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Engineering

Rooftop solar panels impact temperatures during the day and night in cities, simulation study shows

Widespread coverage of building rooftops with conventional photovoltaic solar panels may increase temperatures on hot days and lower them at night, says new modeling.

Computer Sciences

New algorithm helps read QR codes on uneven surfaces

Sometimes, we try to capture a QR code with a good digital camera on a smartphone, but the reading eventually fails. This usually happens when the QR code itself is of poor image quality, or if it has been printed on surfaces ...

Robotics

New data augmentation algorithm could facilitate the transfer of skills across robots

In recent years, roboticists have developed a wide range of systems designed to tackle various real-world tasks, ranging from completing household chores to delivering packages or finding target objects in delineated environments.

Engineering

Dragonfly wing pattern reinforces vaults and domes better than ancient Roman and tech-generated methods

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from the University of Granada, Spain, have determined the most efficient ways to reinforce vaults and domes in architecture. The team compared how well various traditional and unconventional ...

Engineering

Water distribution in fuel cells made visible in 4D

Teams from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and University College London (UCL) have visualized the water distribution in a fuel cell in three dimensions and in real time for the first time by evaluating neutron data from the ...

Robotics

Artificial skin gives robots sense of touch and beyond

We tend to take our sense of touch for granted in everyday settings, but it is vital for our ability to interact with our surroundings. Imagine reaching into the fridge to grab an egg for breakfast. As your fingers touch ...

Energy & Green Tech

New 'fabric' converts motion into electricity

Scientists at NTU Singapore have developed a stretchable and waterproof "fabric" that turns energy generated from body movements into electrical energy.

Energy & Green Tech

Novel strategy to make fast-charging solid-state batteries

In a breakthrough, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and their collaborators have discovered how next-generation solid-state batteries fail and devised a novel strategy to make these batteries last longer ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Tracking sleep with a self-powering smart pillow

The human body needs sleep as much as it needs food and water. Yet many people fail to get enough, causing both mind and body to suffer. People who struggle for shut-eye could benefit from monitoring their sleep, but they ...