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Technology Roundup
1
National Center of Industrial Biotechnology Inaugurated by President
President of Pakistan Inaugurated the National Center of Industrial Biotechnology at
the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University in Rawalpindi. The President said there
will be abundance in alternate renewable energy, education, medicines and agriculture sectors
in the days to come and we have to transform ourselves to fully utilize this abundance for
better and bright future of the country. The President visited different stalls that displayed
bio-technology and agriculture tools and products.
He urged the scientists and agriculture experts to take advantage from the latest
technology for uplift of agriculture sector to meet demands of the country. According to the
Vice Chancellor of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, curriculum of the
university is designed as per the needs of agriculture and industry and university has
implemented international standards to uplift the quality of education.
The industrial biotechnology is an organization or a center for research facility that
focuses on application of biotechnology and development techniques in industrial processes.
Such research centers can play key role in bridging the gap between the industry and
academia as well as modernization of both. At present, modern optimized agricultural
techniques and efficient irrigation methods are of utmost importance. In this regard, best
global agricultural practices and modern lab techniques in field of biotechnology can be
followed as an analogue.
Image credit and source:
https://www.radio.gov.pk/20-01-2023/president-calls-for-utilizing-
modern-research-based-technology-to-increase-agriculture-produce
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Technology Roundup
2
Pakistan and IAEA Accelerate Nuclear Cooperation to Address Climate, Food
and Health
The Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), met with the
country’s leadership including, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and visited various
nuclear facilities across the country, some of which he also inaugurated. Prime Minister
Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Director General IAEA spoke on the worsening effects of
climate change on Pakistan and how nuclear science and IAEA support is helping the
country.
During the flood in year 2022, The IAEA and Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations (FAO), in coordination and consultation with Pakistani authorities
developed an emergency support package to assist the country in applying nuclear science to
better understand the flood’s impact on soils, crops and the potential spread of animal and
zoonotic diseases. In a meeting with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, DG IAEA, Mr.
Grossi said opportunities for the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology in Pakistan
were plentiful, emphasizing how nuclear applications and IAEA initiatives are addressing
climate change and issues of access to cancer care.
Mr Grossi visited Chashma Nuclear Power Plant. Inaugurating the sites new spent
fuel dry storage facility, Mr Grossi highlighted the importance of managing spent fuel safely
and securely. Mr Grossi was welcomed at the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and
Technology (PINSTECH), an IAEA partner in work related to human health, nutrition and
water analysis. At PINSTECH, Mr Grossi inaugurated a dosimetry laboratory. Mr Grossi also
visited the Pakistan Centre of Excellence in Nuclear Security (PCENS), saying he was
impressed by the high standard of the facility and that he looked forward to further
collaboration. At the Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute in Islamabad,
Mr Grossi inaugurated Cyberknife, a new cancer treatment facility that he described as a
milestone for the country.
Image credit and source:
https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/pakistan-and-iaea-accelerate-
nuclear-cooperation-to-address-climate-food-and-health
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Technology Roundup
3
Pakistan Inaugurates 3
rd
Unit of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has inaugurated the third unit of the Karachi Nuclear
Power Plant (KANUPP), which has 1.1GW of power generating capacity. The nuclear
reactor will help the country cope with its ongoing energy crisis. The K-3 nuclear unit is
expected to ease Pakistan’s ongoing energy crisis.
With the commencement of commercial operations of K-3, the share of nuclear
energy in overall generation from all resources at national level has significantly increased to
over 9.1 percent. This share, which was 1.1 percent in 1990, has gradually and steadily
increased in later years to 7.1 percent in 2020, before achieving the present level.
These nuclear power plants, established with technical and economic support of
China, are owned and operated by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). In the
vicinity of KANUPP, construction work on two nuclear power reactors i.e., K-2 and K-3, was
started in August, 2015 and in May, 2016 respectively.
These units are based upon Chinese ACP1000 design that is a Generation-III version
of the PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) nuclear reactor technology. In this design, apart
from other features, safety is significantly enhanced by using passive safety systems (no need
of human action or input power for operation).
Image credit and source:
https://paec.gov.pk/NuclearPower/
https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/money-matters/941162-nuclear-power-generation
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Technology Roundup
4
IT Minister Inaugurates 2
nd
Digital School of Sindh in Hyderabad
Federal IT Minister Syed Amin Ul Haque inaugurated the second digital school of
Sindh in Hyderabad. Digital education is based on advanced methods backed by technology.
In the modern era, full of technology, digital education is a key to success. Pakistan education
sector is moving towards the digitalization drive. Initiatives are being taken to develop
modern digital schools in different cities of Pakistan.
In a recent inauguration ceremony of a digital school in Hyderabad, Federal IT
Minister Syed Amin Ul Haque said that the digital school is the first of its kind in Hyderabad
after Orangi Town’s school in Karachi and its network would be extended to other districts of
Sindh.
