Bug-powered Robots and Carbon Fibre Cars

Engineering News from the Japanese Science and Innovation Section

A cockroach

News Headlines: Engineering

Disaster robot powered by body fluid from insects

A research team from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology has developed a bio fuel cell operated by body fluid extracted from insects such as cockroaches. Power is generated by resolving sugar contents from the fluid. Based on this technology, the team aims to create a robot for use in disaster areas by loading a camera or sensor powered by the bio fuel cell onto an insect. Some types of cockroaches can survive more than a year while body fluid is being extracted even under severe conditions so they are chosen as the best fuel source for the robot. (19 September 2011, Nikkei Shimbun)

Electric vehicle made of carbon fibre

Toray has announced the production of a prototype EV using carbon fibre for the main body structure. Although the cost is higher compared to steel-made EVs, the car is 40% lighter and 2.5 times better in absorption performance, achieving longer distances per charge and good resilience in the event of collision. The car was manufactured in collaboration with a UK company. (10 September 2011, Nikkei Shimbun)

Development of new materials to surpass rare earths

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will invest several billions of yen for 10 years to develop new materials to replace and surpass rare earths. The research will be carried out under government-industry –academia collaboration at four research institutes that will be newly established for this project in 2012. The target research areas will be magnetic materials, catalyst and battery materials, structural materials and electronic materials. (5 September 2011, Nihon Keizai Shimbun)

World’s highest magnetic field from super conductivity material

The National Institute for Materials Science has developed a magnet generating a field at 24 tesla, the highest level in the world. The magnet is wound round with a copper-oxide superconductor that is fabricated in the form of a wire rod. The research team aims to develop a nuclear magnetic resonator (NMR) by adapting the copper-oxide base magnet that should be smaller and more easily cooled than previous types. (8 September 2011, Nikkei Shimbun)

Published: 02 Nov 2011

Institution:

Contact details:

Asia Research News
Country: 
Journal:
News topics: 
Content type: 
Collaborator: 
Websites: 

http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-with-japan/science-innov... British Embassy Tokyo Science and Innovation Section