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Released: 17-Jul-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Feeding Plants to This Algae Could Fuel Your Car
Los Alamos National Laboratory

The research shows that a freshwater production strain of microalgae, Auxenochlorella protothecoides, is capable of directly degrading and utilizing non-food plant substrates, such as switchgrass, for improved cell growth and lipid productivity, useful for boosting the algae’s potential value as a biofuel.

Released: 16-Jul-2018 5:00 AM EDT
Emergency Injuries Soar as Scooter Riders Take Over Sidewalks
Cedars-Sinai

Motorized scooters are making quite the splash in pedestrian-heavy cities from Santa Monica, California, to Washington, D.C. They’re ubiquitous, inexpensive to rent, easy to unload and fun.They’re also dangerous, leaving behind a trail of injured riders and pedestrians, according to a Cedars-Sinai emergency physician.

9-Jul-2018 10:05 AM EDT
New Research Finds About Half of Parents Use Cell Phones While Driving with Young Children in the Car
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

A new study from a team of researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) found that in the previous three months, about half of parents talked on a cell phone while driving when their children between the ages of 4 and 10 were in the car, while one in three read text messages and one in seven used social media.

Released: 9-Jul-2018 10:05 AM EDT
Majority of Drivers Don’t Believe Texting While Driving is Dangerous
Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)

People who text while driving are six times more likely to be involved in a car crash. To combat this problem, more and more states are adopting driving laws that require people to use hands-free devices in the car. Yet a new study shows that many drivers are still willing to take the risk, as ‘fear of missing out’ and separation anxiety keep them from abiding by the law. The study, published in Risk Analysis: An International Journal, reveals that many drivers don’t perceive texting and driving to be dangerous in certain driving scenarios.

Released: 5-Jul-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Formula Quantifies Fatal Hazards To Kids Left In Hot Cars
Texas A&M University

A mathematical model developed by Robert Brown, Texas A&M professor of landscape architecture, was used in a highly publicized study quantifying the time it takes for young children to become dangerously hot when they are accidentally left in the back seat of a sweltering car.

Released: 28-Jun-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Heavy-Duty Emissions Must Be Eliminated to Halt Climate Change, UCI-Led Review Shows
University of California, Irvine

To halt climate change in this century, heavy-duty infrastructure undergirding the world’s major economies must be redesigned – starting now – to ensure no increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. According to a UCI-led review due out Friday in the journal Science, that includes long-haul shipping, airline travel, cement and steel production, and a smoothly operating power grid.

Released: 26-Jun-2018 4:30 PM EDT
Larson Transportation Institute Brings Big Win to Penn State and Mid-Atlantic Universities with USDOT Grant Award
Penn State College of Engineering

Improving the durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure will be the primary focus of a multi-university transportation research program led by Penn State, as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) 2017 Region 3 University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program.

11-Jun-2018 10:30 AM EDT
Warnings to Texting Pedestrians May Not Eliminate Risks, But They Can Help
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

Improving pedestrian safety even in the presence of warnings remains a challenge.

   
Released: 13-Jun-2018 11:05 AM EDT
Rutgers New Jersey Poison Control Experts Available to Discuss Allergy Medication and Drugged Driving
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Rutgers New Jersey Poison Control Experts Available to Discuss Allergy Medication and Drugged Driving

Released: 12-Jun-2018 1:35 PM EDT
Young Drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder May Need More Time to Learn Basic Driving Skills
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

When first learning to drive, young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have more difficulty with basic driving skills compared to those with typical development (TD), reports a study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, the official journal of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Released: 8-Jun-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Researchers Challenge the “Levels of Automation” Framework in Automated Vehicles
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

The widespread push by car, truck, and drone makers toward increasingly automated vehicles has moved faster than technology and faster than legislation.

Released: 6-Jun-2018 3:05 PM EDT
20 Questions With UVA Darden alumnus and Thompson Hospitality President Warren Thompson (MBA ’83)
University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Darden School of Business alumnus Warren Thompson (MBA ’83); the Thompson Hospitality founder, president and chairman runs one of the largest retail food and facilities management firms in the United States.

   
Released: 4-Jun-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Demystifying the future of connected and autonomous vehicles
Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne researchers are deploying advanced modeling and simulation tools to predict the impact of CAVs on energy and mobility in metropolitan areas. Their work, part of a collaborative three-year project, supports DOE’s SMART (Systems and Modeling for Accelerated Research in Transportation) Mobility Consortium.

Released: 4-Jun-2018 8:05 AM EDT
Easter Islanders Used Rope, Ramps to Put Giant Hats on Famous Statues
Binghamton University, State University of New York

The ancient people of Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, were able to move massive stone hats and place them on top of statues with little effort and resources, using a parbuckling technique, according to new research from a collaboration that included investigators from Binghamton University, State University at New York.

