Train delays due to leaves on the line could be a thing of the past if a prototype developed at the University of Birmingham is adopted by railway networks.Every year, thousands of commuters endure the frustration of Autumn delays caused by the accumulation of leafy slush on train tracks – and these problems usually reach their peak in mid-November, when leaf loss is coupled with high levels of moisture in the air or on the ground.Lee Chapman, Professor of Climate Resilience from the University, was inspired by the Internet of Things, which uses a range of innovative power, communication and sensing technology to aggregate real-time, on the ground, data.Funded by EPSRC and the Rail Safety and Standards Board, he worked with Alta Innovations, the University of Birmingham's technology transfer company, to transform the concept into a reality. His new technology, called AutumnSense, uses low-cost sensors to continuously measure the level of moisture on the railway line at potentially thousands of sites across the network. By linking this data with a leaf-fall forecast, operators can identify where and when the risk is greatest. This allows the precise and efficient use of automated treatment trains, which can clear the lines before the morning rush hour starts. His team are now testing the next element of the solution which is a low-cost method to count the number of leaves remaining on the trees.Professor Chapman's team had previously developed low-cost devices that are fitted to lamp-posts, and transmit data on road surface temperatures, to show precisely where road gritting is needed, and where it isn't. The road technology, called WinterSense, is currently being tested by commercial partners and is expected to be in mass production by the end of this winter.Professor Chapman said, "One of the major issues with road and rail safety is that hazardous conditions are usually highly localised. For remedial actions to be efficient, and demonstrate 'best value' for the taxpayer, resources should be deployed where they are needed, rather than in a blanket fashion."He is marketing AutumnSense and WinterSense through AltaSense, an operating division of Alta Innovations, and hopes to incorporate by Autumn 2017.He said, "Even though leaf loss and damp conditions can largely be predicted - and despite automated treatment trains working round the clock from October to December - a windy, rainy night still causes havoc for commuters. We have run an initial trial of AutumnSense on a stretch of London Underground tracks that are above ground, and are hoping to move quickly towards a fuller network wide trial."Wet leaves pose a very real safety challenge for train operators, potentially doubling the breaking distance and causing signalling issues, or 'disappearing trains' on the rail control systems due to the electrically insulating effect of the leaves which can prevent operation of track circuits. Leaves on the line are only an issue when they are mixed with moisture or dew, creating a slippery, Teflon-like substance. Reference:KY45-D7E-1KY45-BU-27135-000KY45-1005447-1 

In a development beneficial for both industry and environment, UC Santa Barbara researchers have created a high-quality coating for organic electronics that promises to decrease processing time as well as energy requirements."It's faster, and it's nontoxic," said Kollbe Ahn, a research faculty member at UCSB's Marine Science Institute and corresponding author of a paper published in Nano Letters.In the manufacture of polymer (also known as "organic") electronics—the technology behind flexible displays and solar cells—the material used to direct and move current is of supreme importance. Since defects reduce efficiency and functionality, special attention must be paid to quality, even down to the molecular level.Often that can mean long processing times, or relatively inefficient processes. It can also mean the use of toxic substances. Alternatively, manufacturers can choose to speed up the process, which could cost energy or quality.Fortunately, as it turns out, efficiency, performance and sustainability don't always have to be traded against each other in the manufacture of these electronics. Looking no further than the campus beach, the UCSB researchers have found inspiration in the mollusks that live there. Mussels, which have perfected the art of clinging to virtually any surface in the intertidal zone, serve as the model for a molecularly smooth, self-assembled monolayer for high-mobility polymer field-effect transistors—in essence, a surface coating that can be used in the manufacture and processing of the conductive polymer that maintains its efficiency.More specifically, according to Ahn, it was the mussel's adhesion mechanism that stirred the researchers' interest. "We're inspired by the proteins at the interface between the plaque and substrate," he said.Before mussels attach themselves to the surfaces of rocks, pilings or other structures found in the inhospitable intertidal zone, they secrete proteins through the ventral grove of their feet, in an incremental fashion. In a step that enhances bonding performance, a thin priming layer of protein molecules is first generated as a bridge between the substrate and other adhesive proteins in the plaques that tip the byssus threads of their feet to overcome the barrier of water and other impurities.That type of zwitterionic molecule—with both positive and negative charges—inspired by the mussel's native proteins (polyampholytes), can self-assemble and form a sub-nano thin layer in water at ambient temperature in a few seconds. The defect-free monolayer provides a platform for conductive polymers in the appropriate direction on various dielectric surfaces.Current methods to treat silicon surfaces (the most common dielectric surface), for