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#426 2022-02-06 09:27:07

tahanson43206
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Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 17,064

Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut ... this article might fit into several topics.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/bendable-con … 03665.html

The Conversation
Bendable concrete and other CO2-infused cement mixes could dramatically cut global emissions
Victor C. Li, James R. Rice Distinguished University Professor of Engineering, University of Michigan, Lucca Henrion, Research Fellow at the Global CO2 Initiative, University of Michigan, Volker Sick, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor; DTE Energy Professor of Advanced Energy Research; and Director, Global CO2 Initiative, University of Michigan, and Duo Zhang, Assistant Research Scientist, University of MichiganSee more

Sun, February 6, 2022, 10:15 AM

<span class="caption">Bendable concrete created at the University of Michigan allows for thinner structures with less need for steel reinforcement. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="link rapid-noclick-resp" href="https://www.globalco2initiative.org/research/bendable-concrete/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Joseph Xu/University of Michigan College of Engineering">Joseph Xu/University of Michigan College of Engineering</a></span>

Bendable concrete created at the University of Michigan allows for thinner structures with less need for steel reinforcement. Joseph Xu/University of Michigan College of Engineering

One of the big contributors to climate change is right beneath your feet, and transforming it could be a powerful solution for keeping greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

The production of cement, the binding element in concrete, accounted for 7% of total global carbon dioxide emissions in 2018. Concrete is one of the most-used resources on Earth, with an estimated 26 billion tons produced annually worldwide. That production isn’t expected to slow down for at least two more decades.

Given the scale of the industry and its greenhouse gas emissions, technologies that can reinvent concrete could have profound impacts on climate change.

As engineers working on issues involving infrastructure and construction, we have been designing the next generation of concrete technology that can reduce infrastructure’s carbon footprint and increase durability. That includes CO2-infused concrete that locks up the greenhouse gas and can be stronger and even bendable.

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#427 2022-02-07 18:48:45

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut .... this new material ** may ** be worth considering for several forum projects ...

https://www.bing.com/search?q=mit-devel … 01&PC=U531

MIT researchers create new material as strong as steel and light as plastic

MIT researchers have developed a new material that's as strong as steel but as light as plastic. It …

USA TODAY on MSN.com · 6h
MIT Develops New Material Said To Be Stronger Than Steel, As Light As Plastic
MIT researchers have developed a new material that they say is stronger than steel but as light as plastic. Our goal is to …

YAHOO!News · 1h
MIT creates ‘impossible’ new material stronger than steel but light as plastic – it could change how everything is made
MIT creates ‘impossible’ new material stronger than steel but light as plastic – it could …
The Sun · 3d
"Impossible" 2D material is light as plastic and stronger than steel
Engineers at MIT have developed a new ultrathin material that’s as light as plastic but stronger than steel. The durable ... films that are extraordinarily …

New Atlas · 6d

This ** should ** be of interest to space Craft designers.

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#428 2022-02-17 19:24:06

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut ... this article could go several places...
? Fusion
? AI Artificial Intelligence


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … d=msedgntp

AI Taught to Control Fake Sun That Could Provide Almost Limitless Energy
Ed Browne - Yesterday 12:59 PM


© Curdin Wüthrich/SPC/EPFL

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence program tasked with controlling superheated plasma inside nuclear fusion reactors.

Fusion reactors, sometimes referred to as artificial suns, are machines capable of fusing atoms together under extreme conditions. When two light atomic nuclei are forced together, they create a single, heavier one and release energy as a byproduct.

Theoretically, this energy can be used to generate further nuclear reactions while also being turned into electricity that humans can use. In this way, nuclear fusion is a much-researched area of physics since it offers a clean and almost unlimited source of power.

However, scientists have yet to create a nuclear fusion reactor that's capable of producing more energy than it needs to keep working, and this has been a goal for decades. But they're getting closer.

