Top News of July 2024 with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news in July 2024 whose top ones are as follows:
Iran-Made Welding Machine Consumes Less Electricity
The researchers of a knowledge-based company in Iran succeeded in making a welding machine with minimal electricity consumption while in use.
“Our products are welding machines. At first, we formed a research and development team and reverse engineered this device. Then we made changes in it and finally presented a product that has different specifications compared to the foreign samples,” Ali Mahmoudi, the managing director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“The biggest difference of our welding machine with others is that we have packed a large amount of power into a small volume; also, our devices are easily portable and can work with a generator in areas where there is no electricity,” he added.
“Previous samples of this machine were in such a way that the electrode would stick to the workpiece while working with the machine, but we have settled this problem too,” Mahmoudi said.
“The next point is that all electrode ranges, cast iron and steel electrodes can be easily welded by using our product,” he added.
Technology, Innovation Tower Put into Operation in Isfahan
The technology and innovation tower stationed at Isfahan science and research town in Central Iran was put into operation in the presence of Iranian Vice-President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy Rouhollah Dehqani.
The technology tower was built on a land of 4,800 square meters and with a base of 23,000 square meters in 14 floors. The tower built in a collaborative project between the private and public sectors hosts the administrative and research and development offices of technological companies and institutions, and units providing technology commercialization services.
The technology tower can host 70 technological and knowledge-based companies and institutes, and in addition to providing deployment services, it also provides consulting, management, marketing and product development services to established technology centers and companies.
Iranian Researcher Presents New Method to Increase Efficiency of Methane Conversion
Research results for increasing methane conversion efficiency and hydrogen production by Fatemeh Ahmadi Nouri, a PhD graduate of Amirkabir University of Technology in Iran, were published in an international journal of Chemical Engineering with an impact factor of 15.1.
Today, methane combustion gives rise to the tremendous release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Finding an efficient method to convert methane into value-added compounds has attracted significant attention, along with mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
In this research, the spark discharge-assisted laser-induced plasma (SD-LIP) was investigated in conjunction with the palladium (Pd) catalyst. In the proposed electro-photocatalyst reactor, a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 10 ns- 120 mJ/pulse is utilized to ignite the spark discharge.
“In this project, it was proposed to use laser induced plasma along with the common method of spark discharge in the presence of palladium catalyst to increase and improve the efficiency of methane to hydrogen conversion. For this purpose, various types of tests and experiments were conducted to check the efficiency of this system, the results of which clearly confirm the improvement of efficiency and increase of conversion efficiency in this proposed system,” said Ahmadi Nouri.
Iranian Physicians Performs Successful Surgery to Treat Urethral Stricture
The first surgery to cure urethral stricture with the latest technology was performed at Khatam Ol-Anbia Hospital in Shahroud city, a faculty member of the Islamic Azad University said.
“For the first time, in Semnan province, we were able to successfully conduct urethral stricture surgery with the latest technology of the world by using a new generation of stenting,” Seyed Vahidollah Sadr Bolourian, a faculty member of the Islamic Azad University’s Shahroud branch, told ANA.
“The urethral stricture surgeries are very long, dangerous and complicated, and the operation that was performed today was with the stent technique,” he added.
Noting that the surgery’s technique is similar to the method used by cardiac stents which keep the coronary arteries open, Bolourian said, “In this new technique, the same place where the urethra is narrowed is replaced with a stent.”
He explained that the urethral stricture is a disease which recurs from time to time, adding that with this technique, which is considered a non-invasive method, the aforementioned complications are not observed.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Launches Steel Mill Dusts Processing Unit at Mobarakeh Steel Company
Rouhollah Dehghani Firouzabadi, Iran’s Vice-President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, inaugurated processing steel mill dusts unit developed by a domestic knowledge-based company at the Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan Province.
According to a report by Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, in a ceremony in the presence of the scientific vice president Rouhollah Dehghani Firouzabadi, a processing steel mill dusts unit was opened at the Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan Province.
With inauguration of the project, the ground is laid for the annual reconstruction of 25,000 tons of material transport charge dust through granulation.
The granulation process is used in practice for the consolidation (pelleting) of iron ore and non- ferrous metals, coal dust, and mineral raw.
The project was developed and launched by a domestic knowledge-based company.
In this processing unit, high-pressure wet extruding technology and protective nanomaterial technology are used.
With operationalization of this processing unit, not only the environmental problem of dust dispersion is resolved, but also it will be possible to continuously charge the manufactured product to the furnace and eliminate additional costs imposed in the previous method.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Produces Iron Concentrate, Nano Oxides from Industrial Waste
A knowledge-based company in Iran has opened a sludge and steel oxide powders processing plant that produces 25,000 tons of industrial waste concentrate annually.
The company was inaugurated in a ceremony with the participation of Iran’s Vice-President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.
According to a report by Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, operationalization of the plant will not only have a positive impact on the environment of the region, bit also will meet the needs of the industry.
With the opening of this factory, which was built by the knowledge-based Eksir Fadak Steel Company, 25,000 tons of concentrate is produced annually from the accumulated waste in Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan Province, which not only generates revenues from waste, it also plays a part in reducing pollutants emission into the environment.
In this plant, which is built over a land over an area of 10,000 square meters, nanocatalyst and advanced oxidation have been used.
Iran-Made Spray Dryer Meets Needs of Food, Pharmaceutical Industries
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company succeeded in designing and manufacturing a spray dryer with application in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
“Drying materials by using a spray dryer is a process that involves suspending particles with an atomizer and directing it in a hot dry gas environment (usually air) in order to evaporate the water in the solution; therefore, the fogging of the feed causes different materials to be powdered and it is the process used to produce milk powder, egg powder and various protein powders,” Ali Nozari, the managing director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
Noting that spray dryer is widely used in various food industries like coffee powder, tea, fruit juice powder, gelatin powder, plant powder like aloe vera, pharmaceutical industries like vaccines and penicillin, chemical industries like fertilizers and chelates, paint industries and many other industries, he said, “Now, by acquiring the know-how of this technology, we have been able to make this device and take an effective step in the supply chain of these industries.”
“At present, countries like Italy, Germany and China own this technology. This product was previously imported, but we were able to meet the needs of industries. The quality of this product is equal to similar foreign samples, and it is more affordable in terms of price,” Nozari said.
