Researchers are using the bacterium Moorella thermoacetica to perform photosynthesis and also to synthesize semiconductor nanoparticles in a hybrid artificial photosynthesis system for converting sunlight into valuable chemical products.
A proposed recovery technique for oil extraction not only outperforms existing drilling and recovery techniques, but also has the potential to sequester more carbon dioxide in the process.
Kate YoderWhen it comes to creating robots that look like humans, we’re getting good — uncannily good. And one expert has claimed that in 15 years, they’ll be smarter than us, too. But until recently, we haven’t devoted much thought to the robotic afterlife. Where, exactly, does a robot go when it has outlived its usefulness? Most robots are made from metal and plastic — and I’d hazard a guess that your out-of-commission Roomba isn’t headed to the compost pile. But in the future, it looks like our artificial friends could be going six feet under along with the rest of us. A team of scientists from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) are on a mission to engineer completely biodegradable robots. Their…
The first lithium-ion battery has been developed that shuts down before overheating, then restarts immediately when the temperature cools. The new technology could prevent the kind of fires that have prompted recalls and bans on a wide range of battery-powered devices, from computers to hoverboards.
adminA group of scientists has replaced diesel with kinetic energy, saving up to 20 thousand liters of fuel annually, they say, adding that this includes a series of energetically self-sustained boxes for the transport of perishable goods, with a cooling system that replaced the use of diesel with sunlight and kinetic energy.
adminMale moths locate females by navigating along the latter’s pheromone (odor) plume. Two strategies are involved: males must find the outer envelope of the pheromone plume, and then head upwind. Can understanding such insect behavior be useful for robotics research? Yes, according to an entomologist, whose research using computer simulations shows that such insect behavior has implications for airborne robots (drones) that ply the sky searching for signature odors.
adminMany coastal areas and harbors go almost unprotected against acts of terror. Soon a new sensor system relying on signal echoes from cell towers can quickly detect even the smallest of attack boats. This mobile radio passive radar can also help airplanes avoid colliding with wind turbines.
