Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows: 

Sharif University Scientists’ Technological Initiative Increases Productivity of Steel Factories

Iranian researchers at Sharif University of Technology managed to find a new method to increase the productivity of mining and steel factories by presenting a technological idea titled ‘designing a non-stop automatic bullet feeding system to rotating shafts’.

“This machine with a storage capacity of 1 to 30 tons of bullets and an adjustable bullet charging rate, enjoys the capability to count the number of bullets fed to the mill, adjust the time intervals and the number of bullets to be fed to the mill, and separate bullets with a diameter of 25 to 125 mm and higher,” said Mohammad Dourali, a faculty member of Sharif University of Technology.

“Also, the device has a user interface for the operator to command and it can report the amount of bullets consumed, the amount of bullets in the tank, charge history and record amounts,” he added.

“Continuous charging of pellets in the mill is an alternative to the traditional method of manual charging, which increases the productivity of the mill, reduces fluctuations in the engine power and impact of the mill, decreases the required manpower and equipment, and records the history and a detailed report on the amount of charging,” Dourali said.

Iranian Company Develops AI-Based Audio Engine for Home-Made Navigation App

Iranian engineers at a technological company developed audio engines based on artificial intelligence which was added to one of the indigenized navigation software named ‘Neshan’.

“One of the main engines that are developed by using artificial intelligence is audio engines, which are different based on the language of various countries,” said Saleh Assadi, the commercial manager of the technological company.

Noting that these processing engines are also one of the strategic technologies in industries, he said that for instance they can be used in production line of factories and it can be determined which of the rails should be activated by issuing voice commands.

Assadi said that the audio engines can also be used in cars, and added, “By using voice commands, you can roll up and lower the car window or turn on the radio and ask for directions.”

Iranian Engineers Find Way to Improve Efficiency, Durability of Smart Power Distribution Systems

Researchers at Amirkabir University of Technology succeeded in finding a solution to improve the efficiency and durability of smart power distribution systems.

They implemented a project titled "Analyzing and improving the durability of smart distribution systems using consumption and production management".

The growing demand for electricity and the increase of greenhouse gases on the one hand and the decrease of fossil fuels on the other hand have caused more use of scattered production sources in distribution networks.

This will positively affect in improving reliability, reducing greenhouse gases, reducing costs and preventing the construction of new large-scale power plants.

Transformers and cables are the most expensive elements of the distribution network and improving their durability is effective in increasing the efficiency and reliability of the network.

So, the durability of equipment in scattered power production plants is one of the challenges of distribution network managers.

Advancements in measurement and communication technologies have contributed to the promotion of smart distribution networks.

It is possible to reduce the pressure on equipment and significantly increase their durability without building new power plants while providing stable electricity and saving construction costs.

Windshield Water-Repellent Spray Produced in Iran Using Nanotechnology

Taking advantage of nanotechnology, an Iranian knowledge-based company produced water-repellent spray for car windshields.

A water-repellent spray is a type of spray used to waterproof fabric to preserve its quality and prolong its lifespan.

Water-repellent sprays work on the principle of providing a hydrophobic, chemical coating over the fabric it is sprayed on to keep water and other liquids from penetrating its layers.

The water-repellent spray removes water, animal excrement, and dust from the windshields and it becomes easier to clean them.

Another advantage of nano-coating is that it prevents the glass surface from being worn due to the impact of fine dust.

This spray can be used on all kinds of glass, ceramic, and metal surfaces and is very useful for rainy days.

Car body wash spray is among other products of the knowledge-based company.

Thanks to its 24-hour effect, the spray can remove pollutants such as grease stains, dust, the excrement of birds, and saps of trees on the car body.

Iranian Firm Develops Platform to Prevent Data Theft during Cellphone, Computer Repair

A technological company stationed at Shahid Beheshti University’s science and technology park designed a platform that can completely display the process of repairing of cellphone or computer to the owner to prevent data theft.

“This platform provides the possibility of live broadcasting for customers so that they can watch all repair steps from the beginning to the end,” said Azadeh Eyvazzadeh, the managing director of the company.

Noting that each of the customers has a special user page in the software installed on their cellphone, she said, “Therefore, the customers can view the entire repair process live and online and their worries about stealing personal information during the repair are obviated.”

Iranian experts have made good progress in developing different software and systems based on the artificial intelligence (AI).

In a relevant development, an Iranian knowledge-based company made a smart system to recognize the faces of unknown people and record their movements.

‘Rokhsar’ is a non-interactive facial recognition system that makes possible the detection of unknown people and recording their movements without the need for cooperation of people passing before the eyes of CCTV cameras.

Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Develops New Environmentally-Friendly Packaging Plastic

An Iranian knowledge-based firm has introduced new packaging method for foodstuffs which is safe and environmentally friendly and keeps the food item fresh for longer time.

The managing director of an Iranian knowledge-based company, Foad Mashayekhi, said that he and research teammates have designed and introduced oxygen-reducing masterbatches (OBMB) to achieve food packaging methods with safety features and longer storage time.

“This product is specially designed to reduce gas passage and absorb oxygen trapped in the package, which reduces the volume of oxygen passing through the packages. This masterbatch  added to the main polymer during the production process, and it can be produced based on different polymers according to the customer's demand,” he said.