The digital school for girls up to primary and secondary was established in Orangi
Town previously with the support of the Sindh Education Foundation, while in Hyderabad
the digital school is being launched at the primary level where girls and boys will receive
education together.
The digital schools provide many facilities like interactive whiteboards, touch screens,
computers, projectors, access to online learning materials, E-books, video demonstration
based learning and internet availability. The smart classrooms equipped with these gadgets
help in an increased level of understanding on part of students.
Image credit:
https://www.phoneworld.com.pk/role-of-technology-in-transforming-digital-
education-for-pakistani-students/
Source:
https://propakistani.pk/2023/02/07/it-minister-inaugurates-2nd-digital-school-of-
/target006.png)
Technology Roundup
5
PEC Officially Opens Smart Classroom at UET Peshawar
The Chairman PEC, Engr. Muhammad Najeeb Haroon visited UET Peshawar. He
visited the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) where Dr. Gul Muhammad,
Project Director NCAI manifested the projects of NCAI including early warning system for
floods and earthquakes, safe city project and smart metering.
Chairman PEC inaugurated the Smart Classroom at Department of Industrial
Engineering, UET Peshawar during his visit.
MoU was also signed between the Center for Intelligent Systems Network and
Research (CISNR), NCAI UET Peshawar and PEC. Through this MoU, CISNR and NCAI
will offer six month trainings, hands on experience and skills to the fresh engineers. PEC will
pay Rs. 30,000 to each internee under its ‘On Job Training Program’.
Chairman PEC, Engr. M. Najeeb Haroon while addressing the audience said that
Pakistan is hit by economic Covid as well as Pandemic Covid, now, this opportunity be
grabbed to develop “made in Pakistan” brand products to overcome this economic crisis.
Image
credit:
https://kics.edu.pk/web/uet-lahore-and-weidong-china-launched-smart-
Source:
https://pakobserver.net/chairman-pec-visits-uet/
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Technology Roundup
6
Disaster Management Information System Launched in KPK
The “Disaster Management Information System” (DMIS) has been launched in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to ensure disaster management authorities have quick access
to accurate, actionable information and better handling of disasters with modern management
skills to significantly reduce losses to human lives and infrastructures.
This system was launched as a result of extensive collaboration and working between
the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Provincial Disaster Management
Authority (PDMA) KP.
Director General PDMA-KP, explained that the DMIS system is developed as per
geographic contextual needs and that it entails comprehensive modules on incident reporting,
relief management, monitoring of water levels in rivers, integration of weather updates with
the MET office, and camp management information.
The DMIS’s key innovation is the GIS component, which will allow PDMA to plot
all incidents on a map and generate a daily situation report. This information will support
relief organizations in the planning and implementation of humanitarian responses.”
Furthermore, the system can record public grievances, which are routed to the appropriate
district administration for resolution.
Image credit:
https://gnnhd.tv/news/15600/kp-disaster-management-authority-issues-flood-
Source:
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1056537/irc-pdma-launch-disaster-management-
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Technology Roundup
7
Project launched for Evaluation of Placer Gold Deposits in Attock, Punjab
The Punjab Mines and Minerals Department, in collaboration with the Geological
Survey of Pakistan, on Tuesday launched a project for possible evaluation of placer gold
deposits in the Indus River in District Attock. Additional Secretary, Mines and Minerals
department Punjab Captain (Retd) Waqas Rasheed along with officials of the Geological
Survey of Pakistan and Punjab Mines and Minerals department visited the site of the project
in River Indus at Attock Khurd.
Assessment project was being implemented with the help of drone technology,
geological survey, induced polarization and sampling. Through further drilling, sampling of
underground material would be done in the promising area as a result of the survey.
Punjab is rich in natural resources and there is an urgent need for search and
exploration. However, development and prosperity depend on the proper use of the resources
with wisdom and intelligence. Such projects can lead to the massive discoveries of the
economic minerals.
The evaluation project would be completed at a cost of Rs 48.2 million, a detailed
report of which would be completed by June 2023.
Image credit and source:
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/01/24/project-launched-
for-evaluation-of-placer-gold-deposits-in-indus-river/
/target009.png)
Technology Roundup
8
Forest Department to Convert Fog into Water in Punjab
The Punjab Forest Department is going to start work on a project to convert fog into
water in hilly, desert and other potential areas, in an effort to promote horticulture and get
drinking water in water-scarce areas.
The method of obtaining water from fog is called ‘fog collector’. For the last 30 years,
many countries had been working on it, and this experiment has been successful in various
countries including Malaysia, Chile, South America, Peru, Ghana, South Africa, California,
Morocco and Middle East. They are not only watering the plants but also getting drinking
water from fog collectors. Many countries were getting huge benefits from this method; but
this would be the first of its kind in Pakistan, to be started as a pilot project and around 100
saplings would be planted under this project.
