Grow Monsters. Expandable water toys. Whatever you call them, they’re plastic-like figurines that swell when placed in water. New materials science research borrows from this concept; only instead of water, engineers discovered that tiny crystal lattices called “self-assembling molecular nanosheets” expand when exposed to light. The advancement, described in the Proceedings of the National Academy…
Ancient Paper Art Influences Modern Smart Clothing
Like a yoga novice, electronic components don’t stretch easily. But that’s changing thanks to a variation of origami that involves cutting folded pieces of paper. In a study published April 2 in the journal Advanced Materials, a University at Buffalo-led research team describes how kirigami has inspired its efforts to build malleable electronic circuits. Their…
Body Could Replace Outlets as Power Supply Source
Searching for a power outlet may soon become a thing of the past. Instead, devices will receive electricity from a small metallic tab that, when attached to the body, is capable of generating electricity from bending a finger and other simple movements. That’s the idea behind a collaborative research project led by University at Buffalo…
Carbon-Dipped Paper Creates Solar-Powered Water Purifier
You’ve seen Bear Grylls turn foul water into drinking water with little more than sunlight and plastic. Now, academics have added a third element — carbon-dipped paper — that may turn this survival tactic into a highly efficient and inexpensive way to turn saltwater and contaminated water into potable water for personal use. The idea,…
Miniscule Graphene Radios Enable Internet of Nano-Things
For wireless communication, we’re all stuck on the same traffic-clogged highway — it’s a section of the electromagnetic spectrum known as radio waves. Advancements have made the highway more efficient, but bandwidth issues persist as wireless devices proliferate and the demand for data grows. The solution may be a nearby, mostly untapped area of the…