Selenium (Se) pollution, which harms aquatic ecosystems and wildlife and can be toxic in humans and animals, is found in natural water bodies worldwide. Current biological treatment to remove Se from wastewater is expensive, produces non-biodegradable sludges, has a large carbon footprint, and is sensitive to chemical and environmental limitations. Direct electrochemical reduction using gold…
R&D 100 winner of the day: SABIC’s LNP STAT-KON High Electrically Conductive Compound
SABIC’s LNP STAT-KON can replace metal-based bipolar plates in redox batteries for energy storage, thus enabling mass production of batteries for traditional and renewable energy-generating systems. This thermoplastic offers a balance of electrical and thermal conductivity, higher mechanical strength, better corrosion resistance to the electrolyte for an extended life, cost, use of available raw materials,…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Agilely Adoptable Demand Responsive Energy Management System (AADREMS)
Industrial Technology Research Institute’s (ITRI) AADREMS is the first energy management system (EMS) to leverage deep reinforcement learning (DRL) for energy-saving services. The team behind AADREMS has made significant strides in accelerating DRL’s learning speed, making the technology practical for real-world applications. The system excels in managing interactions among multiple components, achieving 15 to 20%…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Transparent Sun Nanocurtain
NAMI’s Transparent Sun Nanocurtain offers a durable, cost-effective solution for improving energy efficiency in windows of various shapes and curvatures. The product from Nano and Advanced Materials Institute and co-developer: Harvest Time Facade Limited blocks 50% of solar energy while allowing over 60% of visible light to pass through, and it reflects less than 6%…
EssilorLuxottica secures FDA clearance and EU certifications for Nuance Audio Glasses
EssilorLuxottica has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its over-the-counter Nuance Audio Glasses, alongside achieving CE marking under the EU’s Medical Devices Regulation. The company also developed an ISO Quality Management System certification for hearing aids, enabling the product’s launch in Europe. Nuance Audio Hearing Aid Software is the first…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Novel Silicone Resin for Powder Polyester Modification
Coatings for cookware and grills face a tough challenge: withstanding high temperatures and repeated cleaning cycles while maintaining a smooth finish. Silicone resins offer heat resistance but lack strength and are costly, while polyesters provide good strength but struggle with heat. Dow (Shanghai) Holding Co.’s Silicone Modified Polyester (SMP) aims to combine the best of…
Elevated Materials launches with focus on advanced lithium films for batteries
Elevated Materials, a newly established company supported by TPG’s Rise Climate fund and Applied Materials, has entered the battery market. It focuses on producing ultra-thin, uniform lithium films. The company aims to enhance battery performance by leveraging decades of vacuum roll-to-roll processing expertise and hundreds of patents from Applied Materials. Its technology is designed to…
This week in battery research: Plant openings, closures, new tech, and US funding freeze
The battery industry is buzzing with activity as researchers explore alternatives like aluminum-ion and solid-state batteries, promising greater safety and sustainability. Toyota is preparing a battery plant in North Carolina for 2025, KORE Power has canceled a $1.2 billion Arizona gigafactory, and Octillion has opened a Nevada facility to meet demand. Nuvvon is advancing solid-state…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Fixing Flue Gas CO2 Into High Performance Polycarbonate Resin
CHIMEI Corporation and Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) have developed a close-looped, zero waste, and non-toxic method to make polycarbonate resin. It uses sophisticated catalysts to effectively address the common environmental problems in traditional methods. This technology avoids toxic chemical feedstock and recycles all solvents and wastewater, significantly reducing energy consumption and overall carbon emissions.…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Berelex Green eco-friendly, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial paint
Berelex Green eco-friendly paint combines sustainability with improved indoor air quality. Specifically designed for poorly ventilated spaces, this paint from Pinturas Berel S.A. de C.V. promotes healthier environments while reducing carbon emissions. Composed of 29% renewable materials, Berelex Green replaces fossil-based components, significantly lowering its carbon footprint. Its air-purifying formula sets it apart; it converts…
R&D 100 winner of the day: MOSAIC, Memory-cube Operability in a Stacked AI Chip for Generative AI
The rapid advance of AI is hampered by the “memory bottleneck,” a challenge stemming from the separation of memory and processing units in the von Neumann architecture. This bottleneck is particularly pronounced in generative AI applications, where memory-intensive operations exacerbate the issue. Over the past two decades, the growth of computing power has outpaced memory…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Nanocrystalline Axial Flux Electric Motor
The rapid shift towards electric vehicles is driving a demand for more powerful and efficient electric motors. Traditional electric motors lose a significant amount of energy due to losses in their soft magnetic cores, which are typically the bulkiest components in these systems. CorePower Magnetics (Co-developer: Carnegie Mellon University) has developed a new electric motor…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Frontier-X
