Tech Xplore news
Tech Xplore / Proof-of-concept nanogenerator turns CO₂ into sustainable power
University of Queensland researchers have built a generator that absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) to make electricity.
Tech Xplore / Using sim-to-real reinforcement learning to train robots to do simple tasks in broad environments
A team of roboticists at the University of California, Berkeley, reports that it is possible to train robots to do relatively simple tasks by using sim-to-real reinforcement learning to train them. In their study, published ...
Tech Xplore / Mess is best: Disordered structure of battery-like devices improves performance
The energy density of supercapacitors—battery-like devices that can charge in seconds or a few minutes—can be improved by increasing the 'messiness' of their internal structure.
Tech Xplore / An ink for 3D-printing flexible devices without mechanical joints
EPFL researchers are targeting the next generation of soft actuators and robots with an elastomer-based ink for 3D printing objects with locally changing mechanical properties, eliminating the need for cumbersome mechanical ...
Tech Xplore / For more open and equitable public discussions on social media, try 'meronymity'
Have you ever felt reluctant to share ideas during a meeting because you feared judgment from senior colleagues? You're not alone. Research has shown this pervasive issue can lead to a lack of diversity in public discourse, ...
Tech Xplore / Engineers design spider-like robot that may be used to explore caves on Mars
A team of roboticists and mechanical and aeronautical engineers at Stanford University has developed a spider-like robot for possible use in exploring caves or lava tubes on Mars. In their paper published in the journal Science ...
Tech Xplore / Garbage could replace a quarter of petroleum-based jet fuel every year
Every year, the nation's aviation industry uses around 22 billion gallons of jet fuel, which produces about 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide—or 3% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. Because of this, researchers and ...
Tech Xplore / Harvesting vibrational energy from 'colored noise'
The energy demands of today's ubiquitous small electronic devices—including sensors, data transmitters, medical implants and 'wearable' consumer products such as Fitbits—can no longer be met by chemical batteries alone. ...
Tech Xplore / Octopus inspires new suction mechanism for robots
A new robotic suction cup that can grasp rough, curved and heavy stone, has been developed by scientists at the University of Bristol. The team, based at Bristol Robotics Laboratory, studied the structures of octopus biological ...
Tech Xplore / Floating solar's potential to support sustainable development
A study, published in Nature Energy, is among the first to explore the floating photovoltaics (FPV) at the continental scale, finding that FPV installed at existing major reservoirs could produce 20–100% of the electricity ...
Tech Xplore / New understanding of energy losses in emerging light source
The light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) can be fabricated in a sustainable and cost-effective way on both rigid and flexible surfaces making it suitable for a broad range of applications, like illumination, health care, ...
Tech Xplore / Team develops a way to teach a computer to type like a human
An entirely new predictive typing model can simulate different kinds of users, helping reveal ways to optimize how we use our phones. Developed by researchers at Aalto University, the new model captures the difference between ...