the production of organic field-effect transistors, requires a batch processing method that is relatively impractical, said Ahn. Although heat can hasten this step, it involves the use of energy and increases the risk of defects.With this bio-inspired coating mechanism, a continuous roll-to-roll dip coating method of producing organic electronic devices is possible, according to the researchers. It also avoids the use of toxic chemicals and their disposal, by replacing them with water."The environmental significance of this work is that these new bio-inspired primers allow for nanofabrication on silicone dioxide surfaces in the absence of organic solvents, high reaction temperatures and toxic reagents," said co-author Roscoe Lindstadt, a graduate student researcher in UCSB chemistry professor Bruce Lipshutz's lab. "In order for practitioners to switch to newer, more environmentally benign protocols, they need to be competitive with existing ones, and thankfully device performance is improved by using this 'greener' method."Reference:KY56-2N3811KY56- EMX2T2RKY0-PEMZ1,115 

How can quantum information be stored as long as possible? An important step forward in the development of quantum memories has been achieved by a research team of TU Wien.Conventional memories used in today's computers only differentiate between the bit values 0 and 1. In quantum physics, however, arbitrary superpositions of these two states are possible. Most of the ideas for new quantum technology devices rely on this "Superposition Principle". One of the main challenges in using such states is that they are usually short-lived. Only for a short period of time can information be read out of quantum memories reliably, after that it is irrecoverable.A research team at TU Wien has now taken an important step forward in the development of new quantum storage concepts. In cooperation with the Japanese telecommunication giant NTT, the Viennese researchers lead by Johannes Majer are working on quantum memories based on nitrogen atoms and microwaves. The nitrogen atoms have slightly different properties, which quickly leads to the loss of the quantum state. By specifically changing a small portion of the atoms, one can bring the remaining atoms into a new quantum state, with a lifetime enhancement of more than a factor of ten. These results have now been published in the journal Nature Photonics.Nitrogen in diamond"We use synthetic diamonds in which individual nitrogen atoms are implanted", explains project leader Johannes Majer from the Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics of TU Wien. "The quantum state of these nitrogen atoms is coupled with microwaves, resulting in a quantum system in which we store and read information."However, the storage time in these systems is limited due to the inhomogeneous broadening of the microwave transition in the nitrogen atoms of the diamond crystal. After about half a microsecond, the quantum state can no longer be reliably read out, the actual signal is lost. Johannes Majer and his team used a concept known as "spectral hole burning", allowing data to be stored in the optical range of inhomogeneously broadened media, and adapted it for supra-conducting quantum circuitsand spin quantum memories.Dmitry Krimer, Benedikt Hartl and Stefan Rotter (Institute of Theoretical Physics, TU Wien) have shown in their theoretical work that such states, which are largely decoupled from the disturbing noise, also exist in these systems. "The trick is to manoeuver the quantum system into these durable states through specific manipulation, with the aim to store information there," explains Dmitry Krimer.Excluding specific energies"The transitions areas in the nitrogen atoms have slightly different energy levels because of the local properties of the not quite perfect diamond crystal", explains Stefan Putz, the first author of the study, who has since moved from TU Wien to Princeton University. "If you use microwaves to selectively change a few nitrogen atoms that have very specific energies, you can create a "Spectral Hole". The remaining nitrogen atoms can then be brought into a new quantum state, a so-called "dark state", in the center of these holes. This state is much more stable and opens up completely new possibilities.""Our work is a 'proof of principle' – we present a new concept, show that it works, and we want to lay the foundations for further exploration of innovative operational protocols of quantum data," says Stefan Putz.With this new method, the lifetime of quantum states of the coupled system of microwaves and nitrogen atoms increased by more than one order of magnitude to about five microseconds. This is still not a great deal in the standard of everyday life, but in this case it is sufficient for important quantum-technological applications. "The advantage of our system is that one can write and read quantum information within nanoseconds," explains Johannes Majer. "A large number of working steps are therefore possible in microseconds, in which the system remains stable."Reference: S29GL032N11FFIS42S29GL064N90FFIS30S29AS016J70BFA040  

