scholarly journals Emerging Zero-Standby Solutions for Miscellaneous Electric Loads and the Internet of Things

Electronics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Gerber ◽  
Alan Meier ◽  
Richard Liou ◽  
Robert Hosbach

Despite technical advances in efficiency, devices in standby continue to consume up to 16% of residential electricity. Finding practical, cost-effective reductions is difficult. While the per-unit power consumption has fallen, the number of units continuously drawing power continues to grow. This work reviews a family of technologies that can eliminate standby consumption in many types of electrical plug loads. It also investigates several solutions in detail and develops prototypes. First, burst mode and sleep transistors are established as building blocks for zero-standby solutions. This work then studies the application of two types of wake-up signals. The first is from an optical transmission, and is applicable to remote-controlled devices with a line-of-sight activation, such as set-top boxes, ceiling fans, and motorized curtains. The second is from a wake-up radio, and is applicable to any wireless products. No single technology will address all standby power situations; however, these emerging solutions appear to have broad applicability to save standby energy in miscellaneous plug loads.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitesh Agarwal ◽  
Bernat Terrés ◽  
Lorenzo Orsini ◽  
Alberto Montanaro ◽  
Vito Sorianello ◽  
...  

AbstractElectro-absorption (EA) waveguide-coupled modulators are essential building blocks for on-chip optical communications. Compared to state-of-the-art silicon (Si) devices, graphene-based EA modulators promise smaller footprints, larger temperature stability, cost-effective integration and high speeds. However, combining high speed and large modulation efficiencies in a single graphene-based device has remained elusive so far. In this work, we overcome this fundamental trade-off by demonstrating the 2D-3D dielectric integration in a high-quality encapsulated graphene device. We integrated hafnium oxide (HfO2) and two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) within the insulating section of a double-layer (DL) graphene EA modulator. This combination of materials allows for a high-quality modulator device with high performances: a ~39 GHz bandwidth (BW) with a three-fold increase in modulation efficiency compared to previously reported high-speed modulators. This 2D-3D dielectric integration paves the way to a plethora of electronic and opto-electronic devices with enhanced performance and stability, while expanding the freedom for new device designs.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huisheng Peng ◽  
Xiang Shi ◽  
Yong Zuo ◽  
Peng Zhai ◽  
Jiahao Shen ◽  
...  

Abstract Displays are basic building blocks of modern electronics1,2. Integrating displays into textiles offers exciting opportunities for smart electronic textiles – the ultimate form of wearables poised to change the way we interact with electronic devices3-6. Display textiles serve to bridge human-machine interactions7-9, offering for instance, a real-time communication tool for individuals with voice or speech disorders. Electronic textiles capable of communicating10, sensing11,12 and supplying electricity13,14 have been reported previously. However, textiles with functional, large-area displays have not been achieved so far because obtaining small illuminating units that are both durable and easy to assemble over a wide area is challenging. Here, we report a 6 m (L) * 25 cm (W) display textile containing 500000 electroluminescent (EL) units narrowly spaced to ~800 μm. Weaving conductive weft and luminescent warp fibres forms micron-scale EL units at the weft-warp contact points. Brightness between EL units deviates by < 6.3% and remains stable even when the textile is bent, stretched or pressed. We attribute this uniform and stable lighting to the smooth luminescent coating around the warp fibres and homogenous electric field distribution at the contact points. Our display textile is flexible and breathable and withstands repeatable machine-washing, making them suitable for practical applications. We show an integrated textile system consisting of display, keyboard and power supply can serve as a communication tool, which could potentially drive the Internet of Things in various areas including healthcare. Our approach unifies the fabrication and function of electronic devices with textiles, and we expect weaving fibre materials to shape the next-generation electronics.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcin Cybulski ◽  
Adam Formela ◽  
Katarzyna Sidoryk ◽  
Olga Michalak ◽  
Anna Rosa ◽  
...  

One of the anthraquinone classes comprises compounds with a carbonyl group. These natural or synthetic anthraquinones find their application as building blocks in the synthesis of the compounds with a biological activity. Recently, 4-substituted anthra-9,10-quinone-1-carboxylic acids (2) have been used as key intermediates in the synthesis of patented compounds (3) with anticancer activity against multidrug resistant cell lines. Although 2,7-dihydro-3H-dibenz[de,h]cinnolin-3,7-diones (3) were successfully synthetized in a small laboratory scale, several problems were observed during the preparation of their acid intermediates (2) in a multi-gram scale. The known methods for the preparation of 2 are based on the oxidation of the methyl group in anthra-9,10-quinones (1). The most common are: the oxidation with the diluted nitric acid under high pressure in a sealed tube at the temperature of 195-220 oC, the oxidation in nitrobenzene by passing chlorine gas through the reaction mixture at the temperature of 160-170 oC or in a presence of the fuming sulphuric acid. The mentioned methods require aggressive reagents and specific reaction conditions including high pressure and temperature. Thus, there was a need to find a new efficient, cost-effective and reproducible synthetic method of preparation of 2. While searching literature it was found that the direct oxidation of alkylarenes mediated by the sodium periodate/lithium bromide combination produces benzyl acetates throughout benzyl bromides in the acetic acid, or benzylic acids in the diluted inorganic acid. Based on these results we examined a variety of reaction conditions with or without the bromine source and the oxidizing anion. As a result, a novel procedure for the preparation of highly pure 4-substituted anthra-9,10-quinone-1-carboxylic acids (HPLC > 99.5%) using oxidizing anion/ brominating reagent system was developed. It enabled 2 isolation by the simple filtration of the reaction mixture and was applied in the scale-up of 2,7-dihydro-3H-dibenz[de,h]cinnolin-3,7-dione derivatives.


