Oblique submicron-scale structures are used in various aspects of research, such as the directional characteristics of dry adhesives and wettability. Although deposition, etching, and lithography techniques are applied to fabricate oblique submicron-scale structures, these approaches have the problem of the controllability or throughput of the structures. Here, we propose a simple X-ray-lithography method, which can control the oblique angle of submicron-scale structures with areas on the centimeter scale. An X-ray mask was fabricated by gold film deposition on slanted structures. Using this mask, oblique ZEP520A photoresist structures with slopes of 20° and 10° and widths of 510 nm and 345 nm were fabricated by oblique X-ray exposure, and the possibility of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molding was also confirmed. In addition, through double exposure with submicron- and micron-scale X-ray masks, dotted-line patterns were produced as an example of multiscale patterning.

Precise motion control is important in robotic surgery, especially corneal surgery. This paper develops a new tension-measurement system for forceps used in corneal surgery, wherein contact force is applied only to a specific location for precise control, with precise movements detected by attaching a nano-crack sensor to the corresponding part. The nano-crack sensor used here customizes the working range and sensor sensitivity to match the strain rate of the tip of the forceps. Therefore, the tension in the suture can be sufficiently measured even at suture failure. The printed circuit board attached to the bottom of the system is designed to simultaneously collect data from several sensors, visualizing the direction and magnitude of the tension in order to inform the surgeon of how much tension is being applied. This system was verified by performing pig-corneal suturing.

In this study, we report a sustainable fabrication strategy for electrothermally active metal yarns using fully recycled polystyrene (re-PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (re-PET) as core materials. Hybrid nanofiber yarns were produced via dual-nozzle electrospinning, combining the processability of re-PS and the mechanical reinforcement of re-PET. Electroless copper plating was subsequently performed under ambient conditions following surfactant-assisted activation and palladium seeding, resulting in uniform and continuous metallic coatings. The Cu-plated hybrid yarns exhibited high electrical conductivity with a resistance of 2.84 Ω and showed efficient Joule heating, reaching 153.3 °C at a low applied voltage of 1.2 V. Stable temperature output (∼96 °C) was maintained during continuous 1 h operation, and rapid heating–cooling response was retained over 300 cycles under both flat and bent configurations, confirming mechanical and thermal durability. This approach presents a scalable method for converting plastic waste into high-performance functional textiles. The fabricated metal yarns are lightweight, flexible, and conductive, showing strong potential for integration into wearable heaters and next-generation smart textile systems.