http://ua.technologypublisher.comBe the first to know about the latest inventions and technologies available from The University of Alabamaen-USWed, 08 Apr 2026 08:55:03 GMTFri, 08 Aug 2025 14:19:41 GMThttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssoic@ua.eduCopyright 2026, The University of Alabama24-0034https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58169The Problem: The field of power electronics is critical for modern energy infrastructure. There is a significant need to thoroughly design, test, and validate large-scale power systems to ensure their efficiency, stability, and safe operation within the electrical grid before deployment. Current approaches to developing and evaluating high-voltage, high-power inverter systems face substantial challenges such as the prohibitive cost associated with testing full-scale prototypes. The sheer scale and complexity of these systems necessitate large, expensive test facilities and equipment, making i...Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:19:41 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5816924-0028https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58168The Problem: The increasing generation of plastic waste, such as polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), poses an environmental challenge. Traditional methods for managing plastic waste (e.g. landfilling and incineration), have drawbacks such as environmental pollution and limited resource recovery. Mechanical and chemical recycling methods, although promising, can be energy intensive, have toxicity concerns, and are incompatible with emerging technologies, like 3D printing, highlighting the need for innovative solutions in plastic waste recycling/upcyc...Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:13:59 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5816824-0023https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58167The Problem: Modern energy systems (e.g. renewable power generation, electric vehicles, and grid-scale energy storage) rely on efficient power conversion. Current power conversion technologies face significant limitations, primarily being confined to a single operational mode, either isolated or non-isolated. This inflexibility means that traditional converters cannot dynamically reconfigure their power flow to adapt to changing system demands or different application requirements. Achieving comprehensive power management often necessitates deploying multiple, separate converters to handle bo...Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:09:48 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5816724-0033https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58140The Problem: Modern manufacturing and automation demand increasingly sophisticated human-robot collaboration requiring technologies that enhance human oversight and interaction with robotic systems, particularly in environments requiring meticulous quality control and error reduction. Current approaches in human-robot interaction face limitations, particularly when dealing with complex geometries and the need for precise visual guidance. Traditional robot programming methods are often insufficient for intricate manufacturing tasks and existing methods for aligning digital design models with p...Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:35:50 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5814024-0025https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58139The Problem: The prolific use of mobile devices has driven demand for secure, convenient mounting solutions across various environments. Traditional docking stations often rely on adhesive pads and mechanical clamps can be bulky, not universally compatible, and difficult to operate with one hand. Suction based holders are prone to stability issues. And conventional magnets can either detach too easily or make removal a struggle. There is a need for a more adaptable solution that balances secure grip with simple disengagement. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have dev...Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:58:42 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5813925-0001https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58138The Problem: Current approaches to developing sustainable construction materials often fall short in balancing environmental benefits with performance requirements. Traditional supplementary cementitious materials may not provide the desired mechanical strength or durability, limiting their applicability in demanding environments. Many industrial wastes also contain essential chemical components for cementitious materials, making them ideal candidates for recycling. Simultaneously, there is a growing demand for smart and multifunctional building materials, however these methods currently rely...Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:50:15 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5813824-0024https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/58137The Problem: The field of nucleic acid therapeutics depends critically on effective delivery systems to protect and transport the therapeutic into the target cells. Ionizable lipids are the key components in the state-of-the-art delivery systems for RNA. However, current major limitations include poor biodegradability, low thermostability, limited functionalities, and labor intensive and high-cost synthesis requirements for manufacturing. As the applications of RNA therapies expand, there is a growing need for developing scalable and customizable delivery systems that offer improved stability...Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:44:06 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5813724-0010https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/56970The Problem: In aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, controlling flow separation is a constant goal to achieve reduced drag and improved maneuverability. Traditional approaches to reducing drag involve smoothening surfaces or designing shapes aimed at promoting laminar flow. While effective, these solutions are static and do not adapt to changing conditions limiting their versatility. Dynamic solutions do exist but often require complex mechanisms or systems that add weight, cost, and points of potential failure. This highlights the need for a solution that is both passive and dynamic in its flow ...Wed, 30 Apr 2025 10:37:08 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5697024-0007https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/56919The Problem: Desalination of high-salinity brine solutions, a byproduct of various industrial processes and seawater desalination, poses challenges due to inefficiencies and high energy consumption of conventional methods. Reverse osmosis struggles with fouling and scaling due to the high concentration of dissolved solids. Distillation is energy-intensive and not cost-effective for large-scale operations. Additionally, methods such as multi-stage flash distillation and electrodialysis require substantial infrastructure and operational costs. The Solution: The new composition of a directi...Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:03:40 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5691920-0036https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/56006The Problem: Existing approaches to estimating aerobic fitness, particularly maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) typically require specialized laboratory equipment which can be cumbersome, expensive, and inaccessible to the general public. While there are formulas for predicting VO2max from timed walks or runs, they usually require manual calculations and precise measurements, further complicating their use. The growing interest in health and fitness tracking through wearable technology and smartphone applications highlights the need for more user-friendly, cost-effective, and non-invasive al...Fri, 17 Jan 2025 10:42:38 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5600623-0032https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55524The Problem: Magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) are a type of smart or controllable fluid that can change their flow-related properties in response to an applied magnetic field. MRFs have significant potential as absorbers and dissipaters for mitigating earthquake damage, in prosthetic applications, and in robotics. However, their widespread use in these markets has been slowed by the substantial energy demands of the material. The primary issues with current MRF technology include energy intensive demands for magnetic fields, temperature sensitivity, and the need to integrate complex control s...Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:11:16 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5552423-0026https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55523Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:02:52 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5552320-0038https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55522The Problem: The widespread use of electrochemical energy storage devices, particularly high-energy-density Lithium-Ion batteries, in various daily life applications has raised concerns about their unexpected deterioration, posing safety, reliability, and efficiency risks. Existing state-of-health (SOH) estimation methods, including capacity-based, IC-DV-based, and impedance-based approaches, are limited from slow processing, data storage requirements, sensitivity to noise, and accuracy issues, especially in the presence of changing battery conditions like State-Of-Charge (SOC). Consequently,...Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:50:54 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5552224-0004https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55521The Problem: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in various industrial and consumer products such as non-stick cookware, water-repellent fabrics, and firefighting foams due to their unique properties of resistance to heat, water, and oil. These chemicals are highly persistent in the environment and have been found to accumulate in sources of drinking water. PFAS have been shown to lead to health issues like a weakened immune system, damage to the liver, and an increased risk for various types of cancer. The current methods fo...Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:27:59 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5552123-0024https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55520The Problem: The integration of plastic waste in crosslinkable resin production remains underexplored, representing a significant missed opportunity for promoting recycling and waste management. Conventional crosslinkable resin production methods often rely on expensive and non-renewable raw materials, limiting scalability and scope of application. In additional, properties of convention resins are limited in customization, restricting their utility across diverse industrial applications. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed crosslinkable resins derived f...Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:09:52 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5552020-0022https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55254The Problem: PVC is the third most produced plastic globally and is used in many applications, such as clean water, due to its versatility. Nevertheless, the chlorine atoms within PVC, and the presence of additives can make it very difficult to recycle. Current thermomechanical methods of recycling PVC often result in quality degradation that limits its reuse. Furthermore, conventional recycling methods applied to PVC can result in hazardous by-products. The limitations of these methods along with the abundance of PVC highlight the need for a scalable and environmentally friendly method of re...Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:03:25 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5525418-0034https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/55253The Problem: Perovskite solar cells present several advantages over traditional solar cells. However, in order to maximize their commercial potential, perovskite must be rapidly annealed for mass production. Thermal annealing involving hot plates or ovens is lengthy and not energy efficient. The application of this method is very time-consuming and not compatible to high-speed manufacturing processes. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a new method of annealing perovskite utilizing UV LED lights operating at an irradiation level near the peak absorption o...Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:47:39 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5525322-0022https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/53845Mon, 01 Apr 2024 08:32:44 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5384523-0008https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/53186Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:30:29 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5318623-0009https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/53185The Problem: Tumor organoids are miniaturized models of simplified tumor tissue. This new generation of cancer modeling is highly useful for observing cell-to-cell interactions, cell-to-matrix interactions, and cell differentiation. However, the current process for creating organoids is generated by tissue isolated from animals or humans, does not follow any scalable, standardized procedure, and is slow and very labor intensive over the course of many manual steps. Generating and storing large quantities of tumor organoids is labor intensive and problematic with lack of industry standards. T...Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:16:01 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5318523-0035https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52935Thu, 14 Dec 2023 10:33:02 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5293523-0001https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52659Wed, 25 Oct 2023 12:08:37 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5265920-0040https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52654The Problem: There are limitations in the accuracy and convenience of wearable smart sensors, which are predominantly wrist-based, and fail to accurately assess lower-limb motion. This provides unreliable estimations of wearer activity and energy expenditure. Standalone inertia measurement units, which offer an alternative, are inconveniently strapped to the body, lacking reliability for daily use. Shoe insole-based sensors and smart shoe technology also exist but their durability for long term usage is unsatisfactory. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a...Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:35:26 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5265423-0029https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52623The Problem: Aerospace vehicles endure significant stress resulting from foreign object impacts, thermo-mechanical fatigue, and environmental wear, leading to potential damage such as cracks or the separation of outer layers. Although self-healing systems are available for aerospace vehicles, they require unique sensors and diagnostic systems to monitor and address operational issues. A major challenge is that these existing self-healing systems degrade rapidly after only one or two cycles, posing a significant concern for aerospace vehicles aiming to optimize functionality and capability whi...Thu, 19 Oct 2023 14:17:49 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5262323-0027https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52622Thu, 19 Oct 2023 14:12:16 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5262223-0020https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52621The Problem: Power semiconductors are the fundamental component in power electronic systems. The temperature of a power semiconductor is the major design consideration when designing a power electronic system, however, the temperature impossible to measure during actual operation. This leads to a variety of reliability issues including catastrophic failure of systems and extreme economic costs due to downtime. Competing technologies have sought to solve this problem in a variety of ways, many of which are complex or are too inaccurate or slow to provide significant benefit. The Solution: A...Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:53:54 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5262123-0015https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52620The Problem: The demand for efficient and sustainable methods of metal extraction, particularly for lithium, is rapidly increasing due to the growing need for batteries in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. Current approaches to lithium extraction, such as evaporation ponds and chemical precipitation, can be environmentally damaging, energy-intensive, and costly. These methods often struggle to selectively extract lithium from complex mixtures, leading to low recovery rates and the need for extensive purification steps. Furthermore, the increasing global demand for lithium necess...Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:45:59 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5262023-0014https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52619The Problem: Lignins are macromolecules derived from wood, are the most abundant, renewable source for aromatic chemicals, and can be transformed into a compound with commercial potential, such as, fine chemicals, pharmaceutical ingredients, and sustainable aviation fuels. Current commercial technologies for chemical pulping of wood chips breakdown and burn lignins to generate low-grade heat and recoup pulping chemicals that have negative impacts on air emissions and treatment of wastewater effluent. Recovering or disposing of the chemicals and waste products in the process can harm the envir...Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:29:58 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5261923-0012https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52618The Problem: Polyurethane is a versatile polymer used for applications in industries such as footwear, construction materials, and many other products. Polyester, another synthetic material, is commonly used in textiles, packaging, electronics, and other industrial uses. Both of these plastics can end up as landfill waste, release harmful chemicals into soil or water, and pose a threat to marine life or human health when microplastics enter the food chain. While polyesters are more commonly recycled due to properties allowing the material to be reprocessed, conventional mechanical and chemica...Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:14:53 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5261822-0019https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52617The Problem: Dimethylformamide (DMF), imidazolidine-2-one (IMD), and tetramethylurea (TMU) are useful amide compounds commonly used as industrial solvents as well as in the production of polymers and pharmaceuticals. However, the current process for producing these compounds generates toxic waste streams requiring disposal and employs hazardous reactants that pose severe safety risks. Additionally, current processes utilize a batch production method that is inefficient when trying to produce these chemicals continuously. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed...Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:03:40 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5261722-0008https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52616Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:42:46 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5261619-0045https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/52294The Problem: Cost-effective renewable energy sources are needed more than ever to meet the growing demand for sustainable energy. Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) solar cells are gaining popularity to meet this need due to their relatively low production costs. However, this technology requires doping in order to reach the efficiencies required for commercial viability with traditional techniques utilizing Group I elements such as copper that lead to significant degradation over time. This highlights the need for a new doping method that improves efficiency without harming long-term stability. The ...Tue, 15 Aug 2023 15:21:41 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/5229417-0016https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48618 The Problem: Electric and hybrid electric vehicles use a permanent magnet structure to run their electric motors: permanent magnets are arranged so as to spin in reaction to changes in current and temporary magnetic fields. With current designs, there is a phenomenon caused torque ripple which causes unwanted noise, vibration, harshness, low fuel efficiency, and low durability of car components. Additionally, electric motors used in electric vehicles use expensive rare-earth metals in order to function as permanent magnets. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have deve...Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:15:19 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4861821-0002https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48617The Problem: Reflector antennas have applications in radio and microwave communications, astronomy, and the radar industry. Today, microwave point to point transmission dominates mobile backhaul, where it connects about 60% of macro base stations around the world. Current methods used to feed the reflector antenna include horn antenna, dipole array, spiral antenna, and open-end waveguide, but these fail to incorporate a number of beneficial features, are expensive, and difficult to maintain. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a multi-core dielectric-filled...Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:01:19 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4861715-0016https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48616Thu, 13 Oct 2022 14:22:53 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4861622-0007https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48615Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:59:01 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4861520-0005https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48580 The Problem: The traditional approach of using uniform linear array are expensive. In order to reduce costs that are associated with grating lobe issues, researchers and industrial companies are using prediction and interpolation. However, these methods only work to a certain extent while the proposed algorithm can complete missing elements in more irregular and sparse arrays. The Solution: This technology is a high-resolution imaging radar approach that uses sparse linear array synthesized with multiple input multiple output (MIMO) radar technology. The missing elements in the sparse lin...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:26:16 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4858018-0005https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48578 The Problem: Microgrids are localized grids that can either be connected to the main grid or operate alone to provide electricity. Because of their ability to function without connection to the main grid, they are becoming increasingly important as a method of strengthening the main grid and providing faster recovery time if the main grid goes down. Additionally, microgrids allow for the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. The integration of several sources of renewable energy requires a method of voltage control that can maintain stability despite the variety of...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:22:39 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857817-0040https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48577 The Problem: Electric vehicles (EVs) represent one of the most promising pathways to increased energy security because they can tap into electricity as a power source that is domestic and relatively inexpensive. However, EV charging infrastructure continues to be one of the key limitations impacting the growth of EV adoption at a larger scale. It represents one of the key upfront costs that deter acquisition and use of electric vehicles. The lack of charging infrastructure results in concerns about range limitation and poses a handicap towards true utilization of EV The Solution: Research...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:21:44 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857717-0019https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48576 The Problem: Current UAV/UGV networks need a transport layer for end-to-end reliability and congestion control. TCP is the most popular transmission layer protocol; however, it has serios limitation due to its saw-like sending rate control. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed an invention which pertains to novel routing or transport layer protocols. The technology targets routing design in directional hierarchical airborne networks with two characteristics: two-level architecture and hybrid direction antennas. This enables high-throughput node-to-node dat...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:20:46 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857615-0030https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48574 The Problem: MRAM currently utilizing ferromagnetic materials does not incorporate Heusler alloys in a superlattice configuration. The absence of this configuration limits the spin polarization which leads to the need for a larger power supply. Additionally, this effectively limits the scalability of the memory. The Solution: The novel technology utilizes two or more Heusler alloys (ferromagnetic alloys based on intermetallics with a particular composition and structure) and stacks them to form a superlattice (two or more alternating layers of superconducting materials. The layering of th...