6 Feb 2019

Robots that care
Robots that care, with increased cognitive abilities. Robots able to perceive their environment, understand it, respond and behave appropriately and navigate autonomously. Robots that can assist patients and support the work of nurses and doctors in hospitals. This is what Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe aims to do within the course of a partnership.
6 Feb 2019

Using artificial intelligence to save bees
A beekeeper teamed up with researchers to develop an app that counts the number of Varroa mites in beehives. This parasite is one of the two main threats - along with pesticides - to bees' long-term survival. Knowing the extent of the mites' infestation will allow beekeepers to protect their bees more effectively.
6 Feb 2019

Sodium is the new lithium
Researchers have demonstrated that a specific material can act as an efficient battery component for sodium-ion batteries that will compete with lithium-ion batteries for several battery characteristics, especially speed of charge.
5 Feb 2019

Smart Cities Without Infrastructure
A large proportion of the cost, disruption, pollution and exposure to natural disasters in a city would be eliminated if there were no infrastructure.
5 Feb 2019

Columbia exceeds renewable energy target
Columbia exceeded the target for creating renewable energy and increased by 9 percent from last year. Last year, Columbia's renewable electric supply came from wind (12.34 percent), landfill gas (3.24 percent) and solar (0.12 percent). The total amount supplied in 2017 was 15.70 percent which exceeds the requirement of 5 percent by 10.7 percent.
5 Feb 2019

Porsche to offer free charging on its first fully electric vehicle
Porsche announced an agreement with Electrify America, LLC to provide the first all-electric Porsche, the Taycan, with three years of charging at Electrify America public stations across the country.
5 Feb 2019

Flexible solar cell with conversion efficiency of 21.5%
Scientists have fabricated a flexible solar cell with a record breaking power conversion efficiency of 21.5%. The solar cell combines two thin-film solar cell technologies into a 4 terminal tandem solar cell stack: a top flexible semi-transparent perovskite solar cell with a bottom flexible copper indium gallium selenide cell.
5 Feb 2019

3D Printing of Composites: Reinforcing your Market Growth
3D Printing of composites is becoming an increasingly explored commercial opportunity. Approaching this from two directions: the 3D Printing industry are looking for functional enhancements to assist industrial uptake and meanwhile the traditional composites industry is looking at ways to allow more design freedom, accelerate time to market, and reduce the costs for low-production volume.
5 Feb 2019

A step closer to self aware machines
Robots that are self-aware have been science fiction fodder for decades, and now we may finally be getting closer. Humans are unique in being able to imagine themselves—to picture themselves in future scenarios. Humans can also learn by revisiting past experiences and reflecting on what went right or wrong. While humans and animals acquire and adapt their self-image over their lifetime, most robots still learn using human-provided simulators and models, or by laborious, time-consuming trial and error. Robots have not learned to simulate themselves the way humans do.
4 Feb 2019

Harnessing light for a solar-powered chemical industry
New technology that harnesses sunlight to drive chemical reactions is paving the way for a more sustainable chemical manufacturing industry, one of the globe's biggest energy users.
4 Feb 2019

Flexible bipolar plates for compact batteries
Whether used for power supply or in electric cars, current battery systems are based on a series of interconnected individual cells, which has certain disadvantages in terms of efficiency and manufacturing. Bipolar battery setups, in contrast, comprise compact stacks of individual cells. A new type of flexible and extremely thin bipolar plate allows batteries to be manufactured cost effectively.
4 Feb 2019

Aircraft-inspecting suction robot successfully trialled
A prototype robot that uses intense suction to climb around the outside of aircraft and inspect them for damage has successfully been trialled.
4 Feb 2019

An AI that "de-biases" algorithms
We've learned in recent years that AI systems can be unfair, which is dangerous when they're increasingly being used to do everything from predict crime to determine what news we consume. Last year's study showing the racism of face-recognition algorithms demonstrated a fundamental truth about AI: if you train with biased data, you'll get biased results.
4 Feb 2019

Scientists engineer new CRISPR platform for DNA targeting
CRISPR team harnesses new Cas12b enzyme for use in eukaryotic cells, adding to the CRISPR toolbox.
4 Feb 2019

E-mobility and digitalisation mean profound structural change
The New Year sees Volkswagen systematically forging ahead with its electric offensive and the transformation of the factories in Zwickau, Dresden, Emden and Hanover to become production locations for electric vehicles.
4 Feb 2019

A safe, wearable soft sensor
Children born prematurely often develop neuromotor and cognitive developmental disabilities. The best way to reduce the impacts of those disabilities is to catch them early through a series of cognitive and motor tests. But accurately measuring and recording the motor functions of small children is tricky.
Full profile interview
1 Feb 2019

Elkem Silicones
IDTechEx analyst Nadia Tsao interviewed Elkem Silicones Business Development Manager Karsten Schlichter about the 3D printing of silicone for healthcare on 25 January 2019.
1 Feb 2019

Electric Vehicles: Induction Motor Opportunities
The new IDTechEx Research report, "Electric Motors for Electric Vehicles: Land, Water, Air 2019-2029" measures how induction (asynchronous) motors are rapidly losing market share.
1 Feb 2019

Photovoltaics -- Versatile in shape and color
The goal of PRINTPERO is to develop digitally printed, highly efficient and stable solar modules that can be integrated into roofs, facades, and windows.
1 Feb 2019

Corvus Energy storage system for five new Fjord1 ferries
Corvus Energy has been selected by Norwegian Electric Systems to supply lithium ion battery-based energy storage systems for five new all-electric ferries being built by Havyard for Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1.