Applied Scientist Awards

 Sounding rockets serve as vital platforms for conducting scientific experiments in the upper atmosphere and near-space environments. These suborbital vehicles are widely used for atmospheric research, microgravity experiments, and testing space technologies. A critical component in their development is the optimisation and selection of appropriate propulsion systems. This blog delves into the design strategies and comparative analysis of propulsion systems for sounding rockets. 🔧 What Is Propulsion System Design Optimisation? Design optimisation involves adjusting variables such as thrust-to-weight ratio, burn time, nozzle efficiency, and mass flow rate to achieve peak performance. For sounding rockets, this optimisation is essential to ensure cost-effectiveness, reliable altitude achievement, and minimal payload disturbance. Engineers utilise computational simulations, trajectory models, and thermal analysis tools to fine-tune propulsion parameters. ⚙️ Types of Propulsion S...

  Mark your calendars! On , the skies will darken as a total solar eclipse sweeps across parts of the globe, promising an unforgettable celestial experience. This event will plunge daytime into up to six minutes of eerie darkness , offering a rare moment when the Moon completely covers the Sun—something skywatchers around the world are eagerly anticipating. What’s Happening? A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow that temporarily blocks the Sun's light. In a total solar eclipse , the Moon appears just the right size to completely cover the Sun’s disk, revealing the breathtaking solar corona—an ethereal, wispy aura that’s usually invisible to the naked eye. In 2025, the path of totality—the narrow region where the total eclipse is visible—will cut across the North Atlantic Ocean, parts of Europe, and northern Africa . Observers lucky enough to be in this path will witness up to 6 minutes and 6 seconds of totality, depending on ...

With the rise of secure messaging platforms, Signal has become a popular choice for individuals and organizations seeking privacy. Its end-to-end encryption and disappearing messages make it a formidable tool for secure communication—but also a challenging one for digital forensics experts. This blog delves into how investigators can extract digital evidence from Signal Desktop for Windows , while respecting ethical and legal boundaries. 🛡️ Why Signal is a Challenge for Investigators Signal uses the Signal Protocol , an advanced end-to-end encryption scheme that ensures only the sender and receiver can read the content. Signal Desktop syncs with the mobile device, but stores data locally using encrypted SQLite databases and other formats that are not easily accessible. This means traditional forensic tools often come up short unless investigators know where and how to look . 🧠 What Can Be Recovered? While full message content may not always be recoverable without access to th...

  🤖 Understanding Consumer Responses to Robot Roles in Human-Robot Service Collaboration As service industries rapidly embrace automation and AI, robots are stepping into roles that were traditionally human — from hotel concierges and retail assistants to healthcare aides and restaurant servers. While this innovation promises efficiency and novelty, it also raises a critical question: how do consumers respond to these robotic co-workers? The Rise of Human-Robot Collaboration in Services Human-robot collaboration (HRC) is no longer a futuristic concept. Service robots are already working alongside humans, not just behind the scenes but directly engaging with customers. This collaboration aims to improve speed, accuracy, and 24/7 availability, while allowing human staff to focus on more nuanced or emotional tasks. However, successful implementation requires more than just technical integration — it hinges on consumer acceptance and comfort with robot interaction. What Shapes C...

  Unlocking the Power of Flexoelectricity in Structural Modeling In the quest for smarter and more responsive structural systems, researchers are turning to flexoelectricity—a phenomenon where dielectric materials generate electric polarization in response to strain gradients. This effect, though subtle at the microscale, opens up remarkable possibilities for next-generation sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. Traditional modeling techniques often fall short in accurately capturing this behavior in beam-like structures, especially when external circuit interactions are involved. This is where the beam-type Modified Finite Element Method (M-FEM) incorporating flexoelectricity and external RLC circuits comes into play, providing a highly precise and computationally efficient solution. The Beam-Type M-FEM Framework: Smarter Simulation The beam-type M-FEM is a specialized computational method tailored to simulate the coupled mechanical and electrical behavior of slender structu...

  The Digital Leap in Agriculture Agriculture is undergoing a digital revolution, and one of the most transformative innovations lies in the modeling and simulation of agricultural vehicles. Traditional design methods often rely on linear assumptions and physical prototyping, which can be time-consuming and cost-intensive. Enter the non-linear dynamic model — a sophisticated approach that replicates real-world vehicle behavior under varying terrain and load conditions. Constructed in a virtual environment, these models allow researchers and engineers to simulate performance, analyze dynamics, and refine designs without needing to build physical prototypes at every stage.  Why Non-Linear Dynamics Matter Agricultural vehicles such as tractors, harvesters, and autonomous drones face highly variable operating environments — from uneven soil and wet fields to hilly terrains and shifting loads. A linear model cannot accurately capture the complex interactions between the vehicle ...

