A new sensor being patented by Ohio State University could be used to detect concealed weapons or help pilots see better through rain and fog.

Unlike X-ray machines or radar instruments, the sensor doesn’t have to generate a signal to detect objects – it spots them based on how brightly they reflect the natural radiation that is all around us every day.

There is always a certain amount of radiation – light, heat, and even microwaves – in the environment. Every objec

LINPAC’s new Zenit line of multi-layer stretch films is undergoing a name change and will, from now on, be called Zenium. Zenium stretch films, which were released earlier this year, are formulated to comply with new EU regulations concerning plastic materials that come into contact with food products.

High resistance to perforation and tearing and optimal flexibility are the major advantages of the Zenium line, which also offers excellent optical properties and increased anti-fogg

Successfully prototyped hardware and software that helps keep rail operators on track with their maintenance offers real-time diagnostic capabilities and remote monitoring for train systems through the use of Internet technology.

EUROMAIN aimed to define a complete maintenance support system for rail operators, one that would support real-time monitoring and diagnosis of systems and equipment aboard trains and in fixed plants. However the project team also intended to establish st

The next issue of Science will report a study that explains the mechanism for oxygen release by cerium oxide. This material is an important catalyst that favors many fundamental reactions that have profound implications for energy storage and environmental issues. These reactions include, for example, the purification of polluted gases and the production of hydrogen as new energy vector for fuel cells. The present study could inspire the design of new efficient catalysts for producing a large va

The catalytic reforming of liquid fuels offers an attractive solution to supplying hydrogen to fuel cells while avoiding the safety and storage issues related to gaseous hydrogen. Existing catalytic support structures, however, tend to break down at the high temperatures needed to prevent fouling of the catalytic surface by soot.

Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed porous support materials that can withstand the rigors of high-temp

The next generation of motor vehicles could be powered by engines that are cleaner, greener and smarter, thanks to research at two universities in South West England.

Engineers at the University of Bath are carrying our research described as being like ‘neurosurgery on diesel engines’ to find ways of making them even more efficient than their petrol-driven equivalents.

Meanwhile, researchers at the University of the West of England are experimenting with the production o

The Inasmet Technology Centre (Basque Country) has participated in the METAFLEX project. The aim of this project is to research photovoltaic solar cells to use in building, transport and space sectors. The main innovation of this project is the flexibility that materials by which cells are manufactured provide, and the additional advantage is a weight reduction, comparing to other materials already used, such as glass.

The secret of this flexibility consists on the combination of su

EUREKA project E! 2635 LOGCHAIN TRANSLOG SAFETY has developed a satellite-based communications system to monitor rail freight between Europe and Asia. Geostationary and orbiting satellites integrated in a single antenna ensure a fast response mechanism to potential hazards when dangerous materials are being moved. This makes transporting goods by rail safer and more efficient than ever, while the monitoring centre itself can be situated anywhere according to need.

“We have created an

Student’s Testing Identifies Metal Mix with Superior Mechanical Properties

Using a high-tech but low-cost technique, a Johns Hopkins undergraduate has tested tiny samples of four metal alloys to find the best blend for use in platinum jewelry. After evaluating four metal mixtures, student researcher Christopher Kovalchick determined that platinum combined with a small amount of chromium in a cold-rolled and heat treatment process displayed the greatest strength.

Th

Human error, bad weather and ineffective ground radar can all have devastating consequences for airport safety, possibly leading to a huge number of fatalities. New complementary airport safety systems currently under development promise to avoid such incidences their potential impact in the future.

“Though technology has come a long way in recent years toward improving airport safety, it is evident that current systems using ground radar or cameras to detect aircraft and othe

Scientists at The University of Manchester have discovered a new class of materials which have previously only existed in science fiction films and books.

A team of British and Russian scientists led by Professor Geim have discovered a whole family of previously unknown materials, which are one atom thick and exhibit properties which scientists had never thought possible.

Not only are they ultra-thin, but depending on circumstances they can also be ultra-strong, highl

Ames Lab Researchers Modify Old Technique to Make 3-D Multilayered Structures

Achieving a first in the world of novel optical materials, researchers at the U. S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory are making 3-D photonic band gap crystals four millimeters square (approximately one-eighth of an inch square) and 12 layers high without benefit of a “clean room” environment or the multimillion dollar equipment traditionally required to create such structures. The fundamental res

Novacel, a world leader in innovative industrial surface protection solutions, has launched Novacel 9377, the first adhesive film without solvent for the protection of car bodies during transport and storage. Through the launch of Novacel 9377, the French company is underpinning its commitment to a sustainable development policy.

Novacel 9377 features a 60µm adhesive film with a polyolefines basis, white in colour, and makes it possible to successfully protect car bodies against exte

Engineers at the University of Alberta have created a wind energy generator that they hope people will one day be able to use to power their own homes.

“We have developed a simple, reliable, controller for small scale wind energy generators that is cheaper than competing technologies,” said Dr. Andy Knight, a professor in the U of A Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and lead author of a paper on the subject published recently in IEEE Transactions on Energy Convers

A startling discovery about the properties of human bone has been made by scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The scientists describe their results –– finding a sort of “glue” in human bone –– in the cover story of the August issue of the international scientific journal, Nature Materials. The article was published on-line on July 17. It describes how healthy bone resists fracture and how unhealthy bone fractures at the molecular level. Included with the ar

Solar concentrators using highly efficient photovoltaic solar cells will reduce the cost of electricity from sunlight to competitive levels soon, attendees were told at a recent international conference on the subject. Herb Hayden of Arizona Public Service (APS) and Robert McConnell and Martha Symko-Davies of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) organized the conference held May 1-5 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Concentrating solar electric