Berkeley Lab approach to boost solar cell could lead to more stable, efficient artificial photosystems

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Solar Cells Get Boost with Integration of Water-Splitting Catalyst onto Semiconductor Scientists have found a way to engineer the atomic-scale chemical properties of a water-splitting catalyst for integration with a solar cell, and the result is a big boost to the stability and efficiency of artificial photosynthesis. Led by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the project is described in a paper published this week in the jour...
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Enhancing the Superconducting Properties of an Iron-Based Material

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Scientists pioneer method that enables material to carry more electrical current without resistance at a higher temperature Brookhaven physicist Qiang Li (right) and materials scientist Lijun Wu in an electron microscopy lab in the Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department at Brookhaven Lab. Li and his team used electron microscopes to examine the microstructural defects that appeared in an iron-based superconducting material after the material was bombarded with low-energy pr...
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Green City Solutions has engineered a street installation that uses biotech moss to combat pollution in urban cities

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University of Dresden is supporting the City Tree developers Victor Splittberger and Peter Sänger by using a special programme to research how pollution could be most effectively filtered from the air. The programme can be employed to numerous locations worldwide. The CityTree structure is an amalgamation of sorts: a green, free-standing contraption that’s seemingly part tree sculpture, part park bench and part skate ramp. Its verdant wall stands about 13 feet high, and its square face st...
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OvRcharge wireless charger makes your phone levitate

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By Combining the Induction Charging and Magnetic Levitation we got OvRcharge. A Wireless Levitational Charger, that is not only suspend the device in the mid air and holds its altitude, but also charge and rotate it as well. OvRcharge stops charging the phone when battery is full. https://youtu.be/lkhpMpurpSI Equally fascinating is a newly surfaced wireless phone charger that causes your smartphone to levitate above the charging base: OvRcharge. The device is being funded on the crowdfundi...
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Smarter Self-assembly Opens New Pathways for Nanotechnology

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Brookhaven Lab scientists discover a way to create billionth-of-a-meter structures that snap together in complex patterns with unprecedented efficiency To continue advancing, next-generation electronic devices must fully exploit the nanoscale, where materials span just billionths of a meter. But balancing complexity, precision, and manufacturing scalability on such fantastically small scales is inevitably difficult. Fortunately, some nanomaterials can be coaxed into snapping themselves into des...
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27th annual National Science Bowl® (NSB), hosted by the Energy Department’s Office of Science

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Teams of high school and middle school students across the country can now register to compete in the 27th annual National Science Bowl® (NSB), hosted by the Energy Department's Office of Science. Thousands of students compete in the contest annually and it has grown into one of the largest academic math and science competitions in the country. High school and middle school teams nationwide can now sign up to compete in one of the nation’s most prestigious and largest academic science competiti...
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3D-printed permanent magnets outperform conventional versions, conserve rare materials

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Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated that permanent magnets produced by additive manufacturing can outperform bonded magnets made using traditional techniques while conserving critical materials. This isotropic, neodymium-iron-boron bonded permanent magnet was 3D-printed at DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Scientists fabricated isotropic, near-net-shape, neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) bonded magnets ...
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Vacuum-Operated Auto Retractable Safety Syringe that retract the used needle into the barrel of the syringe

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Vacuum-Operated Auto Retractable Safety Syringe - 2010 Award Winner The purpose of this safety syringe is to prevent needle stick injuries. The Vacuumed Auto Retractable Safety Syringe is a patented disposable syringe that is designed for one-handed operation and incorporates vacuum-operated automatic retractable technology. It is the ONLY Syringe that uses vacuum force (instead of spring) to retract the used needle into the barrel of the syringe after an injection is administered. Th...
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Northwestern Longitudinal Study Links Air Pollution With Cardiovascular Disease Risk

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An increased concentration of air pollution within metropolitan areas is associated with progression in coronary calcification and with acceleration of atherosclerosis, according to a study published in The Lancet. In the prospective, 10-year cohort study, Northwestern Medicine scientists and collaborators at other institutions repeatedly measured coronary artery calcium by CT scan in 6,795 participants aged 45 to 84 years, who were enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Ai...
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PIEZO1 Sensor for blood flow discovered in blood vessels

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Physical forces like blood pressure and the shear stress of flowing blood are important parameters for the tension of blood vessels. Scientists have been looking for a measurement sensor for many years that enables the translation of mechanical stimuli into a molecular response, which then regulates the tension in blood vessels. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now discovered just such a sensor in the inner layer of the blood vessel wall: t...
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NASA Smart Metal Research

