WWW
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Thermoelectric generator on glass fabric for wearable electronic devices
Wearable computers or devices have been hailed as the next generation of mobile electronic gadgets, from smart watches to smart glasses to smart pacemakers. For electronics to be worn by a user, they must be light, flexible, and equipped with a power source, which could be a portable, long-lasting battery or no battery at all but a generator. How to supply power in a stable and reliable manner is one of the most critical issues to commercialize wearable devices.
A team of KAIST researchers headed by Byung Jin Cho, a professor of electrical engineering, proposed a solution to this problem by developing a glass fabric-based thermoelectric (TE) generator that is extremely light and flexible and produces electricity from the heat of the human body. In fact, it is so flexible that the allowable bending radius of the generator is as low as 20 mm. There are no changes in performance even if the generator bends upward and downward for up to 120 cycles.
To date, two types of TE generators have been developed based either on organic or inorganic materials. The organic-based TE generators use polymers that are highly flexible and compatible with human skin, ideal for wearable electronics. The polymers, however, have a low power output. Inorganic-based TE generators produce a high electrical energy, but they are heavy, rigid, and bulky.
Professor Cho came up with a new concept and design technique to build a flexible TE generator that minimizes thermal energy loss but maximizes power output. His team synthesized liquid-like pastes of n-type (Bi2Te3) and p-type (Sb2Te3) TE materials and printed them onto a glass fabric by applying a screen printing technique. The pastes permeated through the meshes of the fabric and formed films of TE materials in a range of thickness of several hundreds of microns. As a result, hundreds of TE material dots (in combination of n and p types) were printed and well arranged on a specific area of the glass fabric.
Professor Cho explained that his TE generator has a self-sustaining structure, eliminating thick external substrates (usually made of ceramic or alumina) that hold inorganic TE materials. These substrates have taken away a great portion of thermal energy, a serious setback which causes low output power.
He also commented,
"For our case, the glass fabric itself serves as the upper and lower substrates of a TE generator, keeping the inorganic TE materials in between. This is quite a revolutionary approach to design a generator. In so doing, we were able to significantly reduce the weight of our generator (~0.13g/cm2), which is an essential element for wearable electronics."
When using KAIST's TE generator (with a size of 10 cm x 10 cm) for a wearable wristband device, it will produce around 40 mW electric power based on the temperature difference of 31 °F between human skin and the surrounding air.
Professor Cho further described about the merits of the new generator:
"Our technology presents an easy and simple way of fabricating an extremely flexible, light, and high-performance TE generator. We expect that this technology will find further applications in scale-up systems such as automobiles, factories, aircrafts, and vessels where we see abundant thermal energy being wasted."
This research result was published online in the March 14th issue of Energy & Environmental Science and was entitled "Wearable Thermoelectric Generator Fabricated on Glass Fabric."
Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlN9lvEzCuw&feature=youtu.be
[Picture Captions]
Caption 1: The picture shows a high-performance wearable thermoelectric generator that is extremely flexible and light.
Caption 2: A thermoelectric generator developed as a wristband. The generator can be easily curved along with the shape of human body.
Caption 3: KAIST’s thermoelectric generator can be bent as many as 120 times, but it still shows the same high performance.
2014.04.21 View 22162 -
The 2014 World Wide Web Conference on April 7-11, 2014 in Seoul
Organized by KAIST, the global academic conference is open to the public, a great opportunity to meet the leaders of web science and information technology industry.
For registrations, please go to http://www2014.kr/registration.
The International World Wide Web Conference (WWW), the largest and the most prestigious annual gathering of experts in web science and engineering, is held from April 7-11, 2014 at COEX in Seoul, for the first time in Korea. This year marks the 23rd of the conference since its foundation in 1994.
Approximately 1,000 distinguished scholars, researchers, engineers, and senior representatives from the web industry and around the world joined the conference. Among them was Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the World Wide Web, who came to Seoul as a keynote speaker.
The Department of Computer Science and the Division of Web Science and Technology at KAIST have organized the WWW 2014.
