research – Page 42 – TechieTonics

Flexible and Enduring Rechargeable Battery: Reshaping landscape for Wearable Devices

July 27, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

In an effort to reshape the battery landscape, Imprint Energy, a California based startup is fabricating flexible and rechargeable batteries, which can be printed using the very common industrial screen printers. The firm envisions to market the ultrathin zinc based polymer batteries to wearable electronics manufacturers and pitch the same in medical field, robotics and military for environmental sensors and smart labels.

Black Holes morph into White Holes: Space-Time Loops cause Big Bounce

July 25, 2014July 24, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

As per a recent theory, supernova explosions could be the dying throes of black holes that were formed soon after the Big Bang. The phenomenon called black holes have been the most flabbergasting observable fact of the universe and until now, there has been no concrete evidence as to what is on its other side and what happens to the matter that it engulfs. However, two physicists have gone ahead and postulated that these black holes have an expiry date too and that they morph into ‘white holes’ explosively dispersing…

DARPA’s Guided Bullets: Revolutionizing Rifle Accuracy or Developing Tools for RoboSoldiers

July 24, 2014July 24, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

In an interesting ammunition research development program, DARPA has come about with a technology that could change mid flight direction of bullet only to hit the target down. Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance program under DARPA brought about the first live-fire tests showing the in-flight guidance of .50-caliber bullets. EXACTO is able to demonstrate the maneuvering of bullet’s direction while it’s in mid flight only to counter balance the aim that is being set by the sniper. Agency released the following video depicting the test flight of 0.50-caliber bullets that were…

US military to develop a Reusable Unmanned Spacecraft: The Experimental Spaceplane project

July 24, 2014July 23, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

The US military is looking forward to create an affordable and efficient robotic space plane that has an ability of embarking payloads directly into the orbit. DARPA has already granted the design contract to three firms namely, Boeing, Masten Space Systems and Northrop Grumman. For the initial stage of the Experimental Spaceplane project, also called the XS-1, the firms have collaborated with similar other aerospace companies. For instance, Boeing is working with Blue Origin, Masten is teaming up with XCOR Aerospace and Northrop Grumman is collaborating with the Virgin Galactic.…

Sleep Deprivation leads to Memory Errors: Getting Brainwashed

July 22, 2014 Neha Shukla

We already know the importance of a good night’s sleep. Taking around 8 hours of sound sleep is considered essential for the body, as it is the time when the brain gets rid of its toxins. But in today’s fast paced life, people often have to give up on their sleep to catch up with other work. This lack of sleep has been already reported as a public health epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Habitability is Dependent on Ocean: Water bodies Influence Climate Stability

July 21, 2014 Neha Shukla

There is a lot of research work going to find traces of life on other planets and to find elements that are essential requisites for sustaining life on other Earth-like planets. All the research done so far using computer simulations were more focused on the atmosphere of these alien planets with Earth-like habitable climates.

Baxter Research Robot: Ideal Platform for Collaborative Robotics

July 21, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

Baxter Research Robot is an interesting and affordable concept for the corporate and academic robotics research across the world. It would help teaching fifth graders how to code on a real robo machine. Targeted towards academic and corporate R&D departments, it would assist in human-robot interaction and collaborative robotics to the next level. Safe and reliable hardware platform The humanoid robot platform is worth $25,000 (USD). It consists of two 7-axis arms, embedded cameras, sonar, torque based sensors and direct programming access through standard Robot Operating System interface. It makes…

An Affordable method of growing Food in Space: Plants with Life Support Systems

July 17, 2014 Neha Shukla

With the advancement in science and technology, the day is not far when humans will settle on distant planets or may plan a luxurious holiday on the moon. But arranging enough food supplies for a longer stay is the most challenging part as it occupies considerable room on the spacecraft and sending another spaceship loaded with supplies would be not cost efficient. To tackle the issue, researchers around the world are trying to develop a cost efficient method to grow food in space. This would definitely make future space travel…

MosquitoMate comes to Other Insects Rescue: Controlling the Mosquito Population

July 17, 2014July 17, 2014 Neha Shukla

Mosquitoes all around the world kill more people than any other animal. They are the carriers of many fatal diseases. To control mosquito population, there are chemical pesticides available that are sprayed in mosquito breeding areas using trucks, airplane or backpack sprayer. But these pesticides, along with mosquitoes kill other insects as well. So researchers are busy finding alternate methods to keep a check on these deadly creatures.

Rotten-egg smell of Farts helps in attenuating Cell Damage: Healing powers of the putrid-smelling

July 15, 2014 Neha Shukla

We may not really appreciate someone releasing a fart publicly, but experts from the University of Exeter, suggests that these stinky farts potentially offer great health benefits. Researchers say that hydrogen sulfide gas found in human flatulence and in the foul smell of rotten eggs might be helpful in attenuating cell damage caused by certain diseases. However, one should be careful as the gas in large quantity can be fatal.

Odor Receptors in Skin Cells would facilitate Healing of Wounds: Smelling Therapy

July 14, 2014 Neha Shukla

After the nose and lungs, experts have found odor receptors (similar to one in the nose), present in skin cells and thus enabling our skin to sense different odors and surprisingly these help in the speedy healing of wounds. Researchers have found nearly 350 distinct varieties of olfactory receptors in the human nose. These receptors detect different odors and begin a signaling process which sends messages to the brain. Apart from nose, 150 olfactory receptors are also located in other internal tissues as heart, gut and liver. Using these receptors,…

Antioxidants cannot shield against Cancer: Might accelerate Tumors

July 12, 2014July 11, 2014 Neha Shukla

Many of us believe that food rich in antioxidants or taking antioxidant supplements is essential for maintaining a healthy life and prevents diseases like cancer, coronary heart disease and altitude sickness. A scientist from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and a Chicago colleague has rebutted this popular belief. They propose that a diet rich in antioxidants or antioxidant pills might not be beneficial in shielding against cancer.

Tidal Forces influence Planets in Eccentric Orbits: Possibility of creating Habitable Worlds

July 11, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

Fixation towards heat for survival is the key element across planet earth and the solar system. During the origination of human life, early man stumbled upon the discovery of fire by rubbing sticks and since then it has evolved gradually. In an interesting study, researchers at NASA have discovered a similar fixation towards heat for survival across constellation. The findings are primarily based on the Earth sized planets in other star systems. Excessive heat denotes destruction but right amount of same heat results in creating habitual climatic conditions.

Back Pain does not Link to the Weather Conditions: Posture is to be blamed

July 10, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

Australian researchers have come up with a study that has exploded the stereotypical myth of the reason behind the lower back pain. Till now temperature, humidity, air pressure and wind direction have been blamed for causing the lower back pain in people. However, the team of researchers has rebutted this external reason. As per WHO, nearly 33% of the world’s population suffer from lower back pain and people in huge number blame weather condition for the discomfort in the respective bodies. Initial studies showed that extreme weather conditions altered the…

Carbon on the Cathode of Li-ion Batteries: The New Electrochemistry Technology

July 9, 2014July 9, 2014 Pooja Kashyap

The University of Alberta experts have fabricated next gen batteries from carbon nanomaterials. This novel product is standing tall in front of conventional lithium-ion batteries where the former is efficient enough to charge faster and happens to lasts longer relatively. The electrochemistry technology As per Xinwei Cui, one of the lead researchers, they have worked upon an innovative approach towards electrochemistry technology consequent upon which, they it was able to yield higher energy density and power. The team has worked along a mechanism called the induced fluorination, a new concept…