Category: Technology

inverse.com

Some say Moore’s law has stopped and it’s due to overheating, but researchers found a new way to cool microchips.
In a new study, cooling liquid was integrated directly into the chip, potentially leading to huge improvements in efficiency compared to other ways of cooling.
It’s called “microfluidic-electronic co-design”, and three other types of this design were attempted in the past, but this is the most promising so far.
Cooling channels are integrated with the chip in a single plate, and buried right below the active, heating areas of the chip.
The method has drawbacks that need to be addressed before production, but the initial results are very promising.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on September 11, 2020

With 8.1% efficiency and 43.3% transparency, new carbon-based solar cells are a big step towards making skyscrapers generate power.
The new cells were made with a new material, designed to be transparent for visible light, and absorb near-infrared light which carries most of sunlight’s energy.
Previous transparent cells used 2-3% of light that hit them, these new cells can use up to 5% - study authors are aiming for 7% in the next iteration.
They’re also studying if it makes economic sense to install transparent solar cell windows in new and existing buildings.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on August 28, 2020

ucl.ac.uk

The new record speed is 178 terabits per second, which would make it possible to download the entire Netflix library in a second.
It’s double the capacity of any system deployed in the world, and it could be deployed on existing infrastructure by just upgrading amplifiers, without installing new cables.
Research authors used a wider range (16.8Thz) of light colours (wavelengths) than typically in optical fibre (4.5Thz), and optimized each wavelength individually.
COVID has brought the need for faster internet to light, but even regardless of the crisis, internet traffic has been growing exponentially for the last 10 years.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on August 28, 2020

upi.com

Researchers found a way to ‘trick’ quantum systems into thinking that there’s no noise, enabling a huge increase in the stability of these systems.
The biggest block to quantum research is that currently quantum systems operate for extremely brief periods of time.
Testing the new technology showed that it can keep a system working for 22 milliseconds, which is 4 orders of magnitude greater than without it.
This might open up many new avenues of research, and can make it possible for scientists to study quantum systems they were previously unable to.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on August 20, 2020

New Zealand startup Emrod wants to use wireless technology to bring power to places that can’t afford traditional power grids.
For now, Emrod is only sending a few watts over 40 metres, and if the technology is implemented it will need a lot of work and time to be as powerful as wires.
The technology would work similarly to satellite internet, requiring a clear line of sight.
Energy would be transmitted through electromagnetic waves using special antennas (“rectennas”) to turn magnetic waves into electricity.
The beam of energy would be surrounded by a low-power laser “fence” to avoid zapping bystanders.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on August 14, 2020

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