Researchers from North Carolina State University are rolling out a new manufacturing process and chip design for silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, which can be used to more efficiently regulate power in technologies that use electronics. The process – called PRESiCE – was developed with support from the PowerAmerica Institute funded by the Department of […]
Microbot Origami Can Capture, Transport Single Cells
Researchers at North Carolina State University and Duke University have developed a way to assemble and pre-program tiny structures made from microscopic cubes — “microbot origami” — to change their shape when actuated by a magnetic field and then, using the magnetic energy from their environment, perform a variety of tasks — including capturing and […]
‘Smart’ Transformers Could Make Reliable Smart Grid A Reality
A new study using complex computational models finds that smart solid-state transformers (SSTs) could be used to make a stable, reliable “smart grid” – allowing the power distribution system to route renewable energy from homes and businesses into the power grid. The idea of a smart grid that can handle power flows not just from […]
New Design Improves Performance Of Flexible Wearable Electronics
In a proof-of-concept study, North Carolina State University engineers have designed a flexible thermoelectric energy harvester that has the potential to rival the effectiveness of existing power wearable electronic devices using body heat as the only source of energy. Wearable devices used to monitor a variety of health and environmental measures are becoming increasingly popular. […]
New Sound Diffuser is 10 Times Thinner than Existing Designs
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Nanjing University have developed an “ultra-thin” sound diffuser that is 10 times thinner than the widely used diffusers found in recording studios, concert venues and movie theaters to reduce echoes and improve the quality of sound. The new design uses less material, which would reduce cost, as well […]
Researchers Find New Way to Control Light with Electric Fields
Researchers from North Carolina State University have discovered a technique for controlling light with electric fields. “Our method is similar to the technique used to provide the computing capabilities of computers,” says Linyou Cao, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and corresponding author of a paper on the work. “In […]
Study Finds Gender Bias In Open-Source Programming
A study comparing acceptance rates of contributions from men and women in an open-source software community finds that, overall, women’s contributions tend to be accepted more often than men’s – but when a woman’s gender is identifiable, they are rejected more often. “There are a number of questions and concerns related to gender bias in […]
Thin Layers Of Water Hold Promise For The Energy Storage Of The Future
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that a material which incorporates atomically thin layers of water is able to store and deliver energy much more quickly than the same material that doesn’t include the water layers. The finding raises some interesting questions about the behavior of liquids when confined at this scale and […]
Researchers Develop Wearable, Low-Cost Sensor to Measure Skin Hydration
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a wearable, wireless sensor that can monitor a person’s skin hydration for use in applications that need to detect dehydration before it poses a health problem. The device is lightweight, flexible and stretchable and has already been incorporated into prototype devices that can be worn on the […]
Tech Would Use Drones And Insect Biobots To Map Disaster Areas
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a combination of software and hardware that will allow them to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and insect cyborgs, or biobots, to map large, unfamiliar areas – such as collapsed buildings after a disaster. “The idea would be to release a swarm of sensor-equipped biobots – such […]