Industries
'Robird' developed to scare away birds at airports
University of Twente's Robird will make its first flights at an airport location in February. Weeze Airport in Germany, just across the Dutch border near Nijmegen, will serve as the test site for this life-like robotic falcon developed by Clear Flight Solutions, a spin-off company of the University of Twente. The Robird is designed to scare away birds at airports and waste processing plants.
The impact of drones on bird life
A study shows that drones which investigate sensitive water bird species in the wild can be used in a way that has little impact on their natural movement, according to research by the University of New England. Dr Paul McDonald from the School of Environmental and Rural Science said his team wanted to know the impacts drones have on easily disturbed animals.
Multi-standard charging reference platform at APEC 2016
NXP Semiconductor has released the 'industry’s first' 15W multi-standard wireless charging solution simultaneously supporting both 15W WPC Qi and 5W PMA standards, further extending its wireless charging portfolio. Additionally the company unveiled a new high efficiency multi-standard, Type-C charging adapters with aims to deliver a fast and smart charging experience.
Thermal circuit breaker suitable for medical equipment
Designed for industry standard 0.550x1.125 mounting hole, the C1005B-Series is a switch and a circuit protector in one small, compact package. This combination device eliminates the need for both a switch and thermal circuit protector on customer panels. By using only this multipurpose product, wiring and assembly costs are greatly reduced, while at the same time saving valuable panel real estate.
Humanoid robotics could help treat social disorders
A collaborative research team has found humanoid robotics and computer avatars could help rehabilitate people suffering from social disorders such as schizophrenia or social phobia. It is thanks to the theory of similarity, which suggests that it is easier to interact socially with someone who looks, behaves or moves like us.
Aerospace communications boosted for defense systems
NXP Semiconductors N.V. has set a benchmark in RF power performance with four new LDMOS transistors. The new transistors aim to deliver best-in class performance for defense radar and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems operating between 900 and 1400MHz. Several defense contractors are currently developing and evaluating systems with these high capability transistors.
Sensitive IR instrument is ready for the NASA Telescope
The ultra-sensitive, highly precise Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb telescope) beat its most stringent requirements during Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) testing, which is now complete. Lockheed Martin built the instrument for the University of Arizona and NASA to serve as both the primary science instrument and the primary mirror-alignment sensor aboard the telescope.
The adaptation of drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes
Researchers have developed a light-activated tool to show how drugs need to be adapted to combat type 2 diabetes. The study, published in Angewandte Chemie, provides insight into the signalling process of receptors in cells. The team behind the research believe their findings could pave the way for the next-gen of anti-diabetic drugs that are activated by the presence of either blue or ultra-violet light.
Computer-assisted approaches to combat Zika virus
The recent epidemic of Zika virus infections in South and Latin America has raised serious concerns on its ramifications for the population in the Americas and spread of the virus worldwide. The Zika virus disease is a relatively new phenomenon for which sufficient and comprehensive data and investigative reports have not been available to date.
An extra layer for tumour-penetrating cancer medications
Nanoparticles are now being used to transport chemotherapy medicine through the bloodstream, to the doorstep of cancerous tumors. Drexel University researchers believe that the trick to gaining access to the pernicious cellular masses is to give the nanoparticles a new look - and that dressing to impress will be able to get them past the tumor's biological bouncers.