ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

The better to see you with: Prosthetic leg would keep an eye on path ahead Posted: 27 Feb 2015 03:10 PM PST A mechanical engineer and his team have developed a computer-controlled camera that enables their robotic ankle to see where it is going.

Bringing clean energy a step closer Posted: 27 Feb 2015 11:49 AM PST Researchers have made an inexpensive metal-free catalyst that performs as well as costly metal catalysts at speeding the oxygen reduction reaction in an acidic fuel cell, and is more durable. The catalyst is made of sheets of nitrogen-doped graphene that provides great surface area, carbon nanotubes that enhance conductivity, and carbon black particles that separate the layers allowing the electrolyte and oxygen to flow freely, which greatly increased performance and efficiency.

Energy use in buildings: Innovative, lower cost sensors and controls yield better energy efficiency Posted: 27 Feb 2015 11:48 AM PST Buildings are responsible for about 40 percent of the energy consumed in the United States. Studies indicate that advanced sensors and controls have the potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by 20-30 percent.

Mystery of the reverse-wired eyeball solved Posted: 27 Feb 2015 10:10 AM PST Counter-intuitively, in vertebrates photoreceptors are located behind the neurons in the back of the eye. Now physicists explain why the neural wiring seems to be backwards.

Predicting human crowds with statistical physics Posted: 27 Feb 2015 10:10 AM PST A general law of how pedestrians interact in a crowd can be used to create realistic crowds in virtual reality games and to make public spaces safer.

Saving energy: Increasing oil flow in the Keystone pipeline with electric fields Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:27 AM PST A strong electric field applied to a section of the Keystone pipeline can smooth oil flow and yield significant pump energy savings. Once aligned with an electric field, oil retained its low viscosity and turbulence for more than 11 hours before returning to its original viscosity. The process is repeatable and the researchers envision placing aligning stations spaced along a pipeline, significantly reducing the energy necessary to transport oil.

Untangling DNA with a droplet of water, a pipet and a polymer Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:26 AM PST Researchers have long sought an efficient way to untangle DNA to study its structure -- neatly unraveled and straightened out -- under a microscope. Now, researchers have devised a simple and effective solution: they inject genetic material into a droplet of water and use a pipet tip to drag it over a glass plate covered with a sticky polymer.

New filter could advance terahertz data transmission Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:26 AM PST For wireless communication in the long-sought terahertz range, engineers have devised a frequency filter that can be fabricated with an inkjet printer.

The biobattery: Turning sewage sludge into electricity and engine oil Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:25 AM PST Sewage sludge, green waste, production residue from the food industry, straw or animal excrement – with the biobattery‘s modular concept a much larger range of biomass can be utilized for energy recovery than previously. Researchers show that they can convert organic residues into electricity, heat, purified gas, engine oil and high quality biochar using this process.

Terrorist attacks have shifted from air to rail, study suggests Posted: 27 Feb 2015 08:25 AM PST Data on terrorist attacks from 1982 to 2011 show a long-term trend away from air attacks and toward railroad and subway attacks, underscoring the need for increased intelligence gathering to intercept those redirected attempts.

Quantum radar to detect objects which are invisible to conventional systems Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:46 AM PST A prototype quantum radar that has the potential to detect objects which are invisible to conventional systems has now been developed.

Ensuring security for networks of the future Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:46 AM PST Company networks are inflexible – they are made up of many components that require a good deal of effort to be connected together. That’s why networks of the future will be controlled by a central unit. However, this makes them a target for hackers. Researchers can demonstrate how to protect these future networks.

Quick test for quality beer, milk Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:46 AM PST To guarantee a high quality of their beer, breweries monitor the production process very closely. With a new polymer powder, this monitoring will be able to be faster and simpler in the future. Manufacturers can also test drinks such as milk, juice, cola and red wine with the quick check.

Wind-powered freighters Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST To make ships more eco-efficient, engineers have been working with alternative fuels. A Norwegian engineer is currently pursuing a new approach: With VindskipTM, he has designed a cargo ship that is powered by wind and gas. Software will ensure an optimum use of the available wind energy at any time.

World's best cross-country skiers pole to victory Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST As the World Cup cross-country ski races wrap up in Falun, Sweden this weekend, it's hard not to wonder what separates the very best skiers from across the globe from the winners. Norwegian researchers now have the answer: it's all in the arms.

Talking drone offers aviation safety boost Posted: 27 Feb 2015 05:43 AM PST In a world first, researchers have developed a talking drone that can converse with air traffic controllers just like a normal pilot.

Cutting-edge technology optimizes cancer therapy with nanomedicine drug combinations Posted: 24 Feb 2015 12:48 PM PST Designing optimized combination therapies for cancer is remarkably difficult due to the infinite possible drug dose ratios and variable patient-specific response to treatment. In a landmark advance for personalized medicine, bioengineers have developed a novel technology that, for the first time, overcomes these challenges. By assessing phenotype, or physical biological traits as they respond to chemotherapy to drive a powerful analytics platform, the most effective and safe drug combinations possible can be systematically designed.

Direct brain neurostimulation for partial onset seizures provides long-term benefit Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:39 AM PST A study of the long-term effectiveness of the first direct brain responsive neurostimulator for partial onset, or focal, seizures that cannot be controlled with medication demonstrates that responsive direct cortical stimulation reduces seizures and improves quality of life over an average of 5.4 years.