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:
Iran-Made Hookah Filter Blocks Hazardous Materials
An Iranian company used metal oxide nanoparticles to produce a special hookah filter to prevent inhalation of harmful materials.
‘Hakiman Dourandish Pars’ company has made the product which is a water-pipe nanofilter containing metal and metal oxide nanoparticles to reduce harmful substances in tobacco smoke.
It can be used as hookah mouth-piece, aiming to absorb toxic and carcinogenic compounds.
It can be used as tobacco smoke filter and hookah mouthpiece.
Hookah smoking is linked to many of the same adverse health effects as cigarette smoking, such as lung, bladder and oral cancers and heart disease.
Long-term effects include impaired pulmonary function, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, esophageal cancer and gastric cancer.
Metal Nanoparticles Used by Iranian Firm to Produce Kits for Detecting Narcotics
Researchers at an Iranian company used nanotechnology to make special kits which can detect different types of narcotic drugs.
‘Zist Abzar Pazhuhan’ company has manufactured different types of kits in which the metal nanoparticles are bound to the detecting antibodies, mounted on a release pad. Each kit possesses a special antibody.
They are rapid drug detection kits based on the competitive method and their test results can be checked quickly after three minutes.
Utilization of metal nanoparticles is required to bind the desired antibodies and pave the way for the analyte detection which can increases the selectivity and high-resolution identification of drugs.
The kits can be used for rapid and simultaneous detection of morphine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, methadone, hashish and cannabis drugs.
Knowledge-Based Company in Iran Domestically Produces 16 Optical Fiber Models
A knowledge-based company displayed 16 different variants of optical fiber it had produced domestically at the ELECOMP 2023 exhibition in Tehran.
Knowledge-based companies operating in the field of telecommunication and information technology displayed their products at the 26th international electronic, computer and e-commerce exhibition dubbed ELECOMP which kicked off in Tehran after a four-year hiatus on Monday June 26, 2023 with the participation of 50 foreign companies as well.
An Iranian knowledge-based company was among the firms that displayed its services at the event. The firm has taken giant steps in meeting the domestic needs in the telecommunication infrastructure of the country.
Mehdi Nagahi, one of the sales manager of the company sat down for an interview with ANA on the sidelines of the ELECOMP exhibition, talking about their company’s activities and services.
“Our company started activity in the field of supplying copper cabling 14 years ago,” he said.
Iranian Scientists Build Exoskeleton Robot
Researchers of a knowledge-based company succeeded in making an exoskeleton robot, ‘Exopad’, to help disabled people walk.
“At present, the sixth version of the exoskeleton robot has been made and is available to the disabled people,” said Zahra Ramezani, a biomechanics expert at the knowledge-based company stationed at the Science and Technology Park of Tarbiat Modarres University.
“The robot has been designed for people with spinal cord injury or spinal cord amputation, people with MS, CP and in general disabled people who are unable to move,” she added.
“A remote control device has been mounted on the robot and the walking parameters can be controlled by the disabled person,” Ramezani said.
She said that people who suffer from inactivity face problems like bedsores, muscle blood circulation problems, workplace infections, and bone loss, noting that the robot physically helps to make these people less prone to the secondary consequences of not moving.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Designs, Carries Out Smart Industrial Waste Management Project
A knowledge-based company operating in the field of waste management has successfully put into operation its smart industrial waste management system in more than ten cities across Iran.
“This knowledge-based group put the massive plan of smart management of refinery and petrochemical waste in a completely mechanized way using process improvement methods and suitable tools and standard enterprise resource planning (ERP) software system,” Mortazavi, the managing director of the knowledge-based company stated, after noting that main goal of their company is to improve productivity in the field of waste management.
He attached great importance to the necessity of management of waste from refinery and petrochemical because, it is very highly dangerous for health.
“Any unprincipled transportation, storage or disposal of these wastes can have destructive impact on the environment and reduce the level of quality of life and cause pollution,” Mortazavi underscored.
Iranian Researchers Invent Solar Cathodic Protection to Fight Corrosion in Oil, Gas Pipelines
Researchers at an Iranian knowledge-based company have successfully injected electricity into pipelines using solar cathodic protection to make them resistant against corrosion.
Mehdi Hakimi, the managing director of the Iranian knowledge-based company located in the Science and Technology Park of Islamic Azad University, told ANA on the sidelines of the ELECOMP exhibition in Tehran, “In this company, we have successfully produced a product called ‘Solar Cathodic Protection’.”
“Corrosion in pipelines can be prevented by using solar cathodic protection," he said, adding that the product can be used for water, oil and gas transmission pipelines, various petrochemical and oil tanks that corrode over time.
Hakimi pointed out that in cathodic protection methods, electricity is injected into the cathode and anode of pipelines and tanks.
Researchers at Iran’s Jahad Daneshgahi (ACECR) are trying to develop hydraulic fracturing technology to employ it in increasing oil and gas extraction.
Kamal Khodaei, the head of the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research ( ACECR) also known as Jahad-e Daneshgahi in Iran- Shahid Beheshti University (SBU) branch said that the researchers at their center are working on localizing and developing hydraulic fracturing technology in the oil and gas upstream.
