Feature Channels: Engineering

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Chula Engineering has come up with an idea to help COVID-19 patients handle the crisis of hospital bed shortage and the overflowing number of patients by providing them with “a survival kit” complete with essential items and guidelines for self-care at home, as well as communication channels with officials while waiting for their beds. This is to help relieve the patients’ anxiety and to enable the community to survive the crisis together.

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The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory announced that accomplished engineer Ruben Fair, has been named head of the ITER Department, heading PPPL's ITER Team, which is focused on the design and fabrication of six diagnostics for the international fusion experiment.

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University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers have invented a cheaper, safer, and simpler technology that will allow a “stubborn” group of metals, such as the Pt-group elements, to be transformed into thin films for various practical applications. The technology has been patented and is receiving interest from industry.

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Argonne and the New York Power Authority are collaborating to determine how the utility’s infrastructure may be affected by extreme weather and other hazards.

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People’s social behavior, reflected in their mobility data, is providing scientists with a way to forecast the spread of COVID-19 nationwide at the county level. Researchers have developed the first data-driven deep learning model with the potential to predict an outbreak in COVID-19 cases two weeks in advance. Feeding the mobility data to epidemiological forecasting models helps to estimate COVID-19 growth as well as evaluating the effects of government policies such as mandating masks on the spread of COVID-19.

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A different kind of design for absorbing vibrations could help better soundproof walls and make vehicles more streamlined, a new study shows.

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LEDs are commonly used for sterilization, and in the continued effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, LEDs can also help inactivate SARS-CoV-2. A team in Pakistan designed far-ultraviolet LEDs at a targeted wavelength of 222 nanometers, chosen both for its ability to inactivate the virus and for being safe on human skin. They based their design on the material aluminum gallium nitride, part of a set of materials called III-nitrides which are efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.

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Achieving Net Zero energy, where the total amount of energy used is equal to the amount of renewable energy created, is closer than ever before, and hydrogen technologies will play an important role in achieving that goal, but needs and gaps need to be addressed before a true hydrogen-powered future can take form. There are many opportunities in the global public and private sectors for research, development, and deployment collaboration.

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Researchers in ACS’ Nano Letters report a proof-of-concept wearable X-ray detector prepared from nontoxic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) layered between flexible plastic and gold electrodes for high-sensitivity sensing and imaging.

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A new study by UD researcher Julie Maresca and her students found that even in a harsh concrete habitat, bacterial communities can survive, thrive and do what all living things do—change. Bacterial communities within concrete could provide early warning of alkali-silica reactions that degrade concrete but are difficult to detect. Typically, these reactions are only recognized when cracks are forming in the concrete. Bacteria may also have the potential to provide “biorepair” of concrete.

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The discovery of new types of defects in 2D materials may lead to the creation of new ultra-compact electronic devices.

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The Advanced Photon Source allows an intricate view of everything from proteins to nuclear fuel. With a planned upgrade, it will become even more powerful.

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New research paves the way to a systematic way to design quantum algorithms that outperform conventional algorithms. The research involves logic gates, the fundamental building blocks of conventional digital computing and quantum computing systems. This new research is the first attempt to determine the number of logic gates that quantum states need to process information.

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With the recent announcement of the RegeneratOR Test Bed to support regenerative medicine start up companies, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and the RegenMed Development Organization (RemDO) are embarking on the next step – to help create the future workforce.

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The technology of stabilizing concrete structures with carbon fiber-reinforced polymers, thus helping them to last longer, was developed decades ago; among others at Empa. Today, researchers in Dübendorf are working on a new variant with prestressed lamellas – with good prospects for practical application.

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To take advantage of the growing abundance and cheaper costs of renewable energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and engineers are 3D printing flow-through electrodes (FTEs), core components of electrochemical reactors used for converting CO2 and other molecules to useful products.

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PPPL physicist Erik Gilson, a long-time Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship mentor, joins U.S. Secretary of Energy Jannifer Grandholm and other mentors and former interns on a panel discussion about the U.S. Department of Energy's internship programs

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Using DNA-based assembly, the Center for Functional Nanomaterials postdoc has assembled functional proteins into ordered lattices and coated nanostructures for drug delivery.

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Medical devices made of bioactive glasses and metals that dissolve at the end of their operational lifespan could replace other types of implants and eliminate the need for invasive removal once they have served their purpose, say researchers at Missouri S&T.The Missouri S&T researchers recently received a patent for their implant.

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In the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a ubiquitous fabrication method used to produce nano- to microscale fibrous meshes that closely resemble native tissue architecture. Alas, the process has traditionally used solvents that not only are environmentally hazardous but also a significant barrier to industrial scale-up, clinical translation, and widespread use. But now, Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have developed a "green electrospinning" process that addresses those challenges, from managing environmental risks of volatile solvent storage and disposal at large volumes to meeting health and safety standards during both fabrication and implementation.

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Ten materials scientists and engineers named as AIME-TMS Anniversary Keynote Speakers. Talks made freely available online.

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Chinmay Hegde, professor of computer science and engineering and electrical and computer engineering at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering is part of a multi-institutional collaboration to pursue foundational advances in artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the resiliency of the nation’s agricultural ecosystem.

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A novel method of characterizing the structural and chemical evolution of silicon and a thin layer that governs battery stability may enable better, cheaper batteries.

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The University of Washington will lead a new artificial intelligence research institute that will focus on fundamental AI and machine learning theory, algorithms and applications for real-time learning and control of complex dynamic systems, which describe chaotic situations where conditions are constantly shifting and hard to predict.

