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Lego-style Solar Panels Harness Waste Heat
The building-integrated photovoltaic system integrates flat heat pipes to cool the solar cells, improving overall efficiency and extending service life.
Google Maps Offering Suggestions for Parking Along the Route to Users' Destinations
A new feature is now appearing in Google Maps that recommends parking spots located near a user’s destination.
MIT Spinout Poised to Finally Clean Up Steel Production
Boston Metal, an MIT spinout company, is looking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with steel production by replacing the ubiquitous blast furnace with an electrolytic cell.
Flooding Shuts a Duke Energy Power Plant, Sends Coal Byproduct Into the Water
As engineers work to repair a breach at a cooling lake, Duke Energy says that initial water tests from its L.V. Sutton Plant in Wilmington, N.C., suggest that discharges are not harming water quality.
Report: Car Accidents Increasing in Parallel with Smartphone Ownership
As smartphone ownership in the U.S. jumped from 55% in 2013 to 77% in 2017, the number of accidents escalated from 5.7 million to 6.4 million — an increase of 12.3%.
Redesigned Desktop 3D Printer Features a Larger Build Volume
A powerful, reliable and versatile desktop 3D printer has been redesigned to accommodate larger parts. The device is easy to set up, which maximizes productivity, while key features include active bed leveling, a filament flow sensor, enhanced feeder and a wide selection of build and support materials to enhance its ability to print accurate, industrial-grade parts.
OSHA Cites Five Firms in Fatal Florida Bridge Collapse
The five companies collectively received seven violations, totaling $86,658 in penalties, related to the March bridge collapse.
Life Insurance Company Adding Fitness Tracking to all Policies
John Hancock, one of the largest insurance providers in North America, plans on offering only “interactive” policies from now on that gather data about customer health using wearable devices like a smartwatch.
Researchers Develop Blood Test for Drowsy Drivers
Researchers from the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey have developed a method for detecting whether or not a driver is sleep deprived based on the results of a blood test.
From Cloud Computing to Cloud Manufacturing
Cloud manufacturing (CMfg) is a new way for manufacturing companies to conduct business by utilizing tools such as cloud computing, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and the IoT. Combining these technologies permits the creation of self-service tools, increased production efficiency and real-time tracking and management of the manufacturing process - any time, from any place.
Hard Machining, Diverse Technologies and Short Cycle Times
When faced with the need for diversity, EMAG's new vertical turning and grinding center excels.
New and Improved Line of Swiss Tooling
A wide range of static and driven Swiss tools has been introduced. They feature spindle bearing technology and ground gear components which helps extend service life and improves processing quality.
Quantum Materials Mass Producing Perovskite Quantum Dots
A continuous flow manufacturing process has been developed to produce stable, low-cost, high-purity perovskite quantum dots.
NASA Pinpoints Agents of Earth Spin Axis Drift
Earth’s polar motion – the spin along the North Pole-South Pole axis – drifted about 4 in. (10 cm) annually during the 20th century.
DIY Colonoscopy, Dog Translator Among Winners at Tokyo Show
An exhibition to demonstrate unusual inventions was held in Tokyo this week, giving inventors the opportunity to show off their creations.
ConEdison Looks West with $1.54 Billion Asset Buy
The renewable energy projects are located in Nevada, Arizona, California and Nebraska.
California Restaurants to Stop Offering Plastic Straws to Customers
In a measure to cut back on the single-use plastics polluting the world’s oceans, a new law signed on Thursday will stop California restaurants from offering plastic straws to customers.
Researchers Patent Smart Cushion Capable of Preventing Sores Associated with Prolonged Sitting
Researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) have patented a smart cushion capable of redistributing the body weight of a person confined to a wheelchair, thereby preventing the painful ulcers that can accompany sitting for prolonged periods of time.
Watch: A Solar-Powered Method for Direct Carbon Dioxide Capture and Release
The capture method is based on a previously developed process that uses an aqueous solvent composed of water and amino acids to grab the greenhouse gas from air.
Building Quality and Precision into DC Motors is More Than a Process
Quality doesn’t exist unless it is a top-down effort that is demanded at every level until it permeates the enterprise.