Iranian Scientists Present New Injectable Formulation of Risperidone Drug
Iranian researchers at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences discovered a new formulation for making the injectable form of the risperidone drug.
‘Preparation of formulation and evaluation of injectable hydrogel system containing triblock PLGA-PEG-PLGA made by carbon dioxide supercritical fluid method and PLGA containing risperidone’ is the title of the research project of Farzin Hadizadeh, a professor of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, which was completed with the support of the National Science Foundation of Iran.
“Schizophrenia is one of the severe brain problems that has affected more than 21 million people in the world. To control this disease, there are two categories of drugs, including old first generation drugs and new second generation drugs; the latter drugs have less side effects and are more tolerated by the patient,” said Hadizadeh.
Noting that resperidone is a second-generation drug that is used for various diseases like autism, hyperactivity, and bipolar disease, he said, “To reduce patient non-cooperation with oral consumption, slow-release dosage forms have been developed for several drugs controlling these disorders.”
“One of the advantages of these pharmaceutical forms is the reduction of acute symptoms compared to oral formulations. Also, the main advantage of the injectable slow-release system is that it maintains the drug in a therapeutic concentration for a long time; for instance, one month, and there is no need to take the drug repeatedly orally,” Hadizadeh said.
Islamic Azad University to Set Up Design, Sale Chain of Jewelry by Iranian Experts
The head of the gold and jewelry industry innovation center of the Islamic Azad University’s Najafabad branch announced that the design and sale chain of jewelry will be completed and launched soon with the help of the technological units stationed at the center.
“With the aim of branding the Islamic Azad University’s Najafabad branch in the design and manufacturing gold and jewelry at the national and international level, we have prepared the required hardware and administrative facilities with the help of the technological units stationed at the center and the chain to design and sell jewelry will be completed and set up soon,” said Mohammadreza Yousefi.
“This chain starts from the initial design and after creating the computer codes of the design, it enters the stages of gold making, jewelry making and auctioning and finally will be sold in the galleries created by the university,” he added.
“Recently, the production lines of micronized gold and silver powders were completed and entered the market by one of the units stationed at the center,” Yousefi noted.
“29 technological centers, two technological companies, two knowledge-based companies and two research and development offices have been established in the gold and jewelry industry innovation center so far,” he underlined.
Iranian Company Makes Robotic Arm with 7 Degrees of Freedom
Specialists of an Iranian knowledge-based company succeeded in designing and building a robotic arm with seven degrees of freedom which can carry loads of up to 250 kg.
“The product of our company is an industrial robot with 7 degrees of freedom that can carry 250 kg of load,” said Alireza Hashempour, a member of the board of directors of the knowledge-based company.
Noting that the arm length of the robot is 2.5 meters and the movement accuracy in the working space is 0.5 of a millimeter, he said, “This robot is used in various industries like auto-making, household appliances, construction industries, foam manufacturing industries, chemical factories and food industries and it is applied to carry out all kinds of transfers, welding, cutting, injecting materials and gluing.”
Hashempour described the industrial robot as a strong and tireless arm for industrial applications, and said, “If this robot is equipped with peripheral equipment, it will be able to perform a variety of industrial tasks.”
Iranian Experts Make Adaptive Relays for Electricity Industry
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company succeeded in designing and building an adaptive reclosing relay based on detecting the type and duration of the fault for transmission line switches.
“Our knowledge-based product is a single-phase adaptive reclosing relay for transmission lines. The relay designed in Iran's Electricity Clinic is able to detect the type of fault and also the time to clear the fault,” said Mahtab Khalilifar, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
She underlined that at present, none of the world's relay manufacturers claim this adaptive feature in their commercial devices.
“If the relay is installed in the network and issues a blocking command against permanent faults and a reclosing command as soon as possible against transient faults, it has provided the greatest service to the power grid,” Khalilifar said.
Iranian Company Produces Various CNC Machine Tools, Electronic Driver for Servomotors
An Iranian knowledge-based company managed to design and manufacture four types of CNC machine tools and an electronic driver for servomotors.
“Our company has five knowledge-based products, which include four types of CNC machine tools and an electronic driver for servomotors,” said Gholamreza Nikbakht, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
Noting that the CNC machines are designed and manufactured for the first time in Iran, he said, “The electronic driver of servomotors is also a product designed, manufactured and commercialized by us and is used for precise jobs like using the CNC machines.”
“Our products enjoy two important factors; first, they can increase the variety of production of CNC machines; second, due to the high weight of these machines, we have problems with importing them but their domestic production has settled this problem,” Nikbakht said.
A CNC machine is the automated control of machining tools (such as drills, lathes, mills, grinders, routers and 3D printers) by means of a computer.
Iranian Researcher Offers New Formulation for Risperidone
A university professor in Iran has completed a research project which offers a new method for injectable slow-release risperidone.
Preparation of formulation and evaluation of injectable hydrogel system containing triblock PLGA-PEG-PLGA made by carbon dioxide Supercritical fluid extraction and PLGA containing risperidone" was the title of a research project conducted by Farzin Hadizadeh, a professor at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, which he completed with the support of the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF), a report by the Iranian Vice Presidency for Science and Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.
“Schizophrenia is one of the severe brain problems that has affected more than 21 million people in the world. To control this disease, there are two categories of drugs including old first generation drugs and new second generation drugs, with the latter drugs have less side effects and are more tolerated by the patient,” Hadizadeh said.
“Resperidone is a second-generation drug that is used for various diseases such as autism, hyperactivity, and bipolar disease,” he added.
“Autism is a disorder of unknown origin that both genetic and environmental factors play a role in its occurrence,” the researcher also said.
“Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is also a neurological disorder with a well-known pattern of symptoms including inattention, hyperactivity, and irritability, leading to some degree of dysfunction,” he continued.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Company Domestically Produces Water Purifications Kits
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company have successfully produced quick water purification kits with one-third the costs of similar foreign models.
A knowledge-based company was established in 2022 with the aim of producing a variety of diagnostic kits for use in various industrial fields in Iran. The company’s activity focused on producing detection kits and accurate counting of microbial contamination in various industries such as water and sewage, oil and petrochemical, cosmetics and hygiene, detergent, medicine and food with a new, upgraded and cost-effective technology with easy and fast use based on lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology which was developed by the researchers of the company and registered as a patent.
