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Categories: Energy: Technology, Engineering: Robotics Research

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Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumb trick inspires robotic exploration of caves on Mars and beyond      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Future space missions likely will send robots to scout out underground habitats for astronauts. Engineers have now developed a system that would enable autonomous vehicles to explore caves, lava tubes and even oceans on other worlds on their own.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Plants and Animals Physics: Optics
Published

Tiny new climbing robot was inspired by geckos and inchworms      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A tiny robot that could one day help doctors perform surgery was inspired by the incredible gripping ability of geckos and the efficient locomotion of inchworms.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
Published

Corralling ions improves viability of next generation solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have discovered that channeling ions into defined pathways in perovskite materials improves the stability and operational performance of perovskite solar cells. The finding paves the way for a new generation of lighter, more flexible, and more efficient solar cell technologies suitable for practical use.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology
Published

New method creates material that could create the next generation of solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Perovskites, a family of materials with unique electric properties, show promise for use in a variety fields, including next-generation solar cells. A team of scientists has now created a new process to fabricate large perovskite devices that is more cost- and time-effective than previously possible and that they said may accelerate future materials discovery.

Engineering: Robotics Research Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Reaching like an octopus: A biology-inspired model opens the door to soft robot control      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Octopus arms coordinate nearly infinite degrees of freedom to perform complex movements such as reaching, grasping, fetching, crawling, and swimming. How these animals achieve such a wide range of activities remains a source of mystery, amazement, and inspiration. Part of the challenge comes from the intricate organization and biomechanics of the internal muscles.

Computer Science: General Energy: Technology
Published

A new chip for decoding data transmissions demonstrates record-breaking energy efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new chip called ORBGRAND can decode any code applied to data transmitted over the internet with maximum accuracy and between 10 and 100 times more energy efficiency than other methods.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Heterostructures support predictions of counterpropagating charged edge modes at the v=2/3 fractional quantum Hall state      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have tested models of edge conduction with a device built on top of the semiconductor heterostructure which consists of gold gates that come close together. Voltage is applied on the gates to direct the edge states through the middle of the point contact, where they are close enough that quantum tunneling can occur between the edge states on opposite sides the sample. Changes in the electrical current flowing through the device are used to test the theorists' predictions.

Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

New design for lithium-air battery could offer much longer driving range compared with the lithium-ion battery      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have built and tested for a thousand cycles a lithium-air battery design that could one day be powering cars, domestic airplanes, long-haul trucks and more. Its energy storage capacity greatly surpasses that possible with lithium-ion batteries.

Energy: Batteries Energy: Fossil Fuels Energy: Technology Engineering: Graphene
Published

Ramping up domestic graphite production could aid the green energy transition      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Given the growing importance of graphite in energy storage technologies, a team of esearchers has conducted a study exploring ways to reduce reliance on imports of the in high-demand mineral, which powers everything from electric vehicles (EVs) to cell phones.

Energy: Technology
Published

First transient electronic bandage speeds healing by 30%      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed a small, flexible, stretchable bandage that accelerates healing by delivering electrotherapy directly to the wound site. The bandage also actively monitors the healing process and then harmlessly dissolves -- electrodes and all -- into the body after it is no longer needed.

Computer Science: General Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

New technology turns smartphones into RFID readers, saving costs and reducing waste      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Imagine you can open your fridge, open an app on your phone and immediately know which items are expiring within a few days. This is one of the applications that a new technology would enable.

Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

This new sensor can detect mercury ions with just a tap      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Although many measures are in place to prevent contamination, pollutants, such as mercury and lead, can still end up in the environment. Sensing them often requires complicated processes, but what if you could detect them with the tap of a fingertip? Researchers have now developed a self-powered nanosensor that can discover small amounts of mercury ions and immediately report the result.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Study offers details on using electric fields to tune thermal properties of ferroelectric materials      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research sheds light on how electric fields can be used to alter the thermal properties of ferroelectric materials, allowing engineers to manipulate the flow of heat through the materials. Ferroelectric materials are used in a wide variety of applications, from ultrasound devices to memory storage technologies.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: Optics
Published

Nanoparticles self-assemble to harvest solar energy      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers design a solar harvester with enhanced energy conversion capabilities. The device employs a quasiperiodic nanoscale pattern, meaning most of it is an alternating and consistent pattern, while the remaining portion contains random defects that do not affect its performance. The fabrication process makes use of self-assembling nanoparticles, which form an organized material structure based on their interactions with nearby particles without any external instructions. Thermal energy harvested by the device can be transformed to electricity using thermoelectric materials.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Robot helps students with learning disabilities stay focused      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Engineering researchers are successfully using a robot to help keep children with learning disabilities focused on their work.

Energy: Technology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Scientists engineer a 'self-charging' electrostatic face mask for prolonged air filtration, reducing the environmental burden      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have engineered an electrostatic face mask that can 'self-charge' through the user's breathing and continuously replenish its electrostatic charge as the user wears and breathes through the mask. This significantly increase the filtering performance in prolonged use of the mask for up to 60 hours, compared to four hours for a conventional surgical mask. This also benefits the environment.

Energy: Technology
Published

New ultrafast water disinfection method is more environmentally friendly      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have found a way to use small shocks of electricity to disinfect water, reducing energy consumption, cost, and environmental impact. The technology could be integrated into the electric grid or even powered by batteries.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
Published

Physicists solve durability issue in next-generation solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Physicists jumped a major hurdle standing in the way of the commercialization of solar cells created with halide perovskites as a lower-cost, higher-efficiency replacement for silicon when generating electricity from the sun.

Energy: Technology
Published

Atom-thin walls could smash size, memory barriers in next-gen devices      (via sciencedaily.com) 

For all of the still-indistinguishable-from-magic wizardry packed into the three pounds of the adult human brain, it obeys the same rule as the other living tissue it controls: Oxygen is a must. So it was with a touch of irony that a scientists offered his explanation for a technological wonder -- movable, data-covered walls mere atoms wide -- that may eventually help computers behave more like a brain. 'There was unambiguous evidence that oxygen vacancies are responsible for this,' Tsymbal said.

Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Technology
Published

Chiral phonons create spin current without needing magnetic materials      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers chiral phonons to convert wasted heat into spin information -- without needing magnetic materials. The finding could lead to new classes of less expensive, energy-efficient spintronic devices for use in applications ranging from computational memory to power grids.