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Harnessing micro-sources of power

Harnessing micro-sources of power

It can be inconvenient to replace batteries in devices that need to work over long periods of time. But new technology being developed by MIT researchers could make such replacements unnecessary.

Call for collaboration

Call for collaboration

The world of R&D is full of collaboration. R&D Magazine has seen this directly through some of the winners of the R&D 100 awards in the past. However, not only is collaboration important to the world of R&D, but it is essentially important to all aspects of life. For the Army, it is not different.

Improving chip memory by stacking cells

Scientists at Arizona State Univ. have developed an elegant method for significantly improving the memory capacity of electronic chips. The researchers have shown that they can build stackable memory based on “ionic memory technology,” which could make them ideal candidates for storage cells in high-density memory. Best of all, the new method uses well-known electronics materials.  

Is solar thermal the way to go?

Is solar thermal the way to go?

Derek Abbott, an Australian engineer, says that pure liquid or gas hydrogen is a much better energy solution than photovoltaics, or even hydrogen fuel cells. But isn’t it a little difficult to make? Not when paired with concentrated solar energy, he says, and the way to get it is very low-tech.

DOE completes 1 million miles of PHEV testing

More than 200 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are racking up the miles at Idaho National Lab in an effort to find the weak spots that rear their head during real-world evaluations. Results, which are being shared with industry and were produced by more than 75 testing partners, are now available online.

Nissan LEAF and e-Focus take charge at Beyond Oil

Nissan LEAF and e-Focus take charge at Beyond Oil

More than 300 people converged on Microsoft’s Redmond campus near Seattle to hear from more than 50 experts about innovative transportation strategies. Much of the discussion, of which co-sponsor Idaho National Lab was a major part, centered around solutions for the transportation infrastructure that will need be built in order to support new electric vehicles.

Fuel-cell powered UAV completes nearly day-long flight

Driven by 550-W hydrogen fuel cell, the 37-pound aircraft built by the Naval Research Laboratory has set an unofficial endurance record for an aircraft of its kind. The invention of certain new technologies, including lightweight hydrogen storage tanks, has allowed fuel cell systems to provide seven times the energy per weight of batteries.

Researchers make progress on photosynthesis-mimicking solar cell

To increase the efficiency of PV cells that use organic dyes as a solar collector (also called Grätzel cells), researchers in Spain are attempting to improve the efficiency and reduce evaporation of the organic components by incorporating ionic salts. The goal is to bring efficiency up high enough to begin using these “greener” cells in devices such as cell phones.

Smaller and more efficient nuclear battery created

Batteries can power anything from small sensors to large systems. While scientists are finding ways to make them smaller but even more powerful, problems can arise when these batteries are much larger and heavier than the devices themselves. Univ. of Missouri researchers are developing a nuclear energy source that is smaller, lighter, and more efficient.

Paper battery gets its power from algae-derived polymer

Paper battery gets its power from algae-derived polymer

Special cellulose extracted from a certain species of green algae can be formed into a conductive polymer, polypyrrole. Until now, the material was considered too inefficient. Researchers have discovered, however, that coating a substrate with a carefully tailored molecular-level layer of this material yielded much higher storage and discharge rates, enough to build a battery out of nonmetal parts.

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Blogs

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Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

A clean energy America…is it coming or not?

A clean energy America…is it coming or not?

Almost a year ago, the buzz during the downturn was that the economic stimulus will help boost jobs in a sort of national improvement program reminiscent of the 1930s. Our coal would be phased out. Our grids would get smart. Our cars would get hybridized.

Multimedia

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NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

NuGard First Response Protective Clothing are lightweight coveralls, jackets, and pants that provide protection from heat and flame while keeping the wearers body temperature constant.

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Professor David Wessel shows his multi-touch interface that uses computer technologies that allow him to experiment with fine controls to "caress" the instrument.

New To Market

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Submersible FlowCAM catches particle images and data in-situ and real-time
Submersible FlowCAM catches particle images and data in-situ and real-time

Fluid Imaging Technologies recently introduced its Submersible FlowCAM particle and cell imaging and analysis system at Ocean Sciences 2010 in Portland, Ore. The remote sensing platform can be used for continuous, unattended monitoring tethered to research vessels or autonomous submersibles.

Daytime running light has just two LEDs

The new OSTAR Compact LED from OSRAM has been developed specifically for use in vehicle headlights. Despite drawing just 5 W, the device provides 300 lumens of power and meets ECE/SAE color binning requirements for use on motor vehicles.

Tools & Technology

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TIRF microscopy objectives
TIRF microscopy objectives

Olympus continues to support scientists in their quest for knowledge about living cells with three new high-performance TIRF objectives.

Process pressure calibrator

The P100 gauge & Hand Held Pumps is an instrument that offers pressure calibration in an easy to use design with ranges up to 1000 bar.

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