September 23rd, 2008
Using tree power to prevent forest fires?
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) think it’s possible to use the energy generated by trees to power a network of wireless sensors to prevent spreading forest fires. These sensors are equipped with off-the-shelf batteries that can be slowly recharged using electricity generated by the trees themselves. ‘The system produces enough electricity to allow the temperature and humidity sensors to wirelessly transmit signals four times a day, or immediately if there’s a fire.’ Even if this would be a good application of wireless networking, the researchers also claim it opens the possibility of ‘using trees as silent sentinels along the nation’s borders to detect potential threats such as smuggled radioactive materials.’ I suspect there is some exaggeration here, but read more…
You can see on the left how it is possible to capture energy from trees to power the wireless sensor networks envisioned by the MIT researchers. (Credit: MIT) You’ll find more references about this illustration below.
This project has been led by Shuguang Zhang, the associate director of the MIT’s Center for Biomedical Engineering (CBE). Zhang worked with Andreas Mershin, a postdoctoral associate at the CBE and Christopher Love, an MIT senior in chemistry.
Here are short quotes from the researchers. “A single tree doesn’t generate a lot of power, but over time the ‘trickle charge’ adds up, just like a dripping faucet can fill a bucket over time,’ said Zhang. Mershin adds that “it’s really a fairly simple phenomenon: An imbalance in pH between a tree and the soil it grows in.” Finally, Love said that the bioenergy harvester battery charger module and sensors are ready. “We expect that we’ll need to instrument four trees per acre,” he said, noting that the system is designed for easy installation by unskilled workers.”
September 22nd, 2008
Instant DNA analysis on a chip
University of Virginia (U.Va.) professor James Landers is known as ‘a master of compression’ because he has reduced an entire laboratory for DNA analysis to a chip the size of a common everyday microscope slide. His future handheld device may allow ‘physicians, crime scene investigators, pharmacists, even the general public, to quickly and inexpensively conduct DNA tests from almost anywhere, without need for a complex and expensive central laboratory.’ Landers said that with his a lab-on-a-chip, ‘it takes just 30 minutes to do the work it would take three technicians and three instruments to complete in a week.’ So far, this system exists only in the lab, but read more…
You can see above an artistic rendering of this future lab-on-a-chip. (Credit: James Landers at U.Va., and Jessica Norris for the artwork). This research project has been led by professor James Landers, and many members of his lab which is focusing on bioanalytical chemistry.
What would be the usages for such a credit-card-sized-system?
September 21st, 2008
Do squirrels really know how to avoid cancer?
University of Rochester researchers have discovered that small rodents with long lifespans, such as squirrels or chinchillas, can live decades without developing any form of cancer. Apparently, these rodents are using a previously unknown anti-cancer mechanism different from the ones used by humans or other large mammals. The lead researcher says that ‘squirrels know a cure for cancer.’ These long-lived rodents have apparently found a way to detect cancer development and to slow down cell division when it’s needed to stop the cancer before it becomes dangerous. Will this self-monitoring anti-cancer mechanism ever be used by humans? Right now, it’s still unknown, but read more…
As you can see above, “rodents present a wide variety of lifespans and sizes.” (Credit: Vera Gorbunova, UR) Here is a link to a research page about Comparative Biology of Aging which contains a larger version of this picture. “Rodents are a phylogenetically related, yet their lifespans are extremely diverse ranging from 2-4 years in mice and rats to over 20 years in naked mole-rats, beavers, porcupines, and squirrels. […] We are studying relation between DNA repair, genome stability and lifespan in short and long-lived rodents.”
This research project has been led by Vera Gorbunova, assistant professor of biology at the University of Rochester. She worked with several colleagues in her lab. She also collaborated with scientists from the University of San Paulo and Vanderbilt University.
Here is how Gorbunova explains why this anti-cancer mechanism has not been discovered before.
September 20th, 2008
Robot gas stations in the sky
According to Aviation Week, U.S. engineers will soon demonstrate the first in-flight docking of two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) while continuing the development of an autonomous aerial refueling system. Two specially designed UAVs, a tanker and a receiver, will perform their first test flights next month. ‘One of the six-foot wingspan UAVs is equipped with an extendable refueling boom with drogue, or basket, and the other with a retractable probe.’ These tests will check the autonomous rendezvous and docking processes, but will not involve actual fuel transfer, according to one of the companies involved. But read more…
This concept of autonomous air refueling of unmanned air vehicles has been developed at Texas A&M in partnership with StarVision Technologies and Cobham’s subsidiary Sargent Fletcher. You can see above a photo of the two UAVs on the ground. The tanker is on the left and the receiver on the right. (Credit: Texas A&M, link to the original version)
You can see above a simulation of the two UAVs approach in the sky.
