Category: Technology

New device could correct defects caused by scar tissue that forms after heart attacks.
It’s a polymer patch that adheres to the heart and bridges the area of scar tissue
The novelty of this device comes from the fact that it uses an innovative method to morph traditional materials into a device that can mimic heart muscle movement.
So far, it’s only been tested in the lab, and awaits trials in animals.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on February 17, 2020

Study proves that it’s possible to collect energy from the entire spectrum of visible sunlight, from infrared to ultraviolet, and transform it into hydrogen.
The team used just one molecule as a catalyst to make fuel, but the molecule is rhodium, which is limited in supply and hard to obtain.
There’s still a lot of work to be done – improving efficiency and finding cheaper materials – before this technology can go mainstream.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on February 17, 2020

phys.org

The safe alternative to X-rays – long-wavelength terahertz radiation – is being used to create high-resolution images with conventional video cameras.
This radiation wasn’t used until now because it is very low-energy and no sensors picked it up, but researchers behind this study didn’t try to create a new sensor.
They came up with a way to convert terahertz photons into visible green photons, basically allowing a normal video camera to see it.
It’s too early to say whether this technology is viable for commercialization, but the team is working on improving it.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on February 10, 2020

Researchers 3D-print sweaty robot hands from novel nanopolymer materials.
By structuring the material in the right way, it can simulate sweating, including pores that respond to temperature changes--eliminating the need for temperature sensors.
The result is a cooling process that’s three times more efficient than normal human sweating.
Thermal management is essential to building high-powered robots that will work for a long time, and sweating could be the best answer.
So far, the system can limit a robot’s mobility, and it requires regular re-fueling with water, but if in the future robots learn to drink, this won’t be a problem.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on February 3, 2020

It relies on a special type of plastic, which makes it safer than conventional batteries.
Plastics have been used in batteries before, but previous applications were known to cause leaks or burst into flames.
The new battery prototype uses a special, solid and stretchable plastic.
Initial tests show that it outputs the same amount of energy when it’s squeezed, folded, and stretched to be twice as long as it originally is.
The first version is thumbnail-sized, and only half as efficient as conventional batteries, so it will need a lot of development before it's commercialized.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on January 27, 2020

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