applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"114"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12185723/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144478048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yan Li, Melissa Mather, Nicole Metje, Angela Sara Cacciapuoti, Lorenza Criscuolo, Laura d'Avossa, Mayu Muramatsu, Maria Maragkou
{"title":"Women in quantum.","authors":"Yan Li, Melissa Mather, Nicole Metje, Angela Sara Cacciapuoti, Lorenza Criscuolo, Laura d'Avossa, Mayu Muramatsu, Maria Maragkou","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00449-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00449-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12185705/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144478049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Industry-academia interface: the value of collaborative research and development with Danielle Densley Tingley.","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00444-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00444-z","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12185675/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144478047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nadine Badie, Firas Al-Hafez, Pierre Schumacher, Daniel F B Haeufle, Jan Peters, Syn Schmitt
{"title":"Bioinspired morphology and task curricula for learning locomotion in bipedal muscle-actuated systems.","authors":"Nadine Badie, Firas Al-Hafez, Pierre Schumacher, Daniel F B Haeufle, Jan Peters, Syn Schmitt","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00443-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00443-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Humans master complex motor skills such as walking and running through a sophisticated blend of learning and adaptation. Replicating this level of skill acquisition with traditional Reinforcement Learning (RL) methods in musculoskeletal humanoid systems is challenging due to intricate control dynamics and over-actuation. Inspired by human developmental learning, here we address these challenges, with a double curriculum approach: a three-stage task curriculum (balance, walk, run) and an up to three-stage morphology curriculum (4 year-old, 12 year-old, adult), mimicking physical growth. This combined approach enables the agent to efficiently learn robust gaits that are adaptable to varying velocities and perturbations. Extensive analysis and ablation studies demonstrate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art exploration techniques for musculoskeletal systems. Our approach is agnostic to the underlying RL algorithm and does not require reward tuning, demonstrations, or specific muscular architecture information, marking a notable advancement in the field.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12181307/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144337298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pol Suárez, Francisco Alcántara-Ávila, Jean Rabault, Arnau Miró, Bernat Font, Oriol Lehmkuhl, Ricardo Vinuesa
{"title":"Flow control of three-dimensional cylinders transitioning to turbulence via multi-agent reinforcement learning.","authors":"Pol Suárez, Francisco Alcántara-Ávila, Jean Rabault, Arnau Miró, Bernat Font, Oriol Lehmkuhl, Ricardo Vinuesa","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00446-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00446-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Active flow control strategies for three-dimensional bluff bodies are challenging to design, yet critical for industrial applications. Here we explore the potential of discovering novel drag-reduction strategies using deep reinforcement learning. We introduce a high-dimensional active flow control setup on a three-dimensional cylinder at Reynolds numbers (Re<sub>D</sub>) from 100 to 400, spanning the transition to three-dimensional wake instabilities. The setup involves multiple zero-net-mass-flux jets and couples a computational fluid dynamics solver with a numerical multi-agent reinforcement learning framework based on the proximal policy optimization algorithm. Our results demonstrate up to 16% drag reduction at Re<sub>D</sub> = 400, outperforming classical periodic control strategies. A proper orthogonal decomposition analysis reveals that the control leads to a stabilized wake structure with an elongated recirculation bubble. These findings represent the first demonstration of training on three-dimensional cylinders and pave the way toward active flow control of complex turbulent flows.