Enter tokamaks—donut-shaped devices that are designed for nuclear fusion research. They work by producing a superheated, charged gas called plasma in which fusion can take place. In order to keep this plasma contained as it flows around the machine, tokamaks use powerful magnets that keep it in the correct shape at hundreds of millions of degrees—hotter than the core of the sun.

Lengthy calculations are needed in order to find out what sort of shape the plasma should take and where in the donut-shaped machine it should be contained. To this end, scientists at Google's DeepMind AI team think they can help.

In a new study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, DeepMind researchers in collaboration with scientists at Switzerland's Swiss Plasma Center (SPC) at the EPFL research institution outline a method known as reinforcement learning, which makes use of an artificial intelligence program that can create and maintain specific plasma configurations.

Different Simulations

They put the program through its paces by subjecting it to many different plasma simulations so it could gain some experience and automatically come up with a strategy to produce desired configurations. Eventually it was able to work with a range of different shapes and was even able to control two separate plasmas at once.

According to the study, the scientists then tested the AI on a real-life tokamak—the EPFL's TCV machine—to see if it could achieve tasks like move the plasma by small amounts, increase or decrease its current, and even operate multiple plasma bands at the same time. They found it could do so successfully.

"The collaboration with the SPC pushes us to improve our reinforcement learning algorithms, and as a result can accelerate research on fusing plasmas," Brendan Tracey, a senior research engineer at DeepMind and co-author of the study, said in an EPFL press release.

This article reminds me of advances in computer technology that allow vehicles like the stealth bomber to fly.  The complexities of the design are such that a human being cannot fly the plane.  It may turn out that fusion will become practical when artificial intelligence is advanced enough to perform the real-time adjustments to the magnetic field that contain the plasma.

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#429 2022-02-17 20:26:00

SpaceNut
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Re: Technology Updates

Since no human can see what is happening all that we can do is use sensors to show the reaction within and adjust the controls to make it function. That making of its function is simple programing automation for the controls which must occur to keep the reaction going based on sensor data to the program.

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#430 2022-02-17 21:24:14

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut re #429

It might be worth your taking the time to read up on modern learning systems.  The original idea of programming artificial intelligence fell by the wayside years ago.  All current work appears to be entirely based upon the concept of machine learning.

There is no human programming involved.  Once the programming is put in place to learn from data, data is fed into the systems and pain is applied if the results are incorrect.  Soon the self-learning software is able to produce the desired results when fed new data.

That is what is happening in this Fusion control system.  There is no programming involved, after the initial load of learning software is installed.  The software configures itself without human intervention, once the reward/punishment system is in place.

I've over simplified, of course, but that is the basic idea.

Plasma in a fusion reactor can try to squirt out of magnetic fields, so the sensors you've described send data to the self-learning software, and it applies what it computes to be the right adjustment.  This process continues until the program makes a mistake, at which point it is given feedback to improve it's performance.

Eventually there are no mistakes, but the learning process takes a while.

(th)

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#431 2022-02-27 13:46:16

Mars_B4_Moon
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Re: Technology Updates

Scientists Say They’ve Figured Out How to Grow New Bone Using Sound Waves
https://futurism.com/neoscope/sound-waves-grow-bone

A Spinal Cord Implant Allowed Paralyzed People to Walk in Just One Day
https://singularityhub.com/2022/02/15/a … t-one-day/

Energy company plans to dig 6 to 12 miles to make geothermal energy accessible to all
https://interestingengineering.com/ener … mal-energy

Mars doesn't seem to be very geologically active but it might have some activity and many otehr worlds of the solar system are very active

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#432 2022-03-02 14:10:06

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

This item is about maintaining a suitable atmosphere (applicable to Large Ship)...

It could go multiple places but for now:

Solve your cleanroom challenges with specialized environmental control units
Air Innovations, Inc.

