ANU researcher - Dr Catchpole

Dr Catchpole, a research fellow in the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, has used nanoparticles to develop solar cells that generate 30 per cent more electrical current than conventional thin-film silicon cells.

Source: http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=2125

World first for quantum memory storage

An ANU-led team has developed the most efficient quantum memory for light in the world, taking us closer to a future of super-fast computers and communication secured by the laws of physics.

Source: http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=2216

World's smallest transistor

Despite its incredibly tiny size – a mere four billionths of a metre long – the quantum dot is a functioning electronic device, the world's first created deliberately by placing individual atoms.

Source: http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2010/may/smallest_transistor_simmons.html

Defence Science Access Network (DSAN)

The Defence Science Access Network (DSAN) has been established to encourage more collaboration between industry, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and DSTO.

DSTO welcomes opportunities to collaborate with SMEs and other S&T organizations undertaking research that may be of interest to Defence. DSTO also seeks to investigate new and emerging technologies developed by industry.

Source: http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/dsan/

Australia's Department of Defence

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is part of Australia's Department of Defence. DSTO is the Australian Government’s lead agency charged with applying science and technology to protect and defend Australia and its national interests.

Source: http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/

MAGIC 2010: Super-smart robots

The Multi Autonomous Ground-robotic International Challenge (MAGIC 2010) is jointly sponsored by the Australian and US Departments of Defence to attract innovative proposals from worldwide research organisations to develop next-generation fully autonomous ground vehicle systems that can be deployed effectively in military operations and civilian emergency situations.

Source: http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/MAGIC2010/

Electric Plastics

Dr Rylie Green:

"Our plastics will lead to smaller devices that use safer smaller currents and that encourage nerve interaction," said Dr Green, whose research has been published in Biomaterials. Our focus is on developing a plastic that makes a better neural connection."

Source: http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2010/jun/bionic_eyes.html

Robotic Soccer

The UNSW robot soccer team has made it to the grand final of RoboCup 2010, the world’s toughest test of android ability - only to be knocked out by a team from Germany.

Source: http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2010/jun/Robocup.html

University of Melbourne - Research Reports

The annual University of Melbourne Research Report is a comprehensive listing of the University's research publications and projects.

Source: http://www.research.unimelb.edu.au/performance/published/researchreport

University of Melbourne - The Parkville Research Precinct

The sheer quantity of life sciences research facilities, institutes, researchers, fellows and postgraduate students in the Parkville precinct and surrounds, and the comprehensive breadth of bio-science disciplines, is without parallel in the Southern hemisphere and one of the few such concentrations of research excellence worldwide. The Precinct created and commercialised numerous medical innovations, including the Bionic Ear, colony stimulating factors, Relenza®, Recaldent®, retinal imaging, discovery of Rotavirus, vaccines, diagnostics, microsurgical instruments and antibiotics.

Source: http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/view.php?articleID=5917

Green Touch

GreenTouch opens up membership and takes important steps toward revolutionizing ICT networks with dramatically improved energy efficiency.

Source: http://www.greentouch.org/

University of Melbourne - E-Research

Development of tsunami warning systems, tools for a virtual MRI grid and intelligent language resource searches on the web are all projects that recently received a share of more than 1/2 million dollars for e-research.

Source: http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/view.php?articleID=2682

University of Melbourne - ultra-resolution global collaboration laboratory

U of Mel: next generation ultra-resolution visualization carried over a super-broadband network linking the University of Melbourne and the University of California San Diego. Allows real-time, interactive collaboration across the globe - combining high-definition video and audio with the sharing of ultra-resolution visualisations from a broad range of disciplines.

Source: http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/news/4880/

Charge your iPod with your bike

The BioLogic FreeCharge will be also be available as a separate unit for about $99 next March.


Source: http://bikehugger.com/2009/09/charge-your-ipod-with-your-bik.html

Solar Roads

The US Department of Transportation granted Idaho-based Solar Roadways $100,000 to develop a prototype of its Solar Road Panel, a section of roadway made of glass and solar cells. The panels are meant to replace typical pavement on roads and parking lots.

Source: http://www.solarroadways.com/

Powerbrella

The Powerbrella is a patio umbrella that has solar panels on its top surface. While you relax in the shade, it uses the sun's rays to provide power for outlets in its base.

Source: http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/powerbrella-jui.php

Melanin Energy Conversion

A schoolboy from Nepal has come up with a recession-busting new solar panel which replaces the silicon component with human hair. Milan Karki, an 18-year-old student from the region of Khotang, devised the idea after discovering that hair pigment Melanin acts as an energy converter.

Each panel, which is around 15 inches square, produces 9 Volts (18 Watts) of energy, and costs $38 to make. This, it has to be said, is mainly due to the price of the raw materials: half a kilo of human hair costs around 25¢ in Nepal. Karki is hoping to commercialize his invention, which can charge a cellphone or power batteries to provide an evening's worth of light, and eventually mass produce it.

Sources: http://dvice.com/archives/2009/09/nepalese-teens.php
http://www.sankofa.ch/texts/Melanin.htm

Visual Voltage displays your energy usage

The energy aware clock is designed to make you aware of your energy consumption
on a daily basis.

Source: http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/7501/visual-voltage-exhibition-at-design-vlaanderen-brussels.html

Plug-In Prius

It'll be packing lithium ion batteries, and with those batteries alone, it accelerates up to 62 miles an hour. But the batteries only work on their own for 12.5 miles, with the gas engine assisting that electro-motor for longer distances. Toyota's not saying how fast that electric acceleration will be, but the company does offer this encouraging statistic: It takes just 1.5 hours to charge up its battery pack on a 230 V power supply.

Home gets money back from Electric Company

The $350,000 house, located between Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, creates so much electricity that its owner receives a check from the power company each month.

Source: http://dvice.com/archives/2009/09/energy-producin.php?p=9&cat=undefined#more