RFID is the abbreviation of Radio Frequency Identification.Its principle is the contactless data communication between the reader and the tag to achieve the purpose of identifying the target. RFID has a wide range of applications, typical applications include animal chip, car chip immobilizer, access control, parking control, production line automation, and material management.What is RFID? How RFID works? RFID Explained in DetailCatalogI Overview of RFIDII Working principle of RFIDIII How RFID system is composed?3.1 About the reader3.2 About electronic tagsIV Features4.1 Applicability4.2 High efficiency4.3 Uniqueness4.4 SimplicityFAQI Overview of RFIDRadio frequency identification, or radio frequency identification technology, is a type of automatic identification technology that uses wireless radio frequency for non-contact two-way data communication. It uses radio frequency to read and write recording media (electronic tags or radio frequency cards) to achieve the purpose of identification and data exchange. It is considered to be one of the most promising information technologies in the 21st century.Radio frequency identification technology uses radio waves without contact with fast information exchange and storage technology, combines wireless communication with data access technology, and then connects to the database system to achieve non-contact two-way communication. In this way, the purpose of identification is achieved, and it can be used for data exchange, connecting an extremely complex system in series.In the identification system, the reading and writing and communication of electronic tags are realized through electromagnetic waves. According to the communication distance, it can be divided into near-field and far-field. For this reason, the data exchange mode between the read/write device and the electronic tag is correspondingly divided into load modulation and backscatter modulation.  II Working principle of RFIDThe basic working principle of RFID technology is not complicated: After the tag enters the reader, it receives the radio frequency signal from the reader, and uses the energy obtained by the induced current to send out the product information stored in the chip (Passive Tag, passive tag or passive tag). ), or the tag actively sends a signal of a certain frequency (Active Tag, active tag or active tag). After the reader reads and decodes the information, it is sent to the central information system for relevant data processing.A complete RFID system is composed of three parts: a reader, an electronic tag, a so-called transponder, and an application software system. Its working principle is that the reader emits radio wave energy of a specific frequency to drive the circuit to send out the internal data. At this time, the Reader receives the interpretation data in order and sends it to the application program for corresponding processing.From the perspective of the communication and energy sensing methods between the RFID card reader and the electronic tag, it can be roughly divided into two types: inductive coupling and backscatter coupling. Generally, low-frequency RFID mostly adopts the first method, and high-frequency RFID mostly adopts the second method.The reader can be a read or read/write device depending on the structure and technology used, and it is the information control and processing center of the RFID system. The reader usually consists of a coupling module, a transceiver module, a control module and an interface unit.The reader and the tag generally adopt a half-duplex communication mode for information exchange, and the reader provides energy and timing to the passive tag through coupling. In practical applications, management functions such as the collection, processing and remote transmission of object identification information can be further realized through Ethernet or WLAN. III How RFID system is composed?The complete RFID system consists of three parts: Reader, Tag and data management system. 3.1 About the readerThe reader is a device that reads the information in the tag or writes the information that the tag needs to store into the tag. Depending on the structure and technology used, the reader can be a read/write device, which is the information control and processing center of the RFID system. When the RFID system is working, the reader sends radio frequency energy in an area to form an electromagnetic field, and the size of the area depends on the transmit power.The tag in the coverage area of the reader is triggered to send the data stored in it, or modify the data stored in it according to the instructions of the reader, and can communicate with the computer network through the interface. The basic composition of the reader usually includes: transceiver antenna, frequency generator, phase-locked loop, modulation circuit, microprocessor, memory, demodulation circuit and peripheral interface composition.(1) Transceiver antenna: Send radio frequency signals to the tag, and receive the response signal and tag information returned by the tag.(2) Frequency generator: Generates the operating frequency of the system.(3) Phase-locked loop: Generate the required carrier signal.(4) Modulation circuit: Load the signal sent to the tag to the carrier wave and send it out by the radio frequency circuit.(5) Microprocessor: Generates the signal to be sent to the label, decodes the signal returned by the label, and sends the decoded data back to the application program. If it is an encrypted system, a decryption operation is also required.(6) Memory: store user programs and data.(7) Demodulation circuit: demodulate the signal returned by the tag and deliver it to the microprocessor for processing.(8) Peripheral interface: to communicate with the computer.3.2 About electronic tagsThe electronic tag consists of a transceiver antenna, AC/DC circuit, demodulation circuit, logic control circuit, memory and modulation circuit.(1) Transceiver antenna: Receive the signal from the reader and send the required data back to the reader.(2) AC/DC circuit: Utilize the electromagnetic field energy emitted by the reader, output by the voltage regulator circuit to provide a stable power supply for other circuits.(3) Demodulation circuit: Remove the carrier from the received signal and demodulate the original signal.(4) Logic control circuit: decode the signal from the reader, and send back the signal according to the requirements of the reader.(5) Memory: As a location for system operation and storage of identification data.