Embryonic stem cells have been known to transform into different types of adult cells in our bodies. However, how do we track these omnipotent cells and see what they do, especially after they have transformed into, say, red blood cells? As recently noted by ScienceDaily, a team in Monash University might have the answer!
Graphene has become a new darling in the electronic application. As also noted by ScienceDaily, a team in the Kansas State University has developed 24-carat gold "snowflakes" to improve graphene’s electrical properties.
For those of us remembering the nightmare we had back in the labs at school, we can probably still remember vividly that liquid nitrogen could be used as coolant in the electron microscope. However, what if there were an economy that could run on liquid nitrogen? ScienceDaily recently noted a few proposed considerations for this hypothetical economy: combustion, boiling point, power station, and alternative fuel vehicles.
With a growing number of ways to harvest electrical energy from cleaner sources, which can highly depend on the geographical locations, we now face the problem of how to distribute these different types of energies while minimizing waste. In other words, when our southwest neighbors have excess electricity generated from wind or solar power, it would be a waste not to transmit the excess to another region that could use that power. Hence the term "smart grid."
The development of smart grids has faced several challenges, but many research teams have attempted to overcome these challenges. A recent article in The Technology Review provides a report on some recent development at this front.
For those of us who are watchers of the activities at the SCOTUS, the oral arguments of In re Bilski took place at the high court on November 9, 2009. To provide first-hand insight, Foley featured a same-day webinar that adressed the appeal concerning the parameters of determining patent eligibility in a case that will impact all technology areas — from electronics, financial services, and insurance, to life sciences industries. With the final decision not due until mid-2010, this hearing provided the first critical insight into whether the Supreme Court will significantly narrow or expand the scope of the patent eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101.
Carbon nanotubes are commonly known for their potential applications in electronic devices. But as fertilizers?
It appears that thanks to a team led by Dr. Khodakovskaya and Dr. Biris, these tiny cylinders of carbon atoms might have found their way into being valuable in agriculture as well. For detail, see an article from a recent issue of The Economist.
- By Matthew Swietlik & John Lazarus
Among 589 patents issued in 2008 across nine categories studied in Foley’s Cleantech Patent Landscape Report, hybrid vehicles accounted for 113, or over 19 percent. Corporate entities accounted for over 96 percent of hybrid vehicle patents issued in 2008, while individual inventors accounted for only about 3.5 percent of hybrid vehicle patents.
- By John Lazarus
Collectively, individual inventors accounted for the vast majority of all hydropower (i.e., hydro, wave and tidal power) patents granted in the U.S. during 2008 (28 of 38 total U.S. patents granted – almost 74 percent). All other corporations or entities each accounted for less than three percent. These patents may represent an area of interest for corporations looking to enhance, or enter, the hydropower field by acquiring or licensing the rights to new hydropower technologies.
- By John Lazarus
Among the 589 U.S. patents issued in 2008 across nine categories in Foley’s Cleantech Patent Landscape Report, the category that produced the most patents was solar energy with 156 patents.