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Shape-memory alloy (SMA, smart metal, memory metal, memory alloy, muscle wire, smart alloy) is an alloy that "remembers" its original shape and that when deformed returns to its pre-deformed shape when heated. This material is a lightweight, solid-state alternative to conventional actuators such as hydraulic, pneumatic, and motor-based systems. Shape-memory alloys have applications in robotics and automotive, aerospace and biomedical industries https://youtu.be/nK-hjDdXYyU   NASA G...
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BioTrace Medical has received FDA clearance for Tempo cardiac pacing lead

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BioTrace Medical, Inc. today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the company’s Tempo® Lead, an innovative temporary pacing lead designed for use in procedures in which temporary pacing is indicated, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and electrophysiology (EP) procedures. BioTrace Medical’s Tempo® Lead incorporates innovations designed for secure and stable cardiac pacing with the goal of reducing complications and allowing patients to a...
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Mouse experiments with Zika antibody suggest protection for fetuses

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In early studies on mice, a research team has found a Zika virus antibody that when given to pregnant animals protected their fetuses, and also protected adult mice from the disease. The findings raise hope for a potential treatment to prevent maternal-fetal transmission of the virus to prevent microcephaly and other devastating birth defects until a vaccine is available and also may help guide vaccine development. The team, based at Washington University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt Uni...
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Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a process to turn carbon dioxide into fuel and alcohol

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In a new twist to waste-to-fuel technology, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an electrochemical process that uses tiny spikes of carbon and copper to turn carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into ethanol. Their finding, which involves nanofabrication and catalysis science, was serendipitous. ORNL’s Yang Song (seated), Dale Hensley (standing left) and Adam Rondinone examine a carbon nanospike sample with a scanning electron microscope. “We disc...
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SlicePlanner new hybrid approach to planning, combining an old-fashioned paper and digital calendars.

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SlicePlanner is a brand new hybrid approach to planning, combining an old-fashioned paper ... our unique system complements your favorite digital calendars. Slice Planner is the first ever paper planner connected to the digital calendars. It is not only an old-fashioned paper planner refreshed by the technology of 2016 but also a specially-designed time management system that presents a new approach to planning your day and time. Powered by computer vision and augmented reality, our unique...
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Collaborative Robots

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A cobot or co-robot (from collaborative robot) is a robot intended to physically interact with humans in a shared workspace.[3] This is in contrast with other robots, designed to operate autonomously or with limited guidance, which is what most industrial robots were up until the decade No area of industrial robotics has attracted more fanfare than human-robot collaboration. You can’t deny the compelling nature of collaborative robots. They have an innate ability to both fascinate and empower...
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Cardiocity limited has developed ‘RhythmPad’ that screens hypertension through simple hand placement.

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Lancaster (UK) based Cardiocity Limited have developed their second variant of the RhythmPad product range to successfully screen from Hypertension through simple hand placement. The RhythmPadGP is a simple USB connected lead1 and 6 lead screening tool. In under 30 seconds the subject’s lead1 and 6 lead ECG may be obtained and analysed giving instant outputs ranging from Sinus Rhythm to Atrial Fibrillation through to Right Bundle Branch Block. The RhythmPadGP makes screening for cardia...
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Arterys 4D Blood Flow MRI Imaging System Cleared by FDA

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Arterys, a pioneer in cloud-based medical imaging software, announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Arterys Software. This clearance allows the Arterys product to be used in clinical settings for the quantification of cardiac flow, which includes 4D flow and 2D Phase Contrast workflows, and cardiac function measurements. The product seamlessly integrates into clinical practice to provide comprehensive, simple and quick Cardiac MR i...
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Fraunhofer researchers are developing 3D printed bespoke insoles for diabetes patients

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The importance of foot comfort cannot be overstated, especially for those suffering from conditions such as diabetes. That is, while ordinary discomfort in shoes can be frustrating to anyone, it can actually be dangerous for those with diabetes, as atrophied nerve endings in the foot caused by the disease can dull or eliminate the sensation of pain, which can in turn result in serious foot injuries or wounds. Custom padded insoles have been an important part in curbing this problem, though un...
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TransEnterix Completes Successful Pre-Clinical Robotic Surgical Procedures

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TransEnterix Completes Successful Pre-Clinical Robotic Surgical Procedures; Management Affirms FDA Timeline A medical device company that is pioneering the use of robotics and flexible instruments to improve minimally invasive surgery, today announced the successful completion of four general surgery and urology procedures using its SurgiBot system patient-side robotic surgery system. Management also stated that the preparation of its FDA 510(k) filing is proceeding as planned, and affi...
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Universities of Lisbon (Portugal) and Uppsala (Sweden) research found frog and toad larvae become vegetarian when it is hot

