Turning Car and Helicopter Exhaust into Thermoelectric Energy

Combustion engines, the engines in gas-powered cars, only use a quarter of the fuel’s potential energy while the rest is lost as heat through exhaust. Now, a study published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces demonstrates how to convert exhaust heat into electricity. The researchers present a prototype thermoelectric generator system that could reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions — an opportunity for improving sustainable energy initiatives in a rapidly changing world. Continue reading →

Naval Air Systems Command Awards Kratos Additional $59M for BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target Systems

– Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, and industry-leading provider of high-performance, jet-powered unmanned aerial systems, announced that Kratos has received $59,338,010 for an additional 70 BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target (SSAT) aircraft through the exercise of the contract option for Full Rate Production (FRP) Lot 6. Continue reading →

MIT Swarms of Tiny Robotic Insect Drones Could Aid in Mechanical Pollination

With a more efficient method for artificial pollination, farmers in the future could grow fruits and vegetables inside multilevel warehouses, boosting yields while mitigating some of agriculture’s harmful impacts on the environment. To help make this idea a reality, MIT researchers are developing robotic insects that could someday swarm out of mechanical hives to rapidly perform precise pollination. However, even the best bug-sized robots are no match for natural pollinators like bees when it comes to endurance, speed, and maneuverability. Continue reading →