Three-dimensional printing allows the creation of solid structures from a
digital computer file, potentially revolutionizing the economics of
manufacturing if objects can be printed remotely in the home or office.
The process involves layers of material being deposited on top of each
other in to create free-standing structures from the bottom up.
Blueprints from computer-aided design are sliced into cross-section for
print templates, allowing virtually created objects to be used as models
for “hard copies” made from plastics, metal alloys or other materials.
Electric Vehicle
Wireless technology can now deliver electric power to moving vehicles.
In next-generation electric cars, pick-up coil sets under the vehicle
floor receive power remotely via an electromagnetic field broadcast from
cables installed under the road. The current also charges an on board
battery used to power the vehicle when it is out of range. As
electricity is supplied externally, these vehicles need only a fifth of
the battery capacity of a standard electric car, and can achieve
transmission efficiencies of over 80%. Online electric vehicles are
currently undergoing road tests in Seoul, South Korea.
water purification
Water scarcity is a worsening ecological problem in many parts of the
world due to competing demands from agriculture, cities and other human
uses. Where freshwater systems are over-used or exhausted, desalination
from the sea offers near-unlimited water but a considerable use of
energy – mostly from fossil fuels – to drive evaporation or
reverse-osmosis systems. Emerging technologies offer the potential for
significantly higher energy efficiency in desalination or purification
of wastewater, potentially reducing energy consumption by 50% or more.
Techniques such as forward-osmosis can additionally improve efficiency
by utilizing low-grade heat from thermal power production or renewable
heat produced by solar-thermal geothermal installations
Remote sensing
The increasingly widespread use of sensors that allow often passive
responses to external stimulate will continue to change the way we
respond to the environment, particularly in the area of health. Examples
include sensors that continually monitor bodily function – such as
heart rate, blood oxygen and blood sugar levels – and, if necessary,
trigger a medical response such as insulin provision. Advances rely on
wireless communication between devices, low power-sensing technologies
and, sometimes, active energy harvesting. Other examples include
vehicle-to-vehicle sensing for improved safety on the road.
electronics and photovoltaic
Organic electronics – a type of printed electronics – is the use of
organic materials such as polymers to create electronic circuits and
devices. In contrast to traditional (silicon-based) semiconductors that
are fabricated with expensive photo lithographic techniques, organic
electronics can be printed using low-cost, scalable processes such as
ink jet printing, making them extremely cheap compared with traditional
electronics devices, both in terms of the cost per device and the
capital equipment required to produce them. While organic electronics
are currently unlikely to compete with silicon in terms of speed and
density, they have the potential to provide a significant edge in cost
and versatility. The cost implications of printed mass-produced solar
photovoltaic collectors, for example, could accelerate the transition to
renewable energy.