For the details about the conference, please see the article below:
Korea Joongang Daily
April 8, 2014
World Wide Web Conference Makes Seoul Debut
http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2987569
2014.04.08 View 8016 -
Press release from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International): Eighty-five business schools extend their AACSB accreditation in business or accounting
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) released a news announcement on April 1, 2014, saying that 85 business schools around the world extended their AACSB accreditation in business or accounting. KAIST is one of the 85 schools which is renewing its business accreditation for another five years.
Founded in 1916, AACSB International is a global accrediting organization for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting. The release said, “AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than five percent of the world’s business schools. Today, there are 694 business schools in 45 countries and territories that have earned the accreditation.”
For the entirety of the release, please go to:
http://www.aacsb.edu/en/newsroom/2014/4/eighty-five-b-schools-extend-accreditation/
2014.04.02 View 7671 -
KAIST Holds 'Wearable Computer Contest'
Application for ‘2014 Wearable Computer Contest’ until May 23rd
KAIST is holding the 2014 Wearable Computer Contest (WCC) sponsored by Samsung Electronics in November and is currently receiving applications until May 23rd.
Wearable Computer is a device that can be worn on body or clothing, which allows users to be connected while on the move. It is currently receiving attention as the next generation of computer industry that will replace smart phones.
The Wearable Computer Contest will be held under the topic “Smart Fashion to Simple Life” and will be divided into a designated topic contest and an idea contest.
In the “designated topic contest,” each group will compete with their prototypes based on their own ideas about a wearable computer that combines IT and fashion. A total of 15 teams that enter the finals after a document review will be provided with USD 1,400 for a prototype production, Samsung's smart IT devices, and a systematic training program.
For the “idea contest,” competitors will present their ideas for a wearable computer in a poster format. The teams qualified to continue onto the finals will be given an opportunity to create and exhibit a life-sized model.
Chairman of the Wearable Computer Contest (WCC), Professor Hoejun Yoo from the KAIST Department of Electrical Engineering said, “Wearable Computer is the major future growth industry that will lead IT industry after smart phones. I hope WCC will help nurture the future professionals in the field of wearable computer industry.”
The applications for the Wearable Computer Contest can be found on the main website (http://www.ufcom.org) until May 23rd. Both undergraduate and graduate students can participate as a team for the “designated topic contest,” and there are no qualifications required for those who enter the “idea contest.”
Last year, a total of 104 teams from universities all around Korea has participated in the Wearable Computer Contest. The finalist, team 'Jump' from Chungnam University, received the Award of the Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Republic of Korea.
2014.03.28 View 12361 -
KAIST Top in the Nature Publishing Index 2013 Asia-Pacific
The Nature Publishing Index 2013 Asia-Pacific has been released today. The index is a supplement to Nature, which measures the output of research articles from nations and institutes published in the 18 Nature-branded primary research journals over the calendar year.
A press release from the Nature Publishing Group follows below:
South Korea regains scientific impetus
PRESS RELEASE FROM NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Embargoed until 03.00 KST on Thursday 27 March 2014
South Korea ranks fourth for scientific research output in the region, according to the Nature Publishing Index 2013 Asia-Pacific released today.
In 2013, the nation significantly increased its NPI output following a slight drop in 2012.
Named a possible ‘one to watch’ by the supplement editors, with high levels of investment in science and technology announced by both government and private enterprise, its NPI output is growing faster than China’s.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has risen two places to take top spot above Seoul National University, which has retained second place. Pohang University of Science and Technology has leapt from eighth to third, with a more-than-threefold increase in corrected count, adjusted for the proportional contribution of collaborative institutions.
Last year’s number one, Yonsei University, could not maintain its exceptional 2012 NPI output and has dropped to seventh spot.
It is now just above a newcomer, the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), funded as part of the government’s increased investment in basic science. IBS plans to open 50 research centres by 2017 and will no doubt provide increasing contributions in the next few years.
To see the latest results for the region, and the Nature Publishing Index Global Top 100, visit the Index website at
www.natureasia.com/en/publishing-index.
The data posted on the website is updated every week with a moving window of 12 months of data.