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In the U.S., the place where one is born, one’s social and economic background, the neighborhoods in which one spends one’s formative years, and where one grows old are factors that account for a quarter to 60% of deaths in any given year

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today an investment of $220 million to establish 11 artificial intelligence (AI) institutes, each receiving $20 million over five years. One of these, The Institute for Learning-enabled Optimization at Scale (TILOS), will be led by the University of California San Diego.

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Vipin Chaudhary, chair of computer and data sciences at Case Western Reserve, is co-primary investigator on the new grant announced today by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). He will collaborate with Ohio State computer science and engineering professor Dhabaleshwar Panda, the primary investigator on the project, which will focus on building AI systems for agricultural and wildlife management systems.

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Machine learning can accurately predict cardiovascular disease and guide treatment — but models that incorporate social determinants of health better capture risk and outcomes for diverse groups, finds a new study by researchers at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering and the NYU School of Global Public Health.

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While services such as Snapchat allow self-destructing messages or notify users when a recipient takes a screenshot of a message, there is no way to prevent someone from photographing or showing it to others on the screen. A new invention controls how and when shared documents are displayed and restricts individuals from viewing documents based on individual identity (e.g., face ID, a voice sample), their social network, and when and where the document is being viewed.

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Despite assumptions, dsRNA has traits that make it stand apart from the more common single-stranded RNA. The finding has implications for a range of fields

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As part of the American-Made Geothermal Manufacturing Prize competition, a challenge designed to spur innovation and address manufacturing challenges in geothermal environments, associate professor Terence Musho and Berry Chair Emeritus Nigel Clark in West Virginia University's Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, have developed a new airlift approach to optimize current geothermal pump technologies.

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The Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator (BELLA) Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed and tested an innovative optical system to precisely measure and control the position and pointing angle of high-power laser beams with unprecedented accuracy – without interrupting or disturbing the beams. The new system will help users throughout the sciences get the most out of high-power lasers.

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Myocardial infarction, or heart attacks, play a large part in heart diseases and the necrosis of cardiac tissue. In APL Bioengineering, researchers take stock of stem cell-laden 3D-bioprinted cardiac patch technologies and their efficacy as a therapeutic and regenerative approach for ischemic cardiomyopathy in reversing scar formation and promoting myocardial regeneration. They explore types of candidate stem cells that possess cardiac regenerative potential and share updates on the challenging implementation of the state-of-the-art 3D-bioprinting approach.

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New Cornell-led research finds honeybees are skilled architects who plan ahead and solve design challenges when constructing honeycombs, offering strategies that could benefit engineers.

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Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York studied Twitter communications to understand the societal impact of COVID-19 in the United States during the early days of the pandemic.

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The August edition of SLAS Technology features the cover article, “Review of Low-Cost 3D Bioprinters: State of the Market and Observed Future Trends” by Anh Tong, Quang Long Pham, Ph.D., Paul Abatemarco, Austin Mathew, Dhruv Gupta, Siddharth Iyer and Roman Voronov (New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark College of Engineering, Newark, NJ, USA).

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Thermal-imaging sensors that detect and capture images of the heat signatures of human bodies and other objects have recently sprung into use in thermostats to check facial temperatures in a contactless attempt to screen for COVID-19 at several building entrances.

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Researchers have demonstrated a low-cost technique for retrieving nanowires from electronic devices that have reached the end of their utility and then using those nanowires in new devices. The work is a step toward more sustainable electronics.

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The University of Kentucky, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory have announced a five-year, $50 million collaboration directed toward improving manufacturing capabilities in the U.S.

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New technology developed at Aalto University may be the key to true wireless charging. The new transmitter creates power transfer channels in all directions, automatically tuning channels when receiving devices are in motion.

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Researchers at Duke University and Michigan State University used neutrons at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to gain new fundamental insights into two magnesium-based materials. Investigations at the atomic scale revealed the origin and mechanism behind the materials’ ability to convert thermal energy at room temperature into electricity and provides possible new pathways for improving thermoelectric applications such as those in the Perseverance rover and myriad other devices and energy-generation technologies.

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The building sector in the U.S. accounts for 39 percent of energy use, with commercial buildings responsible for about half of that. As cities grapple with climate change, making commercial buildings more efficient is a key part of the solution.

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UC San Diego engineers developed a soft, stretchy ultrasound patch that can be worn on the skin to monitor blood flow through vessels deep inside the body. Such a device can make it easier to detect cardiovascular problems, like blockages in the arteries that could lead to strokes or heart attacks.

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To be useful, drones need to be quick. Because of their limited battery life they must complete whatever task they have - searching for survivors on a disaster site, inspecting a building, delivering cargo - in the shortest possible time.

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The conversation around autonomous cars often begs safety questions, much like it does around racecars.

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Chula’s Faculty of Engineering joins hands with PTT to develop a 2 in1 face mask, an innovation that protects against PM2.5 dust particles and COVID-19 virus that can be reused more than 15 times, helps reduce waste, is pollution-free, and will be available for sale soon.

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Exoskeletons – wearable devices used by workers on assembly lines or in warehouses to alleviate stress on their lower backs – may compete with valuable resources in the brain while people work, canceling out the physical benefits of wearing them, a new study suggests.

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Researchers at Cornell have developed nanostructures that enable record-breaking conversion of laser pulses into high-harmonic generation, paving the way for new scientific tools for high-resolution imaging.

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.An international team of researchers led by Georgia Tech is combining soft scalp electronics and virtual reality in a brain-interface system, recently published in Advanced Science.

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The team responsible for managing the Exascale Class Computing Cooling Equipment (ECCCE) project at Los Alamos National Laboratory was recognized by the Secretary of Energy with an Achievement Award last week. Construction of the project was completed last year, 10 months early and $20 million under budget.