Numerous start-up companies are attempting to carve out a niche in the green car market. Unfortunately, they face huge obstacles, such as the global recession, low gas prices and the credit crunch, that will limit their ability to succeed.
Lithium-ion batteries are today’s hot technology in the auto industry, yet most of the products are made overseas. But, the domestic battery manufacturing infrastructure will be getting a big boost thanks to several new assembly plants.
Orthopedic device manufacturers have developed “gender knees,” which accommodate numerous shape differences between the average male and female knee, such as narrower shape and thinner density.
Knees are one of the most complex types of orthopedic implant to manufacture. Artificial knees must accommodate a range of motion up to 120 degrees, allowing them to naturally bend and rotate.
Medical engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have coated a titanium implant with a new biologically inspired material that enhances tissue healing, improves bone growth around the implant, and strengthens the attachment and integration of the implant to the bone.
For artificial implants to be successful, bone must meld to the metal that artificial hips, knees and shoulders are made of. A team of engineers at Brown University have discovered that bone cells are more apt to adhere to a rough carbon nanotube surface than other surfaces.
The number of hip and knee replacement surgeries performed in the United States has skyrocketed over the last decade. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), there will be a 101 percent increase in hip replacements and a 550 percent increase in knee replacements between now and 2030.
This automated coating system has two dispensers: a spray head for covering large areas quickly and an articulated needle valve for precision work. Components for automotive sound systems have to
The energy for the next generation of miniature electronic devices could come from tiny microbatteries about half the size of a human cell and built with viruses. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, Cambridge, MA) have developed a battery that could one day power a range of miniature devices, by stamping them onto a variety of surfaces.
After years of development in the research lab, thin-film batteries may finally be ready for widespread commercialization. The devices are appealing to many manufacturers because they feature customizable shapes, flexible form factors and ultra-low weight that enables new functionality to be added to a broad range of products.
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