This method is very successful in areas where the amount of water in fog is high,
particularly in hilly areas. The vapors in the air take the form of liquid water droplets and this
phenomenon is most observable on thin, flat, exposed objects, including plant leaves and
grass blades. Keeping this in mind, a mesh sheet (green net for plants) is installed in a vertical
pattern so that the air can pass through it, converting vapors into drops, which are channeled
into a filtration system, thus gathering clean water.
Image credit:
https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/blog-articles/743-update-report-year-one-
harvesting-water-isabela-galapagos
Source:
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1054592/forest-dept-working-on-converting-fog-into-water/
/target010.png)
Technology Roundup
9
Pakistan Railways Set to Launch RABTA App
Pakistan Railways signed an agreement with two Chinese companies for the launch of
Railway Automated Booking and Travel Assistance (RABTA) app. According to the
Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, the initiative is started at a mutual benefit
situation for Pakistan Railway.
The application will enable passengers to manage their journey right from their
homes. Through this app, the passengers would be able to buy tickets, select seats, and
manage food, taxi and hotel booking related matters.
According to the Minister of Railways, the app is not only planned to facilitate
passengers, but also to create record income for the Railways department. Through RABTA
app, the parcel booking and tracking facility will also be available for passengers.
The application is planned to enable the users to access the train operation
management system. The application development is a mutual benefit sharing project with
the two Chinese companies, M/S Easyway Company and M/s Norinco.
Image credit:
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/reforming-pakistan-railways/
Source:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2399834/railways-set-to-launch-rabta-app-with-chinese-
/target011.png)
Technology Roundup
10
Ministry of Industry Proposes Subsidized E-Bike Scheme
In a step towards reduction of costly fuel usage and protection of environment, the
ministry of Industries and Production has devised an Electric Bike Scheme under which the
ministry has proposed subsided and bank financing plans for promotion of usage of the Two
Wheelers (E-Bikes) in the country.
The ministry has planned to initially produce at least 100,000 E-Bikes in 18 months.
For running the new bikes on roads, the ministry has proposed a subsidy plan of Rs 17.5
billion in three years to encourage the purchase of comparatively costlier bikes.
As per the plan the government would bear down payment of Rs 90000 of an E-Bike
with estimated cost of Rs 170000 whereas the purchaser will pay Rs 10000 as share of down
payment making the total down payment to Rs 100000. The bank, which will provide a
commercial loan of Rs 70000, will charge interest of Kibor+2 or 19 percent which is
estimated to be Rs 13300.
Through the proposed scheme, a 24 monthly installment plan has also been given
under which the customer will be paying Rs 4310 per month which includes the principal
amount of Rs 2917, interest payment of Rs 1109 and insurance payment (2pc) of Rs 284.
Image credit and source:
https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/12/30/ministry-of-
industry-proposes-subsidised-e-bike-scheme/
/target012.png)
Technology Roundup
11
EDB Organizes Summit to Increase Export of Mobile Phones
Ministry of Industries and Production held mobile device manufacturing summit.
Engineering Development Board (EDB), the attached department of the ministry of industries
and production jointly organized mobile device manufacturing summit in collaboration with
Pakistan mobile phone manufacturers association. The summit accompanied with an
exhibition of technology and products by the members of association including Xiaomi,
Realmi, Infinix, Tecno, Itel, Alcatel, G-Five, Oppo, Vivo, Premier Code etc.
The event was attended by mobile device manufacturers, government officials from
the Ministry of Industries and Production, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the
Ministry of Commerce, the National Tariff Commission, the Board of Investment, the
Ministry of IT and Telecom, the Federal Board of Revenue, and academia.
The Mobile Device Manufacturing Policy, developed by EDB in 2020, aims to
promote local manufacturing of mobile devices in Pakistan and to provide an appealing
environment for investors to supplement the government of Pakistan’s “Made in Pakistan”
strategy. As a result of the policy, 31 companies have been established, producing nearly all
of the country’s well-known international mobile phone brands.
Image credit:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2398612/pmpma-and-edb-team-up-to-boost-the-
smartphone-industry-in-pakistan-1
Source:
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Technology Roundup
12
NTSOC Launched to Improve Cybersecurity in Pakistan
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has launched its National Telecom
Security Operations Center (NTSOC), a centralized platform for the management of
cybersecurity incidents in the telecom sector. The NTSOC is established under the Pakistan
National Cybersecurity Policy 2021 and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA 2016),
with the goal of securing Pakistan's critical telecom data and infrastructure against cyber-
attacks.
