Top News of Last Week with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows:
Iranian Researchers Develop System to Transmit Sunlight to Dark Parts in Houses
Researchers at the Iranian Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT) have developed a daylight system which captures and transmits sunlight to every part of the building and produces solar power.
Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT) researchers succeeded in designing and producing a daylight transmission system with the ability to generate electricity in the building and reduce energy consumption, the AUT public relations department said in a report.
Ali Ramezani, an AUT graduate and project manager of "manufacturing a natural light transmission system in buildings with the possibility of using photovoltaic panels and batteries" said that daylighting device captures and transmits sunlight into a light panel inside a building.
“The purpose of this project is to design a system to transmit sunlight from the Southern, Northern and sides and roof of the buildings to their dark parts,” he said.
“In addition, in situations where there is no need for sunlight the system uses photovoltaic panels to produce electrical energy from the solar power and store it in the battery, and it is used for lighting during the night or during cloudy days,” the AUT researcher said.
Ramezani pointed out that the system has advantages over its imported rivals. “For example, the system makes it possible to store electricity and increase the length of light transmission,” he said.
“Implementation and installation of this project in existing and newly constructed buildings will reduce the air-conditioning cost in the buildings due to its shading feature on the Southward windows, and also because of generating electricity in the buildings,” he said.
“Also, the transmission of natural light to dark interior spaces reduces consumption of the lighting sector of buildings, especially for office use. It makes it possible to store electricity from the unused sunlight in the battery for later use,” he said.
INIOAS Researchers Develop Thermal Desorption in Field of Oceanology
The researchers of the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science (INIOAS,) developed a thermal desorption for collecting samples in the field of oceanology.
Thermal desorption is an environmental remediation technology that utilizes heat to increase the volatility of contaminants such that they can be removed (separated) from the solid matrix (typically soil, sludge or filter cake). The volatilized contaminants are then either collected or thermally destroyed.
Thermal desorption can be used to study the chemical binding of species to a surface.
“Thermal Extraction Device with Adsorbent is a laboratory equipment for sample collecting, which can separate volatile and semi-volatile compounds that are stable at temperature from the tissue of solids and collect them on the adsorbent,” Engineer Dawood Jahedi Vaiqan said, according to INIOAS website.
He stated that the aim behind making this device was to reduce the consumption of organic solvent and solve the problem of losing the extracted compounds and the possibility of storing it for repeating the analysis with a gas chromatography device.
Explaining different components of the device and how the device works, Jahedi said, “The designed heat extraction device consists of a desorption part and a collecting part. In the collecting section, a column containing an absorbent is used. To increase the absorption potential, the temperature of the column containing the absorbent is reduced by using thermal cooling.”
According to the INIOAS researcher, “The prototype of the thermal desorption device was presented and evaluated for the first time in the exhibition of research, technology and technical achievements of the market in 2017 [in Tehran], and it received the technology readiness level (TRL) 6 and was registered as an invention this year.
“Despite the success achieved in the invention of the thermal desorption device, we need more investment and optimization of the above plan to bring the product to industrial production,” engineer Jahedi further demanded.
Iranian Researchers Resolved to Utilize Guar Gum in Oil Industry
An Iranian knowledge-based company has started studies on producing guar gum to be used in the oil industry.
A knowledge-based company in Iran has started conducting researchs to produce guar gum which can be utilized to resist againt corrosion in oil industry's pipelines.
Guar gum powder is one of the prior natural ingredients that can be profitable in the oil industry.
Pipelines are used to extract the oil from the ground. As the oil has water content, it can create corrosion inside the pipelines.
The guar gum powder has several properties that are capable of eliminating corrosion.
Iranian Company Produces Vaccines for Trout Using Local Strains
Researchers at an Iranian company developed a dual vaccine against two diseases for trout using local strains.
The streptococcosis/lactococcosis, persiniosis, and streptococcosis vaccines are produced from local strains by the company, Ahmad Erfanmanesh, the project manager, said.
The vaccines are being administered in fish farms and have brought favorable results in preventing the occurrence of some diseases among trout fish, he added.
He went on to say that the significant economic losses for the farmers need technological solutions that can provide the best results in the shortest time possible.
“In this line, we developed vaccination in fish farms and updated the information on diseases, equipment, and methods of breeding aquatic animals in the country. We also monitored aquatic diseases,” Erfanmanesh went on to say.
Studies show that the vaccine produced for both of these diseases is highly effective for at least six months, he reiterated.
Iran Inaugurates Water Transfer System to Revive Drying Lake
A water transfer system was put into operation to revive the drying Lake Urmia in Iran's Northwestern province of West Azerbaijan.
The system, comprising a giant 35.7-km tunnel and an 11-km canal, is expected to transfer 300 million cubic meters (mcm) of water per year to the lake in the first phase and 600 mcm in the second, according to the website of the Iranian president's office.
The system will transfer water to Lake Urmia from the Kani Sib Dam, some 60 km South of the lake.
