Nerd alert

Grease monkeying goes molecular as UT Arlington physicists develop newfiber-optic wrench

Dr. Samarendra Mohanty co-authored an article about using the fiber-opticspanner in nano- and biotechnology.

Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Arlington
A fiber-optically trapped and rotated human smooth muscle cell in the center oftwo transversely offset fibers.

Photo courtesy of S. Mohanty

Sometimes, it really is the little things. Physicists at the University of Texas at Arlington have developed a new fiber-optic spanner that will help scientists work more efficiently at a microscopic level.

The spanner, or wrench, will allow scientists to rotate objects such as living cells at any axis, making for a fuller view than current methods that also utilize fiber-optic rotation.

Scientists can use the wrench to manipulate DNA molecules and untwist them to speed up sequencing.

In the report titled “Fiber-optic spanner,” a team led by UT Arlington assistant physics professor Samarendra Mohanty details how the new wrench could allow for cancer cells to be viewed better during rotation.

Mohanty co-authored the article published in the December 15 issue of Optics Letters with doctoral student Bryan Black.

The wrench works by putting two fiber-optic cables on each side of the microscopic object; then, through a process called counter propagation, laser beams from the cables trap and rotate the object. (Watch the video of the wrench manipulating a smooth human cell.)

Because they can vary the speed of the lasers and their location, scientists can use the wrench to manipulate DNA molecules and untwist them to speed up sequencing.

“This technique overcomes many of the challenges to working with optically trapped microscopic objects and has numerous possibilities for nanotechnology and biotechnology,” Mohanty said in a statement. “It is widely applicable because it is not limited by the sample’s shape and does not require any mechanical motion of the fiber.

“Also, because the tools are fiber-optic, they can be used at a larger depth inside closed environment such as the body.”

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Landing Soon

New air taxi network to land at major Dallas-Fort Worth airports in 2027

Courtesy photo

Archer will launch air taxi networks across Texas in 2027.

California-based aerospace company Archer Aviation is bringing its air-taxi system to the “Texas triangle” of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Austin in 2027.

The zero-emission electric air taxi networks will use Archer’s Midnight air taxi to “turn 60- to 90-minute drives to major airports, business districts and major destinations into 10- to 20-minute flights,” the company said in a news release. Archer plans to begin flights in the Texas triangle next year.

The Midnight air taxi is an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It can carry four passengers and a pilot and is designed for consecutive flights of about 20 miles.

Archer cites the Texas triangle as one of the busiest and fastest-growing “megaregions” in the country, due to its proximity to coastal regions, major airports, and a number of business districts.

“Texas is setting the bar for America’s leadership in the next generation of aviation,” Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer Aviation, said in the release. “Our planned networks will make the benefits of electric air taxis real for Texans — trading hours in traffic for minutes in the air, while connecting the biggest airports, business districts and sporting hubs in ways that America’s largest megaregion needs to grow.”

Archer Chief Commercial Officer Nikhil Goel described the air taxi experience to CW Houston as “100 times quieter than a helicopter for the price of an Uber Black.” He added that the air taxis are a combination of a helicopter, a small airplane, and a drone.

The Dallas-Fort Worth network is slated to include Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Love Field, Addison Airport, Arlington Municipal Airport, Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, and Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, plus major business hubs like Frisco Station.

In Houston, Archer’s air taxi network will aim to connect George Bush Intercontinental, William P. Hobby, and Sugar Land Regional Airport with downtown destinations and Galveston.

In Austin, it plans to link Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Austin Executive Airport with the F1 Circuit Helipad at the Circuit of the Americas. Archer debuted its Midnight aircraft at the F1 Prix in the Fan Zone and the F1 Paddock at COTA.

Archer is working with state and local partners to develop charging infrastructure and plans to pursue Texas operations through the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. It recently completed its "No Roads" flight tour, which included multiple flights over the San Francisco Bay, and flew to seven cities over three days.

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This article originally appeared on our sister site, InnovationMap.com.

air taxis airports texas triangle innovation

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Landing Soon

New air taxi network to land at major Dallas-Fort Worth airports in 2027