All articles tagged with #industrial applications
A Chinese team has developed a revolutionary heat pump that exceeds the traditional 200°C limit, reaching 270°C with a 145°C heat source, enabling more efficient industrial heating using modest energy sources like solar power, potentially transforming sectors such as metallurgy and chemical manufacturing.
Robotera's L7 humanoid robot is the fastest of its kind, reaching speeds of 9 mph, with advanced dexterity and strength, capable of performing complex industrial and entertainment tasks, signaling significant progress in humanoid robotics and potential for diverse applications.
Researchers at SUNY Polytechnic Institute have demonstrated that superlubricity, a state of near-zero friction, can be achieved at the macroscale using carbon coatings derived from biowaste. This breakthrough has significant implications for various industries, including automotive, manufacturing, and electronics, by improving fuel efficiency, reducing wear and tear, and lowering maintenance costs. The study, published in Applied Materials Today, highlights the potential for these coatings to create a more sustainable industrial future.
Scientists have developed an algorithm to rationally engineer enzymes by considering their evolutionary history, significantly improving their performance and stability. This method, demonstrated on the enzyme beta-lactamase, could have wide-ranging industrial applications, from food production to healthcare.
Researchers have developed a new model to predict the behavior of non-Newtonian fluids, such as blood and cornstarch mixtures, which exhibit unique properties like elastic turbulence. This advancement could have significant industrial applications, including optimizing the flow of slurries and biological solutions. The study, led by Marco Rosti at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, reveals that elastic turbulence in non-Newtonian fluids shares similarities with classical turbulence in Newtonian fluids, offering new insights into fluid dynamics.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have developed a new, cost-effective method for extracting oxygen from waste materials using hexagonal manganites. This method is more energy-efficient and operates at lower temperatures than traditional techniques, potentially revolutionizing industries and medical sectors that require high volumes of oxygen. The new materials can be produced in bulk, making them practical for large-scale applications and offering significant cost and environmental benefits.
Generative AI and numerical AI are converging to create an end-to-end AI approach that allows for highly interactive verbal inquiries, resembling conversations with expert engineers. This approach has immense productivity and time-saving implications, particularly in industrial settings, and offers applications across various manufacturing industries. It requires greater collaboration between operational technology and information technology teams to rationalize data and design an architecture that enables seamless data flow between the two worlds.
Researchers at Aalto University have developed a new optical metamaterial leveraging the nonreciprocal magnetoelectric effect, which allows for the creation of true one-way glass. This metamaterial, published in Nature Communications, can be fabricated using existing technology and conventional materials, unlike previous approaches. The potential applications of this technology include creating windows that provide one-way visibility regardless of external brightness, as well as improving the efficiency of solar cells by blocking thermal emissions.
AMD has unveiled their new Embedded+ architecture, which combines Ryzen Embedded processors with Versal adaptive SoCs onto a single board, targeting industries such as automotive, healthcare, and industrial automation. The platform offers compatibility with various sensor types and interfaces, supporting AI inferencing and real-time sensor data management. AMD also announced the availability of the Sapphire VPR-4616-MB platform, featuring a compact Mini-ITX form factor motherboard leveraging the AMD Versal AI Edge 2302 SoC combined with an AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 processor, along with expansion boards broadening support for the Embedded+ architecture in edge and industrial scenarios.
Scientists have discovered a near unbreakable substance called carbon nitrides that rivals diamond as the hardest material on Earth. By subjecting carbon and nitrogen precursors to extreme heat and pressure, researchers were able to synthesize carbon nitrides with exceptional properties, including high resistance to heat. These materials have potential applications in various industries, such as protective coatings, cutting tools, solar panels, and photodetectors. The discovery opens up new possibilities for engineering materials and bridges the gap between high-pressure materials synthesis and industrial applications.
Researchers at Aalto University have developed the most water-repellent surface ever created, challenging existing ideas about friction. The surface, known as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), is assembled at the molecular level and exhibits liquid-like properties. It has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including de-icing techniques, maritime technologies, space exploration, and cookware. The researchers found that water flows freely between the SAM molecules at low coverage, sliding off the surface, while at high coverage, the water stays on top and slides off easily. The discovery opens up numerous possibilities for applications such as heat transfer, anti-fogging, microfluidics, and self-cleaning surfaces. The team is working on improving the durability of the ultra-thin layers for practical use.
Scientists in Finland have developed the world's most water-resistant surface by creating solid silicon surfaces with a "liquid-like" outer layer that repels water, making droplets slide off with unprecedented efficacy. This breakthrough could revolutionize various industries, including plumbing, shipping, and the auto industry. The discovery challenges existing ideas about friction between solid surfaces and water, opening new avenues for studying slipperiness at the molecular level. The researchers plan to further improve the self-assembled monolayer and explore its potential applications in heat transfer, microfluidics, and creating self-cleaning surfaces.
Nuclear fusion company SHINE Technologies has achieved visible proof of its reaction at work, marking the first instance of this accomplishment in nuclear fusion. As the world seeks cleaner energy sources, nuclear power is gaining favor, and companies like SHINE are focusing on harnessing energy from nuclear fusion. Challenges remain in containing the plasma used for energy generation and achieving higher yields, but SHINE aims to apply this technology in industrial and medical applications to address the energy generation problem.
China's fastest quantum computer, Wukong, is set to launch next month but is still far behind the world's fastest quantum computers, including IBM's Osprey and Google's Bristlecone. Chinese scientists acknowledge the quantum gap with the West, citing China's less advanced industrial foundation and lack of access to high-end chip production equipment. While China is investing heavily in quantum, artificial intelligence, and aerospace technologies, it still has a long way to go to catch up with the US in terms of funds, talents, and equipment. Origin Quantum, a Chinese quantum computing company, is focusing on commercialization and is partnering with Nexchip Semiconductor Corp to produce superconducting chips.
Sulfur has been mined for thousands of years and has been used for a variety of purposes, including fumigation, agriculture, product development, and religious rituals. It has been used to produce gunpowder, medicine, sulfuric acid, and even to tan leather. Sulfur is still mined worldwide for the production of sulfuric acid, which is used in many products including fertilizer, plastic, and detergent. Its versatility and usefulness have been recognized by numerous civilizations throughout history, and its use will only continue to shape our civilization in the future.