Print yourself a house
Today’s construction industry accounts for about 7% of Co2 emissions and on the other hand, old buildings trigger the need for repairs. Researchers from the Texas A&M University have developed an amazing solution to both! The utilization of locally sourced soil, combined with an environmentally friendly additive. Instead of using conventional concrete as building material they 3D print “local soil” into load-bearing structures at a much lower financial and environmental cost. To that end, the researchers’ goal is to create a chemistry “toolkit”. It could transform any type of soil into printable building material, which would drastically reduce (transportation) cost of building materials. One great step towards affordable housing! And since I love space exploration, let me add: applications for this kind of additive manufacturing go beyond our atmosphere, as it could even be used for building structures on the Moon or Mars! Read more …
A selfie a day keeps the doctor away
Some say, taking a picture of yourself is the ultimate narcissistic thing to do. However, your selfies could soon be used for the diagnosis of a heart disease. Researchers from Peking Union Medical College have shown the possibility of using our beloved selfies – and a deep learning algorithm – to detect coronary artery disease! All that is needed are four photos of the person’s face to evaluate whether there is an increased risk. Key facial features (e.g. thinning hair, ear creases, xanthelasmata (yellow cholesterol deposits near the eyes)) and arcus corneae (fat deposits in the outer cornea edges) are captured and processed to determine a potential increased risk of heart disease. This could be a simple, effective, and cheap way of a first risk assessment and overall better medical outcomes. Next time someone complains you’re taking too many selfies, tell them you’re just health-conscious! Read more …
Self-healing polymers
One of the many aspects that distinguishes ‘living’ skin from any other material, is its unique healing abilities. When hurt, animals, plants, and humans can reverse much of damage done – seemingly automatic. Now, Scientists from the US Army and Texas A&M University have developed a 3D printable material, which, contrary to conventional combined polymer, can change and adapt its form after it has been shaped. The result? Self-healing polymers! The embedded intelligence allows it to autonomously adapt without external control – in air, as well as underwater. The material can be programmed to go from soft rubber to hard plastic, which makes future applications seemingly endless! Read more …