(6) Modulation circuit: The data sent by the logic control circuit is loaded to the antenna and sent to the reader after the modulation circuit.IV FeaturesGenerally speaking, the radio frequency identification technology has the following characteristics.  4.1 ApplicabilityRFID technology relies on electromagnetic waves and does not require physical contact between the connecting parties. This makes it possible to establish connections without regard to dust, fog, plastic, paper, wood and various obstacles, and to complete communications directly. 4.2 High efficiencyRFID system read and write speed is extremely fast, a typical RFID transmission process is usually less than 100 milliseconds. RFID readers in the high frequency band can even identify and read the contents of multiple tags simultaneously, greatly improving the efficiency of information transmission.  4.3 Uniquenesseach RFID tag is unique, through the RFID tag and product one-to-one correspondence, you can clearly track the subsequent circulation of each product. 4.4 SimplicityRFID tag structure is simple, high recognition rate, the required reading equipment is simple. Especially with the gradual popularization of NFC technology on smart phones, each user's cell phone will become the simplest RFID reader.FAQ 1. What is RFID used for?Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is the wireless non-contact use of radio frequency waves to transfer data. Tagging items with RFID tags allows users to automatically and uniquely identify and track inventory and assets.2. What is RFID and how it works?RFID is a method of data collection that involves automatically identifying objects through low-power radio waves. Data is sent and received with a system consisting of RFID tags, an antenna, an RFID reader, and a transceiver.3. What RFID means?Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) refers to a wireless system comprised of two components: tags and readers. The reader is a device that has one or more antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals back from the RFID tag.4. Is RFID harmful to human?It is a non-ionizing type of radiation, but some researches show that it could have a negative impact on the human body in a long-term period [11, 12]. So, for the safety reasons, manufacturers of the RFID systems have limited the range of the RFID antennas used in their systems.5. Is RFID tag and FASTag same?FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly while the vehicle is in motion. FASTag (RFID Tag) is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables a customer to make the toll payments directly from the account which is linked to FASTag.6.What is RFID and its advantages?RFID technology automates data collection and vastly reduces human effort and error. RFID supports tag reading with no line-of-sight or item-by-item scans required. RFID readers can read multiple RFID tags simultaneously, offering increases in efficiency.7. Why is RFID bad?Some negative effects are that its deadly, if RFID tags combine with static electricity you can die. Another negative effect is that the government is slowly taking away surviving resources and giving ultimatums, such as if you don't get the RFID tracking chip your public assistance will be terminated.8.What are the disadvantages of RFID?a. Materials like metal & liquid can impact signal.b. Sometimes not as accurate or reliable as barcode scanners.c. Cost – RFID readers can be 10x more expensive than barcode readers.d. Implementation can be difficult & time consuming.9.How do I charge my RFID FASTag?In order to recharge your FASTag sticker, just hit the Add Money option in your Paytm app. FASTag will automatically reserve some amount from your wallet, which can be used at toll plazas later. Do note that FASTag can be used only after 20 mins of adding money to the Paytm Wallet.10. Can I use existing RFID for FASTag?If a vehicle already has an RFID tag, it might already be activated. When you buy the vehicle, RFID tag payment was also done. It might also have a minimum balance of INR 100 or 200 as is required by the bank. You can recharge it with your Customer ID or Wallet ID of FASTag.11. How does RFID work without power?Passive RFID tags have no power of their own and are powered by the radio frequency energy transmitted from RFID readers/antennas. The signal sent by the reader and antenna is used to power on the tag and reflect the energy back to the reader.12. What are the types of RFID tags?RFID tags can be grouped into three categories based on the range of frequencies they use to communicate data: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF). Generally speaking, the lower the frequency of the RFID system, the shorter the read range and slower the data read rate.13.How do I know if I have an RFID chip?The best way to check for an implant would be to have an X-ray performed. RFID transponders have metal antennas that would show up in an X-ray. You could also look for a scar on the skin. Because the needle used to inject the transponder under the skin would be quite large, it would leave a small but noticeable scar.14. Does RFID require power?Active RFID tags possess their own power source – an internal battery that enables them to have extremely long read ranges as well as large memory banks. Typically, active RFID tags are powered by a battery that will last between 3 - 5 years, but when the battery fails, the active tag will need to be replaced.15. What is the difference between a QR code and RFID?QR codes must always be “read-only”, whereas RFID tags can be “read-write”, depending on the radio frequency that's being used. ... So, not only are RFID tags futuristic and have more uses than QR tags, they also have many more applications. The read range is far superior for an RFID tag. 