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:18:05 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857415-0029https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48573 The Problem: Currently, multi-hop wireless routing searches for the shortest single path using only one beam of the multi-beam antenna, which wastes the throughput of the other beams. Due to complicated communication conditions created by the use of the multiple beams, some of the beams in the current technology indefinitely remain in a listening mode, which leads to the detection of unproductive data traffic. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed a technology that is a novel protocol for wireless mesh networks with multi-beam antennas that utilizes artific...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:18:01 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857314-0038https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48572 The Problem: Currently there are issues with the efficiency and effectiveness of organization of digital objects (pictures, video, audio). Traditionally, digital objects have been organized by the date the event occurred. However, there hasn't been a robust method to organize digital objects by subject matter yet. Each digital object is represented by its own metadata, however, this requires indexing individual digital assets and is costly and time consuming. The Solution: The technology is an indexing method for publishing markets driven by the human element (digital asset management). I...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:16:28 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857213-0039https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48571 The Problem: Traditional methods of using only vector control methods have shown limitations in adapting to varying power supply demand situations -- especially if the PMSM is powered by wind or other natural energy sources. In additional, vector control technologies such as proportional-integral-derivative (PID) have shown inability to adequately handle uncertainties in the power grid to which the PMSM may be connected, resulting in inefficient, unstable, or unreliable power generation. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed an invention using neural networ...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:14:54 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857113-0020https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48570 The Problem: The existing products use EEP schemes instead of UEP schemes as well as different raptor codes and algorithms. The problems associated with these products lie in video distortion and inability to produce a clear video over certain connections. The advantage of UEP schemes give a more reliable and clear video feed over a broader range of connections. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed an invention to increase the quality of video transmitted over a wireless connection. The main difference is the cross-layer application UEP schemes. This means...Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:14:17 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4857012-0019https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48569Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:13:16 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4856917-0029https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48022Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:34:56 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4802215-0032https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48021 The Problem: Current nano-machining technology utilizes only a plowing action for cutting where the tool is forced into the surface to be shaped and uses bending to provide the force to the cutting tip. The current technology only allows for thin grooves and requires an indentation into the surface. There is a need for technology with increased accuracy to speed up the overall machining process and potentially reduce number of necessary adjustments. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a tool for machining (cutting and shaping) and manufacturing surfaces a...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:15:00 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4802116-0003https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48020 The Problem: Powder-based electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) utilizes a high-energy electron beam, as a moving heat source, to melt and fuse metallic powders and produce parts in a layer-wise fashion. If a part has overhang geometry, such as a cantilevered overhang or undercut portion, defects such as curling may occur due to the thermal gradient cycles that lead to high thermal stresses and geometric deformation. Current practices for encountering curling are laborious, time consuming, and degrade the surface quality of the cantilevered portion. The Solution: Researchers at the ...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:06:48 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4802017-0041https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48019 The Problem: Current technology for methods of forming catalysts on conductive or semiconductive substrates utilizes precious metals such as platinum to catalyze the reaction. This is a very expensive way to complete the reaction. Additionally, current methods are highly energy intensive, which is an undesirable trait. The Solution: The technology displays a MoX2 catalytic electrode formation method which affects alternative energy creation such as hydrogen from water by solar energy. Types of Moly Sulfides with good solubility are utilized to form a catalytic molybdenum sulfide (MoSx) co...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 11:45:03 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4801918-0026https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48018 The Problem: As more homes are fitted with solar panels or other renewable energy sources, the network of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) becomes large and more complex. Due to irregularities in the power supplied by these resources, the power grid needs a mechanism to ensure it is always producing a voltage within a pre-specified range. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed a technology where the voltage supplied by the invented system is monitored by an artificial neural network which controls smart inverters and banks of capacitors. The artificial neu...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 11:26:35 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4801817-0003https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48017Wed, 10 Aug 2022 11:16:29 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4801717-0042https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48009 The Problem: Photocatalysis of carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbon monoxide (CO) is shown to not be very selective in current studies. Due to the unreactive nature of CO2, the compound requires large amounts of energy to break its chemical bonds, leading to a limited chemical use of CO2 in renewable energy processes. Solar or photoelectric powered catalytic conversion of CO2 to usable fuel precursors (CO) would allow for the storage of solar energy for usage in the dark and for transportation. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a durable, robust transition me...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 09:24:20 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800918-0041https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48008 The Problem: Current chemical sensors (which are used to help detect toxic materials and explosives) are not highly selective or sensitive to detecting the target compounds. This is largely due to non-selective methodologies like DC resistivity. Additionally, they typically weigh more than forty pounds and cost over a hundred thousand dollars. Therefore, these sensors are not versatile nor efficient for the industry. The Solution: The invention is an airborne chemical sensor designed to target explosives. Unlike other chemical sensors, this one is AC impedance-based and targets in a sensi...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:53:42 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800815-0023https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48007Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:42:51 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800714-0027https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48006 The Problem: Currently, gasoline-powered generators are releasing unsafe levels of CO to confined spaces. Incomplete oxidation during combustion in gas ranges and unvented gas or kerosene heaters may cause high concentrations of CO in indoor air. To solve this problem, a generator that will release the lowest possible CO emissions must be developed. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed a new technology which is an improvement of the confined engine operation detection strategy. It does not need the us of CO sensors, but uses information already generated i...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:36:20 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800619-0026https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48005 The Problem: Monitoring and mapping inland water quality is critical for sustainability of water supplies for human consumption, agriculture, industry, and other economic activities. In previous studies, empirical models have been widely used to map water quality parameters for inland waters using remotely sensed imagery. Due to the complex optical properties of inland waters, empirical models often have limited performances and they cannot be extended or reused across space and time. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a method of utilizing a set of hete...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:28:11 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800517-0007https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48004Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:14:57 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800410-0024https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/48002Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:48:31 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4800221-0009https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47999Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:35:46 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4799913-0024https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47997 The Problem: Various wireless communication services, including AM/FM radio, satellite radio, cellular phone communications, and intelligent transportation systems, are increasingly demanded because handheld electronic devices and automotive multimedia are rapidly advancing. A large number of antennas are required/need to be embedded in the wireless communication system, so antenna miniaturization, compact design, and easy integration are important factors. Current antennas with dielectric substrate material are limited in performance capabilities including miniaturization, gain, and bandwi...Wed, 10 Aug 2022 06:31:00 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4799718-0008https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47928 The Problem: Traditional synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) requires the use of hazardous organic solvents, high pressure, and heat or microwaves. This process, however, lacks a higher degree of control and the MOF crystals that are synthesized appear in a bulk state which is less desirable. Surfactants can be introduced to reduce the size of MOF crystals, but such additives are problematic to eliminate. Additionally, this process takes over twenty minutes to complete. The Solution: The discovered technology is a novel method to synthesizing Metal-Organic Frameworks. The method ...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 12:12:44 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792817-0051https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47926 The Problem: For injuries to the hamstring, assisted rehabilitation via brace or other supportive device is not currently available. This is problematic because every time a person with an injured hamstring moves, the hamstring is expanded and contracted without support. This puts a strain on the muscle group and impedes the healing process. Conventional rehabilitation involves wrapping the entire thigh with an elastic wrap to provide compression and increase blood flow; however, it does not reduce stress when the hamstring contracts. Furthermore, the tension of the wrap is perpendicular to...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:52:42 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792614-0040https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47925 The Problem: Today wireless transmissions are one of the most important information sharing methods due to their cableless, anywhere radio propagation nature. Today, so many cell phone companies cannot find a low-overhead, ultra-fast, high-accuracy spectrum sensing scheme for cognitive radio communications. It is always difficult to achieve both sensing accuracy and low-complexity at the same time. Some spectrum sensing schemes are fast, but they are not accurate in terms of describing the spectrum map; or they may be accurate in seeking free spectrum, but they take a complex computation an...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:40:19 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792515-0008https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47924Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:30:21 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792420-0004https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47923 The Problem: Currently laser scanning technology has been used in the Engineering and Transportation industries to survey roads and monitor surface conditions. However, existing software that scans for road cracking requires a time-consuming pre-filtering of each data point to cut out false-identification of cracks. Also, current technology does not account for special cases such as sudden changes in elevation and man-made grooving. Additionally, existing practices involve manual labor, making them more time-consuming and subjective. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama ...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:14:36 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792320-0001https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47921 The Problem: Currently laser scanning technology has been used in the Engineering and Transportation industries to survey roads and monitor surface conditions. However, existing software that scans for road cracking requires a time-consuming pre-filtering of each data point to cut out false-identification of cracks. Also, current technology does not account for special cases such as sudden changes in elevation and man-made grooving. Additionally, existing practices involve manual labor, making them more time-consuming and subjective. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama ...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:12:33 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792118-0030https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47920 The Problem: Aeration is an integral process in many industrial applications including wastewater treatment, fermentation, chemical processing, and bioreactor maintenance. Efficient oxygen transfer is crucial in all these processes to ensure optimal operation and product quality. However, existing aeration systems often struggle to achieve uniform air distribution within the fluid hindering performance and limiting scalability. These systems also face issues such as energy inefficiency, clogging, and troubles adjusting to rapid changes in fluid dynamics. These challenges underscore the need...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:55:52 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4792015-0013https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47916 The Problem: Traditionally a micro-cantilever sensor and a laser are used to make measurements of nanoscale motions. The laser must be aligned and optimized to ensure an accurate measurement. This proves to be time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, measures were taken to overcome this problem by introducing a piezoelectric layer. However, this was problematic, as when failures occurred it was not possible to determine where within the single layer the failure was. The Solution: This technology utilizes multiple piezoelectric sensors to provide the same precision as the laser. A softwa...Wed, 03 Aug 2022 08:06:45 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4791615-0041https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47797Fri, 22 Jul 2022 11:51:51 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4779717-0025https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47793 The Problem: Skin simulants have been developed for burnt skin replacements and for medical training, such as for phlebotomical and surgical practice. Skin simulants are also useful in a variety of design and testing applications. For instance, skin simulants are employed during the development of ballistic munitions, especially in the context of non-lethal projectiles. Due to ethical and biosafety issues, many tissues, such as vaginal tissues, are difficult to procure and test in a laboratory setting. The difficult procurement of such tissues makes testing and simulating urogynocological t...Fri, 22 Jul 2022 09:27:23 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4779313-0038https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47792 The Problem: Nanoparticles are being utilized in multiple industries. With more use of nanoparticles in the commercial and academic sectors there is a need to ensure that each batch of nanoparticles produced is homogenous in size and physical properties. Current nanoparticle analysis technologies can't measure both electrochemical and optical properties of nanoparticle product at the same time. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed an innovative arrangement of readily available laboratory equipment combined with a novel electrochemical cell and a powerful M...Fri, 22 Jul 2022 09:15:26 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4779216-0023https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47790 The Problem: Around 34.2 million Americans are fighting a daily battle against diabetes, a disease which ranks seventh among US causes of death. Diabetic foot ulcers are a common medical complication of patients with diabetes, with 15% of the diabetic population having an ulcer. The current treatment options for diabetic pressure ulcers are offloading boots and total contact casts. Both of these options require the user to purchase large and bulky footwear to offload the pressure on the wounded area. These options can be expensive and prevent the user from wearing their normal footwear. Th...Fri, 22 Jul 2022 08:49:31 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4779020-0003https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47789The Problem: Energy consumption is one of the most important challenges facing UAVs. Usually, UAVs are battery powered; the batteries are used for UAV hovering, wireless communications, data processing and image analysis. In some SAR operations, UAVs need to be operated for extended periods of time over disaster stricken regions. Due to high battery consumption, average flight time for existing drones is only 20-30 minutes, and current UAS do not charge autonomously. Longer flight times are necessary to withstand increasing payloads and provide accurate real-time data and image analysis. The...Fri, 22 Jul 2022 08:11:38 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4778913-0005https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47778 The Problem: Antenna material plays an important role in antenna performance, and is an ongoing area of research. Ferrite antennas have found limited use in the wireless application areas of interest, primarily because of their poor radiation efficiency, propensity to thermal damage due to overheating, and their poor frequency response at high carrier frequencies. The ferrite antenna is attractive for use however due to its advantage of miniaturization and its properties of permeability and permittivity. If the relatively high magnetic loss of ferrite substrate can be lowered to sustain the...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:13:16 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4777819-0040https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47777 The Problem: There has been an increased interest in cryogenic quantum computing devices because of their fast-computing speeds and their ability to solve complex problems. These devices are unique because of their superconducting junctions, which must operate at very extreme temperature conditions. Currently, in these quantum computing systems, the external control units are connected to the q-bits, which are located on the quantum chips, by manual connection. As the technology market continues to expand, it is expected that manual connection will become incredibly difficult, and these sys...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:02:04 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4777714-0010https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47776 The Problem: Automotive infotainment is becoming a mainstream feature in all automobiles. In addition, the field of commercial telematics (e.g., fleet tracking) and Intelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS) is growing rapidly. Automotive telematic communication technologies (antennas) are used to support automotive infotainment; commercial telematics and IVS include AM/FM/satellite radio, GPS, WiFi, mobile cellular tech. and some proprietary wireless technologies. Current antennas for automobiles are perpendicular to the vehicle (straight up and down) due to inference of the antenna with the metal ...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 13:19:14 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4777617-0049https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47775 The Problem: To prevent traffic accidents, U.S Department of Transportation plans to enforce future automobiles to incorporate dedicated short-range communication devices (DSRC), which accommodates vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. To date, there has not been an antenna small or efficient enough to transmit at the necessary frequencies to communicate from V2V or V2I. DSRC provides various safety features in the vehicle, but it is not suitable to accommodate the mobile entertainment system and autonomous driving systems that can be realized by 5G ne...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 13:03:18 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4777518-0017https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47774The Problem: Traditionally, the IPM motor drive is controlled by combining a flux weakening plus maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) block, a lookup table block, and a current controller block. However, the reference commands generated from currently available methods are inaccurate, which causes reduced motor efficiency. Thus, the neural networks (NN) allow for the optimal performance of internal permanent magnetic (IPM) motors. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed neural networks and adaptive dynamic programming as a means of improving the efficiency of elect...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:21:05 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4777414-0052https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47769 The Problem: Current magnetic inductor technology utilizes the single phase, hard or soft, ferromagnetic materials or an air-core. They both have difficulty in achieving high permeability and ferromagnetic resonance frequency, because the soft phase has a higher saturation magnetization and smaller magnetic anisotropy field than the hard phase. Furthermore, the conventional magnetic inductors suffer from magnetic loss of the magnetic materials used in the inductor, thereby causing a decrease in quality (Q) factor. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a nov...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 08:58:44 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4776915-0036https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47767 The Problem: Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a unique polymer that has a wide range of commercial and research applications. It is most commonly formed by the cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) method, which creates a highly branched polymeric structure. The high degree of branching is the result of secondary amines along an existing PEI chain inducing the ring-opening of unreacted aziridine monomers. However, the CROP of aziridine to form branched PEI is difficult to control and reproduction between batches is problematic. The Solution: Researchers have produced a method for the prod...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 08:42:14 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4776721-0031https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47764 The Problem: Concrete consists of a cement paste matrix and various reinforcements. An interface transition zone (ITZ) exists between the cement paste and the reinforcement, which can greatly affect the strength and durability of the concrete. Currently, the Sol-gel method is used to produce nano silica coating on reinforcements, however, this proves to be expensive and demands a long reaction time making it economically unfeasible for large scale application in concrete. The Solution: Concrete reinforcement is soaked into a diluted solution of water-soluble polymer. The polymer mimics th...