From simple cleanrooms to more complex applications, Air Innovations can customize cleanroom systems to your exact specifications. Our cleanroom systems can be customized to control filtration to HEPA/ULPA/molecular levels, temperature to ±0.02° C and humidity to ±0.5% RH from desiccant to near-saturation levels. Learn more today!

The source is saved and will be provided upon request.

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#433 2022-03-04 09:31:43

Mars_B4_Moon
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Re: Technology Updates

3D Printing on the Moon and Mars
https://www.designnews.com/automation-m … n-and-mars

A number of processes have been developed for Moon- and Mars-based 3D printing. “Processes such as solar sintering would only need power to move the printer head across the printed area, as the energy needed to consolidate the regolith directly comes from the sunlight,” said  Makaya. “Other processes involving lasers or microwaves would need enough power to generate the source of heat in addition to the power required to move the printer head.”

Helium might be a rarity again used weather balloons, Controlled atmosphere like growing crystals or products , use in blimps, in leak detection, use in LHC atom smashers, Helium is used to guarantee the superconductivity of magnets in MRI. Also Helium is used to make flat screen tv, Helium used in the manufacture of fiber optics, as a shielding gas for welding, a coolant in rockets and medical applications

With war it seems economic changes are going to hit tech, medical supply will be costly, semiconductor fabricators face Rare and Scare elements once again

Sanctions on Russia add to troubles facing global helium industry
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Sanc … y_999.html
Rich Gottwald, president and CEO of the US-based Compressed Gas Association industry group, said companies that rely on the gas are today unable to get as much as they need.

"They're starting to feel the pinch of not having enough helium for their business," he said.

- 'Fragile' supply chain -

The scarcity comes as supply chains worldwide have yet to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, which have led to massive order backlogs, delivery delays and shortages of workers and raw materials.

A byproduct of natural gas production, only a handful of countries produce helium, creating a supply chain that Kornbluth described as fragile and prone to shortages whenever production is disrupted.

The top producer is the United States, which runs the Federal Helium System, a massive reserve and enrichment facility in Amarillo, Texas.

But instead of solving the gas shortage, that facility has become the epicenter of it. It is in the process of being sold off to private companies, and was shut down last July amid safety concerns.

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#434 2022-03-10 19:41:05

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … ue#image=3

Quantum gravity sensors, used to detect the impact of gravity on different features of the Earth, can be used to detect pockets of ground water or tunnels in a planet.

The ultra sensitive versions of these sensors, required for accurate detection of tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational field, can be put off by the slightest vibration, but a team from the University of Birmingham in the UK say they have overcome this.

The new hourglass-like gravity measurement device, known as a gravimeter, use atoms pulsed with lasers to probe the gravitational field at two different points.

It has already been used to spot a tunnel buried about 3ft underground, and could be used in the future to study the subsurface of inhospitable planets and moons.

Peering down from space, it could be used to understand weather patterns in the clouds of Venus, or find underground caverns of water on the moon or Mars.

On a more practical level, the team say it could reduce the costs and delays linked to construction, rail and road projects, and improve prediction of volcanic eruptions.

Quantum gravity sensors, used to detect the impact of gravity on different features of the Earth, can be used to detect pockets of ground water or tunnels in a planet
© Provided by Daily Mail

Quantum gravity sensors, used to detect the impact of gravity on different features of the Earth, can be used to detect pockets of ground water or tunnels in a planet
The ultra sensitive versions of these sensors, required for accurate detection of tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational field, can be put off by the slightest vibration, but a team from the University of Birmingham in the UK say they have overcome this

© Provided by Daily Mail
The ultra sensitive versions of these sensors, required for accurate detection of tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational field, can be put off by the slightest vibration, but a team from the University of Birmingham in the UK say they have overcome this
The new work, by the British team, marks the first time an object hidden below ground has been detected using quantum technology.

Seems to me this device/system could help with prospecting on Mars

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#435 2022-03-14 20:39:58

tahanson43206
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Posts: 17,064

Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut .... this item is about clearing solar panels of dust using electrostatic force in a novel way...

