Pennsylvania State University

3D imaging technique unlocks properties of perovskite crystals

A team of materials scientists have, for the first time, visualized the 3D atomic and electron density structure of the most complex perovskite crystal structure system decoded to date.

Wearables powered by body movements

A wearable energy-harvesting device could generate energy from the swing of an arm while walking or jogging, according to a team of researchers. The device, about the size of a wristwatch, produces enough power to run a personal health monitoring system.

Fiber lasers: unique tools for automotive & aerospace manufacturing

Automotive and aerospace manufacturers are increasingly turning to fiber lasers to resolve their manufacturing challenges.

Self-heating, fast-charging battery for electric vehicles

Californians do not purchase electric vehicles because they are cool, they buy EVs because they live in a warm climate. Conventional lithium-ion batteries cannot be rapidly charged at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but now a team of engineers has created a battery that can self-heat, allowing rapid charging regardless of the outside chill.

Deep learning may help predict when people need rides

Computers may better predict taxi and ride sharing service demand, paving the way toward smarter, safer and more sustainable cities, according to an international team of researchers.

Wearable helps fight addiction

WearIT is a scientific framework that uses a wearable device — such as a Fitbit or Apple watch — along with a smartphone and a web server to detect indicators of stress and/or anxiety in the person wearing the device.

3-D printed microfibers could aid artificially grown body part

Much as a frame provides structural support for a house and the chassis provides strength and shape for a car, a team of engineers believe they have a way to create the structural framework for growing living tissue using an off-the-shelf 3-D printer.

Piezoelectrics stretch their potential

Thin-film piezoelectrics, with dimensions on the scale of micrometers or smaller, offer potential for new applications where smaller dimensions or a lower voltage operation are required.

Better way to create organic bioelectronics

With increasing scientific and medical interest in communication with the nervous system, demand is growing for biomedical devices that can better record and stimulate the nervous system, as well as deliver drugs and biomolecules in precise dosages.

BioSolar reports progress on its high-energy anode material

BioSolar, Inc a developer of breakthrough energy storage technology and materials, has provided a progress report on the development of its high-energy anode material for next generation lithium batteries.

New approach captures the energy of slow motion

A new concept in energy harvesting could capture energy currently wasted due to its characteristic low frequency and use it to power next-generation electronic devices, according to a team of scientists and electrical engineers.

Analyzing crystal structure improves displays

The finding could potentially be useful for a number of different applications. It could lead to a way of making large, transparent display screens, where most light would pass straight through as if through a window, but light of specific frequencies would be scattered to produce a clear image on the screen. Or, the method could be used to make private displays that would only be visible to the person directly in front of the screen.

Researchers find way to increase scanning speed

A major technological advance in the field of high-speed beam-scanning devices has increased the speed of 2D and 3D printing by up to 1000 times, according to researchers.

Kateeva appoints Mark R. Shaw as Senior Vice President of HR

Kateeva has announced the appointment of Mark R. Shaw, Ph.D. as Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Previously, Shaw worked at Lam Research and Applied Materials.

Diamond nanothread, this versatile new material could prove priceless

First created by Pennsylvania State University last year, one-dimensional DNT is similar to carbon nanotubes, hollow cylindrical tubes 10,000 times smaller than human hair, stronger than steel - but brittle.

Grant to examine conjugated polymers for flexible electronics

The National Science Foundation has awarded $1.2M to three researchers for a proposal which aims to identify the key polymeric properties of conjugated polymers used to develop flexible electronics.

Graphene key to two-dimensional semiconductor

A newly discovered method for making two-dimensional materials could lead to new and extraordinary properties, particularly in a class of materials called nitrides, say the scientists who discovered the process. This first-ever growth of two-dimensional gallium nitride using graphene encapsulation could lead to applications in deep ultraviolet lasers, next-generation electronics and sensors.

Self-healing, flexible electronic material functions after many breaks

Electronic materials have been a major stumbling block for the advance of flexible electronics because existing materials do not function well after breaking and healing. A new electronic material created by an international team, however, can heal all its functions automatically even after breaking multiple times.

New chemistries found for liquid batteries

Calcium, an abundant and inexpensive element, can form the basis for both the negative electrode layer and the molten salt that forms the middle layer of the three-layer battery.

Self-heating lithium-ion battery

A lithium-ion battery that self heats if the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit has multiple applications, but may have the most impact on relieving winter "range anxiety" for electric vehicle owners, according to a team of researchers.