NASA missions with limited mass and power budgets have long demanded innovative communication systems. In response, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) developed Frontier Radio, which first flew in 2012 on the twin Van Allen Probes. This compact, radiation-tolerant radio became a critical component on several near- and deep-space missions, including Parker Solar Probe,…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Electrooculography and Balance Blast Overpressure Monitoring System (EYEBOOM)
Military/law enforcement personnel are often exposed to blast overpressure in training and operational settings, which can lead to short-term cognitive impairments and increased risk of conditions like anxiety and depression. The Electrooculography and Balance Blast Overpressure Monitoring System (EYEBOOM) is a wearable monitoring system that provides early warning of blast exposure risk from MIT Lincoln…
Ericsson launches Cognitive Labs to advance AI research in telecom, healthcare
Ericsson has introduced Cognitive Labs, a virtual research initiative dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), Active Learning, and Large-Scale Language Models (LLMs). The program operates with teams in Madrid, Málaga, and Cairo. Focus areas include enhancing mobile communications and exploring emerging technology applications in sectors like healthcare. The…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Berxel iHawk P100 Polarization Structured Light Camera
Berxel Photonics Co. Ltd.’s new 3D camera using Polarization-Structured Light (PSL) transforms depth perception in challenging environments. Traditional 3D cameras struggle with reflective surfaces like glass, mirrors, and water, often producing inaccurate depth readings. The PSL 3D camera overcomes these limitations by leveraging the polarization properties of light. It employs high-contrast-grating vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs)…
R&D 100 winner of the day: A Planet-Friendly Powerhouse Behind Data Centers of the Future
Data centers are facing a growing energy challenge as demand for computing power, particularly for AI applications, continues to surge. According to Goldman Sachs Research, data center power demand is projected to increase by 160% by 2030. This growing demand translates into increased heat generation and, consequently, higher cooling requirements, putting a strain on energy…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Polyphase electromagnetic couplers for extreme fast wireless charging of electric vehicles
Current wireless charging technology for electric vehicles is limited by the bulky and heavy nature of high-power systems. While light-duty vehicles are limited to 11 kW charging, systems capable of 100 to 250 kW are too large for practical use, even in heavier vehicles. This new wireless charging technology development from Oak Ridge National Laboratory…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Ameba RAN for NTN/TN convergence network
Satellite communications, known as non-terrestrial networks (NTN), are bridging the gap in cellular coverage, bringing connectivity to remote areas and disaster zones. NTN technology allows devices to remain connected even when outside the range of traditional cell towers, enabling users to communicate, receive emergency warnings, and navigate.Ameba RAN is a software-defined cellular base station. Ameba…
KIMM and Hyundai reveal high-pressure ammonia engine
A coalition led by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), Hyundai Motor, and Kia has developed “the world’s first engine capable of directly injecting ammonia into the combustion chamber at high pressure.” The coalition reported overcoming longstanding challenges in power stability and emissions. Direct High-Pressure Injection: The engine eliminates the need for gaseous…
R&D 100 winner of the day: Traffic Violation Catcher
In Taiwan, traffic violations, especially those involving motorcycles, remain a problem. In 2022 alone, traffic accidents resulted in 3,085 deaths and nearly 500,000 injuries, the highest in a decade. Limited police resources make traffic violation enforcement difficult, leading to a gap between issued penalties and actual infractions. Traditional enforcement methods pose safety risks to officers,…
2025 Device Research Conference announces call for papers
The Device Research Conference (DRC) has announced a Call for Papers for DRC 2025, the conference’s 83rd anniversary. The 83rd annual DRC will be held from June 22-25, 2025, at Duke University in Durham, N.C. The DRC brings together scientists, researchers, and students from many disciplines in academia and industry to share their latest research…
AI takes center stage at ORNL, where potential meets risk
In the early 1990s, the internet seemed poised to improve our lives by democratizing knowledge, publishing, and communication. While it did achieve many of these goals, it also introduced security risks ranging from malware to phishing. The online world of 2024 feels more like a war zone than a digital playground, “If you connect a…
R&D winner of the day: QUIC-DEPDOSE
All unexpected radiological releases affect public health, economic stability, and global security. Los Alamos National Laboratory’s QUIC-DEPDOSE is a software application that calculates individualized radiation doses for people downwind from a radioactive plume by combining two key models: QUIC (for atmospheric dispersion) and DEPDOSE (for respiratory tract deposition and dose calculations). It leverages real topography…
R&D winner of the day: ENFINIA DNA
Elegen has developed a custom synthetic DNA product that is changing genetic medicine development. This new technology, which uses a combination of molecular biology, chemistry, and microfluidics, produces linear, double-stranded DNA in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods. ENFINIA DNA boasts a 20x higher accuracy and lengths up to 20,000 base pairs,…