Most recent 20 articles: PHYS.ORG - Technology
 |
Amazon wants to be everything to everyone - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 13, 2024) |
|
Oct 13, 2024 · Amazon is bolstering its e-commerce empire while continuing a march deeper into people's lives, from robots to health care and entertainment.
Innovations unveiled in recent days by the Seattle-based tech titan included a delivery van computer system to shave time off deliveries by its speed-obsessed logistics network.
Amazon Stores boss Doug Herrington said that the technology enables vans to recognize stops and signal which packages to drop off.
"When we speed up deliveries, customers shop more," Herrington said.
"For 2024, we're going to have the fastest Prime delivery speeds around the world," he added, referring to Amazon's subscription service.
On ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Volunteers bring solar power to Hurricane Helene's disaster zone - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 13, 2024) |
|
Oct 13, 2024 · Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Helene downed power lines and washed out roads all over North Carolina's mountains, the constant din of a gas-powered generator is getting to be too much for Bobby Renfro.
It's difficult to hear the nurses, neighbors and volunteers flowing through the community resource hub he has set up in a former church for his neighbors in Tipton Hill, a crossroads in the Pisgah National Forest north of Asheville. Much worse is the cost: he spent $1,200 to buy it and thousands more on fuel that volunteers drive in from Tennessee.
Turning off their only power source isn't an option. This generator runs a refrigerator holding insulin for neighbors with ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Integer addition algorithm could reduce energy needs of AI by 95% - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 12, 2024) |
|
Oct 12, 2024 · A team of engineers at AI inference technology company BitEnergy AI reports a method to reduce the energy needs of AI applications by 95%. The group has published a paper describing their new technique on the arXiv preprint server.
As AI applications have gone mainstream, their use has risen dramatically, leading to a notable rise in energy needs and costs. LLMs such as ChatGPT require a lot of computing power, which in turn means a lot of electricity is needed to run them.
As just one example, ChatGPT now requires roughly 564 MWh daily, or enough to power 18,000 American homes. As the science continues to advance and such apps become more popular, critics have suggested ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Reconfigurable manipulator robot designed to inspect pipes in challenging environments - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 11, 2024) |
|
Oct 11, 2024 · The Interactive and Robotic Systems Lab (IRS) group at the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló has developed a mobile, lightweight, modular and reconfigurable manipulator robot, which includes a remote control station with 3D perception, modular and multi-device 3D simulation software that implements a digital twin for operator training, with the aim of operating in hazardous scenarios for human health, initially in the inspection of plastic pipes by probing and artificial vision.
The new technology, which has been validated on an experimental scale at the UJI's Centre for Research in Robotics and Underwater Technologies (CIRTESU), is applicable to the inspection of pipes and ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Renewables revolt in Sardinia, Italy's coal-fired island - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 11, 2024) |
|
Oct 11, 2024 · The bolts securing the towering wind turbine were unscrewed under cover of darkness, an act of sabotage symbolizing a vehement pushback against renewable energy in Sardinia.
Long summers and strong winds make the Italian island a prime location for wind and solar power, but intense investor interest has spooked locals who say Sardinia is being exploited.
The loosened bolts were discovered before the turbine on the edge of the village of Mamoiada toppled over, but it was one of several plants vandalized this year as regional authorities drew up rules determining where clean energy structures can be built.
"There's been a visceral rejection of renewables. The ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Rooftop solar panels impact temperatures during the day and night in cities, simulation study shows - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 11, 2024) |
|
Oct 11, 2024 · Widespread coverage of building rooftops with conventional photovoltaic solar panels may increase temperatures on hot days and lower them at night, says new modeling.
They found that in a scenario with complete RPVSP coverage in a city, the urban temperature could increase in the day up to 1.5°C during peak summer periods and decrease at nighttime up to 0.6°C.
The findings, published in Nature Cities, don't suggest that PVs aren't an important renewable energy solution in the transition away from fossil fuels. Instead, the researchers say it highlights the opportunity to develop integrated solutions for RPVSPs, such as reflective materials for rooftops and greenery ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Telescopes can help bring renewable energy to isolated Chilean communities - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 11, 2024) |
|
Oct 11, 2024 · Just published research in Nature Sustainability shows that building a renewable energy system for a telescope in Chile's isolated Atacama Desert could also cover 66% of a nearby community's energy needs, giving hope for win-win development around other remote infrastructure projects.
