Pennsylvania State University

Water based methods of electricity generation

Three water-based methods for electricity generation and the challenges that must be met before they can be used for widespread application.

Giant piezoelectric effect to improve energy harvesting devices

Researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Materials Research Institute at Penn State are part of a multidisciplinary team of researchers from universities and national laboratories across the U.S. who have fabricated piezoelectric thin films with record-setting properties.

Microfabrication breakthrough for piezoelectric material

Integrating a complex, single-crystal material with "giant" piezoelectric properties onto silicon, University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers and physicists can fabricate low-voltage, near-nanoscale electromechanical devices that could lead to improvements in high-resolution 3-D imaging, signal processing, communications, energy harvesting, sensing, and actuators for nanopositioning devices, among others.

Aircraft e-Genius from IFB wins two highly endowed awards

The electric aircraft e-Genius, which was developed at Institut für Flugzeugbau (IFB) of University of Stuttgart, won no fewer than two awards at the Green Flight Challenge 2011.

Interview with KCF Technologies

As only one week remains before IDTechEx's Energy Harvesting and Storage conference and exhibition in Boston, MA, technology analyst Dr Harry Zervos interviewed KCF Technologies, a company who will be announcing the launch of their newest product offering at the event: The Smart Diagnostics Solution Suite, a family of energy harvesting powered wireless sensors.

Could a computer one day rewire itself?

Scientists develop new nanomaterial that steers current in multiple dimensions.

Findings could lead to better hydrogen storage

New research by a team from MIT and several other institutions analyzes the performance of a class of materials considered a promising candidate for such storage: activated carbon that incorporates a platinum catalyst, so hydrogen atoms can bond directly to the surface of carbon particles and then be released when needed.

Most efficient colloidal quantum dot solar cell ever

Researchers from the University of Toronto, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology and Pennsylvania State University have created the most efficient colloidal quantum dot solar cell ever.

Energy from wastewater

Environmental engineer Bruce Logan of Penn State University is working on ways to turn wastewater into energy.

World's highest-efficiency silicon nanowire array photovoltaic device

Advancements in Illuminex's patented nanowire array production process are paving the way to commercial solar/photovoltaic textiles for rooftop power generation, PV textiles and other large solar power applications.

Illuminex's highest-efficiency silicon nanowire array PV device

Advancements in Illuminex's patented nanowire array production process pave the way to commercial solar/photovoltaic textiles for rooftop power generation, PV textiles and other large solar power applications.

Plastic electronics could slash the cost of solar panels

A new technique developed by Princeton University engineers for producing electricity-conducting plastics could dramatically lower the cost of manufacturing solar panels.

Battery could last thousands of hours

Professor Yair Ein-Eli at the Technion - Israel Institute of Science has conducted research into a battery that lasts for thousands of hours and is based on silicon that reverts back to sand when it's spent.

Funds to develop self-powered prosthetic limb technology

Representative Glenn Thompson, R-Howard, announced the Department of Defense Appropriations measure includes $2 million in Research, Test, Development, and Evaluation funds for KCF Technologies to further develop and commercialize self-powered prosthetic limb technology.

David Wallace joins InkSure as Sales Director

InkSure Technologies Inc. a provider of covert machine-readable security solutions for the prevention of counterfeiting, fraud and diversion, and a developer of a unique new chipless RFID technology announced that Mr. David Wallace has joined InkSure as Director of Sales for the Americas.

US government to make solar energy more cost competitive

Eleven technology led projects will focus on developing advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) technology manufacturing processes and products.

Clear future for transparent electronics

Inorganic semiconductor technologies with conventional patterning offer immediate solutions, according to Kodak, which offers Chemical Vapor Deposition CVD to make it happen.