The NTSOC is the first ever sectoral Security Operations Center in Pakistan, after
issuance of Cyber Security Policy. It is comprised of three key components, Security Incident
and Event Management (SIEM), Threat Intelligence, and Security Orchestration and
Automated Response (SOAR) which have been indigenously customized to improve the
country's cybersecurity ranking.
The NTSOC will have integration with telecom operators’ SOCs and the national
Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), ensuring quick and effective incident
response. Six telecom operators have been integrated with the NTSOC, with the rest to follow
gradually. The project includes continuous enhancements in the provided solution to keep
pace with evolving cybersecurity threats.
Image credit and source:
https://www.pta.gov.pk/en/media-center/single-media/pta-launches-
ntsoc-to-strengthen-cybersecurity-in-pakistan-140223
/target014.png)
Technology Roundup
13
NUMS and PARC Ink DoU to Strengthen Academic and Scientific
Collaboration
National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) and Pakistan Agricultural Research
Council (PARC) signed a 5-year Document of Understanding (DoU) to strengthen their
scientific, technical and academic collaboration which would help advance promotion of
science and technology in the country. The DoU was inked by NUMS acting Vice Chancellor
and Pro VC (Acad), Maj Gen Saleem Ahmed Khan, HI (M), Retd. and Chairman PARC Dr.
Ghulam Muhammad Ali at a ceremony held at PARC head office Islamabad. NUMS
Registrar Brig. Muhammad Azhar Shams, TI (M), (Retd) and Dean Faculty Multidisciplinary
Studies Prof. Dr. Aisha Mohyuddin were present on the occasion.
Maj. Gen. Saleem Ahmed Khan (Retd) on the occasion, briefed PARC delegation on
NUMS’s contribution in healthcare and research while highlighting the areas of collaborative
research including phytochemistry, herbarium development, vaccine development and
nutraceuticals. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation between NUMS & PARC
to capitalize on each other’s strengths and expertise.
Under the DOU, both institutes agreed to exchange of expertise, scientific
information, research material, students and facilitate internships for research & academic
development. They agreed to define areas of collaboration of mutual interest to access
knowledge, data, libraries, classrooms, labs, fields, and other facilities at the institutions &
country-wide establishments of the two parties.
Image credit and source:
https://numspak.edu.pk/featuredevent-detail/nums-and-parc-inks-
document-of-understanding-to-strengthen-academic-and-scientific-collaboration
/target015.png)
Technology Roundup
14
Special Drones That can Land in Trees to Collect Environmental DNA
Researchers in Zurich have developed a special drone that can land in trees. The
drone’s underside collects environmental DNA for the determination of biodiversity. It is
now being trained for a challenging competition in the rainforests of Singapore.
Scientists have developed a special drone that can autonomously collect samples from
tree branches. According to a press release, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology Zurich (ETH) and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape
Research (WSL) in Birmensdorf in the canton of Zurich were involved.
The samples collected contain environmental DNA. From this, laboratory tests can
then determine the species in a particular area. This helps ecologists to gain more knowledge
about the biodiversity of regions that would otherwise be difficult to access.
According to the information provided, a special challenge for the robotics specialists
with regard to this was to program the drone so that it could land on branches with different
flexibilities and remain there for a certain amount of time.
Drone will be prepared and improved further for a competition in a rainforest region
spanning 100 hectares in Singapore. It will need to be able to fly to and collect samples from
ten times as many trees as it currently can in three days, but for the competition only one day
will be allowed.
Image credit and source:
https://www.s-ge.com/en/article/news/20231-robotics-drones-can-
land-trees#:~:text=Researchers%20in
/target016.png)
Technology Roundup
15
Ultra-Lightweight Sensor Systems in Drones to Monitor Volcanoes
Composition of gases emitted by volcanoes can provide information on the possibility
of imminent eruptions. Lightweight drones make investigation possible even in areas that are
difficult to access. The main gases released by volcanoes are water vapor, carbon dioxide,
and sulfur dioxide.
Analyzing these gases is one of the best ways of obtaining information on volcanic
systems and the magmatic processes that are underway. The ratio of carbon dioxide levels to
those of sulfur dioxide can even reveal the likelihood of an impending eruption. Drones are
employed to carry the necessary analytical systems to the site of activity.
A team headed by Professor Thorsten Hoffmann at Johannes Gutenberg University
Mainz (JGU) has recently been assessing the potential for using a small, portable observation
drone in remote regions.
This very compact drone system can even be conveyed on foot to sites that are
extremely difficult to access. In addition, it requires only minimal flight and administrative
preparations for operation as an aerial observation platform.