Integrating renewable energy sources into the design of the AtLAST telescope would introduce the astronomical community on the Chajnantor plateau and the nearby residential areas to more sustainable energy systems. This integration would reduce local reliance on fossil fuels and provide renewable energy.
Home to observatories like the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) and the Atacama ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Tesla's Cybercab: Elon Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027' - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 11, 2024) |
|
Oct 11, 2024 · Elon Musk on Thursday unveiled what he said was a robotaxi capable of self-driving, predicting it would be available by 2027 - about a decade after he first promised an autonomous vehicle.
The Tesla CEO said the fully electric car - which has no steering wheel or pedals - would be priced under $30,000, would be charged wirelessly with inductive technology and would be "10 to 20 times safer" than human-driven cars.
"You can think of the car in an autonomous world as being like just a little lounge," he told a crowd at the Warner Brothers Studio lot near Los Angeles.
"You're just sitting in a comfortable little lounge, and you can do whatever you want while you're in ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Charging, not range, is becoming a top concern for electric car drivers - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · The Biden administration is using tax credits, regulations and federal investments to shift drivers toward electric vehicles. But drivers will make the switch only if they are confident they can find reliable charging when and where they need it.
Over the past four years, the number of public charging ports across the U.S. has doubled. As of August 2024, the nation had 192,000 publicly available charging ports and was adding about 1,000 public chargers weekly. Infrastructure rarely expands at such a fast rate.
Agencies are allocating billions of dollars authorized through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for building charging infrastructure. This expansion is ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Engineers develop a way to streamline solar cell testing, accelerating a process that can be slow and costly - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · The process of testing new solar cell technologies has traditionally been slow and costly, requiring multiple steps. Led by a fifth-year Ph.D. student, a Johns Hopkins team has developed a machine learning method that promises to dramatically speed up this process, paving the way for more efficient and affordable renewable energy solutions.
"Our work shows that machine learning can streamline the solar cell testing process," said team leader Kevin Lee, who worked with fellow electrical and computer engineering graduate students Arlene Chiu, Yida Lin, Sreyas Chintapalli, and Serene Kamal, and undergraduate Eric Ji, on the project. "This not only saves time and resources but ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Generator system set to transform offshore renewables - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · A new type of generator developed by Edinburgh engineers could reduce the cost of electricity produced by offshore renewable technologies.
The lightweight, stackable generator system - which converts mechanical energy produced by offshore wind, wave and tidal technologies into electricity - could also help extend the lifespan of renewable energy installations.
The modular system, developed by new spinout company CGEN Engineering, can be easily transported to renewable energy installations and assembled into a complete power system.
Unlike conventional systems, each module can be added, replaced or moved individually, meaning energy companies can keep operations ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Going off grid is a financial win for some, but it's a threat for poorer families and the environment - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · How would you like to never have another electric bill? Advances in technology have made it possible for some consumers to disconnect from the power grid - a move that was once only available to the ultra-wealthy who could afford the associated costs, or survivalists willing to trade convenience for freedom. This is no longer the case.
A recent study I coauthored with energy researcher Seyyed Ali Sadat reveals that the balance of economics has shifted and now many families may be better off financially by cutting ties to the grid. However, this might not be a good thing for everyone.
Back in the 2000s, solar was costly. The solar industry's goal was to push the cost of ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Hypersaline brine produced by fracking has left us in a pickle, but new process could help dry it up - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · Seemingly miraculous innovations have made it possible to slake the ever-growing thirsts of our industrial society. Need more energy? Frack it from deep-bedded rocks. Fresh water? Desalinate ocean flows. Precious metals? Leach them from low-grade ores that were previously unminable.
But these and other marvels leave us in a pickle - awash in a sea of hypersaline brine. This "brine" - wastewater containing levels of salt many times higher than seawater and often contaminated with pollutants - is a byproduct of these and other industrial processes, and it's a problem.
