Reporte #150
Turning heat into electricity
MIT News – Engineering
Study finds topological materials could boost the efficiency of thermoelectric devices.
Microdrones That Cooperate to Transport Objects Could Be Future of Warehouse Automation
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
Last month, we wrote about autonomous quadrotors from the University of Pennsylvania that use just a VGA camera and an IMU to navigate together in swarms. Without relying on external localization or GPS, quadrotors like these have much more potential to be real-world useful, since they can operate without expensive and complex infrastructure, even indoors.
Rotational 3D printing precisely aligns fibres for high strength materials
The Engineer
Researchers at Harvard University have used rotational 3D printing to create structural materials that are optimised for strength, stiffness, and damage tolerance.
Solar fuels: better efficiency using microwires
Science Daily
Researchers have made significant efficiency improvements to the technology used to generate solar fuels. This involves the direct conversion of energy from sunlight into a usable fuel (in this case, hydrogen). Using only earth-abundant materials, they developed the most efficient conversion method to date. The trick was to decouple the site where sunlight is captured from the site where the conversion reaction takes place.
Biologists’ new peptide could fight many cancers
MIT News – Engineering
Drug that targets a key cancer protein could combat leukemia and other types of cancer.
High performance CNT catalyst relating to its electroconductivity
Science Daily
Biofuels were obtained from Jatropha Oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking tolerance of CNT. Two cracking circulations were found in the hydroprocessing. Meanwhile, the sulphur-free process was eco-friendly.
New method to detect illicit drone filming developed
Science Daily
A new technique to detect a drone camera illicitly capturing video is revealed in a new study by cyber security researchers in Israel. The study addresses increasing concerns about the proliferation of drone use for personal and business applications and how it is impinging on privacy and safety.
Interlocking microstructures are key to superstrong underwater adhesives
The Engineer
Glues that can outperform even the adhesives used by mussels could have applications in engineering and medicine.
Study boosts hope for cheaper fuel cells
Science Daily
Researchers show how to optimize nanomaterials for fuel-cell cathodes. Simulations by scientists show how carbon nanomaterials may be optimized to replace expensive platinum in cathodes for electricity-generating fuel cells.
Quantum leap: Computational approach launches new paradigm in electronic structure theory
Science Daily
A group of researchers specializing in quantum calculations has proposed a radically new computational approach to solving the complex many-particle Schrödinger equation, which holds the key to explaining the motion of electrons in atoms and molecules.
CES 2018: What Happens to Your Phone Will Be the Least Interesting Thing About 5G
IEEE Spectrum Recent Content
5G is so powerful, it’s sending back signals from the future. The technology is barely out of the experimental phase, with the first official 5G standard released just last month: The first partial deployments are expected later this year or early next year, and full commercial deployments probably won’t be complete until the early 2020s.
Magnetic liquid window helps buildings keep their cool
The Engineer
Researchers at Germany’s University of Jena have developed a new type of window that uses switchable magnetic particles suspended in liquid to create shade and capture heat energy.
White graphene makes ceramics multifunctional
Science Daily
Bilayer white graphene combined with a ceramic creates a multifunctional material with high strength and toughness, according to new research. The material may be suitable for construction and refractory materials and applications in the nuclear industry, oil and gas, aerospace and other areas that require high-performance composites.
Project looks to bio-hybrid systems for self-healing products
The Engineer
Bristol University is leading a £3m EPSRC-funded project that will investigate the manufacture of new materials made up of biological and non-biological parts that self-heal or regenerate.