In collaboration with volcanologist Dr. Nicole Bobrowski of Heidelberg University
and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) in Catania, the Mainz-
based research team has been trialing a tiny commercial drone weighing less than 900 grams
equipped with miniaturized, lightweight sensors. This combination that weighs no more than
a bottle of mineral water could be transported easily to the scene in a backpack. I n particular,
the risk to volcanologists of being endangered by sudden changes in volcanic activity is
significantly reduced by the greater distances involved. Moreover, drones make it possible to
reach emission sources that are otherwise difficult or even impossible to access, such as
fumaroles in steep, slippery terrain or older parts of the plume that are typically located in
downwind areas and at higher altitudes.
Image credit and source:
https://press.uni-mainz.de/using-drones-to-monitor-volcanoes-
researchers-analyze-volcanic-gases-with-the-help-of-ultra-lightweight-sensor-systems/
/target017.png)
Technology Roundup
16
Vehicle Crash Prevention Technology learnt from Insects
Despite only about 25% of car travel happening after dark, almost half of fatal
accidents occur at night. Current systems to avoid accidents are often complicated, resource-
intensive or work poorly in the dark. But now, researchers have designed a simple, power-
saving collision detector inspired by the way insects avoid bumping into one another.
Numerous collision avoidance systems (CASs) are already included in vehicles, and
they can automatically brake when an object gets too close. Some operate by analyzing an
image of the space around the car, but in conditions like heavy rain or low light, the image
isn’t as clear. To make up for it, complicated signal processors are used to make sense of
what is still visible. Another method is to incorporate either radar or LiDAR (light detection
and ranging) sensors, but these are difficult to miniaturize and need a lot of power. But these
instruments can add unnecessary weight, energy requirements and complications, despite
making the vehicle safe.
But insects, including locusts and flies, can easily avoid collisions with each other
without relying on fancy software or LiDAR, even at night. Instead, they engage certain
obstacle-avoiding neural circuits, which are highly efficient and could inspire a next-
generation CAS.
First, the team designed an algorithm based on the neural circuitry insects use to avoid
an obstacle. Instead of processing an entire image, they only processed one variable: the
intensity of a car’s headlights. Without the need for an onboard camera or image sensor, the
detection and processing units were combined, making the overall detector smaller and more
energy efficient. The sensor was comprised of eight photosensitive “memtransistors”
constructed from a layer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), organized onto a circuit. It took
up only 40 µm2 and used only a few hundred picojoules of energy.
Image credit and source:
https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2023/january/preventing-
vehicle-crashes-by-learning-from-insects.html#:~:text
/target018.png)
Technology Roundup
17
A Molecule Sized Electric Motor
Electric vehicles, powered by macroscopic electric motors, are increasingly prevalent
on our streets and highways. These quiet and eco-friendly machines got their start nearly 200
years ago when physicists took the first tiny step to bring electric motors into the world. Now
a multidisciplinary team led by Northwestern University has made an electric motor that
can’t be seen with the naked eye, an electric motor on the molecular scale. This early work on
molecular sized motor has implications for material science and particularly medicine, where
the electric molecular motor could team up with biomolecular motors in the human body.
According to Fraser Stoddart, this elegant chemistry uses electrons to effectively drive
a molecular motor, much like a macroscopic motor. While this area of chemistry is in its
infancy, one day these tiny motors will make a huge difference in medicine. Only 2
nanometers wide, the molecular motor is the first to be produced. The motor is easy to make,
operates quickly and does not produce any waste products. The research team focused on a
certain type of molecule with interlocking rings known as catenanes held together by
powerful mechanical bonds, so the components could move freely relative to each other
without falling apart. The electric molecular motor specifically is based on a catenane whose
components, a loop interlocked with two identical rings are redox active, i.e. they undergo
unidirectional motion in response to changes in voltage potential.
Image
credit
and
source:
https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2023/01/now-on-the-
molecular-scale-electric-motors/
/target019.png)
Technology Roundup
18
Materials Capable of Purifying Water by Photo-thermal Effect
A team of researchers at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
(DGIST) developed an atypical porous polymer material that can completely remove
phenolic organic contaminants in water at ultra high speeds.
The porous material can efficiently remove not only microplastics in the water but
also very small-sized VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) based on photothermal effect. At
the same time, it is expected to be utilized as a high-efficiency adsorption material that can be
commercialized in the future as it has cost competitiveness based on raw materials and
enables solar-based water purification process.
Various water purification technologies and materials have been developed to solve
the water contamination problem. Carbon-based porous materials using existing adsorption
mechanisms have limitations in that the adsorption rate is slow and high thermal energy is
required for recycling.
The researchers succeeded in synthesizing a porous polymer with excellent adsorption
performance and photothermal properties by reacting an inexpensive and effective precursor.
Also, an additional oxidation reaction was experimented on the polymer, and based on the
results, a hydrophilic functional group was introduced to enable fast adsorption of micro-
pollutants in the aquatic environment. It was confirmed through experiments that the polymer
developed by the research team does not require high thermal energy for recycling and can be
used multiple times without loss of performance.