“The micrometer kit is a multi-purpose product that can be used for all types of samples, be it liquid or solid that contain substances with strong, weak or no biocidal properties. It is designed for microbial analysis of all surfaces from hospitals to equipment and food production halls and clean rooms. It is suitable for microbial testing of special products such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and oil-based products,” said Sara Shahbazi, the director of research and development of the knowledge-based company Riz Sanjesh Aria (Aria Micrometer).
“The bacteria detection and counting kit is used in various industries, and it was produced for the first time in the country, which detects and counts bacteria very quickly and without any need for special skills. When industries do not have the opportunity to discharge their batch tanks, these kits are being used,” she added.
Iran to Launch 7 New Projects to Collect Flare Gases
Iran is due to complete seven new projects to recover flare gases, worth 400 million dollars, in the first half of the current Persian calendar year (started on March 20).
Mahmoud Aminnejad, the managing director of the Persian Gulf Bidboland Gas Refinery, said that by launching the projects 16 gas flares will be turned off in the East Karoon region and as much as 250 million cubic feet of gas will be collected for use as feedstock.
The seven projects are part of a general plan named "Renovation and Construction of Gas Collection Facilities" which the Petroleum Ministry is pursuing its implementation seriously.
The contract for the renovation and construction of gas collection facilities in the East Karoon region, worth 1.109 billion dollars, was signed in 2018 between the Persian Gulf Holding and the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC).
The Persian Gulf Bidboland Gas Refinery, which is in charge of implementing the contract, plans to collect the associated gases, preventing the burning of national wealth, preserving the environment, and providing the collected gases as feedstock.
Aminnejad said that Bidboland Gas Refinery had become operational in February 2021 as the largest processing associated gas installation but its sustainable operation depends on the implementation of the renovation and construction of gathering associated gas installation projects.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Company Designs, Develops E-Buses
A technologist at a knowledge-based company in Iran told ANA that he and his teammates have designed electric bus body structures and platforms, adding that the company has now the capability of manufacturing buses, vans, etc.
“This company operates in the field of design and construction of commercial vehicle platforms of vehicles such as buses, minibuses and vans. Platform design includes body structure, skeleton structure, chassis prototype design and bus engine and gearbox chassis assembly,” said Saeid Shirazi, a technologist working for the knowledge-based company.
“We designed and produced the first electric bus in cooperation with MAPNA Group, which has been approved by the ran National Standards Organization (INSO),” he said.
Referring to the differences in the production of electric products of this company with other companies, he said, “Other companies imported electric cars from China or other countries, but our company did not. We comply with the 85 vehicle standards. We design our own body structures.”
“The first company that designed the body structure and platform of the electric bus in Iran was this knowledge-based company. This structure was unveiled for the first time in Mashhad. The prototype of the electric bus had three doors and the second model had two doors, and its dimensions have also been reduced,” he said, adding, “This knowledge-based company has begun producing 10 electric buses and it is decided to begin its mass production.”
“Batteries for electric buses is a serious challenge because … and of course it is being locally produced by some companies now,” Shirazi said.
Iran to Launch 2 New Satellites Developed by Private Sector
Head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) Hassan Salariyeh announced that the country will launch two new satellites which have been designed and built by the private sector in the current Persian calendar year (started on March 20).
“Kosar satellite, which is an observation satellite, is scheduled to be launched and put into the orbit this year. Hodhod satellite, as a research-communication satellite, is also due to be launched concurrently with Kosar satellite,” Salariyeh said.
“Other satellites, which are being built by the private sector upon an order by the ISA will be launched this year, God willing,” he added.
“Also, the construction process of martyr Soleimani project, which includes an Internet of Things (IOT) satellite system, will start late this year,” Salariyeh said.
Kosar is an observation satellite with an imaging resolution of 3.5 meters per pixel, which can be used for agricultural purposes, surveying and demarcation. The satellite has an orbital lifespan of two years.
The Hodhod satellite is planned to be used in the area of the Internet of Things, agriculture, transportation and crisis management scenarios.
Omid Faza company and a group of Amirkabir University students have been developing Kosar satellite.
Minister: Iran Ranks 2nd in AI, Robotics in Region
Iranian Science Minister Mohammad Ali Zolfi Gol announced that the country has gained the second position in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics fields among the regional states.
“[based on the latest report of the Islamic World Science Citation Database (ISC)], Iran ranked second in producing science in the field of artificial intelligence in the region. And about the machine learning index in the region, Saudi Arabia ranked first and Iran ranked second. Turkey's robotics index ranks first and Iran ranks second, and in the field of neural networks and the multi-agent systems, Iran has ranked first,” Zolfi Gol said.
He added that the ISC’s report also shows that the universities of Tehran, Tabriz, Amirkabir, Tarbiat Modares, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University’s Science and Research branch, Sharif, Khajeh Nasir, Shiraz and Science and Technology are among the top universities in the country in the field of artificial intelligence.
Multi-agent systems (MAS) are a core area of research of contemporary artificial intelligence. A multi-agent system consists of multiple decision-making agents which interact in a shared environment to achieve common or conflicting goals.
In machine learning, a neural network (also artificial neural network or neural net, abbreviated ANN or NN) is a model inspired by the structure and function of biological neural networks in animal brains.
Laser Technology Used by Iranian Company to Produce Car Parts
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company have managed to produce metal-composite and polymer parts with home-made materials for the car-making industry by using the laser technology.
“The company has founded all processes as a modern system and has succeeded in receiving the certificate of quality management system in the automotive industry with the scope of designing and manufacturing metal-composite and polymer parts,” Reza Aryamanesh, the managing director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“The set of connection brackets, anti-theft battery box, fuel tanks, metal side protection, compressed air tanks and car body wind deflectors are part of the company's products, which are made with metal, polymer and composite materials to have low weight. The products are made with laser and composite technologies,” he added.
“We are negotiating with Uzbekistan for the export of Isuzu cars and with Turkey for the export of anti-theft battery boxes,” Aryamanesh noted.
