Transportation

Active Turbulence Suppression System for Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Vehicles

NASA Ames researchers have developed a novel approach for actively controlling Dutch-roll oscillations of an eVTOL aircraft by using existing outboard propellers to dampen oscillations. This novel technology avoids the need to add hardware or change the design of eVTOL vehicles to address the negative effects of turbulence. Read on to learn more.

Shape Memory Alloy Tubular Structure

Applications include vehicle and aircraft tires, sports helmets, military equipment, and seals and couplings. Read on to learn more.

Testing Real Driverless Cars in a Virtual Environment

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed new software to aid in the development, evaluation, and demonstration of safer autonomous, or driverless, vehicles. Called the Vehicle-in-Virtual-Environment (VVE) method, it allows the testing of driverless cars in a perfectly safe environment.

Laser-Light-Based Accelerometer

The tiny device accurately measures acceleration in smaller navigation systems and other devices.

Vertiport Assessment and Mobility Operations System

It is widely believed that Advanced Air Mobility is poised to have a significant societal impact in the coming years to move people and cargo more rapidly and efficiently.

Soft Mate Lifting Device

This below-the-hook device enables gentle crane placement to decrease the risk of property damage.

Active Flow Control System for Simple-Hinged Flaps

This simple, elegant invention can control flow separation resulting from the high flap deflections required by simple-hinged flap systems making such flaps a viable option for aircraft designers.

Low Separation Force Quick Disconnect Device

A self-aligning, self-healing system for pneumatics and cryogenics with applications in aerospace.

Micro-Supercapacitors Enable Fast Charging

Micro-supercapacitors could revolutionize the way we use batteries by increasing their lifespan and enabling extremely fast charging. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have...

Multi-Material Manufacturing of Molded Composites

Researchers combined additive manufacturing with conventional compression molding to produce high-performance thermoplastic composites reinforced with short carbon fibers. The approach...

Hydropower Technology Swaps Dams with Electric Trucks

In steep mountain regions, the potential for generating electricity from a small stream of water is high, however, the hydropower potential of these regions remains untapped as it...

New Family of Glass for Lens Applications

A new composition of germanosili-cate glass created by adding zinc oxide has properties good for lens applications. The new family of zinc germanosilicate glass has a high refractive index comparable to...

High-Power Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells

Electrification of the transportation sector is critical to future energy and environmental resilience and will require high-power fuel cells (either standalone or in conjunction with batteries) to...

Safe, High-Energy Li-Ion Battery for Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicle batteries typically require a tradeoff between safety and energy density. If the battery has high energy and power density — required for uphill driving or merging on the...

New Printing Process Advances 3D Capabilities

Substances such as plastics, metals, and wax are used in 3D printers to make products and parts for larger items. Products created through the 3D printing of plastics include every-thing from toys...

Developing Lightweight Glass for Efficient Cars and Wind Turbines

All solid materials, including glass, have a property called elastic stiffness — also known as elastic modulus. It's a measure of how much force per unit area is needed to make...

Meringue-Like Material Reduces Aircraft Noise

The low-density, graphene-based aerogel could make aircraft as quiet as a hairdryer.

Camera Captures Images of Interior of Solid Objects

The camera combines lasers, computers, and terahertz waves to see “unseen” details.

Compact 3D LiDAR Imaging System

A silicon chip provides a low-cost solution to help machines see the world clearly.

Safer, Less Expensive, Fast-Charging Aqueous Battery

A new anode for aqueous batteries uses seawater as an electrolyte.

Method Recharges an Electric Car as it Drives

This practical technique uses magnetism to transmit electricity wirelessly to recharge electric cars, robots, or drones.

X-Ray Tomography Lets Researchers Watch Solid-State Batteries Charge and Discharge

The technology could help improve the reliability and performance of lithium-ion batteries.

3D Motion Tracking System for Autonomous Technology

The system could one day replace LiDAR and cameras in automated manufacturing, biomedical imaging, and autonomous driving.

Long-Life Lithium-Metal Battery

The technology could be key to lighter, less expensive, and long-lasting batteries for future electric vehicles.

Built-In Vibration Control to Soundproof Spaces

Vibration-absorbing resonators could better soundproof walls and make vehicles more streamlined.

Abnormal Grain Growth Suppression in Aluminum Alloys

Applications include manufacturing structural components for aerospace vehicles, cars, trucks, trains, ships, and submarines.

Hybrid Membrane Doubles the Lifetime of Rechargeable Batteries

The membrane prevents dendrite formation, at least doubling the lifetime of a lithium-metal battery.