University of Massachusetts (UMASS)

Florrent

IDTechEx attended the launch of a new accelerator called ACCEL (Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders) in February 2023. This is organized by Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space (BGS). They reported over 120 applicants and ended up with six participating start-ups. All of the start-ups are BIPOC-led. These start-ups are mostly operating around technology readiness level (TRL) 4. The six start-ups are Active Surfaces, DrinKicks, EarthBond, Florrent, Frakktal, and SpadXTech.

First High-Performance Nanostructured Alloy is Ultrastrong and Ductile

A team of researchers has 3D printed a dual-phase, nanostructured high-entropy alloy that exceeds the strength and ductility of other state-of-the-art additively manufactured materials, which could lead to higher-performance components for applications in aerospace, medicine, energy and transportation.

CDs Inexpensively Recycled into Flexible Biosensors

Researchers show how a gold CD's thin metallic layer can be separated from the rigid plastic and fashioned into sensors to monitor electrical activity in human hearts and muscles as well as lactose, glucose, pH and oxygen levels. The sensors can communicate with a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Robot Bees to Stimulate Pollination

Two scientists from the UK and the US have been jointly awarded £640,000 to build microrobots that simulate the buzzing of bees. Over three years the scientists will work to build tiny robots that can reproduce the buzzes of pollinating bees.

Rethinking Wave Energy Converters Using Variable-Geometry

A major challenge currently facing wave energy technology is the achievement of cost competitiveness. Because they must be designed to be robust enough to withstand large wave loads and unforgiving sea states, about 35%-50% of wave energy converter costs can be attributed to device structural costs alone. Reducing the structural cost and increasing energy capture are two paths toward reducing wave energy's levelized cost of energy, thereby increasing its attractiveness as a major renewable energy source.

Battery-less Solutions Flood In

A host of batteryless solutions have recently been announced. The rapid increase in adoption of batteryless solutions is tracked in the IDTechEx report, "Battery Elimination in Electronics: Market Impact IoT, 6G, Healthcare, Wearables 2021-2041".

Skin in The Game: Human Body to Recharge Smartwatches

As smart watches are increasingly able to monitor the vital signs of health, including what's going on when we sleep, a problem has emerged: those wearable, wireless devices are often disconnected from our body overnight, being charged at the bedside.

First Commercial Scale Offshore Wind Farm in the United States

The US Department of the Interior announced approval of the construction and operation of the Vineyard Wind project — the first large-scale, offshore wind project in the United States. The 800-megawatt project will contribute to the goal of generating 30 gigawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2030.

Genome Editing to Treat Human Retinal Degeneration

Gene editing therapies, including CRISPR-Cas systems, offer the potential to correct mutations causing inherited retinal degenerations, a leading cause of blindness.

Flame-Retardant, Insect Repelling Fabric for Soldiers

Using methods to measure heat release capacity and total heat release, as well as a vertical flame test, they found that the modified material performed at least 20% better than the untreated material. They also used a standard insect repellency test with live mosquitoes and found that the efficacy was greater than 98%. Finally, the fabric remained "breathable" after treatment as determined by air permeability studies.

Germ-Fighting Fabric for Health Care

Researchers have created germ-killing fabric that could help stop the spread of communicable diseases.

New Green Technology Generates Electricity "Out of Thin Air"

Electrical engineers and microbiologists have created a device they call an 'Air-gen' or air-powered generator, with electrically conductive protein nanowires produced by the microbe Geobacter. The Air-gen connects electrodes to the protein nanowires in such a way that electrical current is generated from the water vapor naturally present in the atmosphere.

Wearable Oxygen Sensor for Sick Infants

Researchers are developing a sensor the size of a Band-Aid that will measure a baby's blood oxygen levels, a vital indication of the lungs' effectiveness and whether the baby's tissue is receiving adequate oxygen supply.

Researchers use drones to weigh whales

By measuring the body length, width and height of free-living southern right whales photographed by drones, researchers were able to develop a model that accurately calculated the body volume and mass of the whales.

'Phyjama,' a physiological sensing pyjama

Scientists expect that in the future, electronically active garments containing unobtrusive, portable devices for monitoring heart rate and respiratory rhythm during sleep, for example, will prove clinically useful in health care. Now researchers have developed physiological-sensing textiles that can be woven or stitched into sleep garments they have dubbed "phyjamas."

Wireless wearables powered by human skin

This scientist's vision is to invent devices that not only operate without batteries but take the concept of battery-less wearables one step further. In his mind's eye, the next generation of wearables will transfer power between wireless sensors using a far more efficient conductor - human skin.