Products of Tomorrow

This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.

Ultra-Tiny Spectrometer

Researchers in the field of optical spectrometry have created a better instrument for measuring light. This advancement could improve everything from smartphone cameras to environmental monitoring. The research involved a comparatively new class of super-thin materials known as two-dimensional semiconductors, and the upshot is a proof of concept for a spectrometer that could be readily incorporated into a variety of technologies — including quality inspection platforms, security sensors, biomedical analyzers, and space telescopes. Traditional spectrometers require bulky optical and mechanical components, whereas the new device could fit on the end of a human hair. The device is 100 percent electrically controllable regarding the colors of light it absorbs, which gives it massive potential for scalability and widespread usability.

Contact: Ethan Minot
541-737-9671
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Inchworm-Inspired Gelbot

A new gelatinous robot that crawls, powered by nothing more than temperature change and clever design, brings “a kind of intelligence” to the field of soft robotics. Water-based gels are one of the most promising materials in the field of soft robotics. Researchers have previously demonstrated that gels that swell or shrink in response to temperature can be used to create smart structures. The Johns Hopkins team demonstrated how swelling and shrinking of gels can be strategically manipulated to move robots forward and backward on flat surfaces, or to essentially have them crawl in certain directions with a wave-like motion. The 3D-printed gelbots would be also easy to mass produce. Future applications include targeted medicine delivery in the human body or as marine robots, patrolling and monitoring the ocean’s surface.

Contact: Jill Rosen
443-997-9906
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Paper-Thin Solar Cell

MIT engineers have developed ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source. These flexible solar cells, which are much thinner than a human hair, are glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, making them easy to install on a fixed surface. They can provide energy on the go as a wearable power fabric or be transported and rapidly deployed in remote locations for assistance in emergencies. They are one-hundredth the weight of conventional solar panels, generate 18 times more power-per-kilogram, and are made from semiconducting inks using printing processes that can be scaled in the future to large-area manufacturing. Because they are so thin and lightweight, these solar cells can be laminated onto many different surfaces. For instance, they could be integrated onto the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea, adhered onto tents and tarps that are deployed in disaster recovery operations, or applied onto the wings of drones to extend their flying range.