2014.03.27 View 8294 -
Professor Sang-Ouk Kim Publishes Review Article in the Journal of "Nature Materials"
Nature Materials, a
peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Nature Publishing Group, covers a
range of topics within materials science from materials engineering and
structural materials. The
journal invited Professor Sang-Ouk Kim of Materials Science and Engineering at
KAIST to contribute to the April issue of 2014. Professor Kim,
together with his doctoral student, Ju-Young Kim, wrote a review article in the
“News and Views” section of the journal, which was entitled “Liquid Crystals:
Electric Fields Line Up Graphene Oxide.” The
News and Views is a peer-reviewed section where an academic authority in a particular
field reviews and evaluates papers published in the journal. In
the article, Professor Kim reviewed a paper written by Jang-Kun Song et al. and
highlighted important research outcomes such as the efficient electric field switching
of graphene oxide (GO) liquid-crystals in low-concentration dispersions and the
demonstration of a prototype of a GO liquid-crystal display. This technology
could lead the development of a flexible display. Professor
Kim is an eminent scholar who has reported for the first time in the world on
the solvent-based graphene oxide liquid crystals formation in 2011. For the article, please go to: http://www.kaist.ac.kr/_prog/download.php?filename=Nature_Materials_Professor_Sang-Ouk_Kim_Apr_2014.pdf
2014.03.26 View 11554 -
Extreme Tech: Nanowire "impossible to replicate" fingerprints could eliminate fraud, counterfeit goods
Research done by Professor Hyun-Joon Song of Chemistry at KAIST on
anti-counterfeit, nanoscale fingerprints generated by randomly distributed
nanowires was introduced by Extreme Tech, an online global science and technology
news.
For the articles, please go to:
Extreme Tech, March 25, 2014Nanowire ‘impossible to replicate’ fingerprints could eliminate fraud, counterfeit goods
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/179131-nanowire-impossible-to-replicate-fingerprints-could-eliminate-fraud-counterfeit-goods
2014.03.26 View 10513 -
KAIST Artist Residency Program
KAIST is seeking for the fusion of science and art through its Artist Residency Program.
In August last year, KAIST has begun the program, supporting artists to work on their creativity, right on KAIST campus. The artists are provided with accommodation and an office for up to six months, along with USD 742 of stipend per month.
This program is arranged solely to support artists, encouraging them to interact with members of KAIST to pursue activities that will bring synergy of science and art. The Artists Residency Program will begin in late April this year for three months and can be extended up to six months.
For those who are interested in joining the Artist Residency Program or would like more details, please visit www.kaist.ac.kr or contact the KAIST Public Relations Office at +82-42-350-2297.
2014.03.25 View 5628 -
Box-shaped Pressure Vessel for LNG Developed by KAIST Research Team
Earlier today, Korean researchers successfully showcased the installation and operation of a box-shaped, high-pressure tank for the storage of liquefied natural gas in Pohang, Republic of Korea. The development was the first of its kind in the world. Pressure vessels have many applications and are widely used within the petrochemical, energy, and other industrial sectors where the transport and storage of many types of pressurized gases and fluids are essential. Pressure vessels must be designed, manufactured, installed, and operated strictly in accordance with the appropriate codes and standards since they can, in cases of leak or rupture, pose considerable health and safety hazards. Pressure vessels are normally designed in the form of a cylindrical or spherical tank. These shapes are, in principle, highly efficient in withstanding internal pressure, but rather inefficient in terms of space utilization. The tanks fit very poorly within a typically prismatic-shaped room. They cannot be packed closely together, so they do not efficiently utilize the overall space. Moreover, cylindrical or spherical tanks are not easily scalable to very large sizes because the wall thickness of the tank must increase proportionally to its overall radius. Therefore, a large pressure vessel unavoidably will have very thick walls, which are difficult and expensive to manufacture, requiring a great amount of thick-walled steel to be rolled, forged, and welded together. KAIST researchers, sponsored by POSCO, a multinational steel-making company based in Pohang, Republic of Korea, have taken a turnabout approach to construct a pressure vessel that is neither cylindrical nor spherical. Professors Pål G. Bergan and Daejun Chang and of Ocean Systems Engineering at KAIST developed a box-type, large size pressure vessel for the storage and transportation of liquids such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), or liquefied natural gas (LNG). The box-shaped pressure vessel has an internal, load-carrying