Researchers have now demonstrated the ability to create amorphous metal, or metallic glass, alloys using three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology, opening the door to a variety of applications – such as more efficient electric motors, better wear-resistant materials, higher strength materials, and lighter weight structures. “Metallic glasses lack the crystalline structures of most metals – the […]
4D Laser Printing: Holograms & Beyond
In 2010, Michael Escuti received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study and make novel hologram technologies. He created a tool that did much more. The technology is a new way to manipulate light, with applications from studying alien worlds to making cellphones more energy efficient. “Not long after we received the NSF […]
Dogs, technology & the future of disaster response
Imagine a team of humans, dogs, robots and drones swooping onto the scene in the aftermath of a disaster and working together to find and rescue anyone trapped in collapsed buildings. That’s the goal of a team of researchers from around the United States working on what they call the Smart Emergency Response System (SERS). […]
Game Developers Say Success Hinges on more than just Programming Skills
Aspiring game developers may want to bone up on their interpersonal skills. A forthcoming study from North Carolina State University and Microsoft Research finds that game developers need a suite of non-programming skills – including communication skills – that are considered less important in other fields of software development. “We wanted to evaluate which skills […]
New Technique Makes LEDs Brighter, More Resilient
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new processing technique that makes light emitting diodes (LEDs) brighter and more resilient by coating the semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) with a layer of phosphorus-derived acid. “By coating polar GaN with a self-assembling layer of phosphonic groups, we were able to increase luminescence without increasing […]
Superabsorbing Design May Lower Manufacturing Cost of Thin Film Solar Cells
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a “superabsorbing” design that may significantly improve the light absorption efficiency of thin film solar cells and drive down manufacturing costs. The superabsorbing design could decrease the thickness of the semiconductor materials used in thin film solar cells by more than one order of magnitude without compromising […]