Here are some items of interest from the Association of Computing Machinery’s ACM Tech News…
Sprayable User Interfaces
MIT News
April 8, 2020
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed a technique for spraying on user interfaces. The SprayableTech system automatically generates cardboard stencils of artwork users create in a three-dimensional editor, which can be used to apply the art to surfaces by airbrushing on functional inks. The user can add sensors and displays that control various appliances, and a microcontroller is attached to link the interface to the board that runs the code. The researchers tested SprayableTech on multiple items, including a musical interface on a concrete pillar, an interactive sofa connected to a TV, and a wall display for controlling lighting levels. CSAIL’s Michael Wessely said, “We view this as a tool that will allow humans to interact with and use their environment in newfound ways.”
AI Techniques Used to Improve Battery Health, Safety
University of Cambridge (UK)
April 6, 2020
A machine learning method developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Newcastle University in the U.K. can predict battery health with 10 times greater accuracy than the current industry standard. The new method could help develop safer, more reliable batteries for electric vehicles and consumer electronics. An add-on compatible with any existing battery system, the method monitors batteries by sending electrical pulses into them, measuring the results, and processing those measurements with a machine learning algorithm to predict the battery’s health and useful lifespan. The researchers trained the model by performing more than 20,000 experimental measurements. Said Cambridge’s Alpha Lee, “By improving the software that monitors charging and discharging, and using data-driven software to control the charging process, I believe we can power a big improvement in battery performance.”
UCLA Engineers Develop Simpler, Faster Way to Build Complex, Better-Performing 3D Electronics
UCLA Samueli Newsroom
April 20, 2020
Engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Samueli School of Engineering have developed a faster, simpler method for three-dimensionally (3D)-printing electronics, shortening fabrication times from hours to minutes. The researchers patterned 3D shapes with pre-programmed electrostatic charges in an optical 3D printer, then dipped printed components into a solution with a dissolved material, like copper; the material cohered into desired configurations within seconds. UCLA’s Xiaoyu Zheng said the new method “can open the door to integrating new classes of 3D electronics, such as lighter, more compact antennas for the next generation of smart phones and 5G communications, or new classes of sensors and smart materials for wearables.”
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