Green architecture – Ying Yang House, Venice, California

By Damir Beciri
28 May 2013

yin-yang-house-1Located in neighborhood with single-family bungalows lined up side by side as if in an a small town, the Ying Yang House stands out as one of the few modern dwellings in Venice, California. This home and office was designed with both passive and active solutions to achieve nearly net-zero energy status, and it provides both… »

Improving hydrogen production with a bit of rust

By Damir Beciri
24 May 2013

duke-hydrogen-productionWhile hydrogen can be found nearly everywhere in the environment and it can be used to produce power, producing and collecting molecular hydrogen with current methods isn’t competitive with other sources of energy. Duke University engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil… »

OsmoBlue technology uses osmosis to convert excess heat into electricity

By Damir Beciri
22 May 2013

osmoblueAccording to some studies, between 20 to 50 percent of consumed energy is dispersed as heat. Although there are methods to utilize heat over 150°C (302°F) to produce electricity or to heat homes, the rest is simply released into the environment. The start-up OsmoBlue, based in EPFL’s Laboratory of Microsystems, developed a process based on… »

Waterproof fabric that drains away sweat

By Damir Beciri
21 May 2013

uc-davis-non-wettening-fabricWorkout enthusiasts, athletes and clothing manufacturers are all interested in fabrics that remove sweat and let the skin breathe. While cotton fibers and silk allow air to flow more freely, during heavy exercise cotton can get soaked, making it clingy and uncomfortable. Bioengineers at the University of California, Davis, have used new findings in microfluidics… »

Storing energy at seabed as efficient as current energy storage plants

By Damir Beciri
19 May 2013

norway-seaThe idea where energy is stored at the bottom of the sea has been around for a while, and a group of Norwegian researchers decided to contribute to realization of that concept. In cooperation with researchers at SINTEF who develop the tanks employed by this method, they plan to use their patent pending technology to… »

Single-pixel detectors used to make 3D images without a camera

By Damir Beciri
18 May 2013

single-pixel-detector-3d-imageResearchers at the University of Glasgow’s School of Physics and Astronomy have found a way to make sophisticated 3D images without using conventional digital cameras. Their system uses simple, cheap detectors which have just a single pixel to sense light instead of the millions of pixels used in the imaging sensors of digital cameras. The… »

Using paper to generate electrically conducting structures

By Damir Beciri
16 May 2013

paper-electronicsResearchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam-Golm have created targeted conductive structures on paper. Their method relies on conventional inkjet printer which prints a catalyst on a sheet of paper. After getting heated, the printed areas on the paper get converted into conductive graphite. Being an inexpensive, light and flexible… »

Extracting human DNA with full genetic data within minutes

By Maja Bosanac
14 May 2013

uw-dna-extraction-deviceCollaboration between engineers at the University of Washington (UW) and NanoFacture, a UW spinout company, resulted in the development of a device that can extract human DNA in a simpler, more efficient and environmentally friendlier way than conventional methods. The new device will enable hospitals and research labs to extract DNA from human fluid samples… »