University of California

Imagine being able to measure your blood sugar levels, know if you've had too much to drink, and track your muscle fatigue during a workout, all in one small device worn on your skin. Engineers have developed a prototype of such a wearable that can continuously monitor several health stats—glucose, alcohol, and lactate levels—simultaneously in real-time.

About 50% of the methane that California emits comes from dairy farms. In order to meet strict climate goals, the state has proposed ways to regulate dairy methane emissions. But these efforts run up against a big problem: There isn't currently a reliable way for dairy farmers to measure the amount of methane produced on their farm.

The high efficiency, light weight and flexibility of the latest solar cell technology means photovoltaics could provide all the power needed for an extended mission to Mars, or even a permanent settlement there, according to a new analysis by scientists.

Researchers have developed a new way to 3D-print glass microstructures that is faster and produces objects with higher optical quality, design flexibility and strength, according to a new study.

Materials scientists have discovered the major reason why perovskite solar cells — which show great promise for improved energy-conversion efficiency — degrade in sunlight, causing their performance to suffer over time. The team successfully demonstrated a simple manufacturing adjustment to fix the cause of the degradation, clearing the biggest hurdle toward the widespread adoption of the thin-film solar cell technology.

Engineering researchers have invented an advanced brain-computer interface with a flexible and moldable backing and penetrating microneedles. Adding a flexible backing to this kind of brain-computer interface allows the device to more evenly conform to the brain's complex curved surface and to more uniformly distribute the microneedles that pierce the cortex. The microneedles, which are 10 times thinner than the human hair, protrude from the flexible backing, penetrate the surface of the brain tissue without piercing surface venules, and record signals from nearby nerve cells evenly across a wide area of the cortex.

Covering the 4,000 miles of California's water canals could reduce evaporation by as much as 82 percent, saving about 63 billion gallons of water a year. That's comparable to the same amount needed to irrigate 50,000 acres of farmland or meet the residential water needs of more than 2 million people. Covering all state water canals with solar installations would also generate 13 gigawatts of renewable power, equaling roughly 1/6th of the state's current installed capacity — about half the projected new capacity needed by 2030 to meet the state's decarbonization goals.

Researchers have developed a unique design of ultrathin films for highly flexible yet mechanically robust bioelectronic membranes that could pave the way for diagnostic on-skin sensors that fit precisely over the body's contours and conform to its movements.

Engineers have developed a new technique for making wearable sensors that enables medical researchers to prototype test new designs much faster and at a far lower cost than existing methods.

High-resolution recordings of electrical signals from the surface of the brain could improve neurosurgeons' ability to remove brain tumors and treat epilepsy, and could open up new possibilities for medium- and longer- term brain-computer interfaces.