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Engineering

Latest Innovations
3D Multi-stack Nanowire and Nanosheet High Electron Mobility Transistors via Ultra-Wide Bandgap (UWBG) Materials Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a three-dimensional high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) architecture that utilizes ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG)... Read More Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a three-dimensional high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) architecture that utilizes ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) materials. These structures and devices can be used for high-power, high-frequency applications, where they can confer an order of magnitude higher performance than wide bandgap (WBG) devices, including simultaneously achieving 10x higher power density while operating at frequencies as high as 120 GHz.
A Low-Cost Multi-Camera Star Tracker for Small Satellites Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed an accurate, low-cost star tracker system for deployment in small satellites. The system combines multiple low-... Read More Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed an accurate, low-cost star tracker system for deployment in small satellites. The system combines multiple low-cost image sensors with proprietary software to achieve superior performance from a simple, lightweight star tracking solution. With its easy implementation and component costs at just hundreds of dollars, this device can dramatically increase the accessibility of quality attitude determination for CubeSat, NanoSat, and other missions. The star tracker may also be adapted as a positioning system for select terrestrial vehicles that would benefit from greater security and reliability than conventional GPS. Benefit A cheaper, and more compact method to make star trackers for satellites. Easier to make than current methods which makes the tracker more broadly applicable for different satellites. Market Application Best used for CubeSats which have difficulties determining their orientation
DiAG A new processor architecture that increases speedup and decreases energy consumption Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a processor architecture that allows for greater efficiency in computing power and energy... Read More Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a processor architecture that allows for greater efficiency in computing power and energy consumption. The architecture exploits parallelism through thread pipelining and an out-of-order loop system. This process is possible by utilizing more processing elements in the system. This method does create extra cost and is essentially a cost for efficiency trade-off. The system can be used in a variety of embedded systems such as CPUs and GPUs. The decrease in energy consumption can also be applied to servers and other large processing units that consumer a lot of energy and in the process and lot of heat.
Computational Single Photon Counting for Fast Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy Dr. Stephen Boppart and his research group have developed a novel way to time-tag and count photons for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) in real-time at a... Read More Dr. Stephen Boppart and his research group have developed a novel way to time-tag and count photons for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) in real-time at a rate of 160 Mega-counts-per-second, double what the best commercial system can do. The invention utilizes an accurate synchronization, fast detection with an analog PMT, high-bandwidth transimpedance amplifier, fast digitizer, and a GPU-accelerated photon-counting algorithm.
Nanoscale Infrared Absorption Tomography A nanoscale infrared absorption tomography method. using AFM-IR measurements that contain infrared absorption signal in two spatial dimensions and a third pulsing... Read More A nanoscale infrared absorption tomography method. using AFM-IR measurements that contain infrared absorption signal in two spatial dimensions and a third pulsing frequency dimension which is used to recover the depth. This invention will enable a number of applications such as mapping molecular information of whole cells and tissues, mapping structure of self-assembled polymer blends and composites as well as defect mapping in electronics and crystals.
Direct Printing of Ultra-Stretchable Supercapacitors A promising direct printing method that combines new materials for hybrid, ultra-stretchable supercapacitors. Supercapacitors can quickly discharge making them ideal for... Read More A promising direct printing method that combines new materials for hybrid, ultra-stretchable supercapacitors. Supercapacitors can quickly discharge making them ideal for applications such as electric vehicles, ships and trains. These novel materials are lighter weight and have the potential perform better than current supercapacitor technology. These combination of materials can be fabricated in a wide array of shapes and sizes, including thin films and fibers; increasing their electrochemical and mechanical properties such as better electrical conductivity, capacity and durability.
Simultaneous Imaging of Polarized and Visible Light Using a Single Chip Capturing polarized and visible light simultaneously is usually achieved by either rotating filters that reduce frame rate and need a static image or using an array of... Read More Capturing polarized and visible light simultaneously is usually achieved by either rotating filters that reduce frame rate and need a static image or using an array of sensors that must be aligned and can be bulkily and expensive. These issues are solved by Dr. Viktor Gruev's invention of a single chip that can detect both kinds of light simultaneously with high resolution and in real time. This sensor can detect 12 bands of visible light and 3 bands of polarized light. Because data is gathered in real time and does not require rotating filters, this sensor has applications in military surveillance, particularly in hazy conditions such as fog or underwater where polarized imaging can reduce background scattering information. Additionally, this sensor can be used in image-guided surgery, such as tumor removal used in combination with injected dyes that bind to cancerous cells that respond to different kinds of light.
Flow Channel Design for Optimal Performance Kyle Smith has improved current flow channel designs by integrating the flow channel inside of the electrode. This enables his design to improve current electrode... Read More Kyle Smith has improved current flow channel designs by integrating the flow channel inside of the electrode. This enables his design to improve current electrode performance by a factor of 1000. Furthermore, Dr. Smith has improved the shape and arrangement of his flow channels by arranging them in a hierarchical fashion and creating a cube-root shape. This results in an optimized and improved flow channel that makes the electrodes much more permeable than current designs. Effectively, these electrodes can now have a flow with very low amounts of pressure required.
CO2 Capture and Mineralization Using a Battery-based Alkaline Electrochemical Cycle Dr. Kyle Smith and his research group have developed a battery-based alkaline electrochemical cycle that can capture CO2 under concentrated and atmospheric conditions and... Read More Dr. Kyle Smith and his research group have developed a battery-based alkaline electrochemical cycle that can capture CO2 under concentrated and atmospheric conditions and mineralizing it. This invention has a CO2 capturing efficiency of rates up to 1000 times greater than other similar electrochemical cycling methods. Indeed, a prior test found that using the new approach developed by Dr. Smith, up to 2 mol- CO2 /L were absorbed, while under the traditional approach only 2 μmol- CO2 /L were absorbed. This invention can be applied toward the capture and storage of CO2 from flue gas and also applied towards the capture of CO2 under atmospheric conditions.
Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting Device An energy harvester and displacement transfer system that converts mechanical energy from vehicles passing over system to electrical energy, using a rack-and-pinion... Read More An energy harvester and displacement transfer system that converts mechanical energy from vehicles passing over system to electrical energy, using a rack-and-pinion mechanism and displacement plate. The system harnesses energy at highway speeds. The size of the system is relatively small to ensure its embedment within 4 inches (two asphalt lifts). Hence, it can be integrated in a pavement with minimal modifications. Benefits Allows energy harvesting from high-speed driving Minimizes the necessary construction and modification to the existing pavement Market Application Energy production to power roadside infrastructure Highway/road construction

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