Image credit and source:
https://www.dgist.ac.kr/en/html/sub06/060202.html?mode=V&no=7277f6470fc8256a146316
/target020.png)
Technology Roundup
19
Creating 3D Objects with Sound
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the Heidelberg
University have created a new technology to assemble matter in 3D. Their concept uses
multiple acoustic holograms to generate pressure fields with which solid particles, gel beads
and even biological cells can be printed. These results pave the way for novel 3D cell culture
techniques with applications in biomedical engineering. Additive manufacturing or 3D
printing enables the fabrication of complex parts from functional or biological materials.
Conventional 3D printing can be a slow process, where objects are constructed one line or
one layer at a time.
Researchers in Heidelberg and Tübingen now demonstrate how to form a 3D object
from smaller building blocks in just a single step. They were able to assemble microparticles
into a 3D object within a single shot using shaped ultrasound. This can be very useful for
bioprinting. The cells used there are particularly sensitive to the environment during the
process.
The scientists believe that this technology is a promising platform for the formation of
cell cultures and tissues in 3D. The advantage of ultrasound is that it is gentle for using
biological cells and that it can travel deep into tissue. This way it can be used to remotely
manipulate and push cells without harm.
Image credit and source:
/target021.png)
Technology Roundup
20
Researchers Develop Elastic Material that is Impervious to Gases and Liquids
An international team of researchers has developed a technique that uses liquid metal
to create an elastic material that is impervious to both gases and liquids. Applications for the
material include use as packaging for high-value technologies that require protection from
gases, such as flexible batteries.
Basically, things that were good at keeping gases out tended to be hard and stiff. And
things that offered elasticity allowed gases to seep through. Scientists have come up with
something that offers the desired elasticity while keeping gases out. The new technique
makes use of a eutectic alloy of gallium and indium (EGaIn).
Eutectic means that the alloy has a melting point that is lower than its constituent
parts. In this case, the EGaIn is liquid at room temperature. The researchers created a thin
film of EGaIn, and encased it in an elastic polymer.
The interior surface of the polymer was studded with microscale glass beads, which
prevented the liquid film of EGaIn from pooling. The end result is essentially an elastic bag
or sheath lined with liquid metal, which does not allow gases or liquids in or out.
The researchers tested the effectiveness of the new material by assessing the extent to
which it allowed liquid contents to evaporate, as well as the extent to which it allowed
oxygen to leak out of a sealed container made of the material and found that there was no
measurable loss of either liquid or oxygen for the new material.
Image
credit
and
source:
https://news.ncsu.edu/2023/02/elastic-material-
/target022.png)
Technology Roundup
21
An Optical Tractor Beam That Pulls Macroscopic Objects
Expanding laser pulling beyond the microscopic scale could be useful for scientific
and space applications. Researchers have developed a way to use laser light to pull a
macroscopic object. Although microscopic optical tractor beams have been demonstrated
before, this is one of the first times that laser pulling has been used on larger objects.
Light contains both energy and momentum that can be used for various types of
optical manipulation such as levitation and rotation. Optical tweezers, for example, are
commonly used scientific instruments that use laser light to hold and manipulate tiny objects
such as atoms or cells. For the last ten years, scientists have been working on a new type of
optical manipulation, using laser light to create an optical tractor beam that could pull objects.
In previous studies, the light pulling force was too small to pull macroscopic objects.
In the new work, the researchers designed a special graphene-SiO2 composite structure
specifically for laser pulling. When irradiated with a laser, the structure creates a reversed
temperature difference, meaning that the side facing away from the laser gets hotter.
When objects made from the graphene-SiO2 composite structure are irradiated by a
laser beam, gas molecules on their back side receive more energy and push the object toward
the light source. Combining this, with the low air pressure of a rarified gas environment,
allowed the researchers to obtain a laser pulling force that was strong enough to move
macroscopic objects.
Image credit and source:
/target023.png)
Technology Roundup
22
Scientists Developed a New Method of Refrigeration
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
(Berkeley Lab) have applied basic concept of adding salt to ice for melting, to develop a new
method of heating and cooling called “Ionocaloric cooling”.
Ionocaloric cooling takes advantage of how energy, or heat, is stored or released when
a material changes phase, such as changing from solid ice to liquid water. Melting a material
absorbs heat from the surroundings, while solidifying it releases heat. The ionocaloric cycle
causes this phase and temperature change through the flow of ions (electrically charged
atoms or molecules) which come from a salt.
Researchers hope that the method could one day provide efficient heating and
cooling, which accounts for more than half of the energy used in homes, and help phase out
current “vapor compression” systems, which use gases with high global warming potential as
refrigerants. Ionocaloric refrigeration would eliminate the risk of such gases escaping into the
atmosphere by replacing them with solid and liquid components.