We don't seem to have a topic that contains the words "solar" and "panel" ...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/static-elect … 06840.html

Miriam Fauzia
Mon, March 14, 2022, 11:13 AM
Sreedath Panat
The numbers don’t lie: Solar power is on the rise. According to a 2021 report by the International Energy Agency, power generated from renewable solar power systems grew worldwide by 23 percent from 2019 to 2020. In the U.S., 3 percent of all electricity generated in 2020 came from solar power. That number is expected to jump to a whopping 20 percent by 2050.

But there’s a problem threatening how renewable solar energy is: dust. Photovoltaic soiling (or PV soiling) is when dust, pollen, or other particles accumulate and settle on the surface of a solar panel. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the U.S., this layer of grime lowers the light-harvesting ability and efficiency of a solar panel, leading to an energy loss of 7 percent in some parts of the U.S. to as high as 50 percent in the Middle East.

While many solar power plants solve this PV soiling issue by washing panels with water, the effort uses about 10 billion gallons per year—roughly enough water for 2 million people annually. Reducing this gargantuan water footprint while thwarting energy loss is critical in a future of impending water scarcity.

This Solar Panel Sucks Water From the Air to Grow Veggies

Luckily, scientists have devised an H2O-free way to clean a grimy solar panel. In a study published in the journal Science Advances on Friday, researchers at MIT created a system that removes dust using a shocking little phenomenon that surrounds you every day: static electricity. An electrode passed over a solar panel gives an electrical charge to the dust particles at the panel’s surface. Another electrode at the panel’s glass cover sends its electric charge to the panel’s surface. This interaction bounces the dust off the panel in an instant, without expending any finite resources or physically damaging the solar panels themselves.

“By using this technique, we can recover up to 95 percent of a solar panel’s power output,” Sreedath Panat, an MIT doctoral student and the study’s lead author, told The Daily Beast.

This technique mainly works because 80 percent of dust particles contain a mineral called silica, an insulating material that acquires electrical charge because it absorbs moisture from the surrounding environment. As long as there’s enough humidity in the air (above 20 to 30 percent), there’s enough moisture for the silica to absorb, Panat said. Fortunately, too little moisture in dry regions like in the desert doesn’t pose that much of a problem since humidity tends to fluctuate where it’s highest at night. For those regions, Panat said, the solar panel’s repulsion system can be timed to go off during periods of optimal humidity.


The researchers plan to motorize their system, which is not as energy-intensive as that may sound. Panat and his team are thinking of allowing the motor to take a tiny bit of power from the solar panel or even adding a dedicated mini-solar panel to feed the necessary juice.

While it’s hard to say when exactly this waterless solar panel cleaning system will be available—Panat said his team recently submitted a pending patent—he is optimistic of the prototype’s scalability and future for upcoming field tests.

“We are really hoping to conduct some field studies by making a large-scale system, installing it on a larger solar panel, and measuring output,” he said, adding that what his team has demonstrated is not really a proof-of-concept but proof-of-product “that can be easily scaled and which already works.”

As the popularity of solar panels continues to rise, using the cleansing power of electricity, and not water, may soon be part of the solar power package.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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#436 2022-03-14 21:16:37

SpaceNut
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Re: Technology Updates

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#437 2022-03-15 14:27:59

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut ... the link below and the article could go in multiple locations ... it might even work in your regolith harvesting topic ...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … d=msedgntp

US company is planning to dig the world’s deepest hole in order to tap an inexhaustible supply of geothermal energy from the Earth’s crust.

MIT-spinoff Quaise Energy has raised $63 million to bore a record-breaking 20km below the planet’s surface – nearly twice as far as the deepest holes ever made – where temperatures reach up to 500C.

Quaise Energy describes the project as a “necessity, not an option”, offering a source of energy that is as powerful as any fossil fuel and as clean as solar, wind or hydro.