Released: 1-Jun-2018 12:05 PM EDT
MTSU establishes new Data Science Institute to tackle emerging field of ‘big data’
Middle Tennessee State University

The new MTSU Data Science Institute officially launched in mid-May with a mission to promote funded interdisciplinary research and develop public and private collaborations around the emerging field of “big data.”

Released: 30-May-2018 10:05 AM EDT
Survey Says: Self Driving Cars Should Reduce Traffic Fatalities by At Least 75 Percent to Stay on the Roads
Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)

The race is on for companies to present their driverless cars to the public, but recent collisions involving autonomous vehicles developed by Uber Technologies Inc. and Tesla Inc. have led consumers to questions whether these vehicles can alleviate traffic issues and increase safety. A new study published in Risk Analysis examined the question “How safe is safe enough for self-driving vehicles (SDVs)?”

Released: 25-May-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Checking the Global Pulse for Electric Vehicles
Argonne National Laboratory

A team of Argonne researchers has reviewed 40 automotive market diffusion models from 16 countries to help determine how many plug-in electric vehicles consumers will buy over the next few decades.

23-May-2018 2:00 PM EDT
High-Volume Recycled Materials for Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure
American Concrete Institute (ACI)

The use of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in new concrete production can minimize the environmental impact associated with the construction industry.

Released: 24-May-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Optimizing Taxi Fleet Size the Subject of Multi-University Research
Cornell University

A study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Senseable City Laboratory – with important input from Steven Strogatz, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell University – offers a network-based solution to size and operate a fleet of taxis.

21-May-2018 1:00 PM EDT
Hot Cars Can Hit Deadly Temperatures in as Little as One Hour
Arizona State University (ASU)

In the journal Temperature, researchers outline how quickly hot cars become fatal for children.

Released: 23-May-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Steel Chips Show Promise at Removing E. Coli From Storm Drain Water
South Dakota State University

Contaminants in storm runoff can negatively impact water quality in rivers and streams, but filtering the water through steel chips may remove 85 to 95 percent of the E. coli.

15-May-2018 4:00 PM EDT
Drug Used to Treat Daytime Sleepiness Does Not Appear To Improve Driving in Those With Sleep Apnea
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

A drug used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness may not improve driving ability in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who cannot tolerate standard therapies, according to new research published online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Released: 15-May-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Cornell, Italy Partnership Shifts Vehicle Intelligence Into High Gear
Cornell University

Cornell University has teamed with the University of Bologna to establish the Cornell-Bologna Center for Vehicle Intelligence, a partnership that merges world-class research with some of the world’s most powerful and elegant automobiles.

Released: 8-May-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Stay Safe, Take the Bus
Universite de Montreal

A Montreal study reveals that people who travel by car are four times more likely to be injured than people who travel by city bus. Buses are safer for cyclists and pedestrians, too.

   
Released: 8-May-2018 8:05 AM EDT
Many Airbnb Venues Lack Basic Safety Protections, New Study Suggests
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Many Airbnb venues in the United States fail to provide the critical carbon monoxide and fire safety protections that are legally required of hotels and motels, suggests new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Released: 2-May-2018 2:05 PM EDT
Self-Driving Cars: WFU Engineering Students Kick the Tires on Safety and Ethics
Wake Forest University

The future of self-driving cars seemed all but inevitable — until a fatal crash in Arizona last month prompted tech companies, automakers and lawmakers to pump the brakes.

   
Released: 1-May-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Be Our Guest! The Hospitality Field Is Booming
California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Office

As tourism continues to grow, the CSU is providing graduates who will thrive in new fields like sustainability and guest experiences.

Released: 1-May-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Stricter FAA Regulations on Pilots Linked to Higher Fares, Fewer Flights
University of California, Irvine

When federal legislators passed a bill in 2010 requiring longer rest periods and more flight training for commercial airline pilots, the goal was to improve passenger safety. But a University of California, Irvine study has found that the regulations had unintended consequences: higher fares and fewer choices for air travelers.

Released: 1-May-2018 11:50 AM EDT
Take Me Home, Country Roads: The Future of Autonomous and Electric Vehicles in Rural Areas
Michigan Technological University

Michigan Tech is one of eight universities competing in the AutoDrive Challenge, a design competition sponsored by SAE International and GM. Teams must convert an electrical vehicle, a Chevy Bolt, into an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle. Their first competition is the end of April 2018 and part of the team was tasked with considering the social, environmental, and economic impacts of the technology.

Released: 25-Apr-2018 10:05 AM EDT
Gayah to Use NSF CAREER Award to Ease Traffic Congestion and Improve Efficiency
Penn State College of Engineering

Vikash Gayah, assistant professor of civil engineering at Penn State, will research urban traffic network dynamics from a network-wide perspective, thanks to a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Career (CAREER) award.

