University of California

Going solid-state could make batteries safer and longer-lasting

Researchers have developed a new approach to one of the three basic components of batteries, the electrolyte.

Boxfish shell inspires new materials for flexible electronics

Engineers describe how the structure of the boxfish could serve as inspiration for body armor, robots and even flexible electronics.

Students electrify NASA with future airplane designs

In response to a NASA challenge to design an all-electric propulsion general aviation airplane, five ideas out of the 20 submitted by U.S. universities wowed the judges.

A wi-fi reflector chip to speed up wearables

If the power necessary to transmit and receive information from a wearable to a computer, cellular or Wi-Fi network were reduced, you could get a lot more mileage out of the technology you're wearing before having to recharge it.

3D-printed smart cap uses electronics to sense spoiled food

It might not be long before consumers can just hit "print" to create an electronic circuit or wireless sensor in the comfort of their homes.

Electric vehicle will offer free non-stop road travel

The new IDTechEx Research report, "High Power Energy Harvesting 2015-2025" (www.IDTechEx.com/high) appraises the many new ways in which the vehicle will internally harvest energy that is currently wasted as tyre and brake heat etc. so it needs much less externally supplied energy to get along. That alone will get us to a range of up to 1000 miles. In this article, let us look at how the increasingly infrequent charging can be done automatically without involving the driver and how it can grab externally-supplied electricity created from free ambient energy.

Technology that could transform solar energy storage

A new technology developed by chemists is capable of storing solar energy for up to several weeks — an advance that could change the way scientists think about designing solar cells.

Autonomous taxis would deliver significant benefits

Imagine a fleet of driverless taxis roaming your city, ready to pick you up and take you to your destination at a moment's notice. While this may seem fantastical, it may be only a matter of time before it becomes reality.

A new way of probing electrolyte/electrode interfaces

One of the most important things to understand in battery technology is the precise physical and chemical processes that occur at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

Hematite 're-growth' smoothes rough edges for clean energy harvest

Finding an efficient solar water splitting method to mine electron-rich hydrogen for clean power has been thwarted by the poor performance of hematite.

BioSolar files patent for super battery technology

BioSolar, Inc has announced that it has jointly filed a patent application with the University of California, Santa Barbara.

X-ray imaging reveals secrets in battery materials

In a new study, researchers explain why one particular cathode material works well at high voltages, while most other cathodes do not.

Smart clothes for personalized cooling and heating

Imagine a fabric that will keep your body at a comfortable temperature—regardless of how hot or cold it actually is.

Printed and organic electronics in healthcare

Printed, organic and flexible electronics is an industry that includes various components and technologies, from relatively simple electrochemical sensors to flexible X-ray detectors. From an end-user's point of view, the main advantages are disposability, large area, and conformability. In this article we focus on healthcare and review the wide range of devices targeted for medical applications.

TransPower heavy-duty electric vehicle technologies

Transportation Power Inc has announced results of independent laboratory testing at the University of California, Riverside.

Translating thought to print

Coupling multiscale modeling with emerging microscale 3D-printing techniques, scientists enabled a pathway to directly fabricate and test synthetic web structures by design.

Highlights of IDTechEx Show! Electric Vehicles: Everything is Changing

IDTechEx's Electric Vehicles: Everything is Changing, conference was successfully held during the 28th and 29th of April 2015 in Berlin.

Alta Devices

Alta Device is working on thin film GaAs solar cells. The company was founded in 2008 by professors Harry Atwater from Cal Tech and Eli Yablonovitch from Berkeley. In August of 2014, Alta Devices was acquired by Hanergy Holdings, Inc.

Supercapacitor charging technique by a hysteretic charging scheme

Researchers have invented a hysteretic charging scheme, which helps extend the upper bound of the capacitance of supercapacitors.