Osaka University

Efficiently turning light into electricity

Perovskites form a group of crystals that have many promising properties for applications in nano-technology. However, one useful property that so far was unobserved in perovskites is so-called carrier multiplication - an effect that makes materials much more efficient in converting light into electricity.

Improvement of humanlike conversations in humanoid robots

The conversational robot has received considerable attention in the recent research. However, research to date has not sufficiently explored the robot's "sense of conversing", the robot's "existence" and its "sociability".

Technique to easily fabricate ceramic films used as OPV inter-layers

Organic photovoltaic cells using organic compounds have several advantages: they are lightweight, flexible, and sophisticated, and their production cost is low. For these reasons, they are anticipated as next-generation PV cells.

AI assists design of new material for solar cells

Researchers have used computer power to automate the search for well-matched solar materials. In the future, this could lead to vastly more efficient devices.

A simple new approach to plastic solar cells

Plastic solar cells, based on blends of conducting organic polymers, are of interest for making lightweight and cheap solar cells. The problem with these kinds of solar cells is that their solar power efficiencies are very closely related to the way the different types of materials mix and crystalize in thin films. This means complex and careful processing is usually needed to make efficient polymer solar cells.

EEG headset for emotion detection

Traditionally, EEG brain scans are used to diagnose medical conditions such as epilepsy or sleep disorders. More recently, EEG brain scans have been introduced as a way to detect emotions which opens doors beyond the medical field. Researchers are looking into e-learning applications, and developers of virtual games are exploring the possibilities of emotion-based e-gaming. Such application domains require real-time emotion detection, which can be achieved through wireless EEG headsets.

Technique to allow AI to learn words in the flow of dialogue developed

A group of researchers at Osaka University has developed a new method for dialogue systems. This new method, lexical acquisition through implicit confirmation, is a method for a computer to acquire the category of an unknown word over multiple dialogues by confirming whether or not its predictions are correct in the flow of conversation.

Thermoelectric power generation at room temperature: Coming soon?

Thermoelectric materials could play a key role in future technologies. Although the applications of these remarkable compounds have long been explored, they are mostly limited to high-temperature devices.

Growing organs a few ink drops at a time

Researchers refine method of making bio-ink droplets stick to each other, enabling 3D printing of highly complex biological structures with a wide variety of cell types using inkjet printers.

Waste silicon sawdust recycled into anode for lithium-ion battery

Researchers have created a high performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries using waste silicon sawdust.

A skillful rescue robot with remote-control function

A group of researchers developed a prototype construction robot for disaster relief situations. This prototype has drastically improved operability and mobility compared to conventional construction machines.

Robot specifically designed to support research

At 104 cm tall, the iCub has the size of a five-year-old child. It can crawl on all fours, walk and sit up to manipulate objects.

Scalable production of highly crystalline graphene films

The successful creation of thin graphene films achieved through this reduction method has opened up the possibility of their application in a diverse set of electronic devices and sensors.

Good solar cells from bad effects

Researchers used numerical simulations to demonstrate that energy dissipation and decoherence, which were thought to reduce solar cell efficiency, are counterintuitively helpful for the development of more efficient photovoltaics

Printed electronics in East Asia: change of direction

Variously called Printed, Flexible or Organic Electronics, it is one of the fastest growing technologies in the world. It is of vital interest to industries as diverse as consumer goods, healthcare, mobility, electronics, media and architecture.

Printable silver nanowire ink

Showa Denko has developed printable silver nanowire ink for the manufacture of electronic devices jointly with Osaka University.

Chemical and component opportunities in Asia

As Asia has dominated in displays, photovoltaics, semiconductor manufacture and other technology sectors, so too will it dominate in making and integrating better components and consumer electronics using the new materials that are enabling devices to be lighter, more robust, flexible, more power efficient and higher performance. Some of these most exciting material developments and their uses are covered at Printed Electronics Asia 2012.