Category: Engineering

New Futuristic Fabrics to Keep Cool Engineering New Technologies 

New Futuristic Fabrics to Keep Cool

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By Katherine Lindemann Inspired by lithium batteries and kitchen plastic wrap, engineers at Stanford University have developed a plastic material that helps the body radiate heat, lowering skin temperature and cooling the wearer. To be suitable for clothing, the material is flexible and—importantly—opaque. The teams are now working on a woven version of the textile. Po-Chun Hsu contributed to the research as a member of the Yi Cui research group. We asked him to tell us more. ResearchGate: Where did the idea for this material come from? Po-Chun Hsu: The…

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graphene Engineering New Technologies 

Moth Eyes Inspire Graphene-Based Smart Tech

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Look into the eyes of moths and see the future. The future of smart gadgets, that is. Moths’ eyes are the latest inspiration for thin solar material. Researchers from the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute say that new, ultra-thin, patterned graphene sheets will be essential in designing “smart wallpaper” and other future technologies. Graphene is traditionally an excellent electronic material, as the graphene-based microphone demonstrates, but it is inefficient for optical applications. It usually absorbs only 2 or 3 percent of the light that lands on it. That’s not…

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conductive concrete Engineering Physics 

Conductive Concrete May End Flight Delays

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By Emily Rhode @riseandsci Every year, thousands of flights are delayed and thousands of car accidents happen due to snowstorms and icy road conditions. Millions of dollars are spent each year plowing and de-icing runways, tarmacs, roadways, and bridges. Salt and plowing cause damage to roadways and waterways, and shoveling heavy snow causes injuries and deaths. Flight Delays (and Snow Days) Could be Things of the Past, Thanks to Science The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is very interested in a special type of conductive concrete made by researchers at the…

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tiny house, off-grid living, Nice Architects Engineering Environment New Technologies 

Egg-Shaped Tiny House to Revolutionize Off-Grid Living

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By Jonathan Trinastic If you spot Nice Architects’ Ecocapsule while hiking through the woods or turning the corner from your campsite, you may think you’ve come upon an alien spacecraft or advanced military technology. Deep blue solar cells pattern its sleek surface, glistening in the sun. A curving wind turbine stretches toward the sky. This lustrous, egg-shaped capsule is no military secret, but could be a revolutionary solution to self-sufficient housing powered by renewable energy. A Tiny Friend of the Earth Surprise is usually the first reaction to the Ecocapsule’s…

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Batteries: Image: MotorBlog.com Engineering New Technologies Physics 

Small Step for Batteries, Giant Leap for Electric Cars

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By Jonathan Trinastic @jptrinastic Solving the Silicon Swelling Problem in Batteries The dream of an electric transportation revolution—recharging stations dotting rural highways, noiseless sedans gliding across pavement—lives in the minds of many who hope to move beyond oil dependence. But the reality of this transformation will elude us until battery technology improves. Expensive and overweight, current lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology cannot support long car trips and would require lower costs to be commercially viable. Now, the ignition for such a revolution may be arriving in the form of silicon. New…

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Peggy Matson, Electrical Engineer Engineering Science Videos 

This Electrical Engineer Invents the Future

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By Chantal Brine With several patents to her name, electrical engineer Peggy Matson loves her work, and loves inventing the future. In this interviews, she explains what she enjoys most about her career, and what you can do to head toward your own career in electrical engineering. Women in Tech, Women in Action Techsploration’s Women In Action series delivers a quick overview of over forty careers in sciences, technology, trades, and engineering. The series features short clips of various female role models who share “the best thing” about their careers. The series…

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Women in STEM Careers, Women in Action Engineering Get to Know a Scientist Science Videos 

Women in STEM Careers, Women in Action

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By Chantal Brine We have teamed up with Techsploration to bring you the Women in Action video series featuring women working in STEM careers. In this, the first video of many, meet hydrogeologist Nora Donald and learn about the important work she does. Techsploration’s Women In Action series delivers a quick overview of over forty careers in sciences, technology, trades, and engineering. The series features short clips of various female role models who share “the best thing” about their careers. The series introduces young women to careers in which females…

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