In 2025, Russian science will make great strides into the future thanks to new discoveries. In this article, Rambler will talk about the most important of them.
1) AI assistant for doctors
Scientists from Novosibirsk State University (NSU) presented an innovative artificial intelligence system called “Doctor Pirogov”, capable of helping doctors diagnose more than 250 diseases. As the university's press service reported, this development is designed to ease the burden on doctors and reduce appointment times for patients without affecting the quality of medical care.
The system works on the principle of a virtual assistant: the patient can describe his complaints in advance, upload the results of tests, examinations and even genetic tests. Based on this data, AI generates a list of possible diagnoses – from most dangerous to less serious – and makes recommendations for further testing and treatment. At the same time, the program takes into account drug compatibility and possible contraindications, it is reported in Drug fund.
“Doctor Pirogov” was created on the basis of neural network algorithms and an extensive database of relationships between symptoms, diseases and drugs that NSU experts together with scientists from the SB RAS Institute of Cytology and Genetics have been collecting for more than ten years. The system is currently being tested for accuracy and stability. Clinical trials and registration with Roszdravnadzor are planned for 2026. The developers note that such an AI assistant will be especially useful for regional hospitals and outpatient clinics, where there are not enough specialists.
2) Robots perform rescue operations
Scientists from Southern Federal University (SFU) have created a new generation robot arm capable of distinguishing temperature, hardness and type of surface. The development is based on neurotechnologies – microchips that operate on the principles of the human brain. According to “Izvestia”This system simulates the function of the senses and can be used in prosthetics and rescue operations.
The head of the Neuromen laboratory, Vladimir Smirnov, explains that humans distinguish between materials thanks to tactile memory and pain – we feel warmth, softness or roughness without thinking about it. New technology allows robots to do the same: neural networks analyze signals similar to those in humans that pass through nerve endings and neurotransmitters in the skin. Thanks to that, the machine receives “feelings” and is able to adapt to the external environment.
SFU has created a robotic arm that operates in shadow mode: a person wearing gloves with sensors and a mechanical arm that repeats his movements, learning in the process. Over time, such a system will be able to operate independently – without human intervention. Researchers believe that this technology will become the basis for the creation of home assistant robots and will also help Russia strengthen its position in the international high-tech market.
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3) Neurons for brain research
Scientists from Saratov State University named after NG Chernyshevsky have created a new artificial neuron – an electronic device that imitates the activity of living nerve cells. This development is aimed at brain research, creating artificial nervous systems and artificial intelligence. According to data published in the magazine Chaos, Solitons & FractalsThis neuron is simpler and more economical than its analogues: scientists eliminated unnecessary circuit elements, while maintaining the main thing – the ability to generate impulses, like real neurons.
Graduate student Lev Takaishvili said the key decision was to use diodes, which improve the circuit's operation and make it more stable. The team carried out the entire testing cycle – from modeling to actual prototyping and assembly of the four devices. According to professor Ilya Sysoev, the shape of the signal can change to suit different types of brain cells.
As Professor Vladimir Ponomarenko noted, such neurons can be used in neural prosthetics and in modeling simple life forms. Scientists hope that in the future such technologies will be able to create “artificial animals” that simulate real nervous systems. The work was carried out with support from the Idea Foundation and the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).
4) Smallest light source
Scientists from ITMO University have created a new nanostructured material that allows silicon to absorb and emit light 10,000 times more effectively than before. This discovery paves the way for faster, more energy-efficient optical devices used in telecommunications, medicine, scientific research and industry.
The development was carried out under the guidance of Dmitry Zuev, a leading researcher at the ITMO Department of Physics. The new light source is based on a metasurface, an artificial nanoparticle structure consisting of a gold substrate and alternating layers of silicon and gold. This design, according to creates a “trap” of photons, enhancing their interaction with silicon and increasing the intensity of radiation. According to researcher Artem Larin, this material is capable of emitting broadband white light, including all colors of the spectrum and part of the near-infrared range, which is especially valuable for optical computing systems and nano spectroscopy.
The special geometry of the nanostructure allows light to be focused into the space between the gold film and the silicon disk, stimulating optical transitions in the visible range. This makes silicon not only a receiver but also a light source that can be integrated into microchips using standard lithography technology. According to the researchers, this technology will become the foundation for creating a new generation of nano-transmitters and sensors capable of operating in communication systems, medical devices and near-field microscope devices.
5) Database of essential substances to improve sleep
Scientists from the Medical Institute of Syktyvkar State University named after Pitirim Sorokin have created the world's first database of chronobiotics – substances that affect a person's circadian rhythm: sleep, alertness, concentration, mood and even metabolism. The project was carried out with support from the Russian Science Foundation as part of the program “Creation of the world's first pharmacological database of circadian rhythm modulators”. This development is designed to help doctors and researchers better understand the mechanics of the body's “internal clock” and more accurately select treatments for insomnia, chronic fatigue and other sleep disorders.
The new database, called ChronobioticsDB, combines information on more than 300 substances studied in scientific publications over the past several decades. It includes both natural compounds – for example, melatonin and resveratrol – and synthetic drugs. For each chronobiotic, a separate tag has been created to describe its properties, effects on the body, potential side effects, and approval status by health regulatory agencies. According to the project leader, Candidate of Biological Sciences Ilya Solovyov, ChronobioticsDB allows you to quickly find information about the chemical structure of a substance, as well as the genes and proteins with which it interacts, making the database an indispensable tool for scientific and clinical research.
The database is integrated with the world's leading pharmaceutical platforms such as PubChem and DrugBank, providing access to the latest international research. The developers believe that ChronobioticsDB will become an important resource for physicians who can more accurately select drugs to treat sleep disorders, as well as for pharmacists and bioinformaticians looking for new approaches to treating circadian rhythm disorders. This project makes Russian science one of the leading countries in the field of human biological clock research.
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