“Deep geothermal energy is at the core of an energy-independent world,” the firm’s website states.

“Our mission is to bring this inexhaustible, renewable, clean energy source to future generations. This is the profound power of deep geothermal. We are unlocking energy for all.”

Geothermal is one of the world’s oldest power sources harnessed by humans, but plants are currently built in areas of high tectonic activity where hot rocks are close to the surface.

In order to access the far more ubiquitous deep geothermal energy, Quaise Energy is developing a pioneering form of drilling known as millimetre wave electromagnetic drilling, which uses vacuum tubes to shoot high-powered light beams that effectively burn through the Earth.

The breakthrough could potentially allow any country on Earth to become energy independent, according to the company, while simultaneously addressing the climate crisis.

“We need a massive amount of carbon-free energy in the coming decades,” said Mark Cupta, managing director of Prelude Ventures, who recently joined a $40m Series A financing round for the clean energy startup.

“Quaise Energy offers one of the most resource-efficient and nearly infinitely scalable solutions to power our planet. It is the perfect complement to our current renewable solutions, allowing us to reach baseload sustainable power in a not so distant future.”

The latest funding round will be used to accelerate product development and build ready-to-use drilling machines capable of being deployed by 2024.

Quaise Energy will also double its team of engineers, currently based in Boston, Houston and the UK.

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here.



Join the conversation
33

Nice to see this project moving forward!

Please notice the advanced drilling technology ... that ** should ** work on Mars.

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#438 2022-03-18 08:10:50

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

In the course of looking for linear accelerators in Great Britain, I received (from Google) a great number of citations that were only tangentially related...

One of these is about a remarkable research instrument that has been very busy doing mundane research in great volume, to characterize materials for a great number of practical purposes.   Here is a set of snippets, in case any one in the forum readership is interested...

Diamond: Britain's answer to the Large Hadron Collider
www.theguardian.com › science › feb › diamond-britain-large-hadron-coll...
Feb 1, 2014 · Located at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory campus at Harwell in Oxfordshire, Diamond is an alchemist's dream, a place where beams of light

...
Large Hadron Collider | Science | The Guardian
www.theguardian.com › science › large-hadron-collider › aug › all
Diamond: Britain's answer to the Large Hadron Collider. At the Diamond particle accelerator in Oxfordshire, experiments using light 10,000 times brighter ...

Diamond: Britain's answer to the Large Hadron Collider - Pinterest
www.pinterest.at › Education › Subjects › Science

Diamond: Britain's answer to the Large Hadron Collider At the Diamond particle accelerator in Oxfordshire. Visit. Save. Article from. theguardian.com ...

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#439 2022-03-19 19:45:30

SpaceNut
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#440 2022-03-24 11:36:14

tahanson43206
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Posts: 17,064

Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut ... this item can go into numerous topics ...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … d=msedgntp

SlashGear

ESA Testing Process Of Using Astronaut Waste To Make Fuel On Mars
Georgina Torbet - 1h ago

© Provided by SlashGear

When it comes to human space exploration, it's difficult to bring along everything astronauts need for a mission — especially if the plan is for a mission to last longer than a few weeks. That's why people planning missions to Mars need to get creative in how they will manage the food, water, and fuel that astronauts would require to visit the red planet. Now, the European Space Agency (ESA) is working on an ingenious (if squeamish) plan to make rocket propellant from astronaut sewage. ESA is working with Spanish research center Tekniker to create a system which uses sunlight and sewage to turn carbon dioxide, which is plentiful in the Martian atmosphere, into methane and other hydrocarbons.

"We aim to make the first reactor to produce space propellant on Mars using the planet's air, which is 95% carbon dioxide," Borja Pozo from Tekniker explained. "The reactor will be powered by sunlight, and astronauts' greywater will be used to help in the production of the propellant." The sewage would help to make the process more efficient, the designers say, as part of a "photoelectrochemical" system. In addition to creating hydrocarbons which can be used as fuel, the system will also detoxify the water, meaning it acts as a recycling system as well as a fuel production system.

