Monday, April 13th 2009 at 16:57

LEDs work like butterflies


When scientists developed an efficient device for emitting light, they hadn't realised butterflies have been using the same method for 30 million years.

Fluorescent patches on the wings of African swallowtail butterflies work in a very similar way to high emission light emitting diodes (LEDs).

 Tuesday, March 24th 2009 at 20:51

LEDS Bright lights opportunities


The benefits of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are undisputed: They are lightweight, power efficient, and extremely durable. But LED technology is still a long way from ubiquity and these little lights can present some big design challenges for would-be users. Distributors are stepping in to fill the LED design gap.
Read the whole article:EDN News Information

 Monday, February 9th 2009 at 20:26

Photosynthesis and Solar Panels?

New research has recently been done by teams at Imperial College London and University College Dublin to greater understand the inner workings of photosynthesis in plants. Everyone knows that plants use sunlight to harness energy - but what can we take from this? By expanding our knowledge of nature's way of creating energy, and integrating it into useful applications such as solar energy panels, the future may hold solar cells with increased output. The field of bioelectronics continues to expand...

 Friday, January 30th 2009 at 14:17

Plasmonics

Plasmonics is an emerging field of study which aims to revamp the orthodox semiconductor circuit technologies. We are always excited about bespoke new research concerning electronics, and in this field we have found potential. Motivation for the idea stems from the convenience of an even faster method of transmission of data on chips. Plasmons travel at the speed of light and are created when light strikes a metal under exact situations. However, refinement of this complex technology is necessary and the harnessing of its full capabilities are currently underway.

 Sunday, January 18th 2009 at 14:53

Researchers claim 50% increase in solar-cell output

A team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology claims that sandwiching a solar cell between an antireflective coating on the front and a combination of reflective coatings and a diffraction grating on the back can increase the cell's output by as much as 50% for a 2-micron-thick cell.

Read the whole article:EDN

 Tuesday, January 13th 2009 at 15:35

Flexible Electronics

Engineers in Japan (where else!) are filling yet another gap in the world of electronics - tensile conductors. The idea was driven by the desire to have electronics incorporated into yet more aspects of living, for example even in our clothes. Now for that to be possible, wires need to be stretchy of course. The basic components are nanotubes of carbon, which provide the electron transmitting capabilities and a certian polymer, which provides the elastic properties. This new technology opens another door in the innovative world of electronics, where someday stretchy wires could replace the old inflexible motherboards, and find a new home entwined in our clothes.

 Sunday, December 28th 2008 at 11:21

Bioelectronics

Here at Kontotronics, we feel strongly about the up and coming research being done to integrate the two fields of biotechnology and electronics engineering. The formation of a new science, Bioelectronics, has come to our attention and we predict a surge in discoveries relating to this science. Examples of the technology primarily include medical applications (such as perpetual pacemakers etc.), but we are more excited about the nanocircuitry, and the future collaboration of biological and electrical systems.

 Sunday, December 28th 2008 at 10:16

Happy New Year!

Kontotronics wishes all of its customers a Happy New Year. Despite the current gloom and doom, Kontotronics encourages its clients to have a positive outlook and not miss the innovations of the coming year.

 Sunday, December 7th 2008 at 09:38

Flexible circuits

Developers are working on circuits that can be twisted allowing components to be used in places where flat, unbending electronics would fail, such as the human body. The research involved the development of a method to fabricate stretchable electronics, increasing existing stretching ranges by as much as 140%. Traditionally, electronic components have been flat and unbendable because silicon is so brittle.

Read the whole article: New Electronics

 Saturday, October 25th 2008 at 20:52

Miniature aluminium electrolytics

NIC Components has introduced a family of high performance miniature aluminium electrolytic capacitors. The NRB-XS series combines small form factors with extended load life and high ripple currents at high temperatures making them ideal for use in lighting ballast applications.

Read the whole article: Electronic specifier