The new ionocaloric cycle joins several other kinds of “caloric” cooling in
development. The techniques use different methods, including magnetism, pressure,
stretching and electric fields to manipulate solid materials so that they absorb or release heat.
Image credit and source:
https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2023/01/03/cool-new-method-of-
refrigeration/#:~:text=Researchers
/target024.png)
Technology Roundup
23
Engineered Wood Grows Stronger While Trapping Carbon Dioxide
A new method by scientists from Rice University could lower both emissions and
building construction costs. Rice University scientists have designed a new method to
engineer wood for trapping carbon dioxide through a potentially scalable, energy-efficient
process making the material stronger for use in construction. Structural materials like steel or
cement come at a high cost and increased carbon dioxide emissions. Working to address both
issues at once, materials scientist Muhammad Rahman and collaborators found a way to
incorporate molecules of a carbon dioxide-trapping crystalline porous material into wood.
According to the lead author and researcher, Muhammad Rahman, engineered wood
did exhibit greater strength than normal, untreated wood. Wood is made up of three essential
components, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Lignin is what gives wood its color, so
when you take lignin out, the wood becomes colorless. Removing the lignin is a fairly simple
process that involves a two-step chemical treatment using environmentally benign
substances. After removing the lignin, we use bleach or hydrogen peroxide to remove the
hemicellulose.
Next, the delignified wood is soaked in a solution containing microparticles of
a metal-organic framework, or MOF, known as Calgary framework 20 (CALF-20). MOFs are
high-surface-area sorbent materials used for their ability to adsorb carbon dioxide molecules
into their pores. The MOF particles easily fit into the cellulose channels and get attached to
them through favorable surface interactions.
Image credit and source:
https://news.rice.edu/news/2023/engineered-wood-grows-stronger-
/target025.png)
Technology Roundup
24
A Road Capable of Melting Snow and Ice on Its Own
Slipping and sliding on snowy or icy roads is dangerous. Salt and sand help melt ice
or provide traction, but excessive use is bad for the environment. And sometimes, a surprise
storm can blow through before these materials can be applied. Now, researchers reporting
in ACS Omega have filled microcapsules with a chloride-free salt mixture that’s added into
asphalt before roads are paved, providing long-term snow melting capabilities in a real-world
test.
Researchers have incorporated salt-storage systems into “anti-icing asphalt” to
remove snow and prevent black ice from forming. However, these asphalt pavements use
corrosive chloride-based salts and only release snow-melting substances for a few years. The
researchers prepared a sodium acetate salt and combined it with a surfactant, silicon dioxide,
sodium bicarbonate and blast furnace slag which is a waste product from power plant
operations to produce a fine powder. They then coated the particles in the powder with a
polymer solution, forming tiny microcapsules. Next, the team replaced some of the mineral
filler in an asphalt mixture with the microcapsules.
In initial experiments, a pavement block made with the new additive lowered the
freezing point of water to -6 F. And the researchers estimated that a 5-cm-thick layer of the
anti-icing asphalt would be effective at melting snow for seven to eight years. A real-world
pilot test of the anti-icing asphalt on the off-ramp of a highway showed that it melted snow
that fell on the road, whereas traditional pavement required additional removal operations.
Image credit and source:
https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2023/february/keeping-
drivers-safe-with-a-road-that-can-melt-snow-ice-on-its-own.html
/target026.png)
Technology Roundup
25
A Switch Made from a Single Molecule
A special carbon molecule can function as multiple high-speed switches at once. For
the first time, an international team of researchers, including those from the University of
Tokyo’s Institute for Solid State Physics, has demonstrated a switch, analogous to a
transistor, made from a single molecule called fullerene.
By using a carefully tuned laser pulse, the researchers are able to use fullerene to
switch the path of an incoming electron in a predictable way. This switching process can be
three to six orders of magnitude faster than switches in microchips, depending on the laser
pulses used. Fullerene switches in a network could produce a computer beyond what is
possible with electronic transistors, and they could also lead to unprecedented levels of
resolution in microscopic imaging devices.
The fullerene molecule underlying the switch is related to the perhaps slightly more
famous carbon nanotube, though instead of a tube, fullerene is a sphere of carbon atoms.
When placed on a metal point, essentially the end of a pin, the fullerenes orientate a certain
way so they will direct electrons predictably.
In principle, as multiple ultrafast electron switches can be combined into a single
molecule, it would only take a small network of fullerene switches to perform computational
tasks potentially much faster than conventional microchips.