The Iranian knowledge-based companies have made good progress in developing laser technology.
Minister: Iran Can Become Corridor for BRICS Member States to Exchange Crops
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Agricultural Affairs Alireza Mohajer said that Iran, because of its privileged geographical location, can become a corridor for BRICS member states for exchanging their agricultural products.
Mohajer made the remarks after attending the 14th meeting of the agriculture ministers of the BRICS group of emerging economies held recently in Moscow.
The deputy Iranian agriculture minister noted that Iran's geographical location which is situated in a strategic place allows for exporting many products of the BRICS member countries through the international North-South, East-West, and through railway, land and air corridors.
"By strengthening the corridors, Iran can use this great potential for the exchanges of BRICS member countries," he said.
He also said that BRICS member states make up more than 40 percent of the population of world and account for 30 percent of the world’s economy, therefore that the BRICS member states have a privileged position in producing, trading and exporting food products.
Mohajer, who headed the Iranian delegation at the Moscow meeting, also said, "Russia can easily meet our needs for corn and soybeans and the products such as vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, apples and kiwis that the Russians need can be supplied to them by our country."
Iranian Knowledge-Based Company Exports Oil Wellhead to Oman
Engineers of an Iranian knowledge-based firm succeeded in production of high-quality wellheads used in oil and gas industry and exported them to Oman.
“Wellhead refers to a set of equipment that are installed on the surface of the oil well after the completion of the well and before moving the drilling rig, and they have different tasks,” said Amir Mehdi Javaherdashti, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
“Maintenance of wall pipes and casing is one of the tasks of the wellhead, which protects the wall pipes and casing against the pressure of the fluids inside the well. The wellhead helps to control the pressure of fluids inside the well, including oil, gas and water, and provides access to the inside of the well to perform various operations, like repairs or equipment installation,” he added.
Javaherdashti explained that the wellhead directs and controls the flow of fluids coming out of the well, adding, “One of the important challenges in working with well equipment is managing the high pressure of fluids inside the well, and this pressure can be so high that it brings significant safety risks.”
“For this reason, the design, construction and installation of well equipment should be done with the highest quality and safety standards,” he underlined.
“In one of the export experiences, the Omanis did not believe that our product was made in Iran after observing its high quality and comparing it with the US-made sample,” Javaherdashti said.
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company stationed at Alborz Science and Technology Park succeeded in designing and manufacturing a spray dryer and a freeze dryer to meet the needs of food and agriculture industries.
“We were able to make two spray dryers and a freeze dryer in the form of research and development. These devices help researchers to obtain basic data before scaling, scaling up (the business model turns into a repeatable model and the conformity of the product with the market needs is confirmed) and industrialization,” Mojtaba Vatan Ara, a board member and executive director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“These devices are used in fields like biotechnology, medicine, food industry, herbal medicine, cosmetics and all fields where it is necessary to turn a liquid into a powder,” he added.
Noting that the spray dryer is used to dry liquids with aqueous solvents by using hot air flow, evaporation process and turning materials into dry powder, Vatan Ara said, “The spray dryer device is equipped with the technology of drying all types of solutions or suspensions.”
“This product is applied in drying temperature-sensitive materials in food and agriculture industries, including dairy, flavorings, preparation of fruit powder, plant extracts, beneficial and enriching food (human, livestock and poultry), algae, etc.,” he added.
“Freeze dryer is also used to dry liquids with aqueous solvents; on a laboratory scale, the process of dehydrating and removing moisture from materials by reducing temperature, pressure and sublimation process without applying any heat to the sample is one of the best solutions for drying materials. This product can be used to dry temperature-sensitive materials in food and agriculture industries to preserve the color, taste, smell, amount of vitamins and nutrients of vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, dairy products, herbs and food flavorings,” Vatan Ara said.
Iranian Researchers Use Nanotechnology to Produce Extracts, Effective Herbal Substances from Saffron
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company used nanotechnology to produce essential oils, extracts and active plant substances (API) from saffron and other medicinal plants.
“The main activity of our company is the formulation of health-oriented and natural products in the field of food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries by using the nano-encapsulation method (nisome and liposome) along with a specialized sensory evaluation test,” Parisa Mardani, the managing director of the knowledge-based company stationed at Khorassan Razavi Science and Technology Park, told ANA.
Noting that the researchers of her company have succeeded in producing essential oils, extracts and active plant substances (API) from saffron and other medicinal plants by using nanotechnology, she said, “They have now succeeded in extracting pure crocin in three pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic grades; the purity of crocin for pharmaceutical use is 99.9%, for food use it is more than 40% and for cosmetic use it is more than 20%.”
Mardani stated that we also extracted safranal from saffron and anthocyanin from saffron petals, and added, “We have also extracted effective medicinal substances like barberry berberine, thyme thymol, mint menthol, and turmeric curcumin.”
Saffron is used as a fabric dye, perfume, and important religious and medicinal herb in many different traditional systems of herbal medicine.
Iranian Technicians Produce System for Engine Houses to Save Energy
Iranian engineers at a knowledge-based company have produced intelligent control system for engine houses at poultry farms and greenhouses which they say reduces gas and electricity consumption by 50% and 30%, respectively.
“Our focus is on designing and making intelligent control systems for buildings and engine houses. The intelligent control system for the building and engine houses, the intelligent control system for server rooms, the intelligent control system of the poultry farms and the intelligent control system for greenhouse are among our achievements,” said Mehdi Kargar, one of the researchers of the knowledge-based company that is based in South Khorasan Province’s Science and Technology Park located in the Northeastern part of Iran.
“The advantages of this system include elimination of user and human error, easy and extensive access to all equipment and monitoring and management of heavy engine houses equipment such as chillers or compressor in an automated way with critical parameters,” Kargar said.
“Any errors and damage to these systems can inflict a lot of costs, but these damages can be prevented by using this equipment,” he added.
This researcher pointed to the reduction in energy consumption as one of the other advantages of their smart control systems, adding, “These systems will save gas by 50% and reduce electricity consumption by 30%.”
“In some regions in the country, for example South Khorasan province, there is a big difference between day and night temperatures while equipment and facilities are designed for the worst building capacity. These facilities usually do not change capacity in day and night temperature conditions; however, these intelligent monitoring systems are able to change the program in those facilties according to the temperature outside and inside the building,” added the researcher.
