Research

Flavors can be pretty complicated; after all, they are the result of millions of molecules coming together and interacting with our taste receptors. Researchers from ITMO and their colleagues in Russia and the US have now produced a “3D map” of bitterness and umami, two flavors that share certain molecules and can therefore overwhelm one another. This map should prove useful in food production, where “electronic tongues” – devices capable of discerning the different flavor profiles – are used to evaluate new food products before they’ve even been made.

Read more: ITMO-Made 3D Map of Bitter and Umami Flavors Will Improve Food Sensor Accuracy

University

The 15th Congress of Young Scientists has concluded at ITMO, which means there were plenty of exciting new projects on display, all developed by up-and-comers in every field of study – from AI to chemistry. ITMO NEWS spoke to several student teams and learned about their inventions: an app that detects cognitive impairments via eye movement; a defect-monitoring system for production plants; a smart biopsy needle; and many more.

Read more: Solutions from ITMO’s Congress of Young Scientists: AI for Cognitive Diagnostics, Microfluidics, and Laser Defectoscopy

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Too often, it may seem like young scholars must choose between dedicating themselves to science or securing their livelihood. At ITMO University, PhD students get to do both: thanks to an array of internal initiatives, state programs, and industrial partners, many get to earn up to 200,000 rubles per month. To learn more about these opportunities and hear from current students, head over to our full guide linked below.

Read more: How To Make Six Figures as a PhD Student in Russia

ITMO NEWS originals

Although we often take you on tours of St. Petersburg’s rich history, there is another, deeper layer to dig into: the prehistoric times. Luckily, there are many fascinating Paleolithic sites across Russia that can be visited today – both in person and online. Last week, we wrote about a few of these, including some that date back a whopping 40,000 years ago!

Read more: Three Intriguing Prehistoric Sites in Russia

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The gaming world is abuzz: is Nvidia’s new DLSS5 tech a revolutionary way to re-experience the old classics – or a creatively sterile insult to game designers and artists? We dug into the story and spoke to an in-house expert about all the current and future implications of DLSS 5 and how AI is affecting the game industry.

Read more: How AI is Changing Gamedev: The Case of Nvidia’s DLSS 5