Released: 23-Apr-2018 2:55 PM EDT
How Do You Get Teens to Stop Cellphone Use While Driving? Survey Says, Show Them The Money
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Teens who admit to texting while driving may be convinced to reduce risky cellphone use behind the wheel when presented with financial incentives such as auto-insurance apps that monitor driving behavior, according to a new survey conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). However, while more than 90 percent of teens surveyed said they were willing to give up sending or reading text messages, almost half indicated that they would want to retain some control over phone functions such as music and navigation.

Released: 20-Apr-2018 10:00 AM EDT
Start of Work for the World's Largest Electric Truck
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

The eDumper dump truck is the largest electric vehicle in the world and will be in operation in the quarry from 20 April. In cooperation with industry partners, the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, the NTB Interstaatliche Hochschule für Technik Buchs and Empa have developed the environmentally friendly truck.

Released: 19-Apr-2018 11:05 AM EDT
Smartphone App Successfully Promotes Child Car Seat Safety
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A smartphone app designed to promote proper child car seat use among parents proved effective in a study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Released: 18-Apr-2018 11:05 AM EDT
Police Cars Nearly Twice as Likely to Crash While Responding to Emergencies
University of Iowa

A new study from the University of Iowa shows the importance of drivers pulling over for police cars en route to emergencies. The study finds that police cars are nearly twice as likely to be involved in a traffic accident when they’re in emergency mode than when they are not.

Released: 17-Apr-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Battery’s Hidden Layer Revealed
Argonne National Laboratory

An international team led by Argonne National Laboratory makes breakthrough in understanding the chemistry of the microscopically thin layer that forms between the liquid electrolyte and solid electrode in lithium-ion batteries. The results are being used in improving the layer and better predicting battery lifetime.

Released: 16-Apr-2018 4:55 PM EDT
Civil Engineering Students Awarded Eisenhower Transportation Fellowships
California State University, Fullerton

Many highways and railways are built near natural or manmade slopes or on top of soil conditions, which during an earthquake or rain-induced landslide, could cause major damage to roads and tracks.

Released: 16-Apr-2018 10:05 AM EDT
NSF Award Powers New Technology for Electric Vehicles
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Yue Zhao, assistant professor of electrical engineering, has received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Program to support his research on silicon carbide motor drives.

Released: 12-Apr-2018 11:05 PM EDT
A Heavyweight Solution for Lighter-Weight Combat Vehicles
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed and successfully tested a novel process - called Friction Stir Dovetailing - that joins thick plates of aluminum to steel. The new process will be used to make lighter-weight military vehicles that are more agile and fuel efficient.

Released: 12-Apr-2018 6:05 PM EDT
The Race for Young Scientific Minds
Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne partners with CNH Industrial to test the competitive nature of budding engineers as they design, build and race their own electric cars.

   
Released: 12-Apr-2018 3:55 PM EDT
Study: Hotels Need to Be Home Smart Home
University of Delaware

A new study by the University of Delaware has found that hotels need to be more than a "home away from home" in order to satisfy guests. The survey showed that when it comes to technology, hotels should be competing with their customers' homes, not other hotels.

Released: 12-Apr-2018 6:05 AM EDT
The Fight for Clean Emissions Continues
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

It is exactly 20 years since experts from Empa and VERT published the first test results on diesel particle filters. Today, more than 100 million vehicles worldwide are fitted with such filters. However, a VERT conference held at the Empa Academy revealed why the emission problem is by no means over.

Released: 10-Apr-2018 11:05 AM EDT
After Uber, Tesla Incidents, Can Artificial Intelligence Be Trusted?
Missouri University of Science and Technology

Given the choice of riding in an Uber driven by a human or a self-driving version, which would you choose? Following last month’s fatal crash of a self-driving Uber that took the life of a woman in Tempe, Arizona, and the recent death of a test-driver of a semi-autonomous vehicle being developed by Tesla, peoples’ trust in the technology behind autonomous vehicles may also have taken a hit.

Released: 9-Apr-2018 3:05 PM EDT
CAUSE V Digital Operations Team Responds to Tacoma Train Derailment
Homeland Security's Science And Technology Directorate

Less than a month after S&T provided training to teach volunteers how to distinguish relevant pieces of information amid a squall of tweets, news releases and other items that needed vetting before they could be considered actionable, they used their skills in a real-world emergency.

Released: 5-Apr-2018 12:05 PM EDT
Boeing CEO to Discuss the Future of Space Exploration
Northwestern University

Dennis Muilenburg EVANSTON - Dennis Muilenburg, chairman, president and CEO of The Boeing Company, will discuss the future of space exploration, from traversing deep space and taking our first steps on Mars to the evolving combination of commercial air and commercial space travel, during the 37th Annual William A. Patterson Transportation Lecture on May 2 at Northwestern University.



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