Iran Ranks 22nd in Production of Genetics Science
An Iranian scientific official has said that Iran has ranked 22nd in the world and second in the region in the production of genetics science.
“In this congress (conference), 794 articles were received and reviewed and refereed. Of those papers, 758 were accepted, 64 of which will be presented in the form of lectures and 694 in the form of posters,” speaking to local Iranian journalists in Tehran at the press conference of the 6th International Congress (Conference) and the 18th National Congress (Conference) on Genetics in Iran, Pourkazemi, the Scientific Secretary of the congress said.
“Among the 758 articles accepted, there were 375 articles in human genetics, 188 plant genetics, 179 animal genetics, 26 biosafety and ethical considerations, and 15 articles in stem cells and microorganisms,” he also said.
“During this congress, 17 educational and training workshops will be held, of which 6 workshops have been held so far which revolved around on technology transfer and presentation of the latest technologies to researchers,” Pourkazemi added.
“On the second day of this event, the best selected ideas will be presented and the best ones will be awarded,” further explained the congress secretary.
Iran, Russia Interconnect Local Payment Systems
Tehran and Moscow in a meeting inked an agreement to interconnect Iran’s Shetab and Russia’s Mir payment systems.
“During the meeting, the two sides finalized the requirements to connect Russia’s Mir payment system to Iran’s Shetab and this project has entered the operational phase," Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Mohammad Reza Farzin said.
He made the remarks after his return from St. Petersburg, where he had a meeting with his Russian counterpart Elvira Nabiullina.
Farzin said that in the first stage, which kicks off on August 22, bank cards of Iran’s Shetab system can be used as Amber smart cards in all ATMs across the Russian and Iranian citizens will be able to withdraw rubles from the Russian ATMs using their cards.
"The second stage [involves the possibility of] paying with Russian citizens’ cards in Iran," Farzin said, adding that in the third stage, Iranians will be able to pay with a Shetab card in Russian stores via an ordinary bank terminal.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Company Assists Different Industries via Making Nano Dust Collectors
Researchers at a knowledge-based company in Iran have successfully designed and manufactured industrial filters (dust collectors) by using nanofibers, which are very effective in the food, mining, construction, etc. industries.
“This group produces industrial filters (dust collectors) with nano fiber technology. These filters are used to filter dust from industries such as flour, spaghetti, vegetable oil, starch, sugar, as well as mining, steel industries, construction (plaster and cement factories),”said Ali Mahmoudi, an expert of a knowledge-based company in an interview with ANA correspondent.
“Increasing the absorption rate of particles in nano dimensions, increasing the efficiency of filtration, surface filtration, increasing the health and safety of the workspace, significantly increasing the durability, cost-effectiveness due to increasing the lifespan, reducing depreciation and increasing the power of machines, are among the advantages of these nano filters as compared to normal filters,” he added.
“Now, with the mass production of this product, we have been able to meet the needs of large industries such as steel, ceramic tiles, cement, and food. The quality of this product is equal to similar foreign-made imported counterparts and the polyester fibers are used in its construction. Its price is almost two to three times lower than those of the foreign models,” he continued.
Mahmoudi expressed hope for more financial support from the government to producers and manufacturers at the time of difficulty.
Iran-Made Smart Platform Monitors Errors in Online Systems of Banks
Iranian engineers at a knowledge-based company developed an intelligent platform for troubleshooting systems which enables the user to root out errors created in the online banking systems.
“The product, named Moe’in, is a comprehensive platform that enjoys the capability to monitor all hardware equipment and software technologies in online systems. By using this platform, the necessary warning can be given as soon as possible,” said Saeed Zhiyani, a senior expert at the knowledge-based company.
Noting that this method can eliminate the downtime (when a website or web service is not available online), he said, “This platform with its error detection capability allows complete use of online systems 24 hours, 7 days of the week.”
“One of the features of this platform is troubleshooting. Unlike similar external troubleshooting software in which we have to use specific components and tools for each technology in an isolated manner, this platform has over 100 types of technologies and the user can fully configure the system components and services within this platform and define a debugger platform so that when the system encounters an error, it will be rooted out,” Zhiyani said.
Iranian Researchers Produce Ingestible Sensors to Monitor Cattle Health Condition
Technologists at one of the companies located at the Science and Technology Park of Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran have produced ingestible bio-sensors to give information about the health condition of the cattle.
“One of our products is a sensor that can be swallowed by heavy cattle. This sensor sticks to the animal's rumen after being swallowed,” said Nahal Tabrizi, the director of the technology company in an interview with local Iranian media.
“This sensor sends information such as animal body temperature, estrous time, animal pregnancy, amount of water and feed consumption to the operator from inside the animal's body,” she said.
Tabrizi stated that the bio-sensor operates through a battery and emphasized that the battery can last for five years. “A dairy animal can live for five years and after that the animal is slaughtered. It is possible to reuse this sensor, but we recommend not to.”
“The reader of this sensor is installed at the entrance gate of the animals in their place of storage and it is possible to read the sensor up to a distance of one and a half meters,” she went on to say.
Iranian Company Finds New Method to Treat Industrial Wastewater
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company used a new method to purify industrial wastewater with no need to filters.
“We were able to make an industrial wastewater treatment device in our company which does not need filters,” Amin Afshar, the director of the research and development department of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“In this innovative method no filter is used and only microwave, ultrasonic and UV technologies are used and the device can be used endlessly until it breaks,” he added.
Afshar explained that when the water is discharged it absorbs pollution and after that when the water is charged, it no longer absorbs pollution, adding that the ions in the water turn into elements and are deposited, and therefore, no filter is needed.
“If you inject 10 liters of water, the device returns the whole of it fully purified and only gives out solid particles as dry matter,” he noted.
Iran-Made Level Gauge Sensors Meet Needs of Refineries
Specialists of an Iranian knowledge-based company succeeded in reverse engineering and indigenization of the sensors for level gauges, one of the key equipment needed in the oil and gas industry.
