R.E. Kearney's Blog, page 22

Graphene

Have you ever given a second thought to the lowly material inside your pencil? All you might remember is from 6th grade science that it is a part of carbon. Well, now scientists have developed Graphene to become a super material. Graphene really could be the future and include Graphene eye wear and Graphene armour, are all possibilities after this remarkable discovery by scientists. However, you must be wondering what it really is and how it can qualify as a super material that could revolutionize the world like lighter smart phones and bullet proof armour.

[image error]What is Graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of graphite. Another example is that it’s the flaky and soft material used in the lead of your pencil that we use for our everyday use. Graphite is an allotrope of the element carbon which means both of them possess carbon atoms, but they are arranged in a different manner which is why they are so different from one another. Diamond is also an allotrope, but it’s the hardest material in the world and nothing can cut it while graphite is soft and flaky. Graphene’s atoms are arranged in a hexagonal manner.

What is interesting is that when a single layer of these molecules of graphite, are isolated, they show some miraculous properties. Despite the fact that it is only one thin layer, it is one of the strongest materials known to man. It has the strength of 130 GPa (gigapascals), which is a 100 times stronger than steel. This shows the immense power this material can hold and how beneficial it can be to us in the future. The fact that it is so powerful and has incredible strength should be enough, yet it is not. There are many other characteristics it holds such as being transparent, flexible, highly conductive and mostly impermeable to most gases and liquids. It seems there is no area that Graphene does not excel in.

Potential Applications:

The potential applications of Graphene are endless. It can be used in countless products due to its versatility and strength. However, a few of them are listed and explained below. Scientists have considered creating flexible electronics with this amazing material because it is so highly flexible and transparent, and has immense strength that makes it perfect for [image error]portable electronics. Our smartphones and tablets could become way more durable and could even be folded like a piece of paper with the help of Graphene. Also, another use could be wearable electronics. With Graphene, these could fit the skin perfectly and could fit any size or shape. Another use for Graphene could be solar cells. As it is highly conductive, it is the perfect material for conduction of solar energy. Its photovoltaic properties will also allow it to develop better sensors for cameras.

All of this however, is in research and theory at the moment, but we never know, we might be using a foldable phone in the very near future.

Neural Implants for the Blind

Due to various diseases including cancer, many people become blind. It really is a sad story, however, it is their eyes that cause the issue and not their visual cortex. In this way, their visual cortex which is part of the brain is completely fine and undamaged, but as there is no information coming in from the eyes, it holds no use for the person. This, however, is not the case anymore. Through an amazing medical trial, 6 people who were blind are now able to partially see. The device that helps achieve this is called Orion. It takes pictures from a camera and inputs them directly into the brain, acting as the eyes for the person.

[image error]Doctors believe that this is a ray of hope for those who are completely blind and have lost their eyesight due to a disease or accident. They believe that if the camera completely erases the purpose of the eyes, it could lead to many more opportunities for people who cannot see.

Orion is made up of 2 parts. It includes an implant within the person’s brain and a pair of glasses which contain the camera. The camera in the glasses takes pictures and sends information to 60 electrodes which are placed in the implant within the brain. These electrodes process information and present it to the visual cortex. This then shows the blind person a partial image of what is in front of them. Meaning the device removes the need for natural eyesight.

For testing the device, researchers used a computer. They first chose completely blind people and showed them a black screen on a computer with a white square, which moved within a random pattern. They would then ask them to point at the square at whatever position it was at. They pointed at the correct place, making scientists believe their invention truly worked.

[image error]It is believed that the square which was shown to the patients may just be the beginning. If they were to introduce many more electrodes within the brain, they would be able to create a proper image, which would show the blind person everything around them. What they aim to do is use the reference of a style of painting. When you paint tiny thousands of spots, they come together and represent a full picture – this could be done in the brain too. When electrodes are stimulating thousands of places in the brain while the camera is feeding the information, there is potential that a proper image may be created in the same way as a painting.

