A new Future for Coal?, 3D Printed Skin and Hypersonic Heat Shields
February 1
This week we discover a possible new future for coal. We investigate 3D printed skin and a Hypersonic Heat Shield that is breaking all performance records. Finally we look into brain training for football players. Yes it is possible to teach an old football player a new trick.
A new Future for Coal?
We use a massive amount of concrete every year. Concrete is second only to water in terms of the amount consumed. Sand is used in the construction process as an additive, 30% of concrete is made up of sand. As a result we are rapidly stripping the available sand deposits around the world.
A team at Rice University in Houston has discovered that graphene derived from metallurgical coal (used in steel making not in power generation) could be used as a replacement for sand in concrete. The graphene aggregate substitute created concrete that is 25% lighter and able to match the mechanical properties of normal concrete and provide a higher strength to weight ratio (allowing it to be lighter for the same level of strength).
The team used Flash Joule Heating which they developed in 2020 to create the aggregate. A flash of electricity is used to heat the carbon to 2,727C. The final form of the carbon is determined by the length of the flash. The flash turns carbon into pristine, turbo static graphene flakes. The technique was originally developed to create graphene structures more suitable for electronics. The team has adapted the technique since to create a range of shapes including nano diamonds.
The process is quick and can be implemented at scale. The current price of graphene makes this approach unviable now however scale and additional uses will bring the price down rapidly.
3D Printed Electronic Skin
Human skin has more than 1,000 nerve endings. It is the brain’s connection to the outside world and allows us to interact with the world via touch, temperature and pressure.
A team at Texas A&M University have developed a 3D printed electronic skin that can flex, stretch and sense like human skin. A nano engineered hydrogel that has electronic and thermal bio-sensing capabilities allows the skin to replicate the sense of touch.
The challenge was to develop a durable material that has flexibility and that can contain bioelectrical sensing capabilities. The skin also had to be able to be fabricated into wearable or implantable devices. A natural atomic defect in the molybdenum disulfide structure used, allowed for high electrical conductivity.
The material is capable of adhering to wet tissue, important for potential health care applications. There are also applications in developing a new human machine interface in the disability sector. Heath devices that continuously monitor motion, temperate, heart rate and blood pressure will be able to provide continuous feedback to users.
Hypersonic Heat Shield
A team from the Guangzhou University of Science and Engineering have developed a new material that has created new records for vital strength and thermal insulation properties. Developing lightweight materials that are suitable for hypersonic travel has long been a challenge.
The team had the challenge of improving the mechanical strength and thermal insulation capacity of the porous ceramics that have been used on spacecraft for some time. Lightweight porous materials offer the low thermal transfer required however the trade off was greater fragility.
Using concept called high entropy design they were able to develop a material that achieved a balance between strength and heat resistance. Called 9-cation porous high entropy diboride (9PHEB) the resulting material achieved the ultra high strength required along with exceptional thermal stability.
This breakthrough opens the door to wider exploration in aerospace, chemical engineering and energy transfer and production.
Brain Training for Soccer
In 2018 the injured Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard was introduced to a Virtual Reality technology that had been developed by Oslo based startup Be Your Best. They had developed a VR simulation that generates scanning simulations based upon real soccer matches. Scanning is a technique used by players to be able to know where the ball, opposing players and teammates are at any point in time in a game.
Early in his career Odegaard could not even manage one scan in a game. Whilst he was injured he used the opportunity for some brain training to improve his scanning. Performance metrics in the headset tracked three aspects of his scanning, the frequency of scanning, scan timing (when he made the scans) and critical scans (his last look before receiving the ball). Additional measures included situational awareness and decision making. In a recent single game, Odegaard was registered making 493 scans during the 90 minutes. His scanning was improved as has his forward passing (the quickest path to goal).
Sports science has improved athletic performance close to physical limits. Now more attention is turning to the brain. French team RC Lens has trialed a sensor equipped headset built by Specter Biotech that identifies neural biomarkers linked to various conditions. Dutch team PSV uses a football IQ test developed by BrainsFirst to guide player development. Liverpool FC have used brain sensors developed by German company neuro11 to analyze a players optimal mental state.
BYB also has a system that uses an Oculus Headset to allow a player to participate in a virtual game. The system test things like time to pass, decisions, movements and intelligent reactions that could lead to a goal.
Currently graphics in headsets are limited, movements are restricted and physical motions don’t easily convert to hand held haptics (particularly from the feet). The complexity of producing full games appear insurmountable (never say never) however the systems are very good for training tools. It won’t be long before the kids are insisting that they have the latest VR training tool which is essential to their success as a sportsperson.
Paying it Forward
If you have a start-up or know of a start-up that has a product ready for market please let me know. I would be happy to have a look and feature the startup in this newsletter. Also if any startups need introductions please get in touch and I will help where I can.
If you have any questions or comments please comment below.
I would also appreciate it if you could forward this newsletter to anyone that you think might be interested.
Till next week.
Will work on my soccer scanning before the season.