“In a company active in the field of oil and gas, we reverse engineered one of the key equipment of the oil industry. The complex equations that were used in the design of this equipment required a combination of several different parameters to achieve a final result. Relying on the knowledge and expertise of our team, we managed to discover and solve these equations,” said Monireh Parsa, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
“This equipment is a level gauge sensor that works by immersion and using a trig tube. As one of the methods of measuring the height of the fluid, unlike the buoyancy model, the submersion method is very complicated, but its low sensitivity to density and lack of influence from fluid vapors has made it one of the most widely-used methods in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries. The immersion sensor made by Shahrah Mechatronic Pars company is suitable for the market and application,” she added.
“This product has been manufactured for the first time in Iran and at present, it is used in refineries, petrochemicals and other industries,” Parsa noted.
Iran Launches 1st Nat’l Center for Designing Microchips
Iranian Vice-President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy Rouhollah Dehqani in a ceremony inaugurated the first national center for designing microchips.
The first national microchip design center was launched to boost the development of technologies and prototypes for diverse chip applications.
Established to facilitate factory-free design, this center aims to domestically create an array of chips within a 500-square-meter facility divided into three distinct sections.
The center is also adept at managing international chip design projects and training chip designers, assembly professionals, and software production experts. Moreover, it fosters the development of knowledge-based products originating from locally designed chips.
Iranian Specialists Design Smart Pet-Feeding System
Iranian experts at Islamic Azad University’s Gorgan branch succeeded in designing and making a smart feeding system for pets.
“We succeeded in designing and manufacturing a smart drinking device for pets,” Omid Farhadi, the manager of a technological company stationed at Islamic Azad University’s Gorgan branch, told ANA.
“The smart pet drinking device, named Pet Noush, is an intelligent device for providing water needed by pets at any time of the day and night. It has a presence detection sensor and when the pet approaches it, it starts working and provides the needed water to the pet. It is equipped with a filter to purify water from suspended particles and consumes little amount of electricity (9 volts),” he added.
Farhadi described the smart pet feeder as another product of his company, and said, “It is an MVP model and has been designed and built to mechanize the process of feeding pets. The device has a tank for placing dry food and is equipped with Wi-Fi and a mobile app to adjust the food schedule for pets, and thus, by using these two devices, the pet owners will be sure of feeding their pets during their absence.”
Iranian Researchers Studying Different Methods to Produce Dengue Fever Vaccine
Iranian scientists are making strenuous efforts to study different methods to find an effective vaccine for the dengue fever, a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people.
Parviz Shayan, the head of the center for studying ticks and diseases transmitted by them, emphasized the production of dengue fever vaccine at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of University of Tehran, saying, “The Biotechnology Research Center of the University of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army and the Research Institute of Molecular Biological System Transfer (MBST) are trying to apply biotechnology methods to improve the capability of molecular diagnosis in the country.”
Although the most common way to prevent viral diseases is the injection of a vaccine, according to experts, the injection of the dengue vaccine is only for those who have been once infected with this disease.
Mohammedreza Nazer, an Iranian specialist in infectious and tropical diseases, explained that although one of the ways to prevent dengue fever is vaccination, it is prescribed for people who have been infected with the disease once, but people who have not been infected and receive the injection will get the fatal type of the disease.
Iran-Made Automatic Tourniquet Stops, Reduces Blood Flow during Surgery
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company designed and produced an automatic tourniquet which can stop or decrease the blood flow during surgery.
“The automatic tourniquet is a digital device that can maintain the regulatory pressure on the patient's limb for a set period of time by means of control circuits and air pressure which will stop the blood flow and facilitate the surgical process,” Massoud Soroush, the production manager of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
Noting that stopping the patient's blood flow is important during different surgeries, he said, “The single-port digital tourniquet device allows the user to adjust the pressure and duration and cut off the patient's blood flow with special cuffs that are tied around the limb to perform surgery on the limb. This tourniquet is also equipped with warning alarms that alert the user after the set time expires.”
“The maximum pressure of the device is up to 500 mm of mercury, and based on the international standard law, the maximum allowable pressure is 300 mm of mercury. The single-port digital tourniquet device can be used with a battery and this device can be used for as long as the patient needs to be transported to the treatment center without injury,” Soroush said.
Iranian Company Produces Pressure Infusion Bag to Accelerate Blood Transfusion
A knowledge-based company in Iran succeeded in designing and producing a pressure infusion bag which speeds up blood transfusion.
“The blood pressure infusion bag is one of the products of our company that speeds up blood transfusion. This device is completely digital. It has a special cuff called pressure infusion cuff, which is connected to the device by connecting tubes,” Massoud Soroush, the production manager of a knowledge-based company, told ANA.
Noting that the device is used for trauma patients who have lost a lot of blood, he said, “The blood is injected into the patient’s bosy with very high pressure, and it is also used for patients who need cardiopulmonary resuscitation.”
“In the past, blood bags were injected into the patient with large syringes and with very high pressure, but in that situation, red blood cells were injected into the patient's body with extreme pressure, and the so-called hemolysis, i.e. the destruction of red blood cells, occurred as a result of improper blood transfusion,” Soroush said.
“As a result, only a red liquid was injected to the patient and it did not have the necessary efficiency, but when this device is used, the pressure can be adjusted up to one millimeter of mercury and the blood is transferred correctly,” Soroush said.
Iran to Hold Technology Olympiad Late in October
A technology Olympiad aimed at identification of technologists in 5 specialized fields is due to be held in Iran on October 22-28.
The Technology Olympics event is a standard platform to identify the best technology talents in the country to introduce and use them in different projects.
The annual holding of technology Olympiad competitions in Iran promotes various fields of technology through these competitions. Those interested in these fields should test their level of technical knowledge in these competitions and increase it. These top talents are used to advance knowledge-based projects in the country.
The Technology Olympiad includes the 5 main fields of artificial intelligence, programming, cyber security, robotics and drones.
The face-to-face competition will be held at the Pardis Science and Technology Park near Tehran on October 22 to 28, and it is expected that in each league (out of a total of more than 17 leagues in various technical fields), over 150 people (more than 2000 people in total) will participate in the competition.
Iranian Scientists Make DNA Extraction Kit from Saliva
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company succeeded in making a kit which extracts DNA from saliva and enjoys a stabilizer solution to prolong the saliva’s stability for high-quality DNA.
