engineering

Oct 16, 2013

Software Uses Cyborg Swarm to Map Unknown Environs

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed software that allows them to map unknown environments – such as collapsed buildings – based on the movement of a swarm of insect cyborgs, or “biobots.” 

Sep 30, 2013

Researchers Work to Squeeze More Data From Bandwidth in Mobile Devices

A team of researchers is working on technology that would allow mobile devices to send and receive more data using the same limited amount of bandwidth. The work is supported by a $1.08 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Competition for the airwaves is fierce. Commercial and military communication services must broadcast and… 

Sep 23, 2013

Researchers Seek to Control Prosthetic Legs With Neural Signals

Most people don’t think about the difference between walking across the room and walking up a flight of stairs. Their brains (and their legs) automatically adjust to the new conditions. But for people using prosthetic legs, there is no automatic link between their bodies and the prosthetics that they need to negotiate the new surroundings.… 

Sep 18, 2013

Scaling Up Personalized Query Results for Next Generation of Search Engines

North Carolina State University researchers have developed a way for search engines to provide users with more accurate, personalized search results. The challenge in the past has been how to scale this approach up so that it doesn’t consume massive computer resources. Now the researchers have devised a technique for implementing personalized searches that is… 

Sep 16, 2013

New Model Should Expedite Development of Temperature-Stable Nano-Alloys

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new theoretical model that will speed the development of new nanomaterial alloys that retain their advantageous properties at elevated temperatures. 

Sep 12, 2013

How Computer Models Help Keep the Lights on In Kenya

In Kenya, water is power. Literally. And to keep the lights on, Kenyan authorities want to know how much water they can expect in upcoming rainy seasons. That’s where computer models come in. Fifty-eight percent of Kenya’s power supply stems from the country’s hydropower system in the Tana River basin. That system will shut down… 

Sep 11, 2013

Airbrushing Could Facilitate Large-Scale Manufacture of Carbon Nanofibers

Researchers from North Carolina State University used airbrushing techniques to grow vertically aligned carbon nanofibers on several different metal substrates, opening the door for incorporating these nanofibers into gene delivery devices, sensors, batteries and other technologies. 

Sep 10, 2013

New Magnetic Semiconductor Material Holds Promise for ‘Spintronics’

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a new compound that can be integrated into silicon chips and is a dilute magnetic semiconductor – meaning that it could be used to make “spintronic” devices, which rely on magnetic force to operate, rather than electrical currents. 

Sep 9, 2013

Wide Left: Study Shows that Holders Play Key Role in Field Goal Accuracy

NFL and college football teams are back in action, and their success often hinges on the accuracy of their field goal kickers. When the field goals are made, kickers are heroes. When they miss, they’re goats. But a study by aerospace researchers shows that kickers aren’t always at fault – the way the ball is… 

Sep 6, 2013

New Connection between Stacked Solar Cells Can Handle Energy of 70,000 Suns

North Carolina State University researchers have come up with a new technique for improving the connections between stacked solar cells, which should improve the overall efficiency of solar energy devices and reduce the cost of solar energy production. The new connections can allow these cells to operate at solar concentrations of 70,000 suns worth of… 

Sep 5, 2013

Study IDs Trouble Areas, Aims to Speed Up Construction Projects

Research from North Carolina State University identified factors that cause construction site managers to schedule more time than necessary for specific tasks. Understanding these factors and whether they can be reduced or eliminated could help the industry complete construction projects more quickly. 

Aug 27, 2013

New Energy Model Offers Transparency to Let Others Replicate Findings

Computer models are used to inform policy decisions about energy, but existing models are generally “black boxes” that don’t show how they work, making it impossible for anyone to replicate their findings. Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new open-source model and are sharing the data they put into it, to allow… 

Aug 14, 2013

Research Shows Precisely Which Strategies Help Players Win Team-Oriented Video Games

Computer science researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a technique to determine which strategies give players an edge at winning in multi-player (action) real-time strategy (ARTS) games, such as Defense of the Ancients (DotA), Warcraft III and Starcraft II. The technique offers extremely precise information about how a player’s actions affect a team’s… 

Aug 7, 2013

Self-Healing Solar Cells ‘Channel’ Natural Processes

To understand how solar cells heal themselves, look no further than the nearest tree leaf or the back of your hand. The “branching” vascular channels that circulate life-sustaining nutrients throughout leaves and hands serve as the inspiration for solar cells that can restore themselves efficiently and inexpensively. In a new paper, North Carolina State University… 

Aug 6, 2013

Battery Design Gets Boost From Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a new flexible nano-scaffold for rechargeable lithium ion batteries that could help make cell phone and electric car batteries last longer. The research, published online in Advanced Materials, shows the potential of manufactured sheets of aligned carbon nanotubes coated with silicon, a material with a much higher…