Using state-of-the-art theoretical methods, UCSB researchers have identified a specific type of defect in the atomic structure of a light-emitting diode (LED) that results in less efficient performance. The characterization of these point defects could result in the fabrication of even more efficient, longer lasting LED lighting."Techniques are available to assess whether such defects are present in the LED materials and they can be used to improve the quality of the material," said materials professor Chris Van de Walle, whose research group carried out the work.In the world of high-efficiency solid-state lighting, not all LEDs are alike. As the technology is utilized in a more diverse array of applications—including search and rescue, water purification and safety illumination, in addition to their many residential, industrial and decorative uses—reliability and efficiency are top priorities. Performance, in turn, is heavily reliant on the quality of the semiconductor material at the atomic level."In an LED, electrons are injected from one side, holes from the other," explained Van de Walle. As they travel across the crystal lattice of the semiconductor—in this case gallium-nitride-based material—the meeting of electrons and holes (the absence of electrons) is what is responsible for the light that is emitted by the diode: As electron meets hole, it transitions to a lower state of energy, releasing a photon along the way.Occasionally, however, the charge carriers meet and do not emit light, resulting in the so-called Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination. According to the researchers, the charge carriers are captured at defects in the lattice where they combine, but without emitting light.The defects identified involve complexes of gallium vacancies with oxygen and hydrogen. "These defects had been previously observed in nitride semiconductors, but until now, their detrimental effects were not understood," explained lead author Cyrus Dreyer, who performed many of the calculations on the paper."It was the combination of the intuition that we have developed over many years of studying point defects with these new theoretical capabilities that enabled this breakthrough," said Van de Walle, who credits co-author Audrius Alkauskas with the development of a theoretical formalism necessary to calculate the rate at which defects capture electrons and holes.The method lends itself to future work identifying other defects and mechanisms by which SRH recombination occurs, said Van de Walle."These gallium vacancy complexes are surely not the only defects that are detrimental," he said. "Now that we have the methodology in place, we are actively investigating other potential defects to assess their impact on nonradiative recombination."Reference:KY59-LM324MMKY59- LM2710KY59- LM3080 

For the first time, researchers have created light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on lightweight flexible metal foil.Engineers at The Ohio State University are developing the foil based LEDs for portable ultraviolet (UV) lights that soldiers and others can use to purify drinking water and sterilize medical equipment.In the journal Applied Physics Letters, the researchers describe how they designed the LEDs to shine in the high-energy "deep" end of the UV spectrum. The university will license the technology to industry for further development.Deep UV light is already used by the military, humanitarian organizations and industry for applications ranging from detection of biological agents to curing plastics, explained Roberto Myers, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Ohio State.The problem is that conventional deep-UV lamps are too heavy to easily carry around."Right now, if you want to make deep ultraviolet light, you've got to use mercury lamps," said Myers, who is also an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Mercury is toxic and the lamps are bulky and electrically inefficient. LEDs, on the other hand, are really efficient, so if we could make UV LEDs that are safe and portable and cheap, we could make safe drinking water wherever we need it."He noted that other research groups have fabricated deep-UV LEDs at the laboratory scale, but only by using extremely pure, rigid single-crystal semiconductors as substrates—a strategy that imposes an enormous cost barrier for industry.Foil-based nanotechnology could enable large-scale production of a lighter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly deep-UV LED. But Myers and materials science doctoral student Brelon J. May hope that their technology will do something more: turn a niche research field known as nanophotonics into a viable industry."People always said that nanophotonics will never be commercially important, because you can't scale them up. Well, now we can. We can make a sheet of them if we want," Myers said. "That means we can consider nanophotonics for large-scale manufacturing."In part, this new development relies on a well-established semiconductor growth technique known as molecular beam epitaxy, in which vaporized elemental materials settle on a surface and self-organize into layers or nanostructures. The Ohio State researchers used this technique to grow a carpet of tightly packed aluminum gallium nitride wires on pieces of metal foil such as titanium and tantalum.The individual wires measure about 200 nanometers tall and about 20-50 nanometers in diameter—thousands of times narrower than a human hair and invisible to the naked eye.In laboratory tests, the nanowires grown on metal foils lit up nearly as brightly as those manufactured on the more expensive and less flexible single-crystal silicon.The researchers are working to make the nanowire LEDs even brighter, and will next try to grow the wires on foils made from more common metals, including steel and aluminum.Reference:KY59-LM324MMKY59- LM2710KY59- LM3080