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Bulk metallic glasses material is strong as steel and moldable as plastic

By Damir Beciri
One Comment6 March 2011

jan-schroers-bmgFor decades, materials scientists have been trying to come up with a substance which could be molded into complex shapes with the same ease and low expense as plastic but without sacrificing the strength and durability of metal. A team of researchers from Yale University came up with such material that would cost about the… »

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MIT helps Brazilian waste pickers to use leftover cooking oil as vehicle fuel

By Damir Beciri
One Comment25 February 2011

mit-green-greaseThere are estimated half-million garbage pickers in Brazil, known as catadores, who turn waste into profit by sorting out recyclable items and selling their findings to recycling companies. With help from some MIT students, the catadores have a less-expensive and environmentally friendly option to transport those goods by using recycled cooking oil for their fuel…. »

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NASA researchers reveal various applications of atomic oxygen

By Damir Beciri
One Comment24 February 2011

atomic-oxygen-art-restauration-2A scientific method developed by researchers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center uses atomic oxygen to save and restore works of art that would have been irreparably damaged. It can also completely sterilize surgical implants intended for human bodies, improve glucose monitoring devices for diabetic patients, and texture the surfaces of polymers to invite bone cell… »

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Millimeter scale computing systems could be used to monitor eye pressure

By Damir Beciri
One Comment22 February 2011

u-m-cubic-milimeter-computerNearly invisible millimeter-scale systems could enable computing to be used nearly in everything around us, and the researchers from the University of Michigan (U-M) claim that’s the future of the industry. They point to Bell’s Law, which says there’s a new class of smaller, cheaper computers about every decade. They plan to use their miniature… »

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Wind Explorer wind-powered car traveled across Australia

By Rob Aid
5 Comments16 February 2011

evonik-wind-explorerThe Wind Explorer is a lightweight electrically-, wind- and kite-powered vehicle all in one. It might seem as a concept, but it already exists and it is on its route across the Australian continent. With extreme efficiency, the Wind Explorer combines technologies that are available today, but neither sensibly nor fully utilized. The wind explorer… »

Bionics| Tech»

Skin cell gun sprays stem cells for fast recovery from serious burns

By Damir Beciri
22 Comments6 February 2011

spray-on-skin-gerlachSpray-on skin that could help you heal your skin within several days after a serious burn seems as something we used to see in science fiction, but that technology has been developed worldwide for over 5 years. Compared to other currently available skin regeneration or replacement methods, this method shortens the time needed for generation… »

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Plasmonics with coated nanodomes for thin and affordable solar cells

By Damir Beciri
2 Comments4 February 2011

stanford-plasmonics-imprintsA multidisciplinary team of Stanford engineers led by Mike McGehee, Yi Cui and Mark Brongersma, and joined by Michael Graetzel at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), is developing a new type of thin solar cell that could offer a new direction for the field. They succeeded in harnessing plasmonics – trapping light within… »

Robotics| Tech»

Gesture recognition could be used by surgeons to control a robotic nurse

By Damir Beciri
One Comment4 February 2011

wachs-gesturesDuring surgery, surgeons routinely need to review medical images and records. However, stepping away from the operating table and touching a keyboard and mouse can delay the surgery and increase the risk of spreading infection-causing bacteria. The new approach which solves that problem is a system that uses a camera and specialized algorithms to recognize… »