Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2021 - 6

UP
FRONT
NASA Washing
Machine Designs
Go for a Spin
Right now,
there is no
laundry service
in space.
Astro naut garments
aren't
washed. They
are put onto ships that burn up in the
atmosphere. At NASA Glenn, summer
interns took a spin at designing conceptual
components for a space washing
machine. Their ideas could be tested on
the space station for use on future, longduration
missions.
Visit www.nasa.gov/topics/
technology/living-in-space/index.html
What's New on Techbriefs.com
A brand-new episode
of our podcast series
Here's an Idea explores a
variety of new and im -
proved hearing aids,
from $5 " do-it-yourself "
devices to advanced systems
that monitor brain waves. Here's an
Idea brings you the inspiration behind
invention, through interviews with the
makers of today's most exciting technologies.
Go to techbriefs.com/podcast
to listen to the episode! Send your comments
and suggestions to me at bhurley@
techbriefs.com.
Next Month in Tech Briefs
The October issue highlights the varied
uses of robotics in manufacturing,
from autonomous collaborative robots
to pick-and-place assembly units.
Wireless Solution
Charges Multiple
Devices at Once
Mobile phones and tab -
lets have allowed us to stay
in touch regardless of our
location, yet they still rely on
plugs, sockets, and charging
pads to power up. New technology
developed at Aalto
University in Finland may
be the key to true wireless
charging for these and
other electronics.
The most common wireless
charging solutions
involve complex control and detection functions. A transmitter traditionally must
first detect a device presence and position to be able to send energy in its direction,
which is usually done with cameras or sensors, adding bulk and cost to the device.
The new transmitter solution creates power transfer channels in all directions, automatically
tuning channels when receiving devices are in motion. Devices like phones,
laptops, and other small appliances equipped with a new receiver can simultaneously
receive energy to charge batteries or directly power their functions - without ever
being in physical contact or being brought to a specific place.
Visit https://www.aalto.fi/en/news
Electronic Paper
Displays Brilliant
Colors
With research from Chal -
mers University of Tech -
A new design could produce e-readers, signs, and other digital
screens with optimal color display and minimal energy consumption.
(Marika Gugole/Chalmers University of Technology)
nology (Sweden), you may
soon be able to sit in the
Sun reading a digital screen
as thin as paper and see the
same image quality as if you
were indoors. The new type
of reflective screen - or
electronic paper - uses ambient light to keep energy consumption to a minimum.
Using a porous and nanostructured material containing tungsten trioxide, gold,
and platinum, the team inverted the design in such a way as to allow the colors to
appear much more accurately on the screen. Electronic paper is also less tiring for
the eyes compared to looking at a regular screen.
The team's main goal when developing the reflective screens was to find sustainable,
energy-saving solutions. In this case, energy consumption is almost zero because
it uses the ambient light of the surroundings. Reflective screens are already available
in some tablets today but they only display the colors black and white well, which limits
their use.
Visit https://news.cision.com/chalmers/
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Tech Briefs, September 2021
Editorial Director
Linda Bell
Editorial Director

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/living-in-space/index.html http://www.Techbriefs.com https://www.aalto.fi/en/news http://www.techbriefs.com/podcast https://news.cision.com/chalmers/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-briefs-media https://www.twitter.com/TechBriefsMag https://www.facebook.com/TechBriefsMagazine http://www.techbriefs.com http://www.abpi.net/ntbpdfclicks/l.php?202109TBNAV

Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2021