Research Bits: March 28


Modeling how the nose smells The first 3D molecular-level picture of how an odor molecule binds to and activates an odorant receptor (OR) on olfactory cells in the nose may help us understanding and eventually be used to build a map of all the receptors. Scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF) used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), which UCSF developed, to take a moving picture of the wiggly r... » read more

How To Make The Charging Infrastructure For Electric Vehicles Smart


Renewable energies and the increasing emergence of electric vehicles are putting a strain on the electricity grid. The former are not constantly available, and the latter require additional energy while charging. This leads to the need for introducing a new, smart charging infrastructure to avoid instabilities at the grid level. This white paper explains what is involved in making a charging in... » read more

Week In Review: Auto, Security, Pervasive Computing


The great EV ramp EV-related developments are everywhere. California’s move to ban sales of new internal-combustion vehicles by 2035, and the U.S. government’s sweeping embrace of clean-energy, are in lockstep with recent moves by the auto industry and related supply chains, as well as cutting-edge research. One of the big breakthroughs is the ability to charge an EV in 10 minutes witho... » read more

Authenticating Batteries Before Rapid And Fast Charging


If asked, most consumers will complain about the battery life of their smartphone. In reality, this is more a charging issue since, with traditional charging solutions, even a couple of hours of charging can result in a minimal improvement in charge on some handsets. Smartphone manufacturers are differentiating their offering by providing fast or rapid charging solutions. However, this places t... » read more

Addressing the range anxiety of battery electric vehicles with charging en route


New academic paper from researchers at University of Florida and University of Kansas. Abstract "Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles due to benefits in improved fuel economy, lower operating cost, and reduced emission. BEVs use electric motors rather than fossil fuels for propulsion and typically s... » read more