"The disposal of brine solutions with total dissolved solids greater than 60,000?mg?l-1 poses technical, ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
New technology converts wastewater to sustainable aviation fuel with potential 70% reduction in emissions - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · Made from renewable materials like biomass and agricultural waste, sustainable aviation fuel has enormous potential to decarbonize the aviation industry. But widespread adoption has yet to take off.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) makes up less than 1% of the fuel used in the aviation industry, while aviation fuel contributes about 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Producing SAF that is more energy efficient, cheaper and cost-competitive with fossil-based jet fuel is critical to widespread commercial use.
Now scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory have developed a novel technology that creates a cost-competitive SAF that could reduce GHG emissions in ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Organic compound boosts solar cell stretchability without sacrificing power - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · A solar cell developed by RIKEN physicists can be stretched without greatly affecting its ability to convert light into electricity. It is thus promising for powering the next generation of wearable electronics.
Today's smart watches can monitor an impressive array of health metrics, while more-specialist wearable devices are being developed for specific medical applications. But such devices need to be recharged periodically.
To eliminate this need, researchers are seeking to develop flexible, wearable solar cells. However, it is vital to ensure that the performance of these solar cells doesn't drop off when they are stretched by body movements during everyday ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Scientists improve catalytic converter efficiency to cut harmful pollution from hydrogen engines - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · Hydrogen-burning internal combustion engines offer great promise in the fight against climate change because they are powerful without emitting any earth-warming carbon. They can power heavy-duty trucks and buses and are suited for off-road and agricultural equipment and backup power generators, providing cleaner alternatives to diesel engines.
Yet they are not entirely clean. They emit nitrogen oxides during the high-temperature combustion process. Nitrogen oxides react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form harmful ozone and fine particulate matter, which aggravate our lungs and lead to long-term health problems.
Fortunately, UC Riverside scientists have ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Streamlining solar cell structure and fabrication for more affordable energy - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · A new fabrication technique for substantially enhancing the prospects of commercializing perovskite solar cells through improved stability, reliability, efficiency and affordability is underway at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).
"The improvements in stability and the simplification of the production process of perovskite solar cells represent a significant step forward in making solar energy more accessible and affordable," explained Professor Zhu Zonglong of the Department of Chemistry, explaining that the mineral perovskite is used extensively to convert sunlight into electricity efficiently.
In broad terms, the CityUHK team is working on a new type of solar ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
The new fashion: Clothes that help combat rising temperatures - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 10, 2024) |
|
Oct 10, 2024 · A team of international researchers has developed a natural fabric that urban residents could wear to counter rising temperatures in cities worldwide, caused by buildings, asphalt, and concrete.
As heat waves become more prominent, cooling textiles that can be incorporated into clothes, hats, shoes and even building surfaces provide a glimpse into a future where greenhouse gas-emitting air conditioners may no longer be needed in our cities.
Engineers from Zhengzhou University and the University of South Australia say the wearable fabric is designed to reflect sunlight and allow heat to escape, while blocking the sun's rays and lowering the temperature. They have ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Small turbines can capture wasted energy and generate electricity from man-made wind sources - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Oct 09, 2024) |
|
Oct 09, 2024 · A pair of electrical engineers at Distance University of Madrid, working with a colleague from Mision Critica-Data Center, ZFB Technology Services, in Columbia, has developed a methodology for generating electricity from man-made wind sources using small turbines.
In their paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, Isabel Gil-García, Ana Fernández-Guillamón, and Álvaro Montes-Torres describe their methodology and outline how they used it to generate electricity from wasted wind generated by chilling machines at a data center in Columbia.
The new methodology starts with identifying a possible man-made resource, such as a ship, truck, train, or fan used for general ... Read more ...
|
|
|
|
Brian Williams to cover election night in Amazon Prime's first foray into news - PHYS.ORG - Technology (Sep 30, 2024) |
|
Sep 30, 2024 · Former NBC News star Brian Williams is finalizing a deal to anchor live coverage of the presidential election results for Amazon's Prime Video, in the streamer's first attempt at live news coverage, according to two people familiar with the plan.
Williams, 65, has been off of television since leaving his professional home of 28 years in 2021. He has spoken with a number of networks and streaming services about projects, but this is the first to come to fruition. He would be in his comfort zone at Prime Video, as he led NBC's presidential election night programs in 2008 and 2012 and its cable network MSNBC's coverage in 2016 and 2020.
A representative for Prime Video ... Read more ...
|
|
|