The 2024 R&D 100 Awards Highlights The Power Of Convergence

Since 1963, the R&D 100 Awards have celebrated the world’s most groundbreaking technologies, often recognizing those born from a convergence of disciplines. The 2024 awards continue this legacy, featuring innovations from 16 countries and regions, spanning fields from materials science to AI.

For instance, there is General Atomics’ Metrology Research and Development Team, this year’s “Team of the Year,” exemplifies how the unification of scientific expertise can drive breakthroughs. Its 4Pi Integrated Metrology System, a product of combined expertise in robotics, automation, and AI, has played a role in enabling the first controlled fusion ignitions in history.

On page 9, explore the 4Pi system, a marvel of engineering that combines robotics, automation, and machine learning to examine tiny fuel capsules with sub-micron precision. You’ll meet Haibo Huang, Ph.D., the project lead and a driving force in measurement science, who shares insights on the team’s journey, the challenges they overcame, and the potential of fusion energy.

SUSTAINABILITY TAKES CENTER STAGE: FROM CARBON CAPTURE TO CIRCULAR ECONOMIES

This year’s winning innovations highlight several key themes. Among them is sustainability. Sandia National Laboratories’ LDAC3 technology exemplifies this trend. LDAC3 uses specialized clays to capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere at a lower cost, making this vital climate change mitigation strategy more accessible.

Ames National Laboratory’s BRAWS Technology showcases a synthesis of technologies for a more sustainable future. BRAWS links battery recycling with hydrogen production, recovering valuable materials and generating clean fuel. This innovative approach exemplifies how tackling multiple challenges simultaneously—in this case, electronic waste and clean energy—can lead to powerful win-win scenarios.

AUTOMATION AND AI

Automation and AI are rapidly becoming intertwined with a range of industrial processes, driving a new era of intelligent systems. As AI technologies mature, innovators are integrating them to boost efficiency, improve safety, and address critical workforce challenges.

For example, the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), in collaboration with AI Machinevision Corp., developed an AIpowered fabric inspection system that revamps quality control. This system uses machine learning to detect defects in real time, boosting inspection speed, accuracy, and overall product quality while minimizing human error.

Then there’s ITRI’s AI-driven miniature serpentine robot, which is driving advances in minimally invasive surgery. This tiny robot navigates autonomously within the human body, allowing surgeons to perform complex procedures with greater precision and reduced patient trauma. This innovation demonstrates AI’s potential to significantly bolster healthcare outcomes.

MATERIAL INNOVATIONS ARE SHAPING A MORE EFFICIENT FUTURE

Material science often lies at the heart of convergent innovation, providing the building blocks for new technologies. A prime example is the Nanocrystalline Axial Flux Electric Motor developed by CorePower Magnetics and Carnegie Mellon University. This motor leverages nanocrystalline soft magnetic materials to achieve greater efficiency and power density compared to conventional motors. The innovative design reduces energy loss and allows for a smaller size, potentially impacting the development of electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.

Sandia National Laboratories has developed Self-Healing Refractory High-Entropy Alloys (RHEAs), which represent a significant development in material durability. These alloys can withstand extreme temperatures and radiation, making them wellsuited for applications in aerospace, nuclear reactors, and other demanding settings. The self-healing properties of RHEAs offer the potential to extend component lifespans, enhance safety, and improve cost-effectiveness.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Harvard University are helping guide the future of 3D printing with their Nanocomposite Inks. These inks allow for the creation of advanced devices with graded dielectric properties, opening up novel possibilities in electronics manufacturing, from customized antennas to electromagnetic shielding.

DECENTRALIZATION AND RESILIENCE

Portable and modular technologies are driving a powerful shift toward decentralization, enhancing both resilience and accessibility. Los Alamos National Laboratory’s MENDS system embodies this shift. This flexible, modular system decontaminates surfaces on-site, eliminating the need for large-scale infrastructure. Its portability allows rapid deployment in various settings, improving safety and reducing environmental impact.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s MBE-DAC system takes a similar approach, integrating carbon capture directly into building systems. This localized approach allows individual buildings to participate in emission reduction, promoting a more distributed and effective fight against climate change.

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS BETWEEN DISCIPLINES

Another example of convergence comes courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh. Partnering with the National Energy Technology Laboratory and Sensible Photonics, they developed UltraSonic Photonics, a system that merges ultrasonic and photonic technologies for structural health monitoring. This integration enables real-time, autonomous flaw detection in critical infrastructure, enhancing safety and preventing catastrophic failures in pipelines, bridges, and more.

Similarly, NenoVision s.r.o.’s LiteScope 2.5 seamlessly integrates Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). This powerful combination grants researchers unparalleled insights into materials, enabling simultaneous observation of surface topography and composition at the nanoscale. This multidisciplinary tool is accelerating research and development in fields like nanotechnology and biotechnology.

These examples are but a handful among many. The 2024 awards feature a wealth of innovations that demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing. Let us break down silos, forge new partnerships, and create ecosystems where ideas can flow freely and empower humanity to solve its greatest challenges.

BRIAN BUNTZ
Editor, R&D World