Stories
44
127
0
210
30
Blog: Energy
A new technology may lead to a more mainstream use of algal biofuels.
Articles: Robotics, Automation & Control
The Create the Future Design Contest, launched in 2002 by the publishers of Tech Briefs magazine, helps stimulate and reward engineering innovation. The annual event has attracted...
5 Ws: Materials
Who
Piezoelectric materials are used in everything from cellphones and wearables, to robotics, energy harvesting, and tactile sensors.
Briefs: Energy
Existing nanosensor technologies depend on an external power source (typically a battery) to operate. Chemical and biological sensors based on nanowire or nanotube technologies exhibit...
Blog: Energy
Don’t hold your breath, says Jeff Crystal from Voltaic Systems.
Briefs: Energy
Today's photovoltaic power systems are generally comprised of a single photovoltaic module or multiple modules connected by combinations of series and parallel circuits as a photovoltaic array. In...
Question of the Week: Energy
Will Stretchable, Printable Solar Cells Catch On?
A Rice University lab is making solar cells that are stretchable, printable, and paintable. Watch the demo on Tech Briefs TV.
This week's Question: Will Stretchable, Printable Solar Cells Catch On?
Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
INSIDER: Energy
In the quest for abundant, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists have sought to harvest the sun’s energy through “water splitting,” an artificial photosynthesis technique...
Articles: Test & Measurement
Internet of Things (IoT) applications — whether for city infrastructures, factories, or wearable devices — use large arrays of sensors collecting data for transmission over the Internet to a central,...
Briefs: Materials
Eagles can store energy in their feet without having to continuously contract their muscles to then jump high or hold on to prey. New materials have been created that can store energy this way. The...
Briefs: Energy
Piezoelectric Resonator with Two Layers
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) filters have advantages in being able to reduce the size, weight, and power required when used as part of electronic systems such as radios; however, MEMS-type filters have limitations. For example, thickness MEMS-type filters (e.g., thickness-extensional mode...
Articles: Energy
ALUMINUM-POWERED ELECTRICITY GENERATION
Aluminum has an incredibly high energy density — double that of gasoline and an order of magnitude greater than lithium-ion....
Facility Focus: Semiconductors & ICs
In 1951, the first nuclear reactor in Idaho was built, starting a legacy at what is now Idaho National Laboratory (INL). INL is the site where 52 pioneering nuclear reactors were designed and...
Briefs: Energy
When hit with light, semiconductors (materials that have an electrical resistance in between that of metals and insulators) generate an electric current....
Blog: Energy
Researchers discovered that an on-and-off kind of thermal regulation is possible if you look to the squid.
INSIDER: Imaging
New solar energy research from Arizona State University demonstrates that silicon-based tandem photovoltaic modules, which convert sunlight to electricity with higher efficiency than...
Articles: Energy
Hybrid solutions that combine small photovoltaic (PV) panels with industrial grade rechargeable Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries provide long-term power for remote wireless...
Briefs: Materials
The measurement of mechanical behavior in very small samples whose dimensions are on the order of microns and below can offer advantages over conventional macroscopic testing in many instances. Motivations for investigating...
Briefs: Imaging
Piezoelectric Thrust Vector Control for Hall Effect Thruster
The design of the CubeSat required precision pointing of the thrust vector through the spacecraft center of gravity to minimize fuel usage for attitude correction. Because the center of gravity shifts over the course of the mission, a means of adjusting the thrust vector was needed....
Q&A: Energy
An international team of university researchers, led by Dr. Taylor, reports solving a major fabrication challenge for perovskite cells — the intriguing potential challengers...
Blog: Energy
By introducing some new ingredients to the flow battery, Stanford University scientists are advancing a new way to store wind and solar electricity.
Briefs: Electronics & Computers
A temperature sensor was developed that runs on 113 picowatts of power — about 10 billion times smaller than a Watt. The technology could enable devices that can be powered by harvesting energy from...
Articles: Materials
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.
Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Following Up: What is the Future of Flexible Solar Cells?
Researcher Jaana Vapaavuori answered an additional question regarding the future of flexible solar cells.
Blog: Energy
Professor Jaana Vapaavuori spoke with Tech Briefs about the manufacturing methods that could someday decrease the cost and increase the lifetime of flexible solar cells.
Briefs: Energy
Power electronics used for routing, control, and conversion of electrical power traditionally utilize silicon semiconductors. These systems tend to be bulky, require active cooling, and are inadequate for...
Articles: Energy
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.
Blog: Energy
Researchers from Purdue University demonstrated that thermoacoustics properties could theoretically occur in solids as well as liquids.
Facility Focus: Medical
This year, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) marks 75 years as a research institution. Located in Oak Ridge, TN, ORNL is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and...
Top Stories
Blog: Design
Aerial Microrobots That Can Match a Bumblebee's Speed
Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping
Revolutionizing the Production of Semiconductor Chips
Blog: Electronics & Computers
Turning Edible Fungi into Organic Memristors
News: Energy
INSIDER: Propulsion
World’s Smallest Programmable, Autonomous Robots
INSIDER: Design
Webcasts
On-Demand Webinars: Energy
Powering America’s EV Future: Connect, Collaborate, Innovate
Upcoming Webinars: Motion Control
Next-Generation Linear and Rotary Stages: When Ultra Precision...
Upcoming Webinars: Power
E/E Architecture Redefined: Building Smarter, Safer, and Scalable...
Upcoming Webinars: Energy
Hydrogen Engines Are Heating Up for Heavy Duty
Upcoming Webinars: Transportation
Advantages of Smart Power Distribution Unit Design for Automotive...
Upcoming Webinars: Automotive
Quiet, Please: NVH Improvement Opportunities in the Early Design...
