For many automakers, hydrogen fuel cell power isn’t the future of the automobile. But after seeing the SCG 009, we might want to give hydrogen a chance.
A thermoelectric device is an energy conversion device that uses the voltage generated by the temperature difference between both ends of a material; it is capable of converting heat energy, such as waste heat from industrial sites, into electricity that can be used in daily life. Existing thermoelectric devices are rigid because they are composed of hard metal-based electrodes and semiconductors, hindering the full absorption of heat sources from uneven surfaces. Therefore, researchers have conducted recent studies on the development of flexible thermoelectric devices capable of generating energy in close contact with heat sources such as human skins and hot water pipes.
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that a collaborative research team led by Dr. Seungjun Chung from the Soft Hybrid Materials Research Center and Professor Yongtaek Hong from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU, President OH Se-Jung) developed flexible thermoelectric devices with high power generation performance by maximizing flexibility and heat transfer efficiency. The research team also presented a mass-production plan through an automated process including a printing process.
The heat energy transfer efficiency of existing substrates used for research on flexible thermoelectric devices is low due to their very low thermal conductivity. Their heat absorption efficiency is also low due to lack of flexibility, forming a heat shield layer, e.g., air, when in contact with a heat source. To address this issue, organic-material-based thermoelectric devices with high flexibility have been under development, but their application on wearables is not easy because of its significantly lower performance compared to existing inorganic-material-based rigid thermoelectric devices.
Leveraging new tech, DARPA aims for night-vision goggles the size and weight of regular eyeglasses.
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Circa 2014
A NASA study has recently concluded that the “Cannae Drive,” a disruptive new method of space propulsion, can produce small amounts of thrust without the use of propellant, in apparent discordance with Newton’s third law. According to its inventor, the device can harness microwave radiation inside a resonator, turning electricity into a net thrust. If further verified and perfected, the advance could revolutionize the space industry, dramatically cutting costs for both missions in deep space and satellites in Earth orbit.
The basic principle behind space propulsion is very simple: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Use a rocket engine to throw mass one way, get propelled the other way. And according to the law of conservation of momentum, the more mass you throw behind you and the faster you throw it, the stronger your forward thrust will be.
Continue reading “NASA says puzzling new space drive can generate thrust without propellant” »
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The term “LASER” stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers are a form of artificial light with a uniform phase and wavelength.
A core property of a laser is a low divergence angle that spreads out very little as it projects out further from its source. Lasers are also small enough to fit within compact instrumentation, which makes them ideal for inter-orbit optical communication systems and other systems for communicating over long distances. The Laser-based SSPS (L-SSPS) uses these unique properties to send solar-powered laser energy from space to Earth, where it is converted into electricity.
Continue reading “Research on Laser Wireless Power Transmission Technology” »
Circa 2016
It is known that faster-than-light (FTL) transmission of energy could be achieved if the transmission were considered in the framework of non-relativistic classical mechanics. Here we show that FTL transmission of energy could also be achieved if the transmission were considered in the framework of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. In our transmission protocol a two-spin Heisenberg model is considered and the energy is transmitted by two successive local unitary operations on the initially entangled spins. Our protocol does not mean that FTL transmission can be achieved in reality when the theory of relativity is considered, but it shows that quantum entanglement can be used in a recyclable way in energy transmission.
In Cornwall, United Downs becomes the UK’s first geothermal power plant, providing 3MW of energy to 10000 homes area through Ecotricity.
A pathbreaking project from AES will combine solar generation, batteries and multiple reservoirs and hydro generators.
Ebikes may indeed require less pedalling effort than regular bicycles, but most still offer little in the way of cargo capacity or protection from the elements. The CityQ is designed to provide both, along with four-wheeled stability.
Created by Norwegian company CityQ AS, the vehicle is pedalled like a bike, with a 250-watt motor augmenting the rider’s pedalling power. However, the pedals aren’t directly linked to the drivetrain. Instead, the CityQ features what is simply described as “a software-managed drivetrain – like you find in electric cars.”
Continue reading “CityQ is like a four-wheeled electronic-drive ebike” »
How will future astronauts get back home to Earth from Mars? According to a new study, they could make rocket fuel from the methane that’s already on the Red Planet.
