IIT

Graphene girders could double the life of lithium batteries

New research has found an effective approach to replacing graphite in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries using silicon, by reinforcing the anode's structure with graphene girders. This could more than double the life of rechargeable lithium-ion based batteries and also increase the capacity delivered by those batteries.

Engineers create artificial graphene

Researchers are the first to observe the electronic structure of graphene in an engineered semiconductor; finding could lead to progress in advanced optoelectronics and data processing.

Innovative shoes using graphene

The ability of graphene to add functionality to common objects has been exploited in a new product on the market: footwear with better thermal properties.

Digital symbiosis lets robot co-workers predict human behaviour

Robots across the world help out in factories by taking on heavy lifting or repetitive jobs, but the walking, talking kind may soon collaborate with people, thanks to European robotics researchers building prototypes that anticipate human actions.

IDTechEx Announces the Winners of Launchpad

IDTechEx Launchpad will showcase innovations from 18 start-up companies at the IDTechEx Show! held in Berlin, Germany on 10-11 May 2017 (www.IDTechEx.com/europe).

Graphene Highlights from MWC

IDTechEx recently attended the Mobile World Congress and visited the graphene flagship booth, which consisted of a number of graphene companies highlighting their latest work. Here are some of the highlights.

Online supermarket pick and pack robots

Ocado, the world's largest online-only supermarket, has been evaluating the feasibility of robotic picking and packing of shopping orders in its highly-automated warehouses through the SoMa project, a Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation funded by the European Union.

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.

Interface engineering for stable perovskite solar cells

The lifetime of perovskite solar cells is significantly enhanced by using few-layer molybdenum disulphide flakes as an active buffer interface layer. Researchers show that interface engineering with layered materials is important for boosting solar cell performance.

Touch sensitive super stretchy skin shows promise for soft robots

A material that can emit different coloured light and sense touch - yet still stretch nearly five times its original length - has been invented by scientists in the US and Italy.

Graphene solves the big problems in energy storage

The graphene industry is at a critical juncture for many small to medium sized companies: it is time for them to generate revenues and pre-empt any pending cash flow issues. These companies cannot often afford to take the long view, which many research groups and government are rightly taking.

Graphene finds users in California

Graphene finds users in California (Our most exciting graphene conference so far).

India Sets Up Centre of Excellence for Large Area Flexible Electronics

A Centre of Excellence for Large Area Flexible Electronics (FlexE Center) at IIT Kanpur in India has been established by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, MCIT, Government of India.

Electricity from silk worm cocoons

ndian researchers say they have successfully generated electricity by using silk worm cocoons, which can be used to run low power electronic devices.

$3.4 million for breakthrough battery technology

$3.4 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) to develop a breakthrough battery technology that may more than double the current range of electric vehicles (EV), increase safety, reduce costs and simplify recharging.

EU funded project to advance CIGS technology

Initially, the project will exploit the potential of non vacuum processes based in nanostructured materials as electrochemical synthesis of nanocrystalline precursors and printing of nanoparticle based inks, as well as novel chemical based deposition processes for the development of modules on large area substrates with improved uniformity and at lower production costs.