  Ax-4 Crew Bids Farewell to the International Space Station After a successful and scientifically rich mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Ax-4 crew is preparing for their return to Earth. The fourth private astronaut mission by Axiom Space, Ax-4 brought together a diverse team of international astronauts who conducted cutting-edge experiments and educational outreach in microgravity. Their departure marks another milestone in the expanding role of commercial spaceflight and international cooperation in low-Earth orbit operations. Live Coverage of the Departure NASA and Axiom Space are providing live coverage of the Ax-4 crew’s departure from the ISS, allowing space enthusiasts and the general public to witness this historic event in real time. The broadcast includes undocking procedures, crew communications, and onboard footage, offering a rare glimpse into the complexities of space travel. The undocking process is a precisely choreographed operation involv...

  How Surface Acoustic Waves Sort Particles in Microfluidic Chips! 🚀 In the realm of microfluidics, precision and efficiency are everything—especially when it comes to manipulating tiny particles like cells, droplets, or nanoparticles. Enter Surface Acoustic Waves (SAWs) , a game-changing tool that's redefining how particles are separated on a chip. Surface Acoustic Waves are sound waves that travel along the surface of a material, typically a piezoelectric substrate. When integrated into a microfluidic chip , these waves can generate precise forces capable of moving and sorting particles suspended in fluid. The process is contactless, label-free, and highly tunable, making it ideal for biological and chemical applications. Here’s how it works: when SAWs are applied to a microchannel, they create an acoustic pressure field . Depending on their size, density, and compressibility, particles experience different acoustic radiation forces. These forces can push particles toward pr...

  Revolutionizing Precision Sensing with Ring Cavity Laser Sensors In the ever-evolving world of sensing technologies, ring cavity laser sensors have emerged as a game-changing innovation for precision measurement. Unlike traditional vibration sensors, these advanced optical systems leverage a closed-loop laser configuration, known as a ring cavity, to detect even the minutest changes in frequency and voltage. This structure enables continuous laser propagation and enhanced sensitivity, making it ideal for high-resolution, real-time applications in structural health monitoring, industrial automation, and advanced manufacturing systems. The Science Behind the Sensor At the core of a ring cavity laser sensor lies a laser beam circulating within a closed-loop optical path. When external vibrations or electrical inputs are introduced to the system, they subtly disturb the laser’s phase or intensity. These disturbances are then converted into measurable signals. The sensor’s design e...

  🧬 Validation of an In-House Dutch Forensic Death Coding System (FDC) How the Netherlands is revolutionizing death investigation through smarter coding Accurate death certification is essential for public health surveillance, legal clarity, and epidemiological research. In the Netherlands, forensic experts have taken a bold step toward refining this process by developing and validating an in-house Forensic Death Coding (FDC) system . This innovation promises to modernize how causes of death are recorded, especially in forensic and medico-legal contexts where ambiguity and complexity often challenge accuracy. The in-house FDC system was designed to address inconsistencies and delays typically seen in traditional death coding methods. Tailored specifically for Dutch forensic protocols, the system integrates structured classification tools, automated logic checks, and a user-friendly interface to aid forensic physicians in standardizing and streamlining their documentation. Its v...

🌿 Microbes at Work: How Bio-Organic Fertilizers Cut N₂O Emissions in Greenhouse Vegetable Farming As the urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensifies, agriculture—especially greenhouse vegetable production—has come under the microscope. One potent gas, nitrous oxide (N₂O) , is a major culprit, with a global warming potential nearly 300 times that of carbon dioxide. Surprisingly, one of the most promising solutions to this challenge lies not in high-tech gadgets, but in the soil beneath our feet: microbes . The Problem with N₂O in Greenhouses Greenhouse vegetable farming often relies on heavy nitrogen inputs to boost yields. Unfortunately, excessive nitrogen use leads to N₂O emissions, primarily through microbial processes like nitrification and denitrification . In enclosed systems like greenhouses, where nutrient cycling is intense, these emissions can be particularly high. Enter Bio-Organic Fertilizers Bio-organic fertilizers combine traditional organic materials (like co...