Reporte #147
US team etches bacteria killing nano spikes on stainless steel
The Engineer
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US have used an electrochemical etching process to create a bacteria killing nanotextured surface on a stainless steel alloy.
‘Skywalker’ Prosthetic Hand Uses Ultrasound for Finger-Level Control
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
Robotic hands just keep getting better and better. They’re strong, fast, nimble, and they’ve got sensors all over the place. Capable as the hardware is, robotic hands have the same sort of problem as every other robot: it’s very tricky to make them do exactly what you want them to do. This is especially relevant for robot hands that are intended to be a replacement for human hands. Operating them effectively becomes the biggest constraint for the user.
Brain-mimicking ‘neuromorphic’ computer chips for robot insects
The Engineer
Engineers from Cornell University are developing a type of low-energy computing for robot insects that mimics how the brain functions.
How privacy policies affect genetic testing
MIT News – Engineering
Study: State-level disclosure laws affect patients’ eagerness to have their DNA tested.
Using ancient knowledge to create contemporary architecture
MIT News – Engineering
Ghost stories and digital technologies meet in the work of Rome Prize winner Brandon Clifford.
New Analysis of Lithium-Ion Batteries Shows How to Pack in More Energy
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
If electric vehicles are ever going to outcompete gas-powered ones, batteries must improve. Conventional lithium-ion batteries, the most energy-dense for their weight, can only be charged to about 50 percent of their theoretical capacity. When researchers have tried to pack more lithium into a battery’s electrodes, it hasn’t helped. The electrodes begin to quickly degrade after the first discharge/recharge cycle, and nobody has been able to figure out how to prevent it.
2D Material Integrates Digital Logic and Memory Into One Chip
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
Researchers at Stanford University have demonstrated that field-effect transistors made from a single layer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) can successfully drive resistive random access memory. The results, which were reported last week at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, represent a key milestone for the blending of memory with logic in a monolithic 3D integrated chip.
How to Build a More Resilient Power Grid
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
North America’s electric transmission may be an engineering marvel, but that doesn’t make it immune to failure, sometimes in spectacular fashion. For proof, just mention some dates and names to Nicholas Abi-Samra and wait for his reply.
The Net Neutrality Debate Hinges on Defining the Internet
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
The day before Thanksgiving in the U.S., the long-simmering net neutrality debate—over whether or not data transmitted on the Internet should be treated equally by Internet service providers—erupted again. It was sparked by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s release of a draft of the agency’s Restoring Internet Freedom [PDF] proposal, which would repeal much of a 2015 ruling in favor of net neutrality by classifying the Internet as a telecommunications service.
Bridging the gap between citizens and scientists
MIT News – Engineering
Alumni of the Graduate Program in Science Writing engage the public in critical issues ranging from medical breakthroughs to climate change.