Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: General
Published

Actively reducing noise by ionizing air      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists show that a thin layer of plasma, created by ionizing air, could be promising as an active sound absorber, with applications in noise control and room acoustics.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Source-shifting metastructures composed of only one resin for location camouflaging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Acoustic source-shifters make observers mis-perceive the location of sound by reproducing a sound emanating from a location different from the actual location of a sound source. Researchers have now developed a design approach to produce high-performance source-shifters using a common polymer for location camouflage. Utilizing inverse design based on topology optimization, this development could pave the way for advanced augmented reality and holography technology.

Chemistry: General Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

Calcium rechargeable battery with long cycle life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

With the use of electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage systems on the rise, the need to explore alternatives to lithium-ion batteries has never been greater. Researchers have recently developed a prototype calcium metal rechargeable battery capable of 500 cycles of repeated charge-discharge -- the benchmark for practical use. The breakthrough was made thanks to the development of a copper sulfide nanoparticle/carbon composite cathode and a hydride-based electrolyte.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Energy: Batteries Physics: General
Published

Flexing crystalline structures provide path to a solid energy future      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have uncovered the atomic mechanisms that make a class of compounds called argyrodites attractive candidates for both solid-state battery electrolytes and thermoelectric energy converters. The discoveries -- and the machine learning approach used to make them -- could help usher in a new era of energy storage for applications such as household battery walls and fast-charging electric vehicles.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

A giant leap forward in wireless ultrasound monitoring for subjects in motion      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed the first fully integrated wearable ultrasound system for deep-tissue monitoring, including for subjects on the go.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

An electric vehicle battery for all seasons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a fluorine-containing electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries whose charging performance remains high in frigid regions and seasons. They also determined why it is so effective.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

New priming method improves battery life, efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed a readily scalable method to optimize a silicon anode priming method that increases lithium-ion battery performance by 22% to 44%.

Chemistry: General Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Batteries
Published

Extending the life of a lithium metal anode using a protective layer made of an extremely tough gel electrolyte      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has succeeded in substantially improving the cycling performance of a lithium metal battery by developing a mechanically very strong polymeric gel electrolyte and integrating it into the battery as a layer to protect the lithium metal anode. This achievement may greatly facilitate efforts to put lithium metal anodes -- a potentially very high performance anode material -- into practical use.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

A cocktail party of 3D-printed robot heads      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Imagine a cocktail party full of 3D-printed, humanoid robots listening and talking to each other. That seemingly sci-fi scene is the goal of an augmented listening laboratory. With precise control over the simulated subjects, the researchers can adjust the parameters of the experiment and even set the machines in motion to simulate neck movements.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Wearable ultrasound patch provide non-invasive deep tissue monitoring      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed a stretchable ultrasonic array capable of serial, non-invasive, three-dimensional imaging of tissues as deep as four centimeters below the surface of human skin, at a spatial resolution of 0.5 millimeters. This new method provides a non-invasive, longer-term alternative to current methods, with improved penetration depth.

Computer Science: General Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Sensor enables high-fidelity input from everyday objects, human body      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Couches, tables, sleeves and more can turn into a high-fidelity input device for computers using a new sensing system.

Energy: Batteries Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Progress in alternative battery technology      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It is not easy to make batteries cheap, efficient, durable, safe and environmentally friendly at the same time. Researchers have now succeeded in uniting all of these characteristics in zinc metal batteries.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Lead vocal tracks in popular music go quiet      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists carried out an analysis of hundreds of popular song recordings from 1946 to 2020 to determine the lead vocal to accompaniment ratio, or LAR. The study considered the four highest-ranked songs from the Billboard Hot 100 chart for each year and the results show that, contrary to expectations, the LAR for popular music decreased over the decades in question. This means that, relative to their bands, lead singers are getting quieter.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

It's not as difficult as you think to shout upwind      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Why does it feel so difficult to shout upwind? The sensation is common enough to have found its way into an idiom about not being understood. Researchers wanted a scientific explanation for the phenomenon -- and there wasn't been one. They have now shown that our common sense understanding of this situation is wrong. It isn't harder to shout into the wind; it's just harder to hear yourself.

Energy: Batteries Engineering: Graphene
Published

Researchers design battery prototype with fiber-shaped cathode      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a new study, researchers made a cathode, or the positive end of a battery, in the shape of a thread-like fiber. The researchers were then able to use the fiber to create a zinc-ion battery prototype that could power a wrist watch.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Batteries Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Greener batteries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Our modern rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, are anything but sustainable. One alternative is organic batteries with redox-organic electrode materials (OEMs), which can be synthesized from natural 'green' materials. A team has now introduced a new OEM for aqueous organic high-capacity batteries that can be easily and cheaply recycled.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: Optics
Published

Versatile, high-speed, and efficient crystal actuation with photothermally resonated natural vibrations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Mechanically responsive molecular crystals are extremely useful in soft robotics, which requires a versatile actuation technology. Crystals driven by the photothermal effect are particularly promising for achieving high-speed actuation. However, the response (bending) observed in these crystals is usually small. Now, scientists address this issue by inducing large resonated natural vibrations in anisole crystals with UV light illumination at the natural vibration frequency of the crystal.