Abolfazl Motahhari, the managing director of the knowledge-based company, said that the most common way of DNA extraction is by using blood cells, adding, “This method is difficult for elderly patients, pregnant mothers, infants and young children, and sometimes it happens with difficulty and it is more difficult for the patients whose blood clots quickly or those who have anemia.”
He described extraction of the DNA from oral saliva as an alternative method for this problem, noting, “Since the mouth is full of bacteria, the extracted oral saliva is contaminated, and the amount of bacteria present should be reduced during a certain process and by washing, and then by using a stabilization kit, saliva can be kept stable at room temperature for a certain period of time so that laboratories can have high-quality DNA.”
Motahhari also referred to another product of the company, saying that it is an insulated chamber incubator that is used in biological laboratories for the cultivation and growth of living samples like cells, microbes, incubating eggs and spermatozoa.
He added that the PLT01 device is another product of his company which has a heating system by using fluid heat transfer and is applied for melting and heating the liquids in laboratory bags or bottles that are intended for medical transfer or injection in living tissues, and these fluids are usually whole blood, blood products, plasma and other injection solutions.
Iranian Inventor Makes Plastic Scintillators with Medical, Industrial, Research Applications
A PhD student of Islamic Azad University’s Central Tehran branch succeeded in making plastic scintillators with medical, industrial and research applications.
Laleh Younesi, a PhD student in nuclear engineering, majoring in radiation medicine, completed her thesis entitled ‘investigation of the effect of fluorescence compounds in the formulation on the scintillation behavior of plastic and the effect of aging on it’.
“Considering the importance of plastic scintillators as radiation detectors and the polymer base of these detectors, I started research on them. Scintillators are used as the most important radiation detectors in a wide range of different medical, industrial and research applications,” she told ANA.
“Organic plastic scintillators are widely used in industry and medicine due to their relatively lower manufacturing cost, appropriate strength, ability to withstand environmental conditions, fast decay time, proximity of their effective atomic number to body tissue, and easy shaping,” Younesi said.
Knowledge-Based Company in Iran Produces Infertility Treatment Devices, Equipment
A knowledge-based company in Iran has successfully produced DNA extraction and purification kits from saliva and a variety of cell culture equipment and consumables for infertility treatment in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratories.
According to a report by the website of the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy, Seyed Abolfazl Motahari, the CEO of the knowledge-based company, pointed to using blood cells as the most common way of DNA extraction, explaining, “This method is difficult for elderly patients, pregnant mothers, infants and young children, and sometimes it takes place with difficulty. This difficulty is much greater for patients whose blood clots quickly or those who have anemia.”
Motahari went on to describe the insulated chamber incubator that is used in biological laboratories for the cultivation and growth of live samples such as cells or microbes and for incubating eggs and spermatozoa (sperm), saying, “A desktop incubator consists of 11 separate culture chambers and a larger heating chamber.”
According to him, the PLT01 device has a heating system using fluid heat transfer, which is used to melt and heat liquids in laboratory bags or bottles that are intended for medical transfer or injection into living tissues, adding that these fluids are usually whole blood, blood products, plasma and other injection solutions.
First Plant to Manufacture Civilian Drones Inaugurated in Eastern Iran
The head of the Ultra-Light Drone Group of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) said that the first plant to build civilian drones was inaugurated in the Eastern part of Iran.
These drones help the reduction of 90% of water consumption and 30% of pesticide or solution consumption in agriculture, Mehdi Qaranli said.
He added that the homemade civilian drone’s price is 25% cheaper than the foreign samples.
The official noted that Simorq-S20 is an unmanned vehicle applicable in the field of agriculture and has been designed and manufactured upon an initiative by the expert engineers of a knowledge-based company based in Mashhad, Khorassan Razavi province.
He added the CAO has banned and restricted the import of various types of civilian drones into the country aimed at supporting the domestic knowledge-based companies active in the field of making civilian drones.
Iran Designs Nat’l Model for Intelligentization of Power Distribution System
The Iranian specialists at Nirou research institute designed and implemented the national model of intelligentization of the country's electric power distribution system in the form of a fundamental project.
“Improving corporate governance, increasing network strength, improving resilience, improving reliability, resolving energy imbalances, improving the quality of electric power delivered to customers, reforming the economy of the electricity distribution industry, resolving financial imbalances, improving administrative health, improving intra-organizational and extra-organizational interactions, improving HSE of company personnel, customers and society are among the most important goals and results to be considered in the design and implementation of the national model of intelligentization of the country's power distribution system,” said Mohammad Reza Safari, the head of the research team.
“Locality, comprehensiveness in the balanced intelligentization of all the components of the intelligent system, the possibility of carrying out plans and projects in the implementation stage and finally materializing the goals, and the evolution of the electricity distribution industry are other important features of the national model,” he added.
Safari underlined that by identifying the engineering and non-engineering problems of the power distribution system in 70 sectors and paying attention to the limitations and obstacles of each of the electricity distribution companies, a roadmap will be designed and implemented to overcome the existing problems and reach the desired situation.
The 7th National Conference on New Technologies in Electrical, Computer and Mechanical Engineering of Iran was held in Tehran on June 6.
Iran-Made Smart Sorting Machine Separates Dried Fruit, Saffron
Iranian researchers at an Iranian knowledge-based company succeeded in designing and making a smart sorting machine which can separate different dried fruit and saffron flower.
“Our company initially started its activity with implementation of the saffron processing line plan; the saffron processing line consists of devices equipped with artificial intelligence, and using this technology, it performs all the steps of saffron flower processing, from cutting to multi-stage separation to obtain the saffron stigma,” Mohammad Reza Almasi, the executive director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“Also, this line is equipped with three smart sorting machines that can be used for dry fruits as well,” he added.
Almasi explained that a sorter is a device that can separate products based on predetermined criteria (color, shape, and size) with the accuracy and speed many times faster than human labor, adding that today, for reasons like increasing production efficiency and reducing health damage, the sorting machines are used for a variety of materials.
“The smart sorting machine developed by our company can be used to separate products like figs, dates, raisins and pistachios,” he noted.
