Senegal put into service one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest solar energy projects Saturday as it pushes to become a regional player in renewables on a continent where the majority remain off-grid. The 20-megawatt Senergy 2 project in Bokhol, close to the Mauritanian border, will serve 160,000 people with electricity, and will contribute to Senegal’s target […]
From Ancient Fossils To Future Cars: Energy-Efficient Batteries From Silicon In Diatomaceous Earth
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering have developed an inexpensive, energy-efficient way to create silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries from the fossilized remains of single-celled algae called diatoms. The research could lead to the development of ultra-high capacity lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and portable electronics. Titled “Carbon-Coated, Diatomite-Derived Nanosilicon […]
Enhancing The Reliability Of Artificial Intelligence
Computers that learn for themselves are with us now. As they become more common in ‘high-stakes’ applications like robotic surgery, terrorism detection and driverless cars, researchers ask what can be done to make sure we can trust them. There would always be a first death in a driverless car and it happened in May 2016. […]
Ultralow Power Transistors Could Function For Years Without A Battery
A newly-developed form of transistor opens up a range of new electronic applications including wearable or implantable devices by drastically reducing the amount of power used. Devices based on this type of ultralow power transistor, developed by engineers at the University of Cambridge, could function for months or even years without a battery by ‘scavenging’ […]
Lithium Ion Battery For Electronic Textiles Grows Back Together After Breaking
Electronics that can be embedded in clothing are a growing trend. However, power sources remain a problem. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, scientists have now introduced thin, flexible, lithium ion batteries with self-healing properties that can be safely worn on the body. Even after completely breaking apart, the battery can grow back together without significant impact […]
Improved Method To Deliver Coolant To Turbine Blades, Make Engines More Efficient
A Purdue technology being developed could provide a more effective way to efficiently deliver coolant to turbine blades in gas turbine engines, one of the most widely used power-generating technologies. The innovation could potentially make engines on a global scale more efficient, safer and environmentally friendlier. Adam Weaver, a Purdue alumnus who earned a master’s […]
Researchers Study Human Reaction To Sharing Control With Driverless Car
The first trials of the Venturer autonomous vehicle project, a Government backed research project, have focused on a critical aspect in the field of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. The ‘handover’, when the control of the car switches from human driver to autonomous mode, is one of the least studied aspects of this developing technology. However, the interaction […]
Traditional Keyboard Sounds Can Be Decoded, Compromising Privacy
If you type on your desktop or laptop computer’s keyboard while participating in a Skype call, you could be vulnerable to electronic eavesdropping, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine and in Italy. In a new study published online at arXiv, they describe a security breach whereby keystroke sounds, or acoustic emanations, can be recorded […]
Sights Set On Record-Breaking Transmission Speed
Work is at fever pitch at the Microwave Electronics Laboratory at MC2. Their goal? To find solutions for high-speed wireless communication. “We’re aiming for record speed in the field,” says Professor Herbert Zirath, head of the research team. The information society is well and truly here. Transmission speeds continue to increase, with no end in […]
NREL To Lead One Exascale Computing Project, Support Three Others
Scientists at the Energy Department’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will lead an effort to model the complex and turbulent flow of wind through large wind plants as part of DOE’s Exascale Computing Project (ECP), which is gearing up U.S. computational capabilities to prepare for the next generation of supercomputers. NREL will also provide […]