“Hydraulic fracturing technology plays a very decisive role in increasing oil and gas extraction and helps a lot in creating jobs for young people” he said.
“For several years, we have been following the issue of localization and development of this technology in the oil and gas upstream in the ACECR Faculty of Basic Science at the SBU. This hydraulic fracturing technology is useful in increasing oil and gas extraction and has an impact on global energy equations too.”
“Now the researchers at this center have acquired the know-how of designing and implementing this technology. Now we have given proposals to oil companies to localize this technology,” Khodaei said.
Knowledge-Based Firm in Iran Produces Water Detection Sensor for Oil, Gas Industry
Researchers at an Iranian knowledge-based company managed to make a special sensor to detect water in oil and gas.
“This sensor was designed and produced with the aim of detecting water in hydrocarbons and is ready to be presented to the relevant industries like the National Iranian Oil Refining & Distribution Company (NIORDC), petrochemical companies across the country, companies that produce various types of hydraulic engine oil, oil for transformers of power plants, nuclear power plants and refineries,” Amir Reza Moussavi, a representative of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“The product is highly useful in quick and accurate detection of water in the oil, gas, petrochemical and related industries,” he added.
Moussavi added that hydrocarbons, which exist in oil, gasoline, hydrocarbon solvents, car engine oils, electric transformer oil, etc., should not contain water since the presence of water endangers and disrupts the operation of related processes.
Removing Taste, Odor from Drinking Water with Help of Nanotechnology
A technological company in Iran has produced an antibacterial water filter using nanoparticles that removes the color, odor and bad taste from drinking water.
There is a limit to each type of pollution, and the volume of contamination in water must not exceed those limits. The home purification system aims to remove that contamination, a report by Iran Nanotechnology Innovation Council (INIC) said.
Various water treatment methods such as sedimentation, carbon block filtration, reverse osmosis filtration and ion exchange are used in home purification devices to improve water quality. These devices consist of different parts, including the base of the water purifier, filter housing, water purifier switch, water purifier tank, pressure gauge, water flow limiter, filter clip and water purifier hose.
In the process of water purification, the filter chamber also gets into contact with pollution, and as a result, the use of materials with antibacterial properties in the construction of the chamber body can help improve the quality of purified water.
Low-Temperature Water-Gas Transfer Catalyst Produced by Iranian Nanotechnology Firms
Iranian technological companies used nanotechnology to make low-temperature water-gas transfer catalyst with application in oil and gas industries.
‘Gostaresh Fanavari Kharazmi’ and ‘Naft & Gas Sarv’ companies succeeded in production of a nanoparticle-modified copper catalyst, which is supplied in a disk shape with a high effective area. It can be used to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide present in the gas stream.
The incorporation of nanoparticles into the copper catalyst has resulted in higher activity of the catalyst due to its higher surface area.
The product can be used in petrochemical complexes and oil refining companies.
Casting Refractory Mass for Petrochemical Plants Produced in Iran
An Iranian nanotechnology company managed to manufacture casting refractory mass for petrochemical plants and other industries.
‘Pat Roshan Nikta Group’ company has made the casting refractory based on ceramic materials in which nanoparticle-containing colloidal binder is used with an appropriate stability.
It is able to efficiently bind the ceramic precursors to form final bulk refractory units and coatings.
The addition of ceramic nanoparticles to the binder of the refractory has enhanced gelation properties and improved strength.
The product can be used in casting factories, petrochemical plant and steel mills.
Nano-Based Ceramic Combustion Chamber Manufactured by Iranian Firm
An Iranian company used nanoparticles to build a ceramic combustion chamber with applications in metal and aviation industries.
‘Atlasceram Kavir’ company has made the product which is a nanoparticle-reinforced ceramic combustion chamber produced through a casting method. It enjoys desirable corrosion properties and tolerates elevated pressure and temperature.
Using nanoparticles in the ceramic matrix has resulted in increased strength, improved thermal properties and dimensional accuracy.
The new product can be used in gas turbines, ferrous and non-ferrous metals industries, power plants, helicopter engine and aircraft engine.
UN Holds 1st Robots’ Press Conference to Hear Words about Future World Leaders + Videos
AI Robot panel told UN press conference on Friday that they could be better world leaders than humans.
Nine AI-enabled humanoid robots appeared with their creators at the world's first news conference featuring humanoid social robots.
Nine humanoid robots gathered at the ‘AI for Good’ conference in Geneva, Switzerland, where organizers are seeking to make the case for artificial intelligence to help resolve some of the world’s biggest challenges, NBC New York reported.
Robots told reporters Friday they could be more efficient leaders than humans, but wouldn't take anyone's job away and had no intention of rebelling against their creators.
Nine AI-enabled humanoid robots sat or stood with their creators at a podium in a Geneva conference center for what the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union billed as the world's first news conference featuring humanoid social robots.
Among them: Sophia, the first robot innovation ambassador for the UN Development Program; Grace, described as the world's most advanced humanoid health care robot; and Desdemona, a rock star robot. Two, Geminoid and Nadine, closely resembled their makers.
The event was part of the AI for Good Global Summit, meant to illustrate how new technology can support the UN's goals for sustainable development.
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