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#441 2022-03-25 09:29:05

kbd512
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Re: Technology Updates

SpaceNut,

That really is a blast from the past.  I remember using those cassette tape adapters with computers back in the 1980s.

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#442 2022-04-17 06:42:11

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

For SpaceNut ....

This comment was posted in a "Let's Have A Think" episode about geothermal power.

Mike Breeden
8 days ago
How about doing another video on geothermal based on the recently announced potential of using micro-wave "drill bits" with the potential to drill more than 10 kilometers down. It sounds like a potentially amazing technology.

This is the first I've heard of using micro-waves to drill.... laser technology is under discussion in another topic.

Micro-waves (as you know, of course) are longer than light waves.

(th)

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#443 2022-04-17 07:16:37

Mars_B4_Moon
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Posts: 9,203

Re: Technology Updates

Building solar farms could cut bills and replace Russian gas faster than other sources of energy, industry says
https://news.sky.com/story/building-sol … s-12591406

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#444 2022-04-19 14:22:16

Mars_B4_Moon
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Posts: 9,203

Re: Technology Updates

Sci-fi becomes real life: NASA doctor 'holoports' to International Space Station

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nat … 366934001/

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#445 2022-04-19 15:16:45

tahanson43206
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Re: Technology Updates

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … 4598207fed

Daily Mail
Artificial vision could be a reality thanks to a new electric eye
Ryan Morrison For Dailymail.Com - 4h ago


Artificial vision could be closer to reality, after scientists develop a tiny electric eye designed for use by microbots, which could ultimately help blind people too.

Georgia State University researchers created the device using a new vertical stacking system, allowing it to be scaled down, and operate at micro-levels.

The goal of the team, led by assistant physic professor Sidong Lei, is to create a micro-scale camera that could operate as the eyes of tiny robots, able to access areas humans, and larger scale bots can't reach.

In the future, the team say the same technology could be adapted to bring vision to the blind, or improve color perception in the colorblind.

Artificial vision could be closer to reality, after scientists develop a tiny electric eye designed for use by microbots, that has depth of color recognition

© Provided by Daily Mail

Artificial vision could be closer to reality, after scientists develop a tiny electric eye designed for use by microbots, that has depth of color recognition
The device makes use of synthetic methods to mimic the biochemical processes that allow humans to see, a step towards a micro-scale robot camera.

'We illustrate the fundamental principle and feasibility to construct this new type of image sensor with emphasis on miniaturization,' said Professor Lei.

It improves color recognition when compared to earlier generation devices of the same size, and this is the most critical vision function, he said.

Conventional color sensors typically adopt a lateral color sensing channel layout and consume a large amount of physical space and offer less accurate color detection.

'It is well-known that more than 80 per cent of the information is captured by vision in research, industry, medication, and our daily life,' said prof Lei.

Continue reading

(th)

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#446 2022-04-19 15:49:46

Calliban
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From: Northern England, UK
Registered: 2019-08-18
Posts: 3,412

Re: Technology Updates


"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."

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#447 2022-04-20 18:21:06

tahanson43206
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Posts: 17,064

Re: Technology Updates

This announcement ** should ** be of interest to rocket engineers in the crowd...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … 54c1872b67

The Independent
Nasa invents ‘revolutionary’ material 1,000 times better than state-of-the art spaceship alloys
Anthony Cuthbertson - Yesterday 5:32 AM



A 3D-printed turbine engine created using Nasa’s new GRX-810 alloy - Nasa
© Nasa

A 3D-printed turbine engine created using Nasa’s new GRX-810 alloy - Nasa
Nasa scientists have invented a new metal alloy that is 1,000 times more durable than current state-of-the-art materials used in aviation and space exploration.