Almasi added that the saffron processing line has been patented and used for the first time in the world.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Produces Modified Wheat, Corn Starch on Industrial Scale
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company succeeded in production of modified and stabilized wheat and corn starch on an industrial scale by using the state-of-the-art technologies.
“Our company has been working for over 20 years with the aim of improving the quality of raw materials used in the food industry and producing modified starches based on wheat, corn, and potato,” Alireza Rezayee, a quality controler of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“At present, our company produces all types of modified starch, stabilizers, premixes, etc. under the international standards of FDA, the national standard of Iran and also using the integrated system of ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 and HACCP,” he underlined.
“The modified starches and additives of our company enjoy advantages like creating the desired texture in the product, increasing shelf life, excellent performance as a bulking agent, emulsifier and stabilizer, and fat substitute,” Rezayee said.
Iranian Scientists Indigenize Quantitative Phase Imaging Microscope
Iranian researchers succeeded in designing and building a Quantitative Phase Imaging (QPI) microscope which provides both quantitative and beautiful images of living cells.
In this research, a QPI accessory has been proposed which can be installed on conventional optical microscopes and equip them with a tool for digital holographic microscopy.
The proposed part includes a double Fresnel prism with a certain vertex angle, which can form an interference frieze if the coherent light of the laser is guided inside the microscope. A digital detector is placed at the end part of the piece to record full monographs.
By installing this part on any type of optical microscope, the scientists can have a very stable digital whole-view microscope device which provides the possibility of imaging, studying and characterizing living cells without the need to use anti-vibration optical tables.
The proposed device enjoys a very high efficiency in 3D imaging of transparent samples, specially biological samples, and quantitative analysis of their dynamics, and it can be easily used for quantitative study of cell dynamics in medical and biological research, 3D surface topography, testing and characterization of various structures in science, microelectromechanical materials and systems, measurement of changes in refractive index of fluids in microchannels, study of nonlinear phenomena and many other research and industrial applications.
Iranian Researchers Making Efforts to Build Low-Cost High-Strength Concrete
Iranian researchers are striving to find a new way to produce stronger concrete by using low-cost materials.
“If possible, we want to achieve new technologies in high-strength concrete and composite concrete in the near future so that we can brand and send them to the market with lower costs and more accurate materials,” Kamal Khorramdel, a researcher and inventor and a faculty member of the Civil Engineering Department of the Islamic Azad University’s Mahabad branch, told ANA.
He stressed that the initial tests have proven successful in this regard.
“We are also working on concrete for the water tanks which are open and can reduce water penetration to zero,” Khorramdel said.
“Since the water inside the tanks contains chlorine and chlorine ions can be corrosive to concrete and reinforcements, the lack of water penetration can prevent the corrosion of concrete and rebars,” he noted.
Iranian Researchers Produce Wool Fat from Effluent of Washing Factories
Researchers of an Iranian knowledge-based company stationed at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences succeeded in production of wool fat from the effluent of wool washing factories.
“Lanolin or wool fat is a wax secreted by sheep's sebaceous glands. This material protects the sheep from weather hazards. Lanolin and its derivatives are used as water and oil emulsifiers, softeners, moisturizers, stabilizers and plasticizers in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and health, military weapons, food, oil, paint, construction, leather, etc. industries,” Kianoush Namayan, the managing director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
He explained that lanolin is the only source of cholesterol production and D3 precursor.
“Lanolin is also used in skin ointments as a repair agent, in suppositories as a drug carrier, in sutures as an agent in the wound healing process, in dressings, burn ointments and wound sprays and in surgical adhesive tapes as a plasticizer agent and it is an agent that accelerates the wound healing process. It has applications as emulsifier, stabilizer, softener and acceleration agent in the wound healing process,” Namayan said.
Lanolin, also called wool fat, is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Historically, many pharmacopoeias have referred to lanolin as wool fat (adeps lanae); however, as lanolin lacks glycerides (glycerol esters), it is not a true fat. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters instead.
Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin.
Iranian Researchers Work on Producing Synthetic Fuel with Potential to Tackle Environmental Concerns
An Iranian researcher and his teammates at the University of Tehran are working on producing a synthetic fuel in a laboratory environment with the least pollution level through a simulator and combining percentages of materials together.
Mehdi Abbasi, a professor at the University of Tehran (UT) and a graduate from Stuttgart University in Germany in the field of combustion of air engines with an environmental approach said in an interview with local Iranian media that, “A part of the project we implemented at the University of Stuttgart was aimed at the development of alternative fuels; Alternative fuels are fuels that do not originate from crude oil or can be synthetically produced in a laboratory environment.”
He stated that the existing fuels used in the automotive and aerospace industry are of petroleum origin, explaining more that, “Although there are environmental problems with crude oil, predictions show that by 2050, hydrocarbon sources will still be prevailing. These fuels have full energy portfolio, however, the percentage of their utilization is decreasing.”
Emphasizing that the consumption of gas in the future will increase, Abbasi described the trend as a result ofthe green approaches adopted by countries. “Gas has less pollution than diesel and gasoline, so it is more favorable,” he added.
The UT professor further said that he and his teammates in their studies, “tried to produce fuels in the laboratory environment and combine them with each other to achieve clean fuel.”
“We used the ‘fuel engineering’ or ‘fuel design’ method to achieve this product,” he noted.
Iranian Scientists Develop Nanocatalysts for Isomerization Process to Produce High-Quality Gasoline
Iranian researchers succeeded in producing polyexometallic nanocatalysts based on organic-metallic frameworks to be used in the process of normal hexane isomerization to increase the quality of gasoline in compliance with environmental standards.
‘Normal isomerization of hexane using polyexometallic nanocatalysts based on organic-metallic frameworks’ is the title of the thesis of Neda Rezayee, a PhD graduate in Chemical Engineering from Noushirvani University of Technology which was completed with the support of the National Science Foundation of Iran.
“Due to the importance of complying with environmental standards and the need to use up-to-date and efficient catalysts in the refining industry, in this research, normal isomerization of hexane was chosen in the vicinity of the best acid catalysts to improve their performance in the research process,” Rezayee said.
Noting that compliance with environmental standards in the isomerization process and finally in the gasoline production process and making a suitable acid catalyst for the isomerization process is one of the goals of this project, she said, “In this project, we are looking for