From breath analysis to explosive detection, many applications require reliable electronic “noses.” Unfortunately, current technology often falls short. That is why researchers at KU Leuven have developed a flexible sensor platform that not only detects gases, but also records their speed—like a speed camera.

A lens-free system produces sharp mid-infrared images even in low light and over long distances, creating new opportunities for improved night vision, industrial inspections, and environmental monitoring. Drawing on the centuries-old principle of pinhole imaging, researchers have developed a high

High Resolution Neutron Spectrometer (HRNS) is one of the essential plasma diagnostics of ITER, whose operational role is the neutronic measurement of the n _t/n_d ratio in a plasma core. Coexisting with the other ITER diagnostics makes it a powerful tool for efficient and precise plasma diagnostics. The main goal of this work is to present the operating principles and key challenges associated with the High Resolution Neutron Spectrometer in ITER, with a particular focus on the Thin-Foil Proton Recoil (TPR) Spectrometer. The complexity of ITER tokamak brings with it many variables that had not been considered of primary importance until now, such as the magnetic field or high temperature in the detector region.

Researchers have used the centuries-old idea of pinhole imaging to create a high-performance mid-infrared imaging system without lenses. The new camera can capture extremely clear pictures over a large range of distances and in low light, making it useful for situations that are challenging for traditional cameras.

“Many useful signals are in the mid-infrared, such as heat and molecular fingerprints, but cameras working at these wavelengths are often noisy, expensive or require cooling,” said research team leader Heping Zeng from East China Normal University. “Moreover, traditional lens-based setups have a limited depth of field and need careful design to minimize optical distortions. We developed a high-sensitivity, lens-free approach that delivers a much larger depth of field and field of view than other systems.”

Writing in Optica, the researchers describe how they use light to form a tiny “optical pinhole” inside a nonlinear crystal, which also turns the infrared image into a visible one. Using this setup, they acquired clear mid-infrared images with a depth of field of over 35 cm and a field of view of more than 6 cm. They were also able to use the system to acquire 3D images.