Researcher Katerina Aifantis is probing mechanical processes at the nanoscale with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy
Katerina Aifantis whose father was teaching her about negative numbers when she was 3 years old, started college at 16, earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering at 19 and a master’s degree in materials engineering at 20. (more…)
New approach is a promising first step toward the development of tiny devices that harvest electrical energy from everyday tasks
Imagine charging your phone as you walk, thanks to a paper-thin generator embedded in the sole of your shoe. This futuristic scenario is now a little closer to reality. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a way to generate power using harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity.
The scientists tested their approach by creating a generator that produces enough current to operate a small liquid-crystal display. It works by tapping a finger on a postage stamp-sized electrode coated with specially engineered viruses. The viruses convert the force of the tap into an electric charge. (more…)
