Show Notes 2 June 2023
Story 1: A new material creates clean electricity from the air around it
Source: Popular Science Story by Andrew Paul
- According to a new study published on May 5 with Advanced Materials, engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have demonstrated a novel “air generator” (they call Air-gen) film that relies on microscopic holes smaller than 100 nanometers across—less than a thousandth the width of a single human hair – to play a role in generating electricity.
- Essentially, this new technology is based on the same physics at play in storm clouds’ lightning discharges.
- Reminder: Lightning happens when the negative charges (electrons) in the bottom of the cloud are attracted to the positive charges (protons) in the ground. Source: https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/storms/thunder-and-lightning
- The incredibly small diameters of the holes set the stage for what is called a “mean free path”.
- Side note, what is the “mean free path”? In physics, mean free path is the average distance over which a moving particle travels before substantially changing its direction or energy, typically as a result of one or more successive collisions with other particles. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_free_path
- Here’s how the new Air-gen film works:
- Water molecules are floating all around in the air, and their mean free path is around 100 nanometers.
- As humid air passes through Air-gen material’s miniscule holes, the water molecules first come into direct contact an upper and then a lower chamber in the film.
- This creates a charge imbalance resulting in the generation of electricity.
- Side note from the researcher’s paper:
- The common feature of these materials is that they are engineered with appropriate nanopores to allow air water to pass through and undergo dynamic adsorption–desorption exchange at the porous interface, resulting in surface charging.
- The top exposed interface experiences this dynamic interaction more than the bottom sealed interface in a thin-film device structure, yielding a spontaneous and sustained charging gradient for continuous electric output.
- As noted before, it’s the same physics at play in storm clouds’ lightning discharges.
- Although the UMass Amherst team’s product generates a miniscule fraction of a lightning bolt’s estimated 300 million volts, its several hundred millivolts of sustained energy is incredibly promising for scalability and everyday usage.
- This is particularly evident when considering that air humidity can diffuse in three-dimensional space. In theory, thousands of Air-gen layers can be stacked atop one another, thus scaling up the device without increasing its overall footprint. According to the researchers, such a product could offer kilowatts of power for general usage.
- The team believes their Air-gen devices could one day be far more space efficient than other renewable energy options like solar and wind power.
- What’s more, the material can be engineered into a variety of form factors to blend into an environment, as contrasted with something as visually noticeable as a solar farm or wind turbine.
Story 2: New AI Model Aims to Plug Key Gap in Cybersecurity Readiness
Source: PNNL News Press Release by Tom Rickey
Link: https://tinyurl.com/5mrpnrak
- To set the stage, the article’s author offered a lay person’s analogy to illustrate the problem:
- Imagine you’re the new manager of a large apartment building and someone has stolen one of your keys—but you’re not sure which one. Was it to a first-floor apartment? The mail room? Maybe it’s a master key to all the units.
- All locks are vulnerable, as far as you know, and you’ll need to change every lock to be completely secure.
- But if you knew exactly which key went missing, you could target your efforts, changing just the relevant lock and eliminating the threat immediately.
- Multiply that problem thousands of times over and you’ll understand what cyber defenders grapple with.
- There are more than 213,800 available known “keys”—unofficial entry points into computer systems, and they’re already in the hands of criminals.
- Side note, more on “entry points” – In computers, an entry point is the point in a program, module or function where the code begins; specifically, the memory address where it begins. In a program, it is the first module of code, or even the first line of code that is executed. Source: https://www.easytechjunkie.com/in-computing-what-is-an-entry-point.htm
- There are likely many more that are not known. How can all the threats and attacks be tracked, prioritized and prevented?
- That’s impossible for any one person or team. While computer analysts share leads by feeding information into multiple databases, they don’t have a map of how adversaries might use most of those 213,800 available known “keys” to wreak havoc.
- Now, a team of scientists at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Purdue University, Carnegie Mellon University and Boise State University have turned to artificial intelligence to help solve the problem.
- The researchers have knitted together three large databases of information about computer vulnerabilities, weaknesses and likely attack patterns.
