Critical & Emerging Technologies

Metamaterials and Metasurfaces: Redefining Wave Manipulation Metamaterials are artificially engineered materials that manipulate electromagnetic, acoustic, and seismic waves in ways not found in nature. By carefully designing their internal micro- or nanoscale structures, these materials can achieve extraordinary behaviors—such as bending seismic waves around buildings to protect against earthquakes, diverting …

The Invisible Threat Reshaping Our Digital World The global electronics supply chain—an intricate network spanning continents and thousands of vendors—is facing a silent but severe crisis. Counterfeit components and hardware Trojans (HTs) are compromising the integrity of everything from life-saving pacemakers to military-grade fighter jets. Counterfeit electronics alone are responsible …

The drug discovery process has long been a costly and time-consuming endeavor, with traditional methods requiring decades of research and billions of dollars to bring a single therapy to market. Despite advances in computational methods and biotechnology, many challenges still persist in accurately modeling biological systems and predicting drug behavior. …

Introduction: The Growing Necessity of Cyber Resilience In today’s hyperconnected world, where digital infrastructure underpins everything from financial systems to critical healthcare operations, cyber resilience has emerged as a strategic imperative. While traditional cybersecurity measures aim to prevent breaches, cyber resilience emphasizes an organization’s ability to withstand, respond to, and …

Introduction: The New Frontier in Optical Engineering Artificial Intelligence (AI) has already transformed how we communicate, create, and compute. Now, it’s redefining the way we design the fundamental elements of light-based technologies. From solar energy systems and smart infrastructure to telescopic imaging and chip fabrication, AI is rapidly emerging as …

The fusion of artificial intelligence and space technology is reshaping the boundaries of human achievement. From autonomous satellite networks analyzing climate patterns in real time to AI-guided rovers exploring the Martian surface, intelligent systems are becoming indispensable to both commercial and governmental space missions. However, while AI technology advances at …

The race to harness star power for space travel is accelerating. With recent breakthroughs on Earth achieving net energy gain in fusion reactions, attention is turning skyward. Fusion propulsion offers the tantalizing potential to transform the solar system into a navigable domain within a generation. Mars transits could be reduced from …

In the intricate world of quantum technologies—where controlling particles at the atomic level defines progress—the unsung heroes are often the tools that make such precision possible. Among these, multi-channel tunable laser systems, particularly External Cavity Diode Lasers (ECDLs), stand out as the backbone of innovation. These systems—particularly External Cavity Diode …