Last week's news (Topic)

A lot of interesting things happened in the world of gadgets last week. In this review, our portal invites you to get acquainted with those that did not come into view for some reason. Let's talk about the ISS Internet update, a new type of battery developed by Indian scientists. We will also discuss the achievements of Canadian engineers who have managed to increase the efficiency of solar panels. In conclusion, let's talk about a drone with a high payload.

ISS got superfast internet

Through the efforts of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), work has been completed to update the Internet capabilities of the International Space Station (ISS). Thanks to this, the data transfer rate has increased several times. Now it is up to 600 Mbps, which is higher than the indicators of the users of our planet.

Scientists working in Earth's orbit need high-speed Internet in order to be able to transfer information about various kinds of research to ground-based centers and laboratories. In addition, this technology allows the transmission of signals from other missions operating in space.

In the course of the work carried out, specialists have updated most of the ground stations that receive signals from the Earth's orbit. The ISS itself was also not without an upgrade. They updated the processors, the essence of which is to transfer data. Now more than forty research missions operating at the station have access to high-speed internet.

Iron-ion battery created in India

A group of scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras carried out work to create an iron-ion battery. Iron chlorate is used as an electrolyte.

This type of battery is created by analogy with the lithium-ion batteries used today. However, low-carbon steel is used here as a material for the anode (it is also a reduction electrode). The oxidizing agent in the battery is the cathode, which is made of vanadium pentoxide.

So far, engineers have failed to achieve high performance from their invention. During one of the tests, they managed to bring the battery density to only 220 Wh / kg, while the lithium-ion counterpart shows 350 Wh / kg. The number of charge-discharge cycles of the novelty does not rise more than 150.

Despite this, physicists claim that this type of power supply can increase the capacity of batteries and reduce the cost of such products. So far, these are only theoretical calculations that have to be confirmed in practice.

Another advantage of iron-ion batteries is their ability to prevent the formation of dendrites. These are substances that contribute to the occurrence of short circuits and fires in lithium-ion batteries. Therefore, if a new type of elements is successfully implemented, their security will be at a higher level.

A neural network was created in Canada to increase the efficiency of solar panels

Experts from the University of Waterloo, located in Canada, have created a neural network that can improve the efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels. It reduces the amount of energy under heavy loads to avoid wasted energy.

According to one of the researchers, an algorithm was created that increases the amount of energy coming from each panel. The hardware stuffing of each panel has its own nominal efficiency, but to increase it, a controller is needed to help get maximum power. Nothing new has been introduced in the field of electrical circuits or electronics. Scientists have changed the way they manage their equipment.

In the course of the experiments, it was found that 12 modules, each of which has a power of 335 W, can save their owner about 140 kWh per year. This is in the case of introducing a new development. For one user, this is not a lot, but on the scale of the complex it will turn out noticeably.

There is a solar station Sarnia in Canada. If you use a new algorithm in its operation, then you can get an additional 960,000 kWh / year of electricity. This is enough for the annual needs of several hundred households.

An American company has developed a drone capable of lifting a significant weight

Elroy Air has produced the Chaparral unmanned aerial vehicle. The developers claim that it is capable of lifting up to 225 kg of cargo.

Outwardly, the product resembles a passenger liner. Along its fuselage, there are two beams, on which three propellers are installed for vertical take-off and landing. A pushing propeller was placed in its tail, providing movement in the horizontal plane.

With a mass of 551 kg, this drone can fly a distance of 500 km.

A video appeared on the network, which captured the moment of testing. The drone is operated by an operator who controls all processes. The device first starts the engines, then rises to a height of three meters. He stayed in the air for about a minute, after which he landed safely.

In the course of further tests, the company plans to demonstrate the ability of the product to build a route and lift a load of the specified mass. Its release is scheduled for 2020.

The Topic of Article: Last week's news.
Author: Jake Pinkman