lattice-type structure. The lattice pattern is modular in all three spatial directions, thereby effectively anchoring and balancing pressure forces on the external walls of the vessel. The modular lattice can easily be adapted to prescribed pressure levels as the overall volumetric dimensions are directly linked to the number of repetitive modules. A giant prismatic pressure vessel with a size of 20,000 m3 and a design pressure of 10 atmospheres (10 barg) can be built simply by scaling up a smaller size pressure vessel. It is interesting to note that the thickness of steel walls remains unchanged and that the weight of steel per unit storage volume goes down as the vessel size increases. Professor Chang explained the benefit of a prismatic or box-shaped pressure vessel.“If we use cylindrical pressure vessels to supply LNG fuel for a large container ship, for example, many fuel tanks will be needed. Those tanks will take up large and valuable space onboard because the cylinders have to be lined up. In our case, however, much less space is needed. The operation of a ship becomes simpler with one fuel tank rather than with many. Furthermore, our box-type pressure vessel can be designed with dimensions that precisely fit a ship. For a container ship, there may be room for a substantially higher number of containers to be loaded than when using cylindrical vessels. In a case study on a 13,000 TEU container ship, the value of the increased transport capacity tuned out USD 8.4 million for one year of operation for one ship.”The manufacturing cost of a pressure vessel has been reduced as well. Several types of special steel for cryogenic (low temperature) applications have been investigated in design and analysis studies, and this includes a new type of high-manganese steel that is being developed by POSCO. Regardless of materials, in any instance of large pressure vessels, the new lattice tank technology can offer significant savings of combined capital and operational costs. Professor Bergan was also upbeat regarding the impact of the KAIST technology innovation. “Our box-type pressure vessel represents ground-breaking research. This innovative technology will dramatically change the rules of the game for industry concerning production, transportation, and storage of fluids under high pressure and at low temperatures.”The showcased prismatic pressure vessel was a scale-down model with a volume size of 80 m3 and design pressure of 10 atmospheres. The vessel complies with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC), the international standard for the appropriateness of design, fabrication, and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels. It passed the 15 pressure testing in January 2014 and received an accreditation from the ASME BPVC (ASME U2 Stamp). KAIST’s prismatic pressure vessel will be presented and displayed at Gastech 2014, the largest global conference and exhibition in the natural gas, LNG, and hydrocarbons industry. This event will take place on March 24-27 at KINTEX in Ilsan, Republic of Korea. Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woJwc5zisxk&list=TLGOLcI7L6_YYTn0lImPqNyeppQWRXqUt5Picture 1: The prototype of a prismatic pressure vesselPicture 2: A lattice pattern that is lined inside a prismatic pressure tankPicture 3: Above is a container ship having a box-shaped pressure vessel as a fuel tank, and below are traditional cylindrical fuel tanks.
2014.03.25 View 15843 -
Forbes: KAIST Pioneers "Education 3.0"
Forbes, a
leading business magazine published bi-weekly in the US, wrote about KAIST’s
online education program, Education 3.0, in its recent article. For the
article, please go to the link below:
Forbes,
March 17, 2014
KAIST
Doesn’t Wait for Change in Korea, Pioneers “Education 3.0”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2014/03/17/kaist-doesnt-wait-for-change-in-korea-pioneers-education-3-0/
2014.03.19 View 7342 -
Science Daily: Nanostructured Capsules Could Bring About Paints and Electronic Displays That Never Fade
A collaborative research by Professor Shin-Hyun Kim of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, KAIST, and his student, Tae-Min Choi, on nano-structural colors with Harvard University was published by Science Daily on March 14, 2014.
For the article, please go to:
Science Daily,
March 14, 2014
Featured Research
"Brighter inks, without pigment: Nanostructured capsules could bring about paints and electronic displays that never fade"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140314164214.htm
2014.03.17 View 11244 -
The Korea Herald: Synthetic Biology Holds Key to Future
The Korea Herald
, a leading English newspaper in Korea, published an article on the production of gasoline by a metabolically engineered microorganism. For the article, please go to the link below:
The Korea Herald
March 14, 2014
"Synthetic biology holds key to future"
KAIST professor makes breakthrough in biorefining using E. coli’s metabolic process
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140314001343
2014.03.17 View 9155