Showing 20 articles starting at article 321
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Energy: Technology, Engineering: Robotics Research
Published Green ammonia could decarbonize 60% of global shipping when offered at just 10 regional fuel ports



A study has found that green ammonia could be used to fulfill the fuel demands of over 60% of global shipping by targeting just the top 10 regional fuel ports. Researchers looked at the production costs of ammonia which are similar to very low sulphur fuels, and concluded that the fuel could be a viable option to help decarbonize international shipping by 2050.
Published Towards more accurate 3D object detection for robots and self-driving cars



Robots and autonomous vehicles can use 3D point clouds from LiDAR sensors and camera images to perform 3D object detection. However, current techniques that combine both types of data struggle to accurately detect small objects. Now, researchers have developed DPPFA Net, an innovative network that overcomes challenges related to occlusion and noise introduced by adverse weather. Their findings will pave the way for more perceptive and capable autonomous systems.
Published New soft robots roll like tires, spin like tops and orbit like moons



Researchers have developed a new soft robot design that engages in three simultaneous behaviors: rolling forward, spinning like a record, and following a path that orbits around a central point. The device, which operates without human or computer control, holds promise for developing soft robotic devices that can be used to navigate and map unknown environments.
Published Fastest swimming insect could inspire uncrewed boat designs



Whirligig beetles, the world's fastest-swimming insect, achieve surprising speeds by employing a strategy shared by fast-swimming marine mammals and waterfowl, according to a new study that rewrites previous explanations of the physics involved.
Published Soft robotic, wearable device improves walking for individual with Parkinson's disease



Researchers have used a soft, wearable robot to help a person living with Parkinson's walk without freezing. The robotic garment, worn around the hips and thighs, gives a gentle push to the hips as the leg swings, helping the patient achieve a longer stride. The device completely eliminated the participant's freezing while walking indoors, allowing them to walk faster and further than they could without the garment's help.
Published Using berry phase monopole engineering for high-temperature spintronic devices



Spin-orbit torque (SOT), an important phenomenon for developing ultrafast and low-power spintronic devices, can be enhanced through Berry phase monopole engineering at high temperatures. In a new study, the temperature dependence of the intrinsic spin Hall effect of TaSi2 was investigated. The results suggest that Berry phase monopole engineering is an effective strategy for achieving high-temperature SOT spintronic devices.
Published High-performance stretchable solar cells



Engineers have succeeded in implementing a stretchable organic solar cell by applying a newly developed polymer material that demonstrated the world's highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (19%) while functioning even when stretched for more than 40% of its original state. This new conductive polymer has high photovoltaic properties that can be stretched like rubber. The newly developed polymer is expected to play a role as a power source for next-generation wearable electronic devices.
Published Better microelectronics from coal



Coal is an abundant resource in the United States that has, unfortunately, contributed to climate change through its use as a fossil fuel. As the country transitions to other means of energy production, it will be important to consider and reevaluate coal's economic role. Coal may actually play a vital role in next-generation electronic devices.
Published Piezo composites with carbon fibers for motion sensors



An international research group has engineered a novel high-strength flexible device by combining piezoelectric composites with unidirectional carbon fiber. The new device transforms kinetic energy from the human motion into electricity, providing an efficient and reliable means for high-strength and self-powered sensors.
Published New material allows for better hydrogen-based batteries and fuel cells



Researchers have developed a solid electrolyte for transporting hydride ions at room temperature. This breakthrough means that the full advantages of hydrogen-based solid-state batteries and fuel cells can be had without the need for constant hydration. This will reduce their complexity and cost, which is essential for advancing towards a practical hydrogen-based energy economy.
Published Blue PHOLEDs: Final color of efficient OLEDs finally viable in lighting



Lights could soon use the full color suite of perfectly efficient organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, that last tens of thousands of hours. The new phosphorescent OLEDs, commonly referred to as PHOLEDs, can maintain 90% of the blue light intensity for 10-14 times longer than other designs that emit similar deep blue colors. That kind of lifespan could finally make blue PHOLEDs hardy enough to be commercially viable in lights that meet the Department of Energy's 50,000-hour lifetime target. Without a stable blue PHOLED, OLED lights need to use less-efficient technology to create white light.
Published Could an electric nudge to the head help your doctor operate a surgical robot?



People who received gentle electric currents on the back of their heads learned to maneuver a robotic surgery tool in virtual reality and then in a real setting much more easily than people who didn't receive those nudges, a new study shows.
Published One small material, one giant leap for life on Mars: New research takes us a step closer to sustaining human life on the red planet



Researchers have discovered the transformative potential of Martian nanomaterials, potentially opening the door to sustainable habitation on the red planet.
Published An electrifying improvement in copper conductivity



A newly developed, highly conductive copper wire could find applications in the electric grid, as well as in homes and businesses. The finding defies what's been thought about how metals conduct electricity.
Published Little bacterium may make big impact on rare-earth processing



A tiny, hard-working bacterium -- which weighs one-trillionth of a gram -- may soon have a large influence on processing rare earth elements in an eco-friendly way.
Published AI's memory-forming mechanism found to be strikingly similar to that of the brain



An interdisciplinary team consisting of researchers has revealed a striking similarity between the memory processing of artificial intelligence (AI) models and the hippocampus of the human brain. This new finding provides a novel perspective on memory consolidation, which is a process that transforms short-term memories into long-term ones, in AI systems.
Published This adaptive roof tile can cut both heating and cooling costs



In a new study, researchers present an adaptive tile, which when deployed in arrays on roofs, can lower heating bills in winter and cooling bills in summer, without the need for electronics.
Published Cognitive strategies for augmenting the body with a wearable, robotic arm



Scientists show that breathing may be used to control a wearable extra robotic arm in healthy individuals, without hindering control of other parts of the body.
Published Resource-efficient and climate-friendly with sodium-ion batteries



The transition to a society without fossil fuels means that the need for batteries is increasing at a rapid pace. At the same time, the increase will mean a shortage of the metals lithium and cobalt, which are key components in the most common battery types. One option is a sodium-ion battery, where table salt and biomass from the forest industry make up the main raw materials. Now, researchers show that these sodium-ion batteries have an equivalent climate impact as their lithium-ion counterparts -- without the risk of running out of raw materials.
Published Free electric vehicle charging at work? It's possible with optimum solar



The global surge in electric vehicle sales has prompted an Australian university to explore how it could offer free or nominal EV charging facilities to staff and students by optimizing its solar PV system and minimizing workplace electricity costs.