SwRI’s NEXTCAR project, funded by the Department of Energy, fuses connected and automated technologies to achieve increased vehicle efficiency. The system demonstrates up to 30% energy savings. NEXTCAR works with all vehicles — electric, hybrid or conventional — without changing the engine or hardware. This is a software solution that goes beyond mapping the best route. The NEXTCAR vehicle can “talk” to its surroundings, like other cars and infrastructure, to determine a full, energy-efficient driving plan. NEXTCAR accounts for details like how many times a driver hits the gas and pumps the brakes, a combination that often consumes more energy. After eight years of research and development, the NEXTCAR connected and automated vehicle technology is complete and ready for the next phase.
Listen now as SwRI engineer and NEXTCAR program principal investigator Stas Gankov discusses the advantages of a personal NEXTCAR driving experience, how the system collects valuable data and his call out for collaborators for the next phase.
--------
38:15
--------
38:15
Episode 81: OSIRIS-REx Findings
NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission returned to Earth in September 2023 to drop off a sample of rocks and dust from the near-Earth, carbonaceous asteroid Bennu. The first U.S. mission to collect untouched, pristine material from an asteroid is giving scientists a glimpse into the early solar system and insight into the origins of life on Earth. We featured OSIRIS-REx before collection day in 2020. Now, we revisit the mission with an update on sample collection, the delivery of the “time capsule” to Earth and the research uncovering the secrets of the solar system.
Listen now as SwRI planetary geologist and OSIRIS-REx co-investigator and instrument scientist Dr. Vicky Hamilton discusses mission milestones, the research team’s surprise findings and what OSIRIS-REx is uncovering about the ingredients of life. Plus, Hamilton briefs us on the latest developments of NASA’s Lucy mission.
--------
31:40
--------
31:40
Episode 80: SwRI Fuel Testing
We depend on clean, safe, reliable fuel for our personal vehicles, delivery trucks, emergency generators, aviation and so much more. Testing is critical to ensure fuel quality and safety. SwRI has conducted fuels and lubricants research since the late 1950s. Decades later, this important program continues the vital work of analyzing fuels to keep people safe and drivers moving, while looking ahead at the alternative fuels of the future.
Listen now as SwRI Fuels and Lubricants Research Director Robert Legg discusses how fuel testing impacts everyone, what his team assesses beyond fuels and his top tips for your next trip to the pump.
--------
28:00
--------
28:00
Episode 79: Producing Graphene from CO2 Waste
SwRI is developing a process to produce graphene from carbon dioxide waste. Graphene is a valuable carbon allotrope with a wide range of applications. It is used in electronics like touchscreens, batteries, coatings, biomedical devices and more. While it can occur under the right chemical and thermal reactions in nature, it is not abundant, and it is difficult to produce synthetically in large quantities. SwRI is working on a large-scale solution, forming graphene from carbon dioxide that has been captured and stored to reduce emissions.
Listen now as SwRI chemical engineer Michael Hartmann and scientist Miles Salas discuss how they are turning carbon dioxide waste into a feedstock for a useful, high-demand material.
--------
39:29
--------
39:29
Episode 78: SWORD™ User-friendly Robotics Toolkit
The SwRI Workbench for Offline Robotics Development™ (SWORD™) is simplifying robotics motion planning. The user-friendly software allows developers to flow from computer aided design (CAD) to robotics management with ease. Robotics are used in manufacturing and other industries for “dull, dirty, dangerous” tasks. When designers move out of CAD for the next phase of product development, they often encounter complicated robotics software. SWORD works with CAD, allowing users to stay in a familiar software environment, making robotics more accessible and streamlining workflow.
Listen now as SwRI SWORD developers Matt Robinson and Michael Ripperger discuss SWORD capabilities, how the software fits into the production puzzle and how it could benefit businesses, consumers and patients.
Technology Today Podcast launched in November 2018, offering a new way to listen and learn about the technology, science, engineering and research impacting our lives and changing our world. The podcast is presented by Southwest Research Institute, a nonprofit contract R&D organization developing innovative solutions for government and industry clients. Podcast host Lisa Peña is breaking through the tech jargon and talking to the scientists, engineers and researchers building the future of technology. It’s a conversation bringing tech to life and helping us understand how technology, science, engineering and research link to our daily lives.
Italia