- The AI-based model automatically links vulnerabilities to specific lines of attack that adversaries could use to compromise computer systems. The work should help defenders spot and prevent attacks more often and more quickly.
- The work is open source with a portion now available on GitHub. The team will release the rest of the code soon.
Story 3: Research team creates revolutionary new batteries that are safer, cleaner, and last longer than lithium-ion. Key trend to watch “oxygen-ion batteries”
Source: The Cool Down Story by Wes Stenzel
- A new breakthrough from the Vienna University of Technology — called regenerative oxygen-ion batteries — may transform the world of energy storage, with the potential to replace lithium-ion batteries in many [but not all] key applications. ***Note, the key here is we are talking primarily about battery storage applications, vs. smartphones, etc.
- Lithium-ion batteries are among the most commonly used energy storage devices on the planet. However, these batteries have a number of problems, including frequent overheating that sometimes leads to fires and a tendency to lose effectiveness as they age.
- Lithium batteries also have a substantial environmental impact, as one ton of lithium necessitates 2.2 million gallons of water to obtain through mining — which has a massive effect on the communities near the mines.
- Additionally, lithium batteries include materials made of copper, nickel, and lead, which are all potentially toxic. Improper disposal of lithium batteries can cause major environmental issues.
- Oxygen-ion batteries, on the other hand, solve all of these problems.
- Side note: What are Oxygen-ion batteries? Oxygen-ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that works similarly to lithium-ion batteries. The electrodes in oxygen-ion batteries are perovskite-based ceramics instead of typical lithium-ion battery materials. The batteries are fire-resistant, and highly durable. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_ion_battery
- According to a news release from the Vienna University of Technology, oxygen-ion batteries don’t have the same aging issue that lithium batteries face, which means they can maintain effectiveness for an incredibly long period.
- They can also be manufactured using incombustible materials and don’t require the same rare elements as lithium batteries, which means they won’t have nearly as substantial of an environmental footprint and won’t spontaneously explode if mishandled.
- Not only can oxygen-ion batteries last a long time, they can be made from ceramic materials that cannot catch fire.
- Reality Check: The oxygen-ion batteries aren’t entirely flawless, as they possess a lower energy density than lithium batteries…which means they can’t be effectively used for electric cars or smartphones.
- However, they might be the perfect batteries for storing clean energy.
Story 4: Paralyzed man walks using device that reconnects brain with muscles
Source: The Guardian Story by Ian Sample
- A man who was paralyzed in a cycling accident in 2011 has been able to stand and walk with an attendant after doctors implanted a device that reads his brain waves and sends instructions to his spine to move the right muscles.
- Gert-Jan Oskam, 40 years old, was told he would never walk again after breaking his neck in a traffic accident in China but has climbed stairs and walked for more than 100 meters at a time since having the operation.
- “A few months ago, I was able, for the first time after 10 years, to stand up and have a beer with my friends,” said Oskam, who is from the Netherlands.
- The “digital bridge” is the latest from a team of neuroscientists in Switzerland [i.e., Lausanne University hospital] who have a longstanding program to develop brain-machine interfaces to overcome paralysis. The project aims to use wireless signals to reconnect the brain with muscles that are rendered useless when spinal cord nerves are broken.
- In a previous trial, Oskam tested a system that recreated the rhythmic steps of walking by sending signals from a computer to his spinal cord. While the device helped him take several steps at once, the movement was quite robotic and had to be triggered by a button or sensor.
- For the latest update, Prof Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at Lausanne University hospital, installed electrodes on Oskam’s brain that detect neural activity when he tries to move his legs.
- The readings are processed by an algorithm that turns them into pulses, which are sent to further electrodes in his spine. The pulses activate nerves in the spine, switching on muscles to produce the intended movement.
- The system can “capture the thoughts of Gert-Jan and translate those thoughts into stimulation of the spinal cord to re-establish voluntary leg movements”.
- The device does not produce swift, smooth strides, but Oskam said the implant, described in Nature, allowed for more natural movements than before, because standing up and walking were initiated and controlled by thinking about the actions. The signals stimulate muscles needed to flex the hip, knee, and ankle.