Image credit and source:
tokyo.ac.jp/focus/en/press/z0508_00282.html#:~:text=Fullerene%
/target027.png)
Technology Roundup
26
FORTHCOMING TECH EVENTS
PAKISTAN
International Conference on Integrated Flood Management under Changing Climate Scenario
March 1 – 3, 2023, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro
https://ifmcc.water.muet.edu.pk/
2
nd
International Industrial Chemistry Conference
March 3 – 4, 2023, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi
5
th
International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Industry
March 3 – 5, 2023, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar
International Conference on Renewable Energy and Advanced Materials (ICREAM 2023)
March 6 – 8, 2023, NCE in Physical Chemistry, University of Peshawar, Peshawar
http://www.uop.edu.pk/events/?q=722
2
nd
International Conference on Zoological Emerging Scientific Trends (ZEST-2023)
March 7 – 8, 2023, University of Education, Lahore
2
nd
International Conference on Energy, Power, Environment, Control, and Computing
(ICEPECC-2023)
March 8 – 9, 2023, University of Gujrat, Gujrat
https://uog.edu.pk/en/ICEPE2023/
Pre Conference Workshop on Understanding Challenges to Livestock of Pakistan
March 10
th
, 2023, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang
http://ichs2023.uvas.edu.pk/pre-conference-workshop/
3
rd
International Conference Sustainable Utilization of Natural Resources (SUN-R)
March 13 – 14, 2023, Rak Tahirkheli Auditorium, NCEG, University of Peshawar, Peshawar
http://www.uop.edu.pk/events/?q=721
Conference: Mathematics for EVERYONE
March 13 – 14, 2023, The Aga Khan University, Karachi
https://www.aku.edu/events/pages/event-detail.aspx?EventID=2245
International Conference on Health Security - ICHS
March 14 – 15, 2023, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore
2
nd
International Conference on Emerging Trends in Electronic and Telecommunication
Engineering, 2023 (INTERACT-2023)
March 15 – 16, 2023, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi
https://interact.neduet.edu.pk/
International Conference on Climate Change: Challenges and Responses
March 15 – 17, 2023, University of Central Punjab, Lahore
https://fhssconferences.ucp.edu.pk/#
1
st
International Conference on Soil Pollution and Remediation
March 15 – 16, 2023, Forman Christian College, Lahore
https://www.fccollege.edu.pk/icspr-2023/
6
th
International Conference on Energy Conservation and Efficiency (ICECE) 2023
March 15 – 16, 2023, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore
https://icece.kics.edu.pk/2023/
International Workshop on Laboratory Safety & Security Management in academic
laboratories
March 15 – 16, 2023, University of Sargodha, Sargodha
/target028.png)
Technology Roundup
27
1
st
International conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering Technology (ICCET)
March 16
th
, 2023, Mir Chakar Khan Rind University of Technology, Dera Ghazi Khan
https://www.mcut.edu.pk/introduction-iccet/
International Symposium 2023 on Bridging the Gap Between Foundational Education &
Health Sciences
March 17 – 18, 2023, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi
1
st
International Conference on New Trends in Civil Engineering
March 20 – 21, 2023, University of Central Punjab, Lahore
https://ucp.edu.pk/announcement/1st-international-conference-on-new-trends-in-civil-
engineering/
1
st
International Multidisciplinary Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering Technology
May 9, 2023, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technology & Skill Development,
Khairpur Mirs, Khairpur
INTERNATIONAL
International Conference on Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering
March 6 – 8, 2023, Rome, Italy
https://www.pagesconferences.com/2023/civil-environmental-engineering
History of UK Particle Accelerators
March 7
th
, 2023, Warrington , Oxforshire, UK
https://iop.eventsair.com/h-uk-pa-2023
2
nd
International Conference on Applied Physics and Engineering
March 15 – 17, 2023, Paris, France
https://appliedphysics.pulsusconference.com/
8
th
International Conference on Environmental Pollution, Treatment and Protection (ICEPTP
2023)
March 29 – 31, 2023, Lisbon, Portugal
8
th
International Conference on Geotechnical Research and Engineering (ICGRE 2023)
March 29 – 31, 2023, Lisbon, Portugal
8
th
International Conference on Structural Engineering and Concrete Technology (ICSECT
2023)
March 29 – 31, 2023, Lisbon, Portugal
3
rd
International Conference on Basic Sciences, Engineering and Technology (ICBASET)
April 27 – 30, 2023, Marmaris, Turkey
49
th
IOP Annual Plasma Physics Conference
March 27 – 30, 2023, Oxford, UK
https://iop.eventsair.com/ppc2023/
Space Tech Expo USA Conference
May 2 – 4, 2023, Long Beach, California, USA
https://www.spacetechexpo.com/conference
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Technology Roundup
28
TECH AND TRADE OFFERS
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About Coherent Engineering
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Technology Roundup
29
Our Products
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