US Army

Soft Robot Actuators Heal Themselves

Repeated activity wears on soft robotic actuators, but these machines' moving parts need to be reliable and easily fixed. Now a team of researchers has a biosynthetic polymer, patterned after squid ring teeth, that is self-healing and biodegradable, creating a material not only good for actuators, but also for hazmat suits and other applications where tiny holes could cause a danger.

Hybrid Electric Drive Integrated onto a Combat Vehicle

BAE Systems has been awarded a $32 million prototype agreement by the US Army's Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office to integrate a Hybrid Electric Drive system onto a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Transparent Graphene Electrodes for New Generation of Solar Cells

A new way of making large sheets of high-quality, atomically thin graphene could lead to ultra-lightweight, flexible solar cells, and to new classes of light-emitting devices and other thin-film electronics.

Flexible Hybrid Electronics Focused Solicitation Request for Proposals

Since 1993, SEMI-FlexTech has funded over 200 projects in R&D, with a total public/private investment in excess of U.S. $220 million. SEMI-FlexTech solicits proposals from the flexible electronics industry for candidate projects which will receive funding.

nScrypt

nScyrpt manufacturers 3D printing equipment, with a single machine capable of micro-dispensing many materials, extruding polymers, pick-and-place of electrical components, and even mechanical milling. This profile focuses on their application in 3D electronics, although nScrypt also target other applications including printing biological materials.

Training in the Age of Social Distancing. AR/VR/MR the Answer?

In the age of social distancing, training and maintenance of many complicated tasks and services has come to a standstill. However, there are technological solutions to this problem.

Noble Biomaterials

IDTechEx interviewed Steve Milner, Senior Vice President of Sales EMEA at Noble Biomaterials. We discussed their product portfolio, technology and their role in the electronic textiles and wearable technology markets.

Energy-Harvesting Design Aims to Turn Wi-Fi Signals Into Useable Power

Any device that sends out a Wi-Fi signal also emits terahertz waves —electromagnetic waves with a frequency somewhere between microwaves and infrared light. These high-frequency radiation waves, known as "T-rays," are also produced by almost anything that registers a temperature, including our own bodies and the inanimate objects around us.

What immersive experiences can benefit from VR?

Flight simulation is one industry which can benefit from the introduction of VR for training. This premium article discusses the various ways VR can be used for training simulations.

New Sensor Could Help Prevent Food Waste

As flowers bloom and fruits ripen, they emit a colorless, sweet-smelling gas called ethylene. Chemists have now created a tiny sensor that can detect this gas in concentrations as low as 15 parts per billion, which they believe could be useful in preventing food spoilage.

Deep Learning for Mechanical Property Evaluation

A standard method for testing some of the mechanical properties of materials is to poke them with a sharp point. This "indentation technique" can provide detailed measurements of how the material responds to the point's force, as a function of its penetration depth.

Army Scientists Develop Cutting-Edge, Durable 3D Printing Technology

Army scientists are on the brink of a pioneering additive-manufacturing technology to help soldiers quickly swap out broken plastic components with durable 3D printed replacements, says a top Army researcher.

Brilliant Sole

Brilliant Sole have developed smart insole products for applications including VR tracking, sports performance and medical monitoring. IDTechEx interviewed them at CES 2020.

SEMI-FlexTech Launches Six New Projects

SEMI-FlexTech announced the launch of six projects to accelerate sensor and sensor system innovations for new applications in industries including healthcare, automotive, industrial and defense.

Vionx Energy

Vionx Energy is a Vanadium Redox Flow battery producer, based in Worburn (MA), with focus on high-power/ high-energy flow battery for grid applications.

Finalists Announced for 2019 R&D 100 Awards

Finalists for the venerable R&D 100 Awards have been announced by R&D World magazine and its new parent company, WTWH Media, LLC.

Material for Safer Football Helmets May Reduce Head Injuries

Scientists have developed elastic microlattice pads that can withstand both single hits and a series of impacts better than existing state-of-the-art foams used in football helmets. Their research suggests that the material may pave the way for helmets that better protect football players and other athletes from brain injuries caused by repeated head hits.

XOnano Smartfoam

XOnano Smartfoam produce several additives for foams which enable sensing technologies or enhanced thermal properties. XOnano are a small company but with some key partnerships and rapidly increasing sales are hoping to grow in the coming years.

Epidermal VR Gives Technology a Human Touch

Imagine holding hands with a loved one on the other side of the world. Or feeling a pat on the back from a teammate in the online game "Fortnite."