Products of Tomorrow

Copper Nanoflowers

A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a practical way to make hydrocarbons — molecules made of carbon and hydrogen — powered solely by the sun. The device they developed combines a light absorbing ‘leaf’ made from a high-efficiency solar cell material called perovskite, with a copper nanoflower catalyst, to convert carbon dioxide into useful molecules. Unlike most metal catalysts, which can only convert CO₂ into single-carbon molecules, the copper flowers enable the formation of more complex hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, such as ethane and ethylene — key building blocks for liquid fuels, chemicals, and plastics. The team envisions applying their platform to even more complex organic reactions, opening doors for innovation in sustainable chemical production. With continued improvements, this research could accelerate the transition to a circular, carbon-neutral economy.

Contact: Sarah Collins
+44 (0)753-311-5249
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Drone Detection

Traditional radar systems are powerful but cannot effectively detect low-flying aircraft below 400 feet. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has some regulations to manage small, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones, tracking and safety can be problematic — especially in congested or restricted airspaces. Researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) may have the solution. Using a network of small, low-cost radars, Engineering Professor Cammy Peterson and her colleagues have built an air traffic control system for drones that can effectively and accurately track anything in an identified low-altitude airspace. The small radars could potentially be installed on structures such as light posts or cell towers. While the BYU researchers focused on three radars — each able to track a circular airspace about 500 feet across — the technology could be scaled to a broader network with many radars. With the algorithms driving the system, the radar units could be swapped out or more could be added, allowing for different capabilities.

Contact: Todd Hollingshead
801-422-8373
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Infrastructure Reconnaissance

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a robotic system whose primary structural platform, or “orb,” can be injected into a pipe network and perform reconnaissance of piping infrastructure and other interior volumes. When deployed, this technology uses throttled fluid flow from a companion device for passive propulsion. A tethered line facilitates directional control by the orb’s operator, allowing it to navigate through various piping configurations, including 90-degree junctions. This technology was developed to facilitate a cost-effective method to inspect deep underwater oil wells residing under oceanic drilling platforms slated for decommission. Instead of initiating an expensive and environmentally risky operation to perforate the containment system of an underwater oil well to inspect its contents, the orb can be navigated through existing pipe networks to conduct real-time video and sonar investigations.