UniversityOfTwente
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Smart meters might not be so smart
A study from the University of Twente and Amsterdam's University of Applied Sciences believes that smart meters need extra schooling. Researchers have published a report claiming that the meters are greatly exaggerating the amount of energy that's being used. That's a problem, since 750,000 homes have recently installed them, and the Netherlands government wants one in every property by 2020.
Researcher proposes method for growing brain cells in 3D
A new method has been proposed that could allow scientists to develop a "3D brain-on-a-chip." Something which could offer researchers a new platform to develop a far better understanding of how brain cells react to medication in a real setting.
'3D printing' used to test a 'cure' for type-1 diabetes
Researchers are one step closer to reducing the effects of type-1 diabetes after developing a way to implant insulin-generating cells into the pancreas. According to publisher IOP, this method was previously unsuccessful, but has begun to work now that scientists can "3D-print" a structure to protect the cells. Previous attempts to implant these cells, called islets of Langerhans, have been unsuccessful because the body's immune system would attack them as soon as they were injected.
The Xsens ForceShoe watches your step, helps you walk better
The technology-laden Xsens ForceShoe might better be described as a sandal. However, if you're the type of bipedal perfectionist who wants to analyze your gait using an array of 6DoF force sensors and magnetic trackers (not to mention that cunningly-disguised wireless data transmitter), then the chances are your toenails can also stand a bit of scrutiny. In fact, although the ForceShoe is primarily designed for physio patients, we think its inventors at the University of Twente might just have stumbled upon the next-gen Nike+ accessory we've all been waiting for. Unfortunately they're not on sale, but if you're a researcher looking to measure the orientation, acceleration, angular velocity, force and torque of your feet in three dimensions, you're welcome to hop past the break for the full press release.
University of Twente's new lens reveals the sub-100nm level with visible light
Small is beautiful, but only when you can see it. Specifically, we're talking about nanostructures -- including cellular organelles and nanoelectronic circuits -- around the order of 100nm. The problem is with a microscope, visible light only takes us down to a resolution of 200nm at best, and it's not always ideal to use conventional methods to boost the resolution -- you'd either have to dope the subject with fluorescent dye or use highly delicate equipment. Thankfully, the University of Twente has come up with a new type of lens that would solve this problem: in a nutshell, a nanoparticle is placed on one side of the gallium phosphide lens, while the other side -- disorderedly etched with acid -- takes in a precisely modulated laser beam and scatters it into a focal point of your choice. Sure, this sounds bizarre and ironic, but apparently the modulation is controlled in such a way that the scattered beam focuses much tighter than an ordinary beam would using an ordinary lens. Have a look at the comparison shots of some gold nanoparticles after the break -- that's some sweet 97nm resolution right there for ya.
LOPES rehab robot gets bodies moving -- no relation to JLo (video)
That's LOPES (Lower-extremity Powered ExoSkeleton) -- not Lopez -- and while this rehab robot can get otherwise disinclined parties to move their butts, it doesn't resort to monotonous dance beats to do so. Researchers at the Netherlands' University of Twente began work on LOPES in 2001 to assess motor skills and teach stroke victims how to walk again. Ten years later, LOPES -- which looks like Forrest Gump's leg braces on steroids -- now sports eight degrees of freedom and automatically adjusts to fit the specific support needed per patient. LOPES' overlords are working on a more compact and user friendly iteration, and expect a market-ready version to be available by mid-2012. In the meantime, LOPES has been enlisted in a larger EU project called Mindwalker, testing advanced control algorithms "to be used in autonomous exoskeletons." Video of the future real-life RoboCop after the jump. [Thanks, Mike]
New satellite receiver design teases a glorious, dish-less future
Satellite dishes have come a long way in terms of design and size over the years, but Marcel van de Burgwal -- a grad student at the Netherlands' University of Twente -- has now invented a way to ditch the dish altogether. Channeling his inner Doc Brown, his invention revolves around an array of virtually flat antennas that receive satellite signals without the help of a concave backing. His design also conveniently eliminates the need to physically aim the receiver for reception -- much to the joy of actuaries everywhere. Instead, this task is performed by a network of small basic processors integrated into a single chip, which then bear the heavy calculation work of electronically aiming the receiver. The obvious impact of this design on consumer technology is that satellite receivers could soon make their way into all manner of handheld devices (read: smartphones). In fact, Marcel has already tested the chip's performance as a digital radio receiver for smartphones with successful results. That sounds like great news to us, but we understand if the branding folks at Dish Network are slightly less thrilled. For more details, hit the source link below.
World's smallest violin uses MEMS, plays only for you (video)
You might not have heard of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), but there are likely a bunch in your new smartphone -- they make possible the tiny accelerometers and gyroscopes needed to detect motion as your device swings around. However, last week students at the University of Twente demonstrated a brand new micrometer-scale system: a tiny musical instrument that plucks strings (those "folded flexures" above) one-tenth of a human hair wide. Six microscopic resonators fit on a microchip, one resonator per musical tone, and series of the chips can be combined into a MIDI interface to play entire songs. Though the micronium needs to be amplified 10,000 times before they're audible through standard speakers, the instrument's the real deal -- watch it play a wide selection of tunes (including some Mario Bros) in a video after the break. One burning question remains, however: is this nano-violin open source?
Spin polarization achieved at room temperature, elusive miracles now less elusive
Spintronics -- much like Cook-Out milkshakes and cotton candy for all -- seems like a pipe dream at this point. We've been beaten over the head with theoretical miracles, but we're getting to the point where it's put up or shut up. Thankfully, a team of Dutch boffins are clearly in the same camp, and they've been toiling around the clock in order to achieve spin polarization in non-magnetic semiconductors at ambient temperature. The amazing part here is that "temperature" bit; up until this discovery, spin polarization was only possible at levels of around 150 K, or at temperatures far, far cooler than even your unheated basement. If spintronics could effectively be enacted at room temperature, all those unicorn-approved phenomena we mentioned earlier would have a much greater chance of sliding into the realm of reality. Here's hoping they get this stuff ironed out prior to 2012.
Researchers in the Netherlands develop a microfluidic chip for testing drug reactions
Researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands have developed an extremely small microfluidic chip that simulates chemical reactions commonplace in the human body, for testing drug reactions. The device is around a thousand times smaller than the usual electrochemical cell (the volume of the chip's main fluid channel is a mere 9.6 nanoliters) and uses electrodes to control the chemical reactions. It's already been used to conduct tests on Amodiaquine, an anti-malarial drug, with more studies sure to follow. While this is great news for medical science, we have to wonder what the small army of slackers, malingerers, and college students are going to do when they're no longer able to make money as human guinea pigs. Become bloggers?[Via PhysOrg]
Dutch town looks to cut pollution with air-purifying concrete
The Dutch town of Hengelo looks to be taking a rather unique approach to cleaning the air, with it now testing out a new type of "air-purifying concrete" developed by the University of Twente that promises to soak up the nitrogen oxide particles emitted by car exhausts. That's done with the aid of a titanium dioxide-based additive which, with the help of some sunlight, binds with the nitrogen oxide particles and turns them into harmless nitrates, which can apparently just wash away with the next rain shower. The town isn't fully sold on the idea just yet, however, with it only paving half of a road now under construction with the so-called "green bricks" (pictured above), while the other half is getting paved with plain old concrete. They'll then take some air measurements from each section early next year and decide whether to continue paving the town green or not.[Via Physorg]
