Wearable sensors to monitor everything from step count to heart rate are nearly ubiquitous. But for scenarios such as measuring the onset of frailty in older adults, promptly diagnosing deadly diseases, testing the efficacy of new drugs or tracking the performance of professional athletes, medical-grade devices are needed. University of Arizona engineers have developed a […]
Metals Tech
Repairing turbines with a supersonic blast of metal particles
A highly anticipated capability with the potential to repair hydroelectric dam turbines without the melting associated with traditional repair methods has made its way to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for validation research. The capability, called Cold Spray, is the newest addition to PNNL’s suite of Solid Phase Processing, or SPP, tools. SPP is […]
Building efficient and thermally stable perovskite solar cells using Ti₃C₂TₓMXene
A new generation of cheap, sustainable and efficient solar cells is a step closer, thanks to scientists at The University of Queensland. Researchers at UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) modified a nanomaterial to make solar cells as efficient as silicon-based cells, but without their high cost and complex manufacturing. Professor Joe Shapter […]
Quenching the world’s thirst with off-grid water desalination
Desalination is the answer to long-term water security, but it’s also expensive and energy-intensive. The good news is that scientists are developing some viable solutions. The first desalination plant in Europe was built in Spain nearly a half century ago. Since then, facilities have sprung up in water-stressed regions throughout Europe. Just a few years ago, the […]
Ultrathin quantum dot LED that can be folded freely as paper
Quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED), which employs quantum dots as a light-emitting material, has attracted significant attention as a promising alternative for next-generation display technologies, owing to its outstanding electroluminescence properties. Since it does not require any bulky components such as backlight units, QLED displays can potentially be manufactured into an ultrathin form factor. A […]
Wireless electricity and safety
A wireless power system developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo and University of Michigan can power cell phones, lights and other devices by using magnetic fields to deliver electricity over the air. A recent study showed that the system can safely deliver at least 50 watts of power. We sat down with Alanson […]
Advanced thermal management design boosts performance of silicon carbide inverters for heavy-duty vehicles
As electric vehicles (EVs) grow in popularity, innovative technologies must meet the rising energy demand by significantly increasing system efficiency. Although light-duty EVs have been the focus for many electrification initiatives, heavy-duty trucks make up 39% of greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Electrification of heavy-duty EVs is integral to decarbonization efforts, but vehicle […]
Bioengineers develop new class of human-powered bioelectronics
A team of bioengineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering has invented a novel soft and flexible self-powered bioelectronic device. The technology converts human body motions—from bending an elbow to subtle movements such as a pulse on one’s wrist—into electricity that could be used to power wearable and implantable diagnostic sensors. The researchers discovered […]
Towards for a power grid that is resilient to short circuits
You’re just sitting there, working or watching television, and bang, the power goes out. Everyone knows how annoying it is to search for candles in a cold, dark house or office during a power failure. But due to excavation work or extreme weather, there is always a chance of an outage in the power grid. […]
Tying quantum computing to AI prompts a smarter power grid
Fumbling to find flashlights during blackouts may soon be a distant memory, as quantum computing and artificial intelligence could learn to decipher an electric grid’s problematic quirks and solve system hiccups so fast, humans may not notice. Rather than energy grid faults turning into giant problems—such as voltage variations or widespread blackouts—blazing fast computation blended […]