“Reducing gas infiltration, being anti-UV and antibacterial, increasing inhibitory properties, preventing color change in the product and oxidation, improving mechanical properties and resistance against heat, increasing the shelf life of the product, and maintaining the quality of food containing lipids are among the properties of these polymers,” according to the researcher.

Mashayekhi said that his company's product is plastic raw materials and his customers are a variety of industries such as household items, auto industries, water and gas transmission pipelines that require large steel pipes with plastic coating.

He went on to say that "oxygen transmission regulator" and "biodegradable masterbatches” are some of the knowledge-based products of his company, which If they are used in packaging materials, they reduce the transmission of oxygen and also absorb the oxygen that is inside the package.

“This is very important for industries such as the food industry because oxygen is the main factor in destroying and spoiling food such as milk, cheese and meat products," said the managing dirctor, adding that when such materials are exposed to oxygen, they will spoil.

 “With nanoparticles, we gave plastic products the ability to biodegrade when they are thrown away into the environment,” Mashayekhi went on to say, adding, “In these studies, we used nanoparticles to produce polymers that can increase the shelf life of food by reducing the infiltration of oxygen.”

Iranian Experts Develop Advanced Earthquake Damage Assessment Model

Researchers at Iran’s International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology developed an advanced model for earthquake damage assessment.

The model can be used for crisis management and relief and rescue measures after an earthquake to reduce the effects of the incident.

One of the main concerns of crisis managers and those in charge of rescue and relief is determining the number of casualties and economic losses caused by an earthquake in the early hours after the incident.

Casualties and damages caused by earthquakes in Iran and other parts of the world have increased due to the delay in identifying the location and dimensions of the incident and, as a result, the delay in timely response to its effects.

Therefore, the development of a system dubbed “Rapid Assessment of Iran Seismic Events (RAISE)” is on the agenda.

One of the important steps to launch the system is to use appropriate computational algorithms to estimate the effects of earthquakes.

Based on the plan, domestically developed and practical models were presented for estimating casualties and economic damage caused by earthquakes based on the level of available information on capital at risk.

The first and most important result of the plan is the possibility of estimating the effects of an earthquake only some minutes after the earthquake occurs.

Thus, the crisis management authorities can dispatch relief forces and allocate necessary resources effectively and as soon as possible.

Knowledge-Based Companies in Iran Receive Analyzing, Testing Services

An Iranian knowledge-based company has offered analysis and testing services to manufacturers in different fields of industry.

Companies which are active the various fields including microbiology, food, water, health products, cosmetics, supplements, medical equipment, disinfectants, nanotechnology products, textiles, ceramics, dental products, and toxicology can use the services of a knowledge-based company which is active in the field of rendering analyzing and testing services.

The company also plays a role as a partner laboratory of the Food and Drug Administration in the process of supplying new pharmaceutical, food, and health products to the country's market.

Holding training courses, scientific conferences, transferring technology and knowledge to other knowledge-based and technological companies are among the other activities of the company.

Over 7,000 knowledge-based and 1,600 creative companies have so far been registered and started operations, according to the vice president’s office for science and technology.

Researchers in Iran Produce Substitute Protein for Soybeans from Leather, Feather Waste

Iranian researchers used leather and feather waste to produce a type of protein which can be fed to animals and replace soybeans.

Mojtabi Zahedifar, a faculty member of the Institute of Animal Sciences of Iran, described feather powder and hydrolyzed leather powder as the products of this project, saying, “Leather industry has some waste which cannot be used in other industries, and since these wastes contain protein, we hydrolyzed it and greatly increased its absorbability in the animal body.”

He also explained that the feather powder produced through the hydrolysis method also contains more than 90% of protein and 75% of the protein can be digested, adding that the protein can be used in livestock and poultry feed.

“We used this substance in the food of meat and egg-laying poultry, turkey, and ruminant animals and we obtained acceptable results,” Zahedifar noted.

“The commercial product and its production line have been launched and 200,000 tons of the product are produced per year. This product can replace soybeans for animal feed,” he added.

Iranian Specialists Find Solution to Optimize, Build Large Oil Tanks

Iranian researchers at Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology found a new method for building oil storage tanks by reinforcing steel sheets.

“To store oil in larger volumes, instead of building two 500,000-barrel tanks, one million-barrel tanks can be built. The construction of this type of tanks will be cheaper but there is a need to import high-strength steel so that the thickness of the walls of common tanks does not exceed the specified technically-required limit and does not have a problem of welding. Access to this steel is not always possible and economic due to its use in heavy, military and nuclear industries,” said Mostafa Massoudi, a faculty member of the Civil Engineering department of Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology and the project’s manager.

“To settle this challenge, we kept the thickness of the oil storage tanks lower than the technical limit because if the thickness of the steel sheets is higher than a certain limit, they cannot be welded; therefore, we used reinforced tanks,” he added.

“We strengthened the walls of the tanks, and no longer needed access to high thickness steel sheets,” Massoudi said.

“In this project, we used vertical stiffeners that do not interfere with firefighting requirements. Usually, in the oil industry, if we want to make the smallest change, it needs a lot of careful investigation so that it does not interfere with other requirements,” he underlined.

4155/v

Azra Varasteh