IDTechEx

Smart charging keeps power grid from overloading

Smart charging electric cars with a dynamic price mechanism may play an important part to help keep the power grid from overloading.

Research multiplies the life of rechargeable NiMH batteries

Researchers have developed a method to multiply the lifespan of nickel-metal hydride batteries. This means that the batteries can handle a great many more charging cycles without losing capacity. The new method also means that the batteries can easily be restored once they have begun to wear out, unlike other rechargeable batteries that must be melted down for recycling.

How climate impacts solar and wind power supply

One of the challenges with solar and wind power is that, on any given day, the sun isn't always shining, and the wind isn't always blowing when we want it to. Now, zooming out, researchers at Columbia's Earth Institute have found that the same could be true on the scale of years to decades.

Drones can detect protected nightjar nests

Thermal-sensing cameras mounted on drones may offer a safer and more cost-effective way to locate nests of the elusive European nightjar in forestry work and construction areas, according to new research presented at the British Ecological Society.

Pastry world champion turns to 3D printing

Jordi Bordas, Pastry World Champion and creator of the B·Concept recipe formulation method, uses the BCN3D Sigma 3D printer to produce pastry molds to shape their latest pastry product, the Golden Peanut. 3D printing technology has allowed Jordi and his team to unleash their creativity and produce this unique fascinating dessert, turning pastry into an even more artistic industry.

Method to shrink objects to the nanoscale

Researchers have invented a way to fabricate nanoscale 3-D objects of nearly any shape. They can also pattern the objects with a variety of useful materials, including metals, quantum dots, and DNA.

Implantable device aids weight loss

New battery-free, easily implantable weight-loss devices developed by engineers could offer a promising new weapon for battling the bulge.

Strong and lightweight polymer aerogels

A polymer aerogel combines the benefits of an aerogel with the conveniences of a plastic (i.e., polymer).

3D printed brick generates electricity

An international team of scientists have developed a thermogalvanic brick that generates electricity as long as the two faces of the brick are at different temperatures.

E.ON makes a strategic investment in Virta

Earlier this year Virta and E.ON signed a global operational agreement to make thousands of intelligent E.ON charging stations available to electric vehicle users across Europe in ten countries. The cooperation creates one of the largest and densest charging networks in Europe, where the E.ON electric vehicle charging infrastructure is powered by the Virta platform.

Solar panels embedded in clothes charge a mobile phone

Clothing embedded with tiny solar cells the size of a flea will allow wearers to generate electricity on the move and charge items like mobile phones and smartwatches.

Growing bio-inspired shapes with hundreds of tiny robots

Hundreds of small robots can work in a team to create biology-inspired shapes - without an underlying master plan, purely based on local communication and movement. To achieve this, researchers introduced the biological principles of self-organisation to swarm robotics.

Graphene printed electronics

A team of researchers have found a low cost method for producing graphene printed electronics, which significantly speeds up and reduces the cost of conductive graphene inks.

Honda autonomous work vehicle

Honda will be seeking potential business and technology partners for its prototype off-road vehicle, the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle.

Power purchase agreement For Long Island 7.4 MW fuel cell project

FuelCell Energy Inc announced the signing of the first of three long-term power purchase agreements under the Fuel Cell Resources Feed-In Tariff IV program administered by PSEG Long Island.

Machine learning may predict if you're in for a healthy old age

Developing a better understanding of the biological processes of aging could eventually help to address health conditions that are more common in old age, such as heart disease and dementia.

To guide cancer therapy, device quickly tests drugs on tumor tissue

Researchers have 3-D printed a novel microfluidic device that simulates cancer treatments on biopsied tumor tissue, so clinicians can better examine how individual patients will respond to different therapeutics — before administering a single dose.

A painless adhesive for bandaids

Pulling off a Band-Aid may soon get a lot less painful. Researchers have developed a new type of adhesive that can strongly adhere wet materials -- such as hydrogel and living tissue -- and be easily detached with a specific frequency of light.

XOS Trucks (formerly Thor Trucks)

Technology analyst Luke Gear reports on his findings on XOS Trucks at the IDTechEx Show! USA 2018.

Cutting and pasting with graphene

To date it has proved very difficult to convert the promises of the miracle material graphene into practical applications. A researcher has developed a method of cutting graphene into smaller fragments using a diamond knife. He can then construct nanostructures from the fragments.