Category: Moscow

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Polytechnic University engineers have unveiled a new device for ensuring the safety of public transport passengers—an emergency hammer pistol. This development will make evacuation from public transport in emergency situations more accessible for everyone, including children and the elderly. The invention has already received positive reviews. patent for a utility model in the Federal Service for Intellectual Property.

According to official data statistics According to the State Road Safety Inspectorate, there have been 5,322 accidents involving buses in Russia since January 1, 2025. Experts note that in some accidents, every second counts.

For an emergency evacuation from public transport, a window must be broken. Special devices are usually designed for this purpose. Polytechnic University engineers noted that existing emergency hammers may be ineffective, as they require proper striking technique and a certain amount of force. The university developed a prototype device that is guaranteed to break a vehicle's window with minimal physical effort.

"Our development solves a fundamental problem: the dependence of survival chances on a person's physical abilities. In a critical situation, our device allows a child or an elderly person to evacuate. To achieve this, we developed a simple and reliable hammer mechanism in the emergency hammer. The user simply needs to place our hammer against the glass and press the trigger lever—the glass will break," notes Nikolai Chumakov, one of the project's authors and an associate professor at the Higher School of Technosphere Safety at the Institute of Civil Engineering at SPbPU.

The invention's striking mechanism is driven by a leaf spring. It is compact and has a small amplitude, releasing stored energy in a strictly limited space, allowing precise control over the direction of its release. The spring's energy is transferred to the striker, which is sharpened at a 130° angle. This ensures instantaneous cracking of the glass. A versatile and simple activation mechanism allows the device to be activated even with limited mobility.

The presented development has similar products, but scientists emphasize that the system developed at the Polytechnic University is not only more reliable but also less expensive. The main distinguishing feature of the Polytechnic University's development is its focus on accessibility, simplicity, and design effectiveness, especially for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

"This isn't just an improvement on an existing device, but a completely new approach to safety. We've created a tool that always works, regardless of the circumstances or a person's physical condition. We hope that in the future, our invention will form the basis of a new safety standard for all public transport in the country," emphasizes Angelina Burkova, a co-author of the development and a master's student at the Institute of Social and Industrial Safety's Higher School of Technosphere Safety.

The development has already attracted interest from Russia's largest transport operators. Further testing is planned for the near future.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The Polytechnic Society of Physics Students (PCPS) held the fall SPARK field school for students majoring in physics and engineering. This educational format allowed students to make new connections, lay the foundation for successfully implementing student research projects in a team of like-minded individuals, and enjoy some time outdoors.

School participants heard first-person accounts of the career trajectories of established professionals, learned about the challenges young scientists may face, and learned about the mistakes best avoided at the beginning of their professional journey.

Students practiced writing motivation letters and resumes, and also received practical advice on how to navigate the labor market and become the most attractive candidates for employment at knowledge-intensive companies.

It was a true boost of scientific inspiration. Without a doubt, the speakers, who generously shared their experiences, were the main guides to the world of knowledge.

Maria Kalyashova, Associate Professor at the School of Fundamental Physics Research, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, and a researcher at the Laboratory of High Energy Astrophysics. Lecture topic: "The Challenges of Building a Scientific Career and How to Overcome Them." Nikolai Ushakov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor at the School of Applied Physics and Space Technology, and Leading Researcher at the Fiber Optics Laboratory. Lecture topic: "My Career Path. A Doctor of Science Before 35." Kirill Kukushkin, first-year PhD student at the Faculty of Physics and Mechanics, research assistant at the Laboratory of Plasma Physics and Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion. Lecture topic: "How to Get Involved in Science from Your First Year: Participating in Conferences and Writing Articles." Evgeny Shilov, third-year student at the Faculty of Physics and Mechanics, member of the PCPS community. Lecture topic: "How the Student Community Can Help in Building a Scientific Career." Elvira Tuktamysheva and Ekaterina Pridanova, Career Development Department. Lecture topic: "How to Write a Resume."

The school was organized by the Polytechnic Society of Physics Students with the support of

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The 30th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (IAEA FEC) was held in Chengdu, China. This event, known as the IAEA FEC, is held under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency every two years in a different city and is the leading international scientific and technical forum on controlled nuclear fusion. The Polytechnic University is a member ofConsortium of flagship universities of the Rosatom State Corporation, coordinating interaction with the IAEA.

Russia presented approximately 40 papers at IAEA FEC 2025, six of which were prepared by Polytechnicians: Pavel Goncharov, Head of the Scientific Laboratory of Advanced Methods for Spherical Tokamak Plasma Research at the Institute of Physics and Mechanics; Elizaveta Kaveeva, Professor at the Higher School of Fundamental Physics Research; Ilya Senichenkov, Leading Researcher at the Scientific and Educational Center for Digital Engineering in Nuclear and Fusion Energy; Vladimir Timokhin, Leading Engineer at the Higher School of Fundamental Physics Research; Anna Ponomarenko, Junior Researcher at the Laboratory of Advanced Methods for Spherical Tokamak Plasma Research; and Alexander Yashin, Head of the Scientific Laboratory for High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics.

The SPbPU papers focused on calculating the energy and angular distributions of thermonuclear neutrons, developing numerical simulations using the SOLPS code taking into account drifts on extended grids, obtaining the first physical results for plasma flows near the inner wall of the ITER and EAST facilities, and studying fast processes in peripheral plasma, Alfvén waves, and peripheral coherent oscillations at the Globus M2 tokamak. SPbPU scientists also co-authored papers with representatives of other Russian organizations. Among those participating in the conference were Anatoly Krasilnikov, Director of the ITER Project Center; Viktor Ilgisonis, Director of Scientific and Technical Research and Development at the Rosatom State Corporation; and specialists from the Rosatom State Corporation, the National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, the Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS.

"The Scientific Laboratory for Advanced Methods of Spherical Tokamak Plasma Research brings together SPbPU specialists in the field of fusion plasma physics and comprises 26 researchers, more than half of whom are young scientists, graduate students, and undergraduates," said Pavel Goncharov. "Considering the relatively small size of the department and the overall number of papers from our country, SPbPU's representation at this leading international forum can be considered significant. In total, over 2,000 specialists from universities, research centers, and companies from over 50 IAEA member countries participated in the event. Considerable attention was paid to both physics and the development of supporting technologies. These competencies are maintained and developed through practical application. In this regard, I would particularly like to highlight the paper on the Russian reactor-based tokamak (RBT) project."

"This conference was a significant event for me," said Elizaveta Kaveeva. "I was interested in the results of experiments with various magnetic field topologies in edge plasma. There have been significant advances in modeling fusion plasma, and new neural network technologies are being actively implemented. Of course, I was pleased with the progress in the construction of ITER, for which toroidal magnetic field coils are already being installed. It was an honor to present a report on the achievements of our research group."

Anna Ponomarenko, a junior researcher at the Laboratory of Advanced Methods for Spherical Tokamak Plasma Research, received an award for the best poster presentation among young people, in which she presented the results of a study on the spatial localization of Alfvén waves.

The emergence of plasma physics and the physical term "plasma" itself dates back to the mid-1920s, and the formation of the Polytechnic's scientific school in this field began in the mid-1970s. The classic monograph "Fundamentals of Plasma Physics" by eminent Polytechnicians V. E. Golant, A. P. Zhilinsky, and I. E. Sakharov was published in 1977. The high level of representation from our university at the recent conference was evidence of the international recognition of the SPbPU scientific school in the field of plasma physics and controlled thermonuclear fusion.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.