Lake Urmia used to be Iran's largest inland body of water about 20 years ago, but it began drying up in the mid-2000s. According to international statistics, the lake lost about 80 percent of its waterbed by 2015.
Iranian Researchers Improve Safety of Anaesthesia Machines
An Iranian knowledge-based company has produced anesthesia machines that will improve safety features by checking the patient's breathing during surgery.
The main function of the anesthesia machine is to control the patient's breathing system during surgery, Fatemeh Norouzi, a member of the board of directors of the company, said.
She pointed out that during surgery, the device transfers oxygen and anesthetic gases needed to the patient and removes extra carbon dioxide.
The anesthesiologist always gives the dose of anesthetic drugs to the patient continuously so that the patient does not regain consciousness during the operation, Norouzi highlighted.
“Controlling such a situation is vital, so we designed this device,” she added.
Iranian Company Produces Wearable Electrical Clothes Using Conductive Textiles
A team of researchers at an Iranian technological company has produced nano-fabrics with anti-radiation properties that can be used to make wearable electrical clothes.
An Iranian technological company produces electronic textiles for shielding against electromagnetic radiation in the range of X-rays. The textile has improved conductivity, therefore, it is suitable for producing wearable electrical clothes.
Bahareh Moazenchi, the chairwoman of the board of directors of the mentioned Iranian company said that the textile can be used in various fields such as medicine and sports.
“Currently, the textile is being tried in the trial phase by one of the companies operating in the field of orthopedic equipment production. Since this fabric is electrically conductive, it can be used to produce wearable electronic clothes,” she also said.
“For example, if electronic parts are placed on sports clothes, without the need for wires, these fabrics can transmit the current from the energy supply source (battery) to the favored part (such as lamps). So, these fabrics can also be used to produce batteries and flexible electrodes. One of the properties of these textiles is that they are anti-radiation material to protect the user against electromagnetic radiation,” the managing director added.
Moazenchi pointed to the production of chemicals with fireproof, anti-pest and anti-microbial properties as other products made in their company, saying, “Currently, a growing number of paper producing companies use our products.”
Iranian researchers at the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES) have designed damper-like brackets for buildings to help them withstand aftershocks in first days after the earthquake.
A team of IIEES researchers designed brackets that can be used to temporarily stabilize the structures that had been damaged during the earthquake until they can be rebuilt in due time later.
“When earthquakes occur, especially in large cities where there are many buildings, a large number of the building which have unstable conditions, collapse. A lot of these structures must be completely destroyed to be constructed again. But some of structures can be retrofitted with simple measures,” Dr. Fariborz Nateghi Elahi, the project manager and professor at the IIEES told Iranian media.
“In the aftermath of quakes, it is not possible to make a decision about the health of a number of buildings in the short term, but considering that possible aftershocks could damage these unfallen structures, it may become a potential danger for people. This is the point where we have worked on,” he continued,
“Accordingly, we started research at the IIEES with the goal of retrofitting these structures in the large cities. Certainly, in case of a large earthquake in Tehran , a large number of buildings will be damaged but most of them will not collapse, so it is necessary to use simple and inexpensive methods to achieve temporary stability of the earthquake-hitten structures to make sure that they will not fall in possible aftershocks,” Nateghi Elahi went on to say.
According to him, their designed and manufactured brackets (dampers) make it possible to temporarily improve the lifespan of infrastructures such as hospitals and telecommunications centers that are damaged in the earthquake, so that they can stand for longer time and resist aftershocks until theyt are fully rebuilt.
Islamic Azad University’s Innovation Center Grows Different Rare Herbal, Ornamental Plants
The Innovation Center for Cultivation and Commercialization of Ornamental Plants of the Islamic Azad University’s Gorgan Branch grows different herbal and ornamental plants which are rare in the world.
"In line with interaction of the Innovation Center with technology development service institutions, we have seen a 100% increase in signing specialized memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions,” Mohsen Tajari, the head of the Innovation Center, told ANA.
“Enjoying a 3,000-square-meter space for the exhibition, the supply and sale of greenhouse products like ornamental flowers, seasonal flowers, cactus, all types of soil in suitable packaging, all kinds of pots, poisons, fertilizers and all kinds of bulbs and seeds, etc. are instances of the Center’s growth and progress,” he added.
“One of the most important activities of the Center’s greenhouse in the field of marketing is to increase diversity in the production of ornamental flowers and production of the first seedlings of ornamental trees like petunia, jasmine, fennel and boxwood,” Tajari noted.
Iranian Scientists Make Cute Robot to Increase Concentration in Students with LD
A team of Iranian researchers have found that a cute little robot named QT may help children with learning disabilities (LD) stay focused.
Students with learning disabilities (LD) struggle with specific skills like reading, writing, or math, and often require individualized and additional support to fill educational gaps.
A cute little robot may help children with learning disabilities stay focused, a team of Iranian researchers and foreign experts have found.
QT robot is an expressive little humanoid designed as a tool for therapists and educators. It uses facial expressions, gestures, and games to teach children with autism spectrum disorder about communication, emotions, and social skills.
