ENGINEERING AROUND

Sea sponges inspire the next generation of skyscrapers

1-BIOENGINEERING

SERGI ALBET Consultor digital Col·legiat 14.416

@sergialbet

© Universitat de Harvard

Engineers at the University of Harvard are using the glassy skeletons of marine sponges as inspiration for the next generation of stronger, taller buildings, longer bridges and lighter spacecraft.

The researchers have shown that the skeleton’s square grid-like structure with diagonal supports has a better strength to weight ratio than traditional lattice designs that have been used in the construction of buildings and bridges for centuries. Source: Harvard University

https://bit.ly/3j7dtDp

3-ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Electric highways will help to reduce emissions from goods transport

The electrification of 7,500 kilometres of the most important road network in the United Kingdom will allow most lorries to be powered by overhead catenary cables. This would make a significant reduction in carbon emissions. Engineers at the University of Cambridge have proposed the construction of an electrical charging system that would help to eliminate 65% of the carbon emitted by lorries driving in the United Kingdom. Not only is the project feasible, it is easy to scale up. Source: University of Cambridge

https://bit.ly/3idguBb

© Universitat de Cambridge

2-ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

© Universitat de Califòrnia

Silicon for carbon in circuits

Using carbon instead of silicon for transistors can make computers faster while reducing their energy consumption a thousandfold. A team of chemical and physics engineers from the University of California have made a huge step forward in their research to create carbon-based transistors. The new carbon-based metal is derived from graphene and has excellent conductive properties. Source: University of California, Berkeley

https://bit.ly/2FV1Pxo

.CAT

1. BIOENGINYERIA

Uns enginyers de la Universitat de Harvard han utilitzat l’estructura esquelètica quadrada amb forma de gelosia reforçada de les esponges de mar com a inspiració per poder desenvolupar nous edificis més forts i alts, ponts més llargs i naus més lleugeres.

2. ENGINYERIA ELECTRÒNICA

Un equip d’enginyers químics, juntament amb físics, de la Universitat de Califòrnia, ha substituït el silici pel carboni en els transistors dels circuits dels ordinadors, per tal d’augmentar la velocitat dels ordinadors i disminuir l’energia consumida.

3. ENGINYERIA ELÈCTRICA

A la Universitat de Cambridge un grup d’enginyers s’ha proposat construir un sistema de carretera elèctrica i electrificar 7.500 quilòmetres de la xarxa viària més important del país. Això permetrà alimentar la majoria de camions amb cables de càrrega aèria.