– A joint research team from POSTECH and Korea University develops a new moldable nanomaterial and one-step printing technology
– Opens doors to commercialization of low cost, large-scale, ultrathin metamaterials
Zombies or enemies flashing right before your eyes and the dizzying feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff using virtual reality and augmented reality (AR and VR) are no longer exclusive to the games or media industries. Those technologies allow us to conduct virtual conferences, share presentations and videos, and communicate in real time in the virtual space. But because of the high cost and bulkiness of VR and AR devices, the virtual world is not within easy reach.
Recently, a South Korean research team developed moldable nanomaterials and a printing technology using metamaterials, allowing the commercialization of inexpensive and thin VR and AR devices.
Professor Junsuk Rho of the departments of mechanical engineering and chemical engineering and doctoral student in mechanical engineering Gwanho Yoon at POSTECH with Professor Heon Lee and researcher Kwan Kim of department of material science at Korea University have jointly developed a new nanomaterial and large-scale nanoprinting technology for commercialization of metamaterials. The research findings, which solve the issue of device size and high production costs that were problematic in previous researches, were recently published in Nature Communications, a prestigious scientific journal.
Metamaterials are substances made from artificial atoms that do not exist in nature but they freely control the properties of light. An invisible cloak that makes an illusion of disappearance by adjusting the refraction or diffraction of light, or metaholograms that can produce different hologram images depending on the direction of light’s entrance, uses this metamaterial.
Using this principle, the ultrathin metalens technology, which can replace the conventional optical system with extremely thinness, was recently selected as one of the top 10 emerging technologies to change the world in 2019 at the World Economic Forum.
In order to make metamaterials, artificial atoms smaller than the wavelengths of light must be meticulously constructed and arranged. Until now, metamaterials have been produced through a method called electron beam lithography (EBL)*1.
However, EBL has hindered the commercialization or production of sizable metamaterials due to its slow process speed and high cost of production.
To overcome these limitations, the joint research team developed a new nanomaterial based on nanoparticle composite that can be molded freely while having optical characteristics suitable for fabricating metamaterials. The team also succeeded in developing a one-step printing technique that can shape the materials in a single-step process.
The team succeeded in producing an ultrathin metalens that is 100 times thinner than the strand of a human hair by using this newly developed technology. Metamaterials can be made into one-thousandth of thickness of heavy glass or plastic lenses. This is the first time in the world such ultrathin metalens was produced in a single-step printing process.
If the cost of making a metalens at the performance of conventional glass lenses were one million won (USD 8,200) per unit, this technology enables the production at about 10,000 won (USD 8), which is 1/100 the cost and 1/10,000 the thickness in a simplified process.
Professor Rho, who led the research, stated, “This one-step printing technology of nanomaterials allows the fabrication of metamaterials over 100 times faster than the conventional electron beam lithography.” He added, “These lenses can not only make the existing thick, large VR and AR lenses or glasses dramatically lighter and smaller, but can also be applied to curved or flexible panels, which facilitates the use of metamaterials in large omnidirectional invisible cloaks or in curved or bendable wearable devices at a fraction of the cost.”
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
- The best VR headsets to buy 2020: Top virtual reality gearon November 12, 2020 at 5:21 pm
The idea of virtual reality or VR isn't new, of course. It's been circulating in the tech space for what feels like ages. But, recently, the technology has broken through some long-standing barriers.
- Oculus Pushes More Accessible VR Experiences With New Accessibility-Focused Virtual Reality Checks For Developerson November 12, 2020 at 4:59 pm
Oculus, maker of the popular virtual reality headsets, announced in a blog post this week the introduction of accessibility virtual reality checks, or VRCs.
- Advertising During the Election, Apple's Privacy 'Nutrition Labels,' and Virtual Reality Headset IDon November 12, 2020 at 2:29 pm
Marketer forecasting analyst Eric Haggstrom joins principal analysts at Insider Intelligence Mark Dolliver, Jeremy Goldman, and Nicole Perrin to discuss the US presidential election: media usage, ...
- Interactive virtual reality emerges as a new tool for drug design against COVID-19on November 12, 2020 at 10:07 am
Bristol scientists have demonstrated a new virtual reality [VR] technique which should help in developing drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 virus - and enable researchers to share models and collaborate in ...
- Global Virtual Reality (VR) Market 2021: Segmented By Product, Top Manufacturers, Geography Trends & Forecasts To 2030on November 12, 2020 at 4:12 am
Market are long-reaching. Let’s face it! As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on our global economies, Virtual Reality (VR) businesses are struggling to keep pace with circumstances that are changing ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Go deeper with Bing News on:
- Rosedale offering augmented reality ride instead of in-person Santa because of COVID-19on November 12, 2020 at 12:12 pm
Rosedale Center will not offer an in-person Santa this year. Instead, it is installing an augmented reality ride that lets kids help the Jolly St. Nick deliver his presents. The mall said it also ...
- Snap Stock Climbs on Optimism About Augmented Reality E-Commerce, Ad Growth in 2021on November 12, 2020 at 11:00 am
Snap’s stock was up as much as 7% on Thursday following a report highlighting the company’s augmented reality and e-commerce strategy.
- Digital Locations to Benefit from Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Applications Driving the Growth of 5Gon November 12, 2020 at 12:15 am
(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Locations, Inc. ( DLOC ), a developer of cell tower sites for the 5G revolution, today announced that it is likely to benefit from the growth of 5G small cell sites driven ...
- Augmented Reality Market 2020 Global Trends, Key Company Profiles, Share, Growth, Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast To 2027on November 10, 2020 at 6:48 pm
The global augmented reality market size is projected to reach USD 65.22 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 48.3% ...
- This Former RAF Pilot And U.S. General Are Joining Forces To Bring Augmented Reality Training To The Air Forceon November 10, 2020 at 8:44 am
Red 6 has developed a functional AR training platform for U.S. fighter pilots, making their jobs safer and more cost effective.