Hydrogen (H2) is a promising fuel for reducing greenhouse gases, especially if produced by using renewable energy to split water molecules (H2O). But as simple as it may seem to break water into hydrogen and oxygen, the chemistry is complex.
If users wish to “freeze” the soft robot’s shape, they can apply moderate heat (64°C, or 147°F), and then let the robot cool briefly. This prevents the soft robot from reverting to its original shape, even after the liquid in the microfluidic channels is pumped out. If users want to return the soft robot to its original shape, they simply apply the heat again after pumping out the liquid, and the robot relaxes to its original configuration.
“A key factor here is fine-tuning the thickness of the shape memory layer relative to the layer that contains the microfluidic channels,” says Yinding Chi, co-lead author of the paper and a former Ph.D. student at NC State. “You need the shape memory layer to be thin enough to bend when the actuator’s pressure is applied, but thick enough to get the soft robot to retain its shape even after the pressure is removed.”
Continue reading “3D-printed mini-actuators can move small soft robots, lock them into new shapes” »
When placed at the tip of a turbine blade, the c-shaped “winglet” inspired by the condor reduces drag, potentially increasing the turbine’s efficiency by up to 10% in optimal conditions, according to a study published in the journal Energy.
The wings of soaring birds have also been adapted for use in commercial and military aircraft around the world to increase their lift, says co-author Brian Fleck, a professor of mechanical engineering and expert in fluid dynamics.
Continue reading “World’s heaviest soaring bird inspires wind power design” »
Now, iPhone owners will have to decide if Apple Intelligence is enough of a reason to upgrade.
Apple certainly hopes so.
First 30 days are free and 20% off the annual premium subscription when you use our link ➜ https://brilliant.org/sabine. We just saw another open letter abo…
There’s a lot of other ways that AI could really take things in a bad direction.
One of the OpenAI directors who worked to oust CEO Sam Altman is issuing some stark warnings about the future of unchecked artificial intelligence.
In an interview during Axios’ AI+ summit, former OpenAI board member Helen Toner suggested that the risks AI poses to humanity aren’t just worst-case scenarios from science fiction.
Continue reading “Former OpenAI Director Warns There Are Bad Things AI Can Do Besides Kill You” »
An international scientific team has redefined our understanding of archaea, a microbial ancestor to humans from two billion years ago, by showing how they use hydrogen gas.
By Rachel Kremen, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
The furious exhaust heat generated by a fusing plasma in a commercial-scale reactor may not be as damaging to the vessel’s innards as once thought, according to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the ITER Organization (ITER).
Apple today teased the first update for its mixed-reality headset, visionOS 2, which includes AI-powered spatial photos and videos for the Vision Pro to give them a more immersive feel.
As part of its WWDC presentation, Apple also unveiled a special “spatial” lens for Canon cameras designed to capture moments viewable on the Vision Pro, as well as a partnership with cinema camera company Blackmagic Design.
Today, the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) broke ground, kicking off the transformation of the historic port into an East Coast offshore wind hub.
SBMT will support Norwegian energy giant Equinor’s first US offshore wind project, Empire Wind 1. Brooklyn’s new offshore wind hub is designed to be a central, scalable hub for the expanding East Coast offshore wind market, and as a port for future offshore wind developments.
When the terminal is complete, it will be one of the largest dedicated offshore wind hubs in the US.