The US space agency believes that Alloy GRX-810 could revolutionise space travel, as it can withstand far harsher conditions than existing materials used within rocket engines.


The material has twice the strength, three-and-a-half times the flexibility and more than 1,000 times the durability under stress at high temperatures.

“This breakthrough is revolutionary for materials development,” said Dale Hopkins, deputy project manager of Nasa’s Transformational Tools and Technologies project

“New types of stronger and more lightweight materials play a key role as Nasa aims to change the future of flight. Previously, an increase in tensile strength usually lowered a material’s ability to stretch and bend before breaking, which is why our new alloy is remarkable.”

The new alloy’s composition was determined using computational models, before 3D printing technology allowed Nasa engineers to create a turbine engine combustor – a vital component found in rocket engines that serves as a fuel-air mixer.

“Applying these two processes has drastically accelerated the rate of our materials development. We can now produce new materials faster and with better performance than before,” said Tim Smith, a material research scientist at Nasa’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and one of the inventors of this new alloy.

“What used to take years through a trial-and-error process, now takes a matter of weeks or months to make discoveries.”

The manufacturing process is also more efficient, cost effective and cleaner than conventional methods.

Nasa said the alloy would result in “vast performance improvements” and would have “major implications for the future of sustainable flight”.

In a press release detailing the discovery, the space agency said: “Designers can now contemplate tradeoffs they couldn’t consider before, without sacrificing performance.”

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here.

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#448 2022-04-26 17:47:33

tahanson43206
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Posts: 17,064

Re: Technology Updates

The article pasted below is from a tech newsletter that shows up here every now and then ...

I have attempted to remove the specific company references ... what seems valuable to me is the applicability of this mining method to the Mars case, where flame methods are (obviously) less available than is true on Earth.

However, if the article is correct (which I am unable to determine) it would appear there might be advantages to electric processing of mined materials in any case.


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ELECTRIC FLANGED HEATER BENEFITS IN MINING INDUSTRY

Mining Heaters The mining industry is important to the advancement of technology and society. The mind often goes to the generation of wealth, mining precious metals like gold and silver. But mining is responsible for unearthing all sorts of necessary materials that are used for everything from power generation to building computers and cellphones.

To keep the mining industry harvesting essential materials needed worldwide, it relies on advanced modern equipment. For production to meet global demands, heating equipment that can increase efficiency and overcome specific mining industry challenges is a necessity.

In this article, we explore the key advantages of flanged heaters in mining applications.

Corrosion Resistance
In the extraction of raw materials like gold, silver, and platinum, corrosive chemicals are a mainstay. Of course, corrosivity can cause problems for equipment. Left unchecked, corrosion will destroy equipment, causing failure and/or hazards. Even with regular maintenance, it can lead to lost efficiency, long-term damage, and product compromisation.

Electric flanged heaters have the advantage of customizable sheath and element materials. By choosing corrosion-resistant metals for process heaters, mining operations can ensure product quality, equipment longevity, and efficiency. Generally, this involves choosing non-ferrous or specially treated materials, such as adding chromium.

Precision Temperature Control
Mining processes require precise temperature control. Because these projects often involve heating large volumes, this can be a challenge. In addition to requiring sufficient power to heat large tanks, they also need to provide uniform heating. This makes electric flange heaters especially valuable.

Electric power is particularly efficient, allowing mineral extraction heaters to provide sufficient power, even at smaller sizes. Flanged heaters are particularly well-suited to heating large volumes. Installed directly into the bottom of the tank, in custom element configurations, they make uniform heating possible. For especially large vessels, it is possible to achieve these same results by using multiple heater units in sequence.

Large Volume Heating
Electric Heater MiningSodium hydroxide and sodium cyanide are commonly used in extracting gold. They are used in containers as large as 50,000 gallons. These large volumes need to be heated to specific temperatures.

