University of California

Medical devices powered by the ear itself

Deep in the inner ear of mammals is a natural battery — a chamber filled with ions that produces an electrical potential to drive neural signals.

New technique reveals lithium in action

Exactly what goes inside advanced lithium-air batteries as they charge and discharge has always been impossible to observe directly. Now, a new technique developed by MIT researchers promises to change that, allowing study of this electrochemical activity as it happens.

Solar power used to study wild elephants in Africa

A team of elephant researchers from Stanford University has transformed a remote corner of southern Africa into a high-tech field camp run entirely on sunlight.

Welcome to zinc based electronics and electrics

A new IDTechEx report requested by several of the world's largest chemical companies looks at the families of element and compound that will be most widely used in the new electronics and electrics.

Zinc based energy harvesting

A new IDTechEx report requested by several of the world's largest chemical companies looks at the families of element and compound that will be most widely used in the new electronics and electrics.

One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

A new research suggests that was just the beginning: A whole family of two-dimensional materials may open up even broader possibilities for applications that could change many aspects of modern life.

FlexTech Alliance funds multi-partner project

Technology from PARC, Thinfilm Electronics and University of California at Berkeley Establish Foundation for Low Cost Medical, Pharmaceutical and Food Supply Monitoring

Photovoltaics from any semiconductor

A technology that would enable low-cost, high efficiency solar cells to be made from virtually any semiconductor material has been developed.

Highly transparent solar cells for windows that generate electricity

UCLA researchers have developed a new transparent solar cell that is an advance toward giving windows in homes and other buildings the ability to generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside.

Highly transparent solar cells for windows

UCLA researchers have developed a new transparent solar cell that is an advance toward giving windows in homes and other buildings the ability to generate electricity while still allowing people to see outside.

Wireless sensors and energy harvesters in harsh environments

Energy harvesters and wireless sensors are not always deployed under "a walk in the park" operating environments. If anything, the most interesting applications for these technologies tend to be in sectors where conditions are harsh or devices are inaccessible once deployed.

Wave carpet to harvest ocean energy

In order to design wave energy devices, it is essential to understand the nature of water waves and the operation of wave energy devices at sea.

Emerging solutions for wireless, wearable sensors and integrated power

SEMICON West 2012 Preview

ECOtality files lawsuit to halt illegal California PUC agreement

ECOtality, Inc. filed legal documents with the state's First District Court of Appeal seeking to halt implementation of an agreement between the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and New Jersey-based company NRG Energy, Inc.

Scientists generate electricity from viruses

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a way to generate power using harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity.

Nanotube technology leading to fast, lower-cost medical diagnostics

Researchers at Oregon State University have tapped into the extraordinary power of carbon "nanotubes" to increase the speed of biological sensors, a technology that might one day allow a doctor to routinely perform lab tests in minutes, speeding diagnosis and treatment while reducing costs.

Wrinkles and twists boost power from solar panels

Researchers have used microscopic folds on the surface of photovoltaic material to significantly increase the power output of flexible, low-cost solar cells.