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Articles archive for Year 2012

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Beamspace MIMO – two mobile communication antennas in one

By Damir B.
One Comment16 May 2012
epfl-beamspace-mimo-1

Unlike researchers from Rice University who repurposed MIMO (multiple-input, multiple outputs) antenna technology, researchers at EPFL decided to develop Beamspace MIMO – a system where a single antenna can be used to transmitting the same data as the two-antenna MIMO system. This achievement will be more than useful for future communication systems, since it is ... »

Tech»

Increasing durability of lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes

By Damir B.
2 Comments14 May 2012
stanford-double-walled-silicone-anode

We often cover breakthroughs in energy storage technology since there is a growing need for usage of stored power with our gadgets and electric vehicles. A team of researchers from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, which is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Science, created a double-walled nanostructure which increases ... »

Bionics»

Spider’s venomous fang could inspire new tailor-made materials

By Damir B.
13 May 2012
cupiennius-salei-spider

Researchers of the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, the MPI of Microstructure Physics in Halle and the University of Vienna have investigated the composition and structure of spider fangs which serve as reusable hypodermic needles used to inject paralyzing venom into their prey. The findings may lead to development of ... »

Robotics»

Talking vacuuming robots? Sharp Cocorobo RX-V80 and RX-V100

By Damir B.
One Comment10 May 2012
sharp-cocorobo-rx-v100

Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp. recently unveiled two versions of a new robotic vacuum cleaner named Cocorobo (a play of words that combines “heart” and “robot” in Japanese). While they are expected to be more expensive than iRobot’s popular vacuuming robot Roomba, the Cocorobo vacuuming robots do come with additional features that might become popular ... »

Tech»

Touché sensing technique – enhancing capacitive touch sensing

By Damir B.
8 May 2012
touche-capacitive-touch-sensing

A new sensing technique developed by a team at Disney Research, Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) could enhance current capacitive touch sensing used for information interaction by enabling detection of more complex gestures. Named Touché, the new method monitors capacitive signals across a broad range of frequencies instead sensing electrical signals at a single ... »

Gadgets| Tech»

Small LED projector projects sharp images on uneven surfaces

By Damir B.
One Comment5 May 2012
fraunhofer-mini-LED-projector-1.jpg

In order to compensate for usually small display size on digital cameras and smartphones, many companies and research groups focused on development of small projectors that could be used alongside these devices to project larger images on nearby surfaces. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (Fraunhofer IOF) in Jena, developed ... »

Bionics| Tech»

e-Nanoflex Sensor System – physiological data textile sensor

By Damir B.
One Comment4 May 2012
e-nanoflex-sensor-system-1

An interdisciplinary team of engineers at the University of Arkansas developed e-Nanoflex Sensor System – a wireless health-monitoring textile-based sensors that can be integrated into conventional sports bra or a vest. Since the monitored information can be sent in real time to a physician, hospital or the wearer’s smartphone, the technology enables easier monitoring of ... »