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Categories: Energy: Batteries, Engineering: Robotics Research
Published Greener solution powers new method for lithium-ion battery recycling
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Used lithium-ion batteries from cell phones, laptops and a growing number of electric vehicles are piling up, but options for recycling them remain limited mostly to burning or chemically dissolving shredded batteries. Researchers have improved on approaches that dissolve the battery in a liquid solution in order to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals used in the process. This simple, efficient and environmentally-friendly solution overcomes the main obstacles presented by previous approaches.
Published Nearly 400,000 new compounds added to open-access materials database
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New technology often calls for new materials -- and with supercomputers and simulations, researchers don't have to wade through inefficient guesswork to invent them from scratch.
Published Network of robots can successfully monitor pipes using acoustic wave sensors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An inspection design method and procedure by which mobile robots can inspect large pipe structures has been demonstrated with the successful inspection of multiple defects on a three-meter long steel pipe using guided acoustic wave sensors.
Published How do you make a robot smarter? Program it to know what it doesn't know
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have come up with a new way to teach robots to know when they don't know. The technique involves quantifying the fuzziness of human language and using that measurement to tell robots when to ask for further directions. Telling a robot to pick up a bowl from a table with only one bowl is fairly clear. But telling a robot to pick up a bowl when there are five bowls on the table generates a much higher degree of uncertainty -- and triggers the robot to ask for clarification.
Published Researchers engineer a material that can perform different tasks depending on temperature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers report that they have developed a new composite material designed to change behaviors depending on temperature in order to perform specific tasks. These materials are poised to be part of the next generation of autonomous robotics that will interact with the environment.
Published Promising salt for heat storage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Salt batteries can store summer heat to be used in winter, but which salt works best for the purpose?
Published New method uses crowdsourced feedback to help train robots
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new technique enables an AI agent to be guided by data crowdsourced asynchronously from nonexpert human users as it learns to complete a task through reinforcement learning. The method trains the robot faster and better than other approaches.
Published Autonomous excavator constructs a 6-meter-high dry-stone wall
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers taught an autonomous excavator to construct dry stone walls itself using boulders weighing several tons and demolition debris.
Published AI for perovskite solar cells: Key to better manufacturing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tandem solar cells based on perovskite semiconductors convert sunlight to electricity more efficiently than conventional silicon solar cells. In order to make this technology ready for the market, further improvements with regard to stability and manufacturing processes are required. Researchers have succeeded in finding a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and consequently that of the resulting solar cells: Assisted by Machine Learning and new methods in Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is possible assess their quality from variations in light emission already in the manufacturing process.
Published Long in the Bluetooth: Scientists develop a more efficient way to transmit data between our devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a more energy efficient way of connecting our personal devices. New technology consumes less power than Bluetooth and can improve battery life of tech accessories, including earbuds and fitness trackers. Future applications could see us unlocking a door by touching its handle or shaking hands to exchange phone numbers.
Published AI finds formula on how to predict monster waves
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Using 700 years' worth of wave data from more than a billion waves, scientists have used artificial intelligence to find a formula for how to predict the occurrence of these maritime monsters. Long considered myth, freakishly large rogue waves are very real and can split apart ships and even damage oil rigs.
Published Breakthrough in tackling increasing demand by 'internet of things' on mobile networks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A novel technology to manage demands on mobile networks from multiple users using Terahertz frequencies has been developed by computer scientists.
Published Morphing cones under compression: New research uncovers surprises for soft robotic actuators
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers investigating the load-bearing capacity of conical shells, made from soft materials, have discovered performance-limiting weaknesses that could have implications for soft robotics -- affecting the ability of morphing cones to perform fundamental mechanical tasks.
Published Use it or lose it: New robotic system assesses mobility after stroke
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Each year more than 15 million people worldwide have strokes, and three-quarters of stroke survivors will experience impairment, weakness and paralysis in their arms and hands. Many stroke survivors rely on their stronger arm to complete daily tasks, from carrying groceries to combing their hair, even when the weaker arm has the potential to improve.
Published Printed robots with bones, ligaments, and tendons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. The new technology makes it possible to 3D print special plastics with elastic qualities in one go. This opens up completely new possibilities for the production of soft robotic structures.
Published This 3D printer can watch itself fabricate objects
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have developed a high-throughput, multimaterial 3D inkjet printer that uses computer vision to rapidly and automatically control the amount of material being deposited during the printing process in real time. This enables the use of a wide range of materials for fabrication.
Published Using cosmetic ingredient for battery protection
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has devised a battery electrode protective film using biopolymers sourced from cosmetic ingredients.
Published Individual back training machine developed
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 18 percent of reported sick leave relates to musculoskeletal ailments, in particular back-related disorders. The GyroTrainer is an intelligent training device that resembles a balance board. It uses artificial intelligence to adjust the difficulty level to the individual patient's current ability.
Published Template for success: Shaping hard carbon electrodes for next-generation batteries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Sodium- and potassium-ion batteries are promising next-generation alternatives to the ubiquitous lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, their energy density still lags behind that of LIBs. To tackle this issue, researchers explored an innovative strategy to turn hard carbon into an excellent negative electrode material. Using inorganic zinc-based compounds as a template during synthesis, they prepared nanostructured hard carbon, which exhibits excellent performance in both alternative batteries.
Published Advances in lithium-metal batteries, paving the way for safer, more powerful devices
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The boom in phones, laptops and other personal devices over the last few decades has been made possible by the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, but as climate change demands more powerful batteries for electric vehicles and grid-scale renewable storage, lithium-ion technology might not be enough. Lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) have theoretical capacities an order of magnitude greater than lithium-ion, but a more literal boom has stymied research for decades.