engineering

Jan 27, 2011

ARPA-E Grant Will Fund NC State Research On Smart Grid Technologies

A new grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will support North Carolina State University efforts to develop new technologies essential to the development of a “smart grid” that can easily store and distribute energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind. 

Jan 26, 2011

Into The Void: Boosting LED Energy Efficiency

LEDs are already vaunted as an energy-efficient technology for lighting, but new research shows that their efficiency can be increased by a factor of two. A paper describing the work shows that the secret is to decrease the number of defects in the gallium nitride (GaN) films used to create LEDs by incorporating cleverly placed… 

Jan 26, 2011

Hardware, Software Advances Help Protect Operating Systems From Attack

The operating system (OS) is the backbone of your computer. If the OS is compromised, attackers can take over your computer – or crash it. Now researchers at North Carolina State University have developed an efficient system that utilizes hardware and software to restore an OS if it is attacked. 

Jan 25, 2011

Voiding Defects: New Technique Makes LED Lighting More Efficient

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are an increasingly popular technology for use in energy-efficient lighting. Researchers from North Carolina State University have now developed a new technique that reduces defects in the gallium nitride (GaN) films used to create LEDs, making them more efficient. 

Jan 20, 2011

Quick, Quick, Slow: Fast And Slow Memory Now In One Device

Want a computer that is functional as soon as you hit the power button (no lag time)? Wish that those enormous server farms didn’t gobble quite as much energy? You’re in luck! Researchers have developed a new device that should enable both of these things. The trick? Combining two memory functions into a single device.… 

Jan 20, 2011

New Device May Revolutionize Computer Memory

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new device that represents a significant advance for computer memory, making large-scale “server farms” more energy efficient and allowing computers to start more quickly. 

Jan 14, 2011

Five NC State Faculty Named AAAS Fellows

Five North Carolina State University faculty members have been elected as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. H.T. Banks, Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics, elected for distinguished contributions to the field of applied mathematics, particularly in quantitative modeling in the biomedical sciences and other areas of science and engineering.… 

Jan 12, 2011

New Approach To Modeling Power System Aims For Better Monitoring and Control of Blackouts

Major power outages are fairly infrequent, but when they happen they can result in billions of dollars in costs – and even contribute to fatalities. Now research from North Carolina State University has led to the development of an approach by which high-resolution power-system measurements, also referred to as Synchrophasors, can be efficiently used to… 

Jan 11, 2011

Coiled Nanowires May Hold Key To Stretchable Electronics

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created the first coils of silicon nanowire on a substrate that can be stretched to more than double their original length, moving us closer to incorporating stretchable electronic devices into clothing, implantable health-monitoring devices, and a host of other applications. 

Jan 10, 2011

Save Time And Lives: Take It To The Superstreets!

Everyone hates traffic. Everyone also hates car accidents. What if there was a traffic pattern that could cut travel times at busy intersections by 20 percent, and cut collision-related injures by over 60 percent? Good news – there is! The pattern is called, fittingly enough, a superstreet. The superstreet concept has been around for 20… 

Jan 10, 2011

No Left Turn: ‘Superstreet’ Traffic Design Improves Travel Time, Safety

The so-called “superstreet” traffic design results in significantly faster travel times, and leads to a drastic reduction in automobile collisions and injuries, according to North Carolina State University researchers who have conducted the largest-ever study of superstreets and their impacts. 

Dec 22, 2010

From Fossils To New Tech: Research Highlights From 2010

From prehistoric penguins, which help us understand the mysteries of evolution, to “artificial leaves” that could change the face of solar energy, 2010 was a fascinating year of research at North Carolina State University. As we prepare for 2011, we thought we’d take a look back at some of the interesting research stories to come… 

Dec 21, 2010

Trivial Pursuits: The Abstract’s 2010 Quiz

The Abstract staff will be taking off for a couple of weeks to prepare for 2011. In an attempt to amuse and entertain ourselves you, we’ve pulled together a quick quiz on some of the research we’ve written about in 2010. See how you do! Answers are below the photo, and include links to the… 

Dec 20, 2010

Dispatches From The North Pole: Santa’s Bag Of Toys

Editor’s Note: This is the last in a series of occasional dispatches from Dr. Larry Silverberg, a researcher at NC State who is leading a visiting scholars program at Santa’s Workshop-North Pole Labs (NPL). Dr. Silverberg is an expert in unified field theory and is accompanied by four other mechanical and aerospace engineers: Drs. Mohammad Zikry… 

Dec 15, 2010

Study Improves Understanding of Method for Creating Multi-Metal Nanoparticles

A new study from researchers at North Carolina State University sheds light on how a technique that is commonly used for making single-metal nanoparticles can be extended to create nanoparticles consisting of two metals – and that have tunable properties. The study also provides insight into the optical properties of some of these nanoparticles.