As addressed, flanged heaters are particularly good at heating large vessels. Because of the temperatures, they also require careful material selection. <company> heaters are available in a wide variety of materials to keep them operating consistently regardless of temperature or corrosive properties.

Direct Installation
Flanged heaters are welded directly into the tanks. One advantage of this is that it provides direct heating. They come in direct contact with the product they heat, ensuring maximum efficiency, and no wasted energy.

As well, this welding directly into the tank means there is no need for access holes in the vessel. This reduces weak points in the tank, prevents spills/leaks, and reduces heat loss.

Safety
Another key advantage of electric over combustion mining heaters is safety. There is no need to use a flammable power source, which can present a significant risk to personnel and equipment. Electricity and electric tank heaters are much safer and more reliable.

Mining Flanged Heater Quotes
<company> custom manufactures electric flanged heaters for the mining industry. Our team of engineers works with you to design the ideal heater type, configurations, and materials for each project’s specific needs and budget.

Contact <company> today for electric flanged heater quotes and information.

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#449 2022-05-22 09:50:58

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 17,064

Re: Technology Updates

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fir … 00099.html

The therpy described in this article would be helpful to Mars dwellers and space travellers, as well as Earth residents.

First human patient injected with revolutionary cancer-killing virus
Joshua Hawkins
Sun, May 22, 2022, 10:09 AM


Scientists have injected the first human patient with a new cancer-killing virus. The virus, known as Vaxinia, has seen successful tests in animals. However, the true test of its efficacy begins with this new clinical trial.


Scientists just injected a human with a cancer-killing virus
injection person with cancer-killing virus

It’s easy to hear the word virus and instantly think of something bad. After all, there are a lot of deadly viruses out there. However, scientists are using a new cancer-killing virus known as Vaxinia in an experimental cancer treatment.

The hope here is that the virus will amplify the body’s immune response against cancer. The virus itself has been engineered specifically to kill cancer cells. And, in previous animal trials, scientists have seen very promising results. These kinds of viruses have been a “smoking gun” in the fight against cancer for over a century.

However, the success of these viruses has been very limited, to say the least. This time around, though, the scientists have engineered the cancer-killing virus to not only harm cancer cells, but also to make them more recognizable to the body’s immune system. Researchers hope that this will help make the body’s response stronger, allowing it to fight back better.

Previous clinical trials of cancer drugs have shown promising results, too. But, Vaxinia could help open new doors, too.

Early testing was full of promise
scientists analyzing data on computer

Of course, before moving on to the human tests, the scientists tested the virus on animals. In many cases, they saw huge success at shrinking tumors in early animal and lab experiments. The cancer-killing virus has shown that it can reduce the size of lung, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and colon cancer tumors.

With that success, the scientists decided to move on to human testing. Results seen in animals do not always directly translate to human patients. There are a lot of reasons for this, obviously, but the researchers are hopeful this virus could improve patients’ chance to fight back against cancer.

Currently, Vaxinia will be tested in a Phase 1 trial of just 100 cancer patients. These patients have metastatic or advanced solid tumors, and each has tried at least two other treatments. The researchers plan to administer the drug in two different groups. The first will receive just Vaxinia. The second group will get the cancer-killing virus plus an immunotherapy drug.

Of course, Phase 1 trials are mostly about safety and finding the optimal dose. As such, it might not prove the efficacy of the virus as a whole. However, it is an important next step in possibly finding an alternative method to fighting cancer. The trial is currently expected to complete by early 2025. So, it’ll be a while before we see any final results.

Click here to read the full article.

See the original version of this article on BGR.com

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#450 2022-06-27 21:15:11

Mars_B4_Moon
Member
Registered: 2006-03-23
Posts: 9,203

Re: Technology Updates

Might one day link to a cave lake in Titan or Europa, or maybe in the Ocean colonization thread?

Electric flying ferry will make Stockholm’s waterways ‘faster than cars’
https://www.techdigest.tv/2022/06/elect … -cars.html
The world’s fastest electric ship

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