QT robot was born in 2016. The robot is the brainchild of two Iranian scientists named Pouyan Ziyafti and Aida Nazari Khorram. QT was the first robot created specifically as a tool to help children with LD or Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This robot can pose with its head and arms, show facial expressions and speak.
In this research, three researchers from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, two experts from the Learning Disabilities Association in Vancouver, Canada, and a humanoid robot named QT were present.
ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.
Iranian Company Produces Anti Static Electricity Floors for Different Workplaces
A team of researchers at an Iranian technological company have produced anti static electricity floors for safety use in pharmaceutical companies as well as other industries and workplaces.
According to National Nano Headquarters, Pardis Rostamzadeh, the managing director of an Iranian technological company said she reached the idea of starting and founding a company to produce anti static electricity floors while visiting a pharmaceutical factory.
“When I was there, my co-founder and I noticed the problems in the floors used in that factory while managers of that company were not well aware of the root cause of the problems in the floors, and from there, the idea of developing advanced flooring technology came to our mind and we decided to respond to the needs of the market,” he said.
“Since 2011, we have focused on the production of anti static electricity floors for use in various places. We have fortunately succeeded in obtaining a nanoscale certificate. Currently, various pharmaceutical companies such as Tolid Daru, Abidi, and Mina Syringe are using our products,” he added.
Iranian Researchers Develop New Method to Remove Welded Spots in Auto Industry
The researchers at Iranian Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT) have developed a new method to clean up welded spots on metal sheets which must be used in auto industry.
“Various industries, especially the auto and aviation industries use the connection of two identical sheets with different thicknesses in order to reduce their weight and costs,” said Mohammad Barhamand, Ph.D. graduate from Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT) and manager of the project "Analyzing metallurgical and mechanical properties of rolled steels using rolling process".
According to the researcher, the method is necessary to remove welded sports.
“Some alloys, such as aluminum and titanium, which are widely used in the aerospace industry, are difficult to weld and are very sensitive to welding. To remove the weld spots, we used the stair rolling treatment method to produce layered sheets with different properties along the length of the weldded spots,” he said.
He said that the results of mechanical tests that performed on the sheet produced by stair rolling treatment method were very satisfactory. He added that their method can help in auto industry as it can reduce the weight and costs of production and the material used in the car body.
He also said that the method could be used in aviation industry as well.
Detecting White Spots in Shrimp Using Gold Nanoparticles
The early identification of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in shrimp could be achieved with the naked eye by utilizing the light scattering properties of gold nanoparticles (GNPs).
WSSV causes significant financial losses in shrimp farming. As there are no effective treatments for it, early detection is the only effective method of protection, but existing technology lacks the simplicity, ultra-sensitivity and efficiency required for this.
Visual inspection, electron spectroscopy, immunotherapy and molecular biology are the current approaches used to identify WSSV. The majority of existing detection methods are qualitative and unable to quantify the amount of white spot syndrome viral copieson. Although quantitative PCR (qPCR) can be used for statistical identification, the equipment is costly and the process is complex.
Gold nanoparticles are increasingly being employed in the development of physiological and biochemical sensors for the detection of biomolecules, ions and viruses. In the study, the pre-proof version of which has recently been published in Aquaculture the researchers created a gold nanoparticle-labeled dark-field counting approach for detecting the WSSV. First, antibodies against the virus were employed to interact with the 15-nanometer gold nanoparticles. Then pure probes consisting of mono-dispersed gold nanoparticles were treated with the virus specimen for a short period to produce a complex of WSSV and gold nanoparticles.
The researchers found that the 15 nm gold nanoparticles alone were undetectable in the dark field due to poor dispersion of light. However, each complex of WSSV and gold nanoparticles assumed a brilliant, gold, and elliptical shape under dark-field microscopy, making them countable with the naked eye.
Iranian Scientist’s Invention Prevents Water Wastage, Breakage of Containers in Labs
A member of the young and elite researchers club of Islamic Azad University’s Ilam branch invented a ‘chemical reactor in completely closed conditions’ which is used to save water and prevents breakage of laboratory containers.
“Due to the lack of control in the electrical measurement of pressure and temperature in the laboratory environment and using laboratory glassware, the laboratory containers are broken sometimes and also a lot of water is used to cool the glasses during the experiment,” Medisa Kamari, a Ph.D. student of Analytical Chemistry at Islamic Azad University’s Ilam Branch, told ANA.
“Therefore, we decided to create a system to increase the safety level of tests that are performed at high temperature and pressure, and completely omitted water to cool and control the test until reaching the product. Some features of other devices in the laboratory to this device, which causes simultaneous use, increases the speed of the experiment, and eliminates the need for laboratories to use several devices,” she added.
Kamari described full elimination of water for cooling, preventing water wastage, temperature measurement and control, system pressure measurement and control, the possibility for emergency temperature and pressure reduction, and the simultaneous use of shaker and ultrasonic as the advantages of the new device.
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