September 19th, 2008
Producing insulin with human skin cells?
U.S. researchers have turned human skin cells into insulin-producing ones. These findings might lead to future treatments for the millions of people affected by diabetes. The researchers have ‘reprogrammed’ skin cells into ‘pluripotent’ stem cells, or ‘cells that can give rise to any other fetal or adult cell type, and then inducing them to differentiate, or transform, into cells that perform a particular function — in this case, secreting insulin.’ But as stated the president of the American Diabetes Association, who was involved in this project, ‘there are many years of additional studies that are required first, but this study provides hope for a cure for all patients with diabetes.’ But read more…
You can see above some examples of skin cells becoming insulin-producing cells. (Credit: Yi Zhang et al., UNC) Here is the full caption, but feel free to skip it. “Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) “cells generated from human foreskin cells have the potential to differentiate into the three germ layers in vivo. A. Low magnification of HE staining of a section from a representative human iPS cell-derived teratoma. Cells of different lineages were observed within the tumor section. B and C. Cells of ectoderm lineage, such as the neuroprogenitors rosettes and epidermal cells suggested by HE staining (B, arrow), were confirmed by nestin (red) and cytokeratin 19 (green) staining (C). D and E. Cells of mesoderm lineage, such as the fat tissue and smooth muscle cells seen in HE staining (D, arrow), were confirmed by alpha smooth muscle actin (red) and myosin heavy chain (green) staining (E). F. HE staining reveals gut-like and airway epithelial structure, representative of endoderm lineage.”
This research work was led by Yi Zhang, an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill with his colleagues in his lab. Here is a quote from Zhang. “Not only have we shown that we can reprogram skin cells, but we have also demonstrated that these reprogrammed cells can be differentiated into insulin-producing cells which hold great therapeutic potential for diabetes.”
September 18th, 2008
Cleaning ship hulls with a robot
This is the goal of a EU-funded project called HISMAR (Hull Identification System for Marine Autonomous Robotics). European researchers and engineers are working on an automated robotic cleaning system that removes marine growth from the hull of a ship. By cleaning a ship’s hull, this robot will allow ships to travel through the water more efficiently by cutting down on drag — and of course reducing fuel costs. The researchers said this robot acts like a vacuum cleaner — in or out of the water. A prototype will be shown next week at the Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology Conference in Hamburg, Germany (SMM 2008). But read more…
You can see above a picture of a HISMAR robot which moves at a speed of 0.48 meter/second along the ship’s hull. It “is magnetically attached to the ship’s side and sent off on its journey of the hull, following a planned route and cleaning as it goes.” (Credit: HISMAR project)
Here are additional details about this robot. “First a map of the hull is automatically charted, recording the location of every weld, thickness change, rivet and indentation on the ship’s surface. Adjustable jets of pressurised sea water blast the marine growth off the surface of the ship which is then sucked up into the main chamber. Here, 150 litres of water a minute is filtered and the bio-fouling removed and rendered harmless to the local environment. In this way, the ship’s robotic ‘vacuum’ can continuously roam the ship’s hull, preventing the build up of slime and allowing it to travel through the water efficiently by cutting down on drag. This significantly reduces fuel consumption and also pollution such as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.”
September 17th, 2008
Multi-touch smart desks in the classroom
Multi-touch screens are very fashionable these days, but there are not many practical applications for them. Now, researchers at Durham University in the UK are using them to develop the world’s first interactive classroom. The new learning environments are using ‘interactive multi-touch desks that look and act like a large version of an Apple iPhone.’ Their initiative, called SynergyNet, has several goals, including the development of learning by sharing. So far, the research team has linked up with manufacturers to design software and desks that recognize multiple touches on the desktop. But read more…
You can see above one of these multi-touch smart desks in a classroom. “Schoolchildren were given a glimpse of the desks of the future yesterday (September 16, 2008) as researchers at Durham University unveiled the world’s first interactive classroom.” (Credit: Durham University) Here is a link to a much larger version of this photo.
You also can see children enjoying these smart desks here and there. You can even buy printed copies of these photos from North News, a company based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. You also can watch a short video (1 minute and 15 seconds) — also available from the Multitouch project page — to see how these screens are used for teaching.
The SynergyNet solution — whose motto is ‘Supporting Collaborative Learning in an Immersive Environment’ — “will integrate Information Communications technology (ICT) into the fabric of the classroom.