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12177081/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144327901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning aerodynamics for the control of flying humanoid robots.","authors":"Antonello Paolino, Gabriele Nava, Fabio Di Natale, Fabio Bergonti, Punith Reddy Vanteddu, Donato Grassi, Luca Riccobene, Alex Zanotti, Renato Tognaccini, Gianluca Iaccarino, Daniele Pucci","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00447-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00447-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Robots with multi-modal locomotion are an active research field due to their versatility in diverse environments. In this context, additional actuation can provide humanoid robots with aerial capabilities. Flying humanoid robots face challenges in modeling and control, particularly with aerodynamic forces. This paper addresses these challenges from a technological and scientific standpoint. The technological contribution includes the mechanical design of iRonCub-Mk1, a jet-powered humanoid robot, optimized for jet engine integration, and hardware modifications for wind tunnel experiments on humanoid robots for precise aerodynamic forces and surface pressure measurements. The scientific contribution offers a comprehensive approach to model and control aerodynamic forces using classical and learning techniques. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations calculate aerodynamic forces, validated through wind tunnel experiments on iRonCub-Mk1. An automated CFD framework expands the aerodynamic dataset, enabling the training of a Deep Neural Network and a linear regression model. These models are integrated into a simulator for designing aerodynamic-aware controllers, validated through flight simulations and balancing experiments on the iRonCub-Mk1 physical prototype.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"111"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12177043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144327902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yunlong Du, Deshuang Zhao, Chenming Guo, Junlong He, Hao Yao, Jialiang Zou, Bing-Zhong Wang
{"title":"Continuous spatio-temporal synthesis of electromagnetic fields by projected space-time Fourier transform.","authors":"Yunlong Du, Deshuang Zhao, Chenming Guo, Junlong He, Hao Yao, Jialiang Zou, Bing-Zhong Wang","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00448-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00448-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The manipulation of electromagnetic (EM) waves is important in diverse fields such as microwave sensing and wireless communication. Spatio-temporal synthesis, in particular, has attracted growing interest in recent years. Several related approaches have been explored, but their huge computational burden confines them to low-dimensional EM field synthesis. The synthesis of four-dimensional (4D) EM fields remains a challenging problem. Here, we develop the projected space-time Fourier transform (PST-FT) method to analytically control the continuous evolution of the high-dimensional EM field with time. Without iterative algorithms or pseudo-inverse matrix, it allows rapid synthesis of continuous 4D EM fields. For verification, three complicated time-varying microwave fields are synthesized, including the 4D electric field radiated by other antennas, the multi-target continuously scanning field, and the time-varying shaped uniform field. Furthermore, several corollaries and fundamental limitations are derived by integrating the developed theory and signal processing theory. Our results demonstrate the proposed theory, with potential application in reproducing EM environments, wireless communication and holographic imaging.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174354/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Atharva Deo, Jungmin Lee, Dawei Gao, Rahul Shenoy, Kevin Pt Haughn, Zixuan Rong, Yong Hei, D Qiao, Tanay Topac, Fu-Kuo Chang, Daniel J Inman, Yong Chen
{"title":"Super-Turing synaptic resistor circuits for intelligent morphing wing.","authors":"Atharva Deo, Jungmin Lee, Dawei Gao, Rahul Shenoy, Kevin Pt Haughn, Zixuan Rong, Yong Hei, D Qiao, Tanay Topac, Fu-Kuo Chang, Daniel J Inman, Yong Chen","doi":"10.1038/s44172-025-00437-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44172-025-00437-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neurobiological circuits in the brain, operating in Super-Turing mode, process information while simultaneously modifying their synaptic connections through learning, allowing them to dynamically adapt to changes. In contrast, artificial intelligence systems based on computers operate in Turing mode and lack the ability to concurrently infer and learn, making them vulnerable to failure under dynamically changing conditions. Here we show a synaptic resistor circuit that operates in Super-Turing mode, enabling concurrent learning and inference. The circuit controls a morphing wing to reduce its drag-to-lift force ratio and recover from stalls in complex aerodynamic environments. The synaptic resistor circuit demonstrates superior performance, faster learning speeds, enhanced adaptability, and reduced power consumption compared to artificial neural networks and human operators on the same task. By overcoming the fundamental limitations of computers, synaptic resistor circuits offer high-speed concurrent learning and inference, ultra-low power consumption, error correction, and agile adaptability for artificial intelligence systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":72644,"journal":{"name":"Communications engineering","volume":"4 1","pages":"109"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12170896/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144310833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}