University of California

BeBop Sensors wins IDTechEx Best Material for Wearables Award

BeBop Sensors announced today that it has won the IDTechEx Wearable USA 2018 Awards - Best New Material Award for BeBop Sensors wearable fabric sensor technology.

Artificial intelligence predicts Alzheimer's years before diagnosis

Artificial intelligence technology improves the ability of brain imaging to predict Alzheimer's disease, according to a study.

Skin-like sensor maps blood-oxygen

Injuries can't heal without a constant influx of blood's key ingredient — oxygen. A new flexible sensor can map blood-oxygen levels over large areas of skin, tissue and organs, potentially giving doctors a new way to monitor healing wounds in real time.

A solar cell that does double duty for renewable 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 that uses sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel from water. But water-splitting devices have yet to live up to their potential because there still isn't a design for materials with the right mix of optical, electronic, and chemical properties needed for them to work efficiently.

3D-printed supercapacitor electrode breaks records

Advances in supercapacitor technology could lead to wider use of fast-charging energy storage devices and novel designs for electronic gadgets.

Using personal data to predict blood pressure

Engineers used wearable off-the-shelf technology and machine learning to predict, for the first time, an individual's blood pressure and provide personalized recommendations to lower it based on this data.

Gut branches of the vagus nerve essential for reward and motivation

A novel gut-to-brain neural circuit establishes the vagus nerve as an essential component of the brain system that regulates reward and motivation, according to research.

Neural networks detect defects in metal 3D printing

For years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory engineers and scientists have used an array of sensors and imaging techniques to analyze the physics and processes behind metal 3D printing in an ongoing effort to build higher quality metal parts the first time, every time.

Wearable ultrasound patch monitors blood pressure deep inside body

A new wearable ultrasound patch that non-invasively monitors blood pressure in arteries deep beneath the skin could help people detect cardiovascular problems earlier on and with greater precision. In tests, the patch performed as well as some clinical methods to measure blood pressure.

Robots can now pick up any object after inspecting it

Humans have long been masters of dexterity, a skill that can largely be credited to the help of our eyes. Robots, meanwhile, are still catching up.

Stretchy wires for the future

Scientists have teamed up to create stretchable, flexible wires that conduct current and change colors to indicate they're about to reach the breaking point. Future uses could be wearable electronics, biomedical devices and soft robots.

Dual-layer solar cell sets record

Materials scientists have developed a highly efficient thin-film solar cell that generates more energy from sunlight than typical solar panels, thanks to its double-layer design.

Building up stretchable electronics to be multipurpose as smartphones

By stacking and connecting layers of stretchable circuits on top of one another, engineers have developed an approach to build soft, pliable "3D stretchable electronics" that can pack a lot of functions while staying thin and small in size.

Blue Current

Blue Current is a US-based early stage startup that is working on hybrid solid electrolytes for Li-ion batteries. They claim their electrolyte has an ionic conductivity >10{^-4} S/cm at room temperature and a transference number close to unity.

Imprint Energy, Inc.

Imprint Energy is a start-up based in Alameda, California. Their main product is ZincPoly™, with zinc and metal oxide electrodes and a non-flammable, non-toxic solid-state gel electrolyte. This battery chemistry can be screen printed

A new battle of the currents takes center stage

This coming November 14-15 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, leading players in the battery and energy storage industry will compete to capture the audience's attention over what technology is set to dominate in the coming decade.

Soft multifunctional robots get really small

Robots could be safely deployed in difficult-to-access environments, such as in delicate surgical procedures in the human body.

Biosensor chip wirelessly detects disease

Researchers have developed a chip that can detect a type of genetic mutation known as a single nucleotide polymorphism and wirelessly send the results in real time to a smartphone, computer, or other electronic device. The chip is at least 1,000 times more sensitive at detecting an SNP than current technology.

AI device identifies objects at the speed of light

A team of electrical and computer engineers has created a physical artificial neural network -- a device modeled on how the human brain works -- that can analyze large volumes of data and identify objects at the actual speed of light. The device was created using a 3D printer.

Researchers develop graphene-enhanced biophotovoltaic technology

Existing photovoltaic technology is not fully capable of realizing the promise of sustainable solar energy. Commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies require energy-intensive extracting and manufacturing processes and often require metals like tin that generate social conflict and environmental harm with their mining. Slave and child labor, along with rampant environmental destruction and pollution are widespread in the tin mining industry, which in some places is even controlled by militias to fund wars.