Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021 - 52

Facility Focus
mobile systems, smart infrastructure,
compute/storage systems, cyberphysical
sys tems, data/network science, and se -
cure systems.
Sensors are part of modern-day techMachine
learning, reconfigurable circuits, and electromagnetic sensing are being used to protect
devices from cyberattacks. A CMU technology quickly identifies security threats without slowing
down the device. Using tiny pieces of hardware, individual devices can suppress malware without
sacrificing performance.
A CMU team developed a revolutionary new method of 3Dprinting
battery electrodes that creates a 3D microlattice
structure with controlled porosity that improves the capacity
and charge-discharge rates for lithium-ion batteries used in
consumer electronics, medical devices, and aerospace. Nonbiological
electronic micro-devices will also benefit from this
work. And on a bigger scale, electronic devices, small drones,
and aerospace applications can use this technology due to
the low weight and high capacity of the batteries printed
using this method.
Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Every day, the world's population in creases
by roughly 200,000, taxing all forms of existing
infrastructure; creating significant air,
water, and groundwater quality issues; and
bringing about new concerns with regard to
energy sustainability. Another important
challenge is climate change. New weather
patterns are emerging that create additional
pressures for both the built and natural environment
with more intense and frequent
wind, flooding, and temperature extremes.
The Civil and Environmental Engineering
group addresses the challenges of the 21st
century including sustainable, intelligent
infrastructure systems; water and air quality
science and engineering; resilient engineering
materials; and environmentally sustainable,
or green, engineering practices.
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
ECE has identified multiple research focus
areas: energy, healthcare and quality of life,
52
Cov
Nanowave Air is a device that can inactivate coronavirus particles in the air using ultraviolet
light. One way to use the device is to provide a person with a constant stream of inactivated
air. The device could also create a " shield " of inactivated air between people sitting across
from each other.
www.techbriefs.com
ToC
Tech Briefs, October 2021
nology. From key fobs to credit card
chips and smart devices, near-field communication
(NFC) allows for humans to
communicate with objects. But what if we
could use this technology so that everyday
objects, like a pillow or a shoe, could
sense and interact with us? CMU developed
fabric-friendly NFC antennas that
can be woven into everyday surfaces for
building smart environments. Known as
TextileSense, this near-field beamforming
system can track everyday objects
made of conductive materials like a
human hand. The team designed and
fabricated specialized textile coils that
can be woven into the fabric of the furniture
and easily hidden by acrylic paint.
The coils can sense the position of an
object such as determining if a human is
sitting on the couch or laying down.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, important
research is seeking to fight the virus by mitigating the virus
once it is in the air. A CMU alumnus created Nanowave Air, a
device that can inactivate coronavirus particles in the air
using ultraviolet light. One way to use the device is to provide
a person with a constant stream of inactivated air. This can be
used in situations that require mask removal such as dentistry
work. The device could also create a " shield " of inactivated
air between people sitting across from each other at a meeting.
In addition, the device has been used in homes where
family members have tested positive.

http://www.techbriefs.com http://info.hotims.com/79418-936

Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021