Electronics & Semiconductors

Marrying models with experiments to build more efficient solar cells

In a single day, enough sunlight strikes Earth to power the world for an entire year—that is, if we can find a way to capture that energy cheaply and efficiently. While the cost of solar energy has decreased dramatically, ...

Robotics

Developing a better ionic skin

In the quest to build smart skin that mimics the sensing capabilities of natural skin, ionic skins have shown significant advantages. They're made of flexible, biocompatible hydrogels that use ions to carry an electrical ...

Engineering

Portable generator powers small safety devices

A new stick-like, water-based device can convert energy from movement into electricity. The technology, which was reported in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, could be used to power portable devices, ...

Consumer & Gadgets

Why do smoke alarms keep going off even when there's no smoke?

Editor's note: MVS Chandrashekhar is a professor of electrical engineering at the University of South Carolina. In this interview, he explains how smoke detectors work and why they sometimes sound an alarm for what seems ...