Automation & Control Technology News & Analysis

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.

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.

Evergreen Spectral Coating Research Underway at ODU’s Applied Research Center at Jefferson Lab

A joint project with Old Dominion University will further develop Face Companies's patented Spectral coating technology, which will enable light-sensitive devices such as solar panels and photosensors to be seamlessly concealed, increasing the aesthetic and economic appeal of these devices.

Researchers Discover Connection Between Common Household Cleaners and Overweight Children

Researchers from the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) are suggesting that there is a connection between some commonly used household cleaners and overweight children.

Video Game Fortnite Cited in Several Divorce Petitions in the U.K.

Popular survival video game Fortnite, along with a handful of other video games, has been cited as the reason for at least 200 divorce petitions filed in the U.K. since the beginning of 2018, according to reports.

Researchers Warn That Antibiotics in Landfills Pose Public Health Risk

A new study from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has determined that discarded antibiotics mounting in Hong Kong’s landfills are posing a pollution issue as well as a threat to public health.

Watch How Nanomotor Motion is Controlled by Light

University of Texas at Austin researchers report the first method for manipulating the rotation speed and mechanical motion of nanomotors with simple visible light stimulation.

Watch the RemoveDEBRIS Satellite Net Simulated Space Junk

A European Commission-funded consortium has designed and tested a net to capture a deployed target simulating a piece of space debris.

Study: Microplastics Also Entering the Food Chain Through Mosquitoes

Researchers from the University of Reading are suggesting that microplastics - tiny shards of plastic from man-made products - are being passed up the food chain through an avenue other than marine life.

Dutch Firm to Turn Used Diapers into Furniture, Other Products

A Dutch firm, frustrated by the number of discarded diapers mounting in landfills around the world each year, has developed a way to recycle the product, using it to create everyday items.

First Commercial Airlock to be Installed on the International Space Station

NanoRacks’ “Bishop” airlock module will overcome a bottleneck at the ISS’s current airlock, expanding the station’s capacity to deploy satellites and house experiments.

A New Portfolio of Digital Manufacturing Solutions

In-house developments, industry partnerships and acquisition of successful businesses have allowed Sandvik to launch a new digital manufacturing concept.

Cardiff Mathematicians Map Out the Safest Way Home

Researchers from Cardiff University are developing a mobile app capable of getting pedestrians to their destination by way of the safest route possible.

Microscope Add-on Enhances 3D Imaging of the Brain

The photon counting add-on for laser scanning microscopes addresses trade-offs in high-resolution imaging of large tissue volumes.

Turning Beer Green to Highlight the Importance of Clean Water

Hoping to highlight the importance of clean water in the making of beer, Maumee Bay Brewing Co. has created an algae-like beer called “Alegae Bloom.”

Researchers: Oysters First to Sound the Alarm on Ocean Pollution

In addition to being a frequent menu item, oysters also function as an alarm bell of sorts, sounding at the first signs of ocean pollution, French researchers say.

IKEA Aims for Emission-free Delivery in Five Cities by 2020

In an effort to expand its business in a sustainable and eco-friendly way, Swedish home décor giant IKEA announced that it will be using electric vehicles with zero emissions to deliver furniture and other goods to certain cities around the globe, thereby cutting down on the release of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Automation and Control