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Climate change is currently one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, and one of the groups of animals most affected by the increase in temperature is amphibians. A team of scientists with Spanish participants studied how heat waves affect the dietary choices of three species of amphibian found on the Iberian Peninsula: the European tree frog, the Mediterranean tree frog and the Iberian painted frog. Global warming is causing not only a general increase in temperatures, but also an increas...
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The onion, a natural alternative to artificial preservatives

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Protection of food from microbial or chemical deterioration has traditionally been an important concern in the food industry. Chemically synthesised preservatives have been classically used to decrease both microbial spoiling and oxidative deterioration of food. However, in recent years, consumers are demanding partial or complete substitution of chemically synthesised preservatives due to their possible adverse health effects. This fact has lead to an increasing interest in developing more “...
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BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY -Sunshine matters a lot to mental health.

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Sunshine matters. A lot. The idea isn't exactly new, but according to a recent BYU study, when it comes to your mental and emotional health, the amount of time between sunrise and sunset is the weather variable that matters most. Your day might be filled with irritatingly hot temperatures, thick air pollution and maybe even pockets of rainclouds, but that won't necessarily get you down. If you're able to soak up enough sun, your level of emotional distress should remain stable. Take away sun ...
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Berkeley Lab scientists have identified ‘How our cells keep errors in the transporting genetic information in cells process in check’

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Mistakes happen. This is the case in the process of transporting genetic information in cells. How our cells keep errors in this process in check is the subject of a new paper by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). They found that RNA-binding proteins are regulated such that gateway proteins can recognize and block aberrant strands of genetic code from exiting the nucleus. Unused messenger RNA (mRNA) strands that cannot exit the ...
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New Opportunities for Small Businesses to Partner with Berkeley Lab

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Small businesses in the clean-energy sector have another opportunity to submit Requests for Assistance (RFA) for technical assistance from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) labs through the Small Business Vouchers (SBV) Pilot. “The SBV pilot is a solution for small businesses to access the world-renowned expertise and instrumentation at Berkeley Lab and other DOE labs to help scale up their new clean technologies,” said Ramamoorthy ...
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Electric current at record speed

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By using ultrafast laser flashes, Max Planck scientists have generated the fastest electric current that has ever been measured inside a solid material In the field of electronics, the principle 'the smaller, the better' applies. Some building blocks of computers or mobile phones, however, have become nearly as small today as only a few atoms. It is therefore hardly possible to reduce them any further. Light pulses generate Multi-PHz electric current in bulk solids. The emitted extre...
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Researchers from the Max Planck Institute have ddiscovered that light transmitted from the shoot to the roots activates photoreceptors in the roots and triggers light-dependent growth responses in plants

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Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, and Seoul National University, South Korea, were able to show for the first time that roots react directly to light which is transmitted from the shoot to the underground parts of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Roots can thus effectively adapt plant growth to the light conditions in the environment. (Science Signaling, November 2016, DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aaf6530). Light is not only a source of energ...
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GEORGETOWN RESEARCHERS STUDY REAL TIME CANCER INVASION

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A research team at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center has described the steps, in both written and video format, that allow cancer investigators to track, in real time, cancer cell invasion and metastasis in transparent zebrafish embryos. Using these fish models, researchers can find answers to cancer questions in one to three days instead of months for the typical mouse model. Because of this rapidity and the ability to image cancer movement in blood, investigators say the use o...
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University of California San Diego Engineers Have Developed New Magnetic Ink to Print Self-Healing Devices That Heal in Record Time

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A team of engineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a magnetic ink that can be used to make self-healing batteries, electrochemical sensors and wearable, textile-based electrical circuits. The key ingredient for the ink is microparticles oriented in a certain configuration by a magnetic field. Because of the way they’re oriented, particles on both sides of a tear are magnetically attracted to one another, causing a device printed with the ink to heal itself. The device...
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MIT researchers and their colleagues are designing an imaging system that can read closed books.

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New computational imaging method identifies letters printed on first nine pages of a stack of paper. MIT researchers and their colleagues are designing an imaging system that can read closed books. In the latest issue of Nature Communications, the researchers describe a prototype of the system, which they tested on a stack of papers, each with one letter printed on it. The system was able to correctly identify the letters on the top nine sheets. “The Metropolitan Museum in New York show...
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