September 16th, 2008
First true 3-D processor runs in labs
University of Rochester researchers have developed the first true 3-D processor and it runs today at 1.4 GHz. Previous attempts to build 3-D chips simply stacked identical processors on the top of one another. On the contrary, the new 3-D chip, dubbed the ‘Rochester Cube,’ was specifically designed to optimize all key processing functions vertically. And each layer could have a different function. For example, this kind of 3-D processor could have a layer dedicated to conversion of an MP3 file and another one to provide information about light to your digital camera. Will we ever use these processors? Time will tell. But read more…
The team is using wafer bonding as the target technology for 3-D systems. You can see above a schematic of a 3-D circuit where face-to-face bonding is employed with two physical planes are bonded with adhesive materials or metal pads. But back-to-face bonding can also be used. (Credit: Eby Friedman group, University of Rochester)
The ‘Rochester cube’ has been co-created by Eby Friedman, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and by graduate student Vasilis Pavlidis.
Why this chip has been named a ‘cube’? Here is Friedman answer. “I call it a cube now, because it’s not just a chip anymore. This is the way computing is going to have to be done in the future. When the chips are flush against each other, they can do things you could never do with a regular 2D chip.”
Of course, expanding the design of processors to 3 dimensions is not that easy. Here is an analogy provided by the engineers to explain what they did.
September 15th, 2008
Nano-cargo-ships to kill tumors
A team of U.S. researchers has developed nano-sized ‘cargo ships’ to target and destroy tumors. They say that these ’ships can sail throughout the body via the bloodstream without immediate detection from the body’s immune radar system and ferry their cargo of anti-cancer drugs and markers into tumors that might otherwise go untreated or undetected.’ So far, these nano-cargo-ships have only been tested on mice. But it is possible that they could be used one day to more effectively deliver toxic anti-cancer drugs to tumors. But read more…
You can see above that “the nanometer-sized cargo ships look individually like a chocolate-covered nut cluster, in which a biocompatible lipid forms the chocolate shell and magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots and the drug doxorubicin are the nuts.” (Credit for picture: Ji-Ho Park, UCSD) Here is a link to the original version of this illustration.
The team, which was composed of scientists at UC San Diego (UCSD), UC Santa Barbara and MIT, “report that their nano-cargo-ship system integrates therapeutic and diagnostic functions into a single device that avoids rapid removal by the body’s natural immune system.”
One of these researchers is Michael Sailor, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCSD who headed the team of chemists, biologists and engineers who developed these devices. He worked with other members of his research group. Here is how he describes the concept. “The idea involves encapsulating imaging agents and drugs into a protective ‘mother ship’ that evades the natural processes that normally would remove these payloads if they were unprotected. These mother ships are only 50 nanometers in diameter, or 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, and are equipped with an array of molecules on their surfaces that enable them to find and penetrate tumor cells in the body.”
September 14th, 2008
First synthetic tree mimics transpiration
Cornell University researchers have created the world’s first synthetic tree. So far, it’s a very small ‘tree’ which stands in a palm-sized piece of hydrogel. This ‘tree simulates the process of transpiration, the cohesive capillary action that allows trees to wick moisture upward to their highest branches.’ Apparently, the scientists have proven that a long-standing theory saying that transpiration is not a biological process, but a physical one. What could be some possible applications for this synthetic trees? The researchers say that this ‘may lead to new passive heat transfer technologies for cars or buildings, better methods for remediating soil and more effective ways to draw water out of partially dry ground.’ But read more…
You can see on the left two pictures illustrating the concept of this synthetic tree. On the top is a transparent sheet of hydrogel, 1 millimeter thick, “etched with 80 parallel channels of varying lengths arranged to form a circle and connected by a single channel.” The bottom picture describes “an optical micrograph of a synthetic tree showing a ‘trunk’ channel entering from the left into a network of microchannels in the ‘leaf,’ or ‘root,’ network. The channels are approximately 100 micrometers wide, and total field of view is approximately 1.5 centimeters wide.” (Credit: Cornell University) Here is a link to additional details provided by a figure published by Nature.
As you can see, “the synthetic tree doesn’t look much like a tree at all. It consists of two circles side by side in the gel, patterned with evenly spaced microfluidic channels to mimic a tree’s vascular system. In nature, trees use water in tubular tissues, called xylem, like ropes that pull more water out of the ground, delivering it to leaves.” Abraham Stroock, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and graduate student Tobias Wheeler “used pHEMA hydrogel, or polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate, to form the plant membranes. The hydrogel is a solid embedded with water and has nanometer-scale pores. The material acts as a wick by holding liquid in the pores, through which capillary action creates tension in the water.”
Here is an additional quote from the Cornell Chronicle Online article. “Besides supporting the theory of transpiration as a physical, not biological, process, the synthetic tree also introduces a new way to study water under tension — a subject interesting to physicists and chemists. Many questions about the metastable state of water could be answered using this new ‘tree.’ ‘Water is the most studied substance on Earth, and yet there is a big metastable region in its phase diagram waiting to be characterized,’ Stroock said.”
In “Tiny synthetic tree pumps water,” Heidi Ledford gives more information (Nature News, September 10, 2008).
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