Author(s):  
Hwa Lee

With the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the past two decades have seen a proliferation of Assistive Technology (AT) and its enabling impact on the lives of people with disabilities in the areas of accessing information, communication, and daily living activities. Due to recent emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), the fields of rehabilitation, healthcare, and education are challenged to incorporate the IoT applications into current AT services. While IoT applications continue to be developed and integrated into AT, they are still at a primitive stage where clear guidelines are yet to be developed and benefits are yet to be substantiated to ensure the quality of lives of people with disabilities. This chapter provides an overview of the IoT and AT integrated applications based on the building blocks of the IoT, along with recent trends and issues relevant to accessing technology for people with disabilities.


Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akula ◽  
Kwon

In addition to our previous efforts toward bioenzymatic and chemical transformations of ricinoleic acid and oleic acid to their corresponding ,-dicarboxylic acids via their ester intermediates driven in Escherichia coli cells, several efficient oxidation conditions were investigated and optimized for the conversion of -hydroxycarboxylic acids to ,-dicarboxylic acids. Pd/C-catalyzed oxidation using NaBH4 in a basic aqueous alcohol and Ni(II) salt-catalyzed oxidation using aqueous sodium hypochlorite were considered to be excellent as a hybrid reaction for three successive chemical reactions (hydrogenation, hydrolysis, and oxidation) and an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and practical approach, respectively. Omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids and -aminocarboxylic acid were also easily prepared as useful building blocks for plastics or bioactive compounds from the bioenzymatically driven ester intermediate. The scope of the developed synthetic methods can be utilized for large-scale synthesis and various derivatizations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 39-49
Author(s):  
Sarah Goswami ◽  
Vicki Lane

Increasingly, government departments are being held accountable for investment in public services. In Queensland the Financial Accountability Act 2009 (Queensland Treasury, 2016) requires that accountable officers and statutory bodies ‘achieve reasonable value for money by ensuring the operations of the department or statutory body are carried out efficiently, effectively and economically’ (Section 61). Whilst there is a directive for agencies to evaluate and demonstrate value for money, it has in practice been difficult to embed long term, as many systems and decision makers have neglected the role of organisation-wide evaluation capital. This paper will outline the work being undertaken in the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) to implement an Impact and Investment Framework, which will support and embed evaluation in a multidisciplinary setting. A central tenant of this framework is ‘business empowerment and learning'—building the evaluation culture in the organisation by first establishing evaluation building blocks, through business empowerment, support and utility. The framework is comprised of five key elements and is built on the principles of evaluation and evaluation capacity building disciplines. It has been designed to be low-cost, effective and efficient, whilst enabling business improvement, meeting accountability needs and allowing the department to demonstrate the value of its work.


Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 499 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Isabel Igeño ◽  
Daniel Macias ◽  
Rafael Blasco

Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes CECT 5344 is a bacterium able to assimilate cyanide as a nitrogen source at alkaline pH. Genome sequencing of this strain allowed the detection of genes related to the utilization of furfurals as a carbon and energy source. Furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural (HMF) are byproducts of sugars production during the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Since they inhibit the yeast fermentation to obtain bioethanol from sugars, the biodegradation of these compounds has attracted certain scientific interest. P. pseudoalcaligenes was able to use furfuryl alcohol, furfural and furoic acid as carbon sources, but after a lag period of several days. Once adapted, the evolved strain (R1D) did not show any more prolonged lag phases. The transcriptomic analysis (RNA-seq) of R1D revealed a non-conservative punctual mutation (L261R) in BN5_2307, a member of the AraC family of activators, modifying the charge of the HTH region of the protein. The inactivation of the mutated gene in the evolved strain by double recombination reverted to the original phenotype. Although the bacterium did not assimilate HMF, it transformed it into value-added building blocks for the chemical industry. These results could be used to improve the production of cost-effective second-generation biofuels from agricultural wastes.


Holzforschung ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geertje Dautzenberg ◽  
Mirko Gerhardt ◽  
Birgit Kamm

Abstract The demand for biomass-derived fuels and fuel additives, particularly in the transportation sector, has stimulated intense research efforts in the chemistry of levulinic acid and levulinic acid secondary products over the past decade. Additionally, recent technological progress in lignocellulosic feedstock (LCF) chemistry has also increased attention in this regard. As a result, several oxygenating fuel additives with potential applications in both gasoline and diesel fuels have been identified. Some of the chemicals, such as ethyl valerate, appear to be viable alternatives to the currently used branched, short-chain ethers that are derived from side products of petrol refining. Cost-effective applications of lignocellulosic biomass are a crucial aspect of its feasibility. In consideration of the LCF biorefinery concept, the feasibility must also include the chemical pulping of LCF and the comprehensive utilisation of its main constituents cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. The present study focuses on cellulose and hemicelluloses as viable sources for the production of biofuels and biofuel additives. Multifunctional catalysis, including hydrogenation and acid catalysis are the primary instruments used for the conversion of the monomeric carbohydrate building blocks, i.e., mainly C5 sugars, such as xylose and arabinose, and C6 sugars in the form of glucose and their respective secondary products, furfural and levulinic acid. Lignin utilisation is not addressed in this paper.


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