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 08:29:59 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4776418-0001https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47762 The Problem: Current nanorod materials on the market have relatively bad thermal stability, particularly with higher temperature applications. A high oxygen storage capacity (OSC) is hard to achieve and maintain at the 500 degrees Celsius threshold, yet CeO2 nanorods are only stable up to 450 degrees Celsius. It is apparent there is a temperature disconnect between the two necessary factors: nanorod stability and oxygen storage capacity. The Solution: This invention introduces aluminum oxide into the nanorod structure in order to increase thermal stability as well as improve reducibility....Thu, 21 Jul 2022 08:19:08 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4776216-0049https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47761Thu, 21 Jul 2022 08:07:36 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4776118-0045https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47760 The Problem: Current extraction techniques are used to obtain cyclopeptides from the amanita phalloides mushroom to be examined for its cancer treating potential. However, the current extraction process is not exhaustive (as it does not recover all of the toxins containing a-amanitin), and the amount extracted has to be approximated. Additionally, the extraction process is time consuming as it takes anywhere from one to two days. The Solution: The invention is an extraction procedure that efficiently and exhaustively recovers cyclopeptide toxins from amanita phalloides mushrooms, as well ...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 07:58:12 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4776019-0024https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47758Thu, 21 Jul 2022 07:40:37 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4775817-0050https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47756 The Problem: Current antennas on the market allow for either circular polarization or wide bandwidth range, but not both. Also, if the technologies available today were combined the resulting antenna would be too large for its intended applications in auto, aviation and telecommunications. CubeSat antenna development specifically faces several challenges, including restrictions on size, mass, and transmitting power, while demanding high gain, wide bandwidth, and circular polarization. The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama have developed a novel antenna design to achieve b...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 07:13:49 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4775620-0007https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47754 The Problem: Obesity and other diseases are growing in the US and to combat these diseases fitness trackers are used to monitor both dietary aspects as well as physical exercises. However, contact with skin or teeth is typically required for these sensors. Some non-contact sensors measure the motion of the jaw, which is not the best indicator of food intake. Other sensors normally consume very high power The Solution: Researchers at the University of Alabama invented a non-contact optical chewing sensor ready to be integrated into existing wearable technology. This optical proximity senso...Thu, 21 Jul 2022 06:56:58 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4775417-0017https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47753Thu, 21 Jul 2022 06:48:08 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4775317-0044https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47748 The Problem: Perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) have continued to evolve greatly to become more appealing as a way to harness energy. However, they still have low efficiency, instability, and a long annealing time that holds them back from low-cost manufacturing. PVSC uses metal oxides as charge transport layers. These oxides must be formed into the desired crystallinity and the current method for this transition is hot plate annealing. A large drawback with this process is that the hot plates heat all the deposited layers simultaneously, which is destructive to the flexible substrates and pero...Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:04:20 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4774816-0011https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47747Wed, 20 Jul 2022 12:48:28 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4774713-0035https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47745Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:53:40 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4774518-0048https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47744 The Problem: Chemical Looping Reactions (CLRs) are advantageous in the energy industry due to the desirable ability to recycle gases in energy production processes. Current chemical looping reactions are capable of achieving carbon capture sequestration (CCS); however, they cannot do so at low, desirable temperatures. Additionally, attempts to perform CLRs at lower temperatures have not produced high yields, which is inefficient. The Solution: The invention is a process that applies low power non-equilibrium plasma on nano-catalysts to create CLRs. The temperature threshold is effectively...Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:43:36 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4774418-0038https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47743 The Problem: Existing methods to assess infant nutritive sucking patterns are limited to modified bottle apparatuses or videotape analyses with trained observers determining the number of sucks during a meal. Limitations of these methods preclude their use across different settings, including the home environment, and in large cohorts. The Solution: To address the need for a method to efficiently assess meal and sucking patterns of infants across different settings, researchers at The University of Alabama have developed an unobtrusive Instrumented Bottle (IB). The IB contains a pressure ...Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:27:23 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4774314-0012https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47736 The Problem: The previous technology for inducing electron-transfer catalysis of chemical reactions had many drawbacks. The product had to be a stronger oxidant than the reactant to enable a chain reaction. The applicable reactions had to run at higher temperatures, and therefore, were less efficient to induce. Additionally, redox-auxiliary reactions could not be triggered electronically. The Solution: The technology is a new approach to doing electron-transfer catalysis of chemical reactions. It operates by first appending a redox unit (arylamines for example) to a reaction site and then...Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:38:49 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4773617-0031https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47735 The Problem: Cold spray deposition is used in a variety of industries for corrosion-prevention coatings. The majority of feedstock powder for cold spray deposition is made through rapid solidification methods (such as gas atomization) which produce powders possessing microstructures distinctly different from the desirable microstructure found in wrought material forms. The deleterious characteristic of the powder microstructure is a network of intermetallics that cause several problems, including limited deposition efficiency (the fraction of powder that sticks to the substrate), degraded c...Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:28:13 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4773518-0028https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47731Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:55:55 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4773119-0034https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47730Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:37:55 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4773018-0009https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/47725Tue, 19 Jul 2022 13:37:37 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4772518-0050https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45849Using Smart Wound Dressing To Treat Without Antibiotics THE PROBLEM: Drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, such as MRSA, result from decades of antibiotic overuse. For years, physicians prescribed antibiotics for a wide variety of ailments, many of which were viral infections not affected by the drugs given. Even when used appropriately, antibiotics contribute to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria due to the evolutionary process of surviving germs becoming stronger and overcoming treatments. Infections like MRSA are prevalent in the healthcare setting, such as hospitals and long-...Mon, 31 Jan 2022 12:36:18 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4584919-0020https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45846Small, But Mighty: Shrinking Aerials To Expand Functionality THE PROBLEM: As we move into an age of broadening 5G usage, antennas continue to be one of the most essential elements of electronic communication. A number of antenna designs are used depending on the application. One design in particular, the axial mode helical antenna (AM-HA), is widely used for radar, satellite, drones, and many other applications; however, they are limited by their large size. While numerous methods have been proposed to decrease the profile of AM-HAs, these design changes have always been detrimental to signa...Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:52:36 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4584621-0021https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45842Fri, 28 Jan 2022 11:06:09 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4584218-0019https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45832Thu, 27 Jan 2022 14:13:48 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4583221-0022https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45831Thu, 27 Jan 2022 09:24:10 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4583121-0025https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45830Thu, 27 Jan 2022 08:46:22 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4583021-0030https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45825The Problem: Organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been gaining a lot of attention since it was first fabricated in 2009 owing to their high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) and relatively simple fabrication process. The efficiency of PSCs has crossed 25.5% in just over a decade. A typical PSC has a structure that contains a transparent electrode, electron transport layer (ETL), perovskite layer, hole transport layer (HTL), and noble metal electrode. The use of HTL and noble metal electrode is unavoidable as is evident from the fact that all reported works with efficien...Wed, 26 Jan 2022 11:02:38 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4582518-0024https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45822Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:30:40 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4582218-0022https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45821THE PROBLEM Concrete is the most used artificial material in the world, with about 10 billion tons being produced each year. Unfortunately, its popularity comes with the significant environmental cost of producing approximately 8% of all carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. As more focus is placed on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and aligning with the Paris Agreement on climate change, the concrete industry will need to reduce its emissions by at least 16% by 2030. With this in mind, there is an urgent need to find a greener, more sustainable method to produce more durable concrete. THE S...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:26:11 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4582118-0002https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45820The Problem: There will always be a need for large-scale communication capable of reaching a wide area. Current methods face difficulties due to interference, which occurs when sound bounces off of buildings. This issue reduces comprehension of the content, damaging the effectiveness of the message. This can yield dire consequences, especially during an emergency. The Solution: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed a method of increasing the elevation of a speaker to reduce the potential of inference by attaching a high-powered loudspeaker to a lighter-than-air aircraft su...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:21:08 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4582017-0034https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45819Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:07:10 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581915-0022https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45818THE PROBLEM: Stroke is the leading cause of disability among adults in the United States with more than 4 million Americans currently living with post-stroke after-effects. Presently the nation spends more than$10 billion per year on post-stroke rehabilitation experts such as physical therapists. While researchers have studied upper limb stroke recovery extensively, lower limb rehab solutions are lacking. Furthermore, there is a pressing need for more out-of-clinic, at-home therapy options. THE SOLUTION: Researchers at The University of Alabama have developed an intelligent, wireless, low-c...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:01:50 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581814-0003https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45816Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:49:42 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581613-0042https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45815Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:43:59 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581512-0016https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45814The Problem: Amid growing concerns over the billions of tons of annual CO2 emissions contributing to the global climate change crisis, significant efforts are underway to curb emissions. Energy-efficient capture of CO2 is an incredibly challenging process due to the low concentrations, and partial pressures of CO2 typically encountered at power plants and other point sources of CO2 emissions. While many solvent-based technologies exist, there is still an urgent need to achieve a long-term, energy-efficient solution to capture CO2 from industrial sources. The Solution: Researchers at The Uni...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:23:15 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581410-0028https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45813A New More Efficient Way To Create Diversely Shaped Magnetic Nanoparticles THE PROBLEM Nanoparticles are used in everything from material coatings to electronic components to diagnostic testing - they are essentially everywhere. Due to this high demand, there is a great need for efficient and cost-effective ways to manufacture nanoparticles. Unfortunately, the process can be time-intensive, depending on the required type and shape. Furthermore, there is no one-shape-fits-all solution due to the widespread usage, so scientists must engineer the precise form needed for a specific application. ...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:15:33 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581318-0016https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45812Protecting The Body From Free Radicals One Chew At A Time THE PROBLEM The connection between oral health and overall health and well-being is undeniable. Additionally, the benefits of antioxidants are well established. Touted for combating free radicals, strengthening the immune system, and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, antioxidants are a viable option to bolster the overall health of the population; however, many people do not have access to the best sources, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Given that in the U.S. nearly 1/3 of all adults have untreated tooth dec...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:07:00 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4581220-0037https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45802Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:45:08 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4580221-0004https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45801High Shear Continuous Deposition Without Solid-Liquid-Solid Phase Changes THE PROBLEM As manufacturing moves further away from subtractive methods and into additive procedures such as 3D printing, significant players in critical industries like aerospace, automotive, nuclear, and defense seek processes that yield higher quality products at lower costs in shorter timeframes. Due to the vast array of additive manufacturing processes based on materials types, there is an excellent opportunity to improve techniques by eliminating the need for phase changes to the feedstock. OUR SOLUTION Resear...Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:16:03 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/4580121-0008https://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45796Mon, 24 Jan 2022 12:49:34 GMToic@ua.eduhttps://ua.technologypublisher.com/technology/45796