Even the way the device is at the moment, it really has the potential of changing lives.

Under the Moon’s Surface

Most of us have not studied the moon in great detail because we consider it as just a shiny white sphere that appears every night. However, we need to know that the moon is much more than that. It holds a lot under its surface. Recently, scientists discovered an enormous, metallic anomaly under the moon’s largest crater.

[image error]Interestingly, the pile of metal is considered to be five times larger than the Island of Hawaii. It weighs around 2.18 billion kilos and spreads across 300 kilometres. It is also considered to be millions of years old. Researchers identify two main reasons behind the existence of this huge pile of metal under the moon. Firstly, they assume that the metal that formed this crater is still set in the moon’s mantle. Secondly, they believe that the moon’s liquid magma surface turned into a solid which left heavy oxides of nickel and iron. However, both these reasons have not been confirmed yet.

Another study suggests that there is presence of water under the moon’s surface. Scientists say that there’s plenty of water beneath the moon, but it is slowly drying out. It was discovered that the existence of water is not new. It could have been there since the formation of the moon. However, it’s still uncertain how such large amounts of water ended up under the moon’s surface. According to researchers, the presence of water could be quite [image error]beneficial during future explorations. Transporting water from earth is a complex and expensive procedure which also requires a lot of time.

Both of these discoveries are quite impressive and have changed people’s perceptions about something as simple as the moon. Who would have thought that the moon could have so much going on beneath its surface, and who knows what else is yet to be uncovered?

Spy Robots

Imagine a drone which can stick to the walls, fly, and proper itself out from the water and can also securely land when required. A drone which can easily fit in the palm of your hand – sounds amazing right? People have this fear that robots are now becoming similar to humans, however, they’re actually becoming more bug-like each and every day. A group of researchers from Harvard University proved that the robot flight is basically copying small bugs that were there on the ceilings and walls.

There’s a wide range of applications for similar robots, ranging from tiny spying devices which can be used to conduct surveillance missions, to scientists using them to go where no sensors can reach. Till the time when robots will be in the air, hovering can take as much energy as flying can. Additionally, a new study published that considerable energy can be saved if we plan on using tiny robots which can simply land and rest between jaunts. It’s similar to how a bee might land somewhere after taking off again.

[image error]When we use the word robot, we’re not talking about some terrifying robots from the movies or directly from the future. Instead, we’re talking about creations like RoboBee. This drone was made by Harvard John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Due to the advancements in technology, this device can stabilise on the surface of water before an internal combustion engine will ignite to let it fly and bring it back in the air.

RoboBee was launched in Southern California in Los Angeles and weighs around 75 grams.

The major concern that was faced was the unknown weight of the actuators and how to make them flap. Scientists then came up with a new and improved design called ‘unimorph’ which depended on a single strip of piezoelectric material which would contract and expand while a current is passed through it.

This approach offered various advantages in terms of the dimensions, weight, control, aerodynamics and construction.

There is only one downside to the RoboBee – it’s basically not a drone because it depends on a tether as a source of energy. However, once the battery tech comes in line with the nano-scale robotics, the drone could work on its own perfectly.

Space Mining

Gold mining, coal mining, salt mining, etc. are common terms which a layman can understand, but the concept of ‘space mining’ is not in the knowledge of many people. It basically involves the extraction of iron and other raw materials from the asteroid belt and other minor planets. These raw materials mainly include hard rock metal and precious metals.  It has a lot of advantages and disadvantages attached to it.

[image error]The asteroid belt is rich in assets. There are certain metals and other natural resources that are rare on earth, but not on the asteroids. These metals can be used in the production of many products. For example, electric vehicles, turbines, and many other types of electronics.

Extraction of raw materials from space could widen the resource bank within earth. Moreover, space mining opens up opportunities for space exploration. This eventually brings ideas for innovative creations beyond Earth like space colonies for humans. Moreover, it could relieve the environmental destruction currently caused by conventional mining industries on our planet.

On the flip side, it is believed that the process exploits all the resources mentioned above. For this reason, scientists do not consider the concept of space mining healthy at all. According to scientists, space mining is ruining the solar system and it needs to stop. Otherwise, it will force future generations to face an extreme crisis.

In addition to this, space mining has a huge potential for causing pollution. The preparation required for exploring outer space can be lethal for our planet. It requires the manufacturing of huge robots, machines and other mining-related equipment, as well as the rockets to launch these robots to outer space and bring them back too. This opens multiple doors for pollution which we already have enough on the planet.

Other than the environmental effects, the success of space mining can drastically affect the world’s economy. It may lead to huge job losses in the conventional mining industry. Obviously, who would consider mining on earth when they can find abundant resources in space? However, this could create jobs in the technology sector, but it may take time for people to adjust to the new changes.

[image error]Space mining seems to become easier with the advances in technology and research. Several companies have now started focusing on this version of mining. They are investing in technology and research to come up with workable ways to mine in space. However, things need to be done to consider the long term effect. Space mining does not seem like the best idea in the distant future. It can ruin the areas beyond Earth while trying to make survival easier on earth. Alternatively, it could turn out to be very beneficial for companies and the general public on Earth.

Supersonic Plane

Hermeus, an American aerospace organisation has introduced the idea of a supersonic plane that would be capable of breezing over the Atlantic at a speed of 4,000 mph in only 90 minutes. What is a supersonic aircraft? A supersonic aircraft is a plane that can travel quicker than the speed of sound.

[image error]This speed is greater (almost twice) than that of the iconic Concorde. As per Ars Technica, seeing a working prototype any time soon is unlikely, but, the initial round of funding has been completed. This would make it possible for the organisation to bring in a propulsion demonstrator. Interestingly, Hermeus is not the only organisation working on this, a competitor ‘Boom Supersonic’ is also working on something similar. Boom Supersonic is another start-up just like Hermeus.

Boom Supersonic is working on a Mach 2.2 supersonic jet that will have space for around 55 passengers and will be a little faster than Concorde. As per the announcement of 2017, Boom Supersonic is planning on bringing in this innovation by the mid-2020s. They are being successfully backed by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and have already received orders for around 76 planes. This is huge. However, it is important to note that going up from Mach 2 to Mach 5 can be a daunting task. It is not simple. In order to make this extremely fast plane a success, Hermeus is looking to utilise whatever technology they can to make this happen. This includes looking for cutting edge rocketry and titanium materials.

Supersonic aircrafts were previously used in the twentieth century for the purpose of research and military. Boom Supersonic is trying to work on creating a faster future. Supersonic planes are an amazing discovery that could change the future of air travel. Today, a flight from San Francisco to Tokyo takes around 11 hours. Boom Supersonic and Hermeus aim to considerably reduce this time.

The American Bell X-1 was the very first plane to fly supersonically. It was an experimental aircraft that used 6000-lb thrust rocket powered by ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen. The majority of such aircrafts have been either for military use or as an experiment. There is no example of a supersonic plane that has been used for regular passenger flights. In the 1960s and 70s, there were many designs initiated for supersonic planes. Two of the well-known names that entered service include the Russian Tupolev Tu-144 and the Anglo-French Concorde. However, there were many restrictions that prevented them being used at their full capacity.

Florida Drones

In South Florida, rainy seasons can also be called mosquito season. For this purpose, Florida has come up with a new weapon to combat against insects and diseases. As per the latest updates, Florida is to battle mosquitoes through the Federal Drone’s Program. Federal approval has been granted to the Lee County Mosquito Control District to use the drone program for the purpose of managing pests by spending the summer spreading larvicide over salt marshes that are usually used as breeding grounds by infectious mosquitoes. This can be a high-tech and efficient attempt to control the pest population along with saving a huge deal of the state’s money. Drones are already being used by the mosquito control company for the purpose of searching for pools of standing water that are at distant places.

[image error]Interestingly, now these drones will be able to carry around enough larvicide that can be sprayed across more than 2 acres. This is a task that would normally be handled by helicopters that are very expensive. However, this technology will make it less costly and efficient to treat the remote pools and eradicate mosquitoes. Florida Keys Mosquito Control District wants to start with a precise location to test first.

Dealing with pests and finding a way to combat them can be a daunting task in some places. If not controlled, they could lead to the spread of various dangerous diseases. Therefore, this technology will be a good option to deal with such situations and controlling the spread of diseases, especially in remote areas.

[image error]A few days ago, residents in Key West woke up from the noise of a mosquito control helicopter that was there to spray larvicide to the Aedes aegypti mosquito after heavy rainfall. The Aedes aegypti mosquito carries diseases like dengue and Zika virus. These helicopters and drones will become a common sight during the summer as the plans are to spray larvicides on the saltmarsh mosquitoes in remote areas. The idea of using drones is a cost-effective and an efficient alternative compared to helicopters.

If everything goes as per the plan, Florida Keys Mosquito Control District will consider expanding the program next year. The exact details of when and how the unmanned drone will be used to spread larvicide and combat pests in Florida is unknown. The idea of this program is to expand and not be limited to the present regulations to see how this can be used to control other diseases. If it works, it could become a huge success for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District.

Mars Water

A surprising discovery has been made that Mars consists of water that is leaking Hydrogen. A group of scientists have uncovered the strange way that water cycles on Mars. This could be a huge discovery in reasoning why Mars has turned into a dry planet from being a water-rich planet. Furthermore, this leakage of hydrogen could be making its way into space.

[image error]Evaporation is the only way that water can rise from the lower to the upper atmosphere and this is possible around every two years when Mars is nearest to the Sun and it’s summer in the southern hemisphere. In order to find out the weather dynamics of the Red Planet, a computer simulation was utilised by a team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

According to Paul Hartogh from MPS, during summers in the southern hemisphere, water vapour can rise up and reach the upper atmosphere along with warmer air. After this, the vapour can be carried to the North Pole where it will condense as a liquid, falling out of the sky. When all of this is taking place, some of the water particles might disintegrate and leak atoms of Hydrogen into the space. This discovery could be a significant insight as to why Mars has lost so much water, though it was once known to be covered with countless rivers and massive oceans.

[image error]In the distant past, many of the discoveries found that Mars was covered with huge rivers. The question is – where did it all go? Since that time, the planet has experienced a dramatic change. There is only a little amount of frozen water on the ground and small traces of vapour in the atmosphere. Scientists state that Mars has lost about 80% of its water. In the upper atmosphere, water vapour is separated into hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals by the radiation from the sun. This hydrogen then escapes to space. Many researches prove that even today, water is lost through the same process. But, how does the water vapour reach the upper atmosphere when the middle layer can cool it down and covert it to ice?

Scientists have calculated that during the dust storms in 2007, there was twice the amount of water vapour that reached the upper atmosphere than that during storm-less summers in the southern hemisphere. According to Hartogh, the Martian atmosphere is more permeable to the vapours, unlike that of the Earth. Also, this new discovery should be worrisome as if this continues to happen, Mars will continue to lose more and more water. Around most of the water that is on Mars, exists as ice or vapour in the atmosphere. The north polar ice cap is the only place where the water ice is visible. The Martian South Pole also consists of some of this water ice.

Electric Planes

For the purpose of cleaning up the aviation sector, scientists funded by NASA are working on developing electric planes powered by cryogenically-liquefied hydrogen fuel. The scientists dealing with this project are from the University of Illinois. Their plan is to use technology that can revolutionize the entire aviation sector. For this purpose, these scientists have been successful in collecting funding of $6 million over three years from NASA.

What is an electric plane?

An electric aircraft is an aircraft that is powered by electric motors. This electricity may be in the form of power cables, batteries, solar cells, power beaming, fuel cells or ultra-capacitors.

In 2010, NASA initially proposed the idea and introduced the concept of NASA Puffin, for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicles. Since then, there have been many projects financed by the European Commission for this purpose. NEAT (NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed), is a testbed in Plum Brook Station, which is used for the development, design and assembling of electrical aircraft systems. Furthermore, in order to improve electric-propulsion components, NASA grants NRA (NASA Research Agreements), which will be finished by 2019.

X-57 Maxwell is a development by NASA to showcase the technology used to eliminate noise, fuel use and emissions. NASA tested this first propulsion technology consisting of 14 electric motors turning propellers, all of which were connected to an extraordinarily designed wing. Through this research and invention, NASA will prove that using electrical planes will help in creating planes that are efficient, quieter and more environmentally friendly. Furthermore, there will be many other advantages too. X-57 Maxwell is a development that will be using batteries, which reduce the emission of carbon, and demonstrated how it could result in reducing demand for lead-based carbon fuel in the aviation sector.

It is only a matter of time, but electric power will change the way the aviation industry works. We humans never think for the long-term. NASA is currently working on the problem. However, there is one limiting factor in this program, which is the battery. Battery development is not something that the current NASA program is looking at. Battery development will be risky, complex and costly. The main aim of NASA is to save the world by presenting this amazing invention. This is the reason why the space agency is putting so much funding behind this project, and invent the very first electric aircraft. Scientists from the University of Illinois are looking for options to use liquid hydrogen fuel cells for the purpose of powering the aircraft.

If successful, a revolution in the aircraft industry is on its way.

Hologram Campaigning

In 1977, a science fiction adventure called Star Wars was released. The epic was met with unprecedented anticipation and fanfare. The general populace and media alike were fascinated by the concepts depicted in the movie.

One of its most famous scenes involved a princess leading a rebellion who records a distress signal in the form of a holographic message. At the time, it felt like a distant and innovative concept. However, a few decades later, it has become a reality.

Even politicians are relying on holograms to contest elections. With the United States elections of 2020 only eighteen months away, candidates have already incorporated holograms into their campaigns.

Joko Widodo

One of the highest profile cases of a politician using holographic images to generate buzz is that of President Joko Widodo of Indonesia. Widodo has used a hologram to beam himself to areas and voters in key regions in anticipation of the election.

As Indonesia is the third largest democracy in the world and with elections fast approaching, Widodo and Ma’ruf, his vice presidential candidate, began projecting three dimensional images at campaign rallies. This allowed them to reach their followers in various hard to reach regions of the country and overcome stringent time constraints as well.

As more than 190 million voters were registered to participate in the elections, time was of the essence and through hologram campaigning, Widodo was able to deliver his message to more prospective followers.

The life size hologram was simply moved from one place to another across Indonesia as voting day grew closer. Widodo is not the only high profile example of a politician banking on the power of holographic images to reach his followers. Others include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As Widodo shuttled around the archipelago, the 57-year-old tactics seemed to have paid dividends, since the latest polls have shown that Widodo and party held a lead over their rivals.

Narendra Modi

Modi, the incumbent Prime Minister of the largest democracy in the world, solved the conundrum of how to reach the maximum number of people all the way back in 2014. The BJP leader used holograms to address rallies across India and convey his message to the largest electorate on the planet.

Indian voting can typically last longer than a month which means that campaigning can become frantic at times. However, Modi successfully used the aid of holographic images to address various rallies simultaneously.

[image error]Once he emerged victorious in the aftermath of the elections, experts lauded Modi for pioneering the use of holograms in the country and using them to great effect. In a vast country such as India, embracing the technology meant that Modi was able to reach remote villages and garner greater support for his cause.

These two prominent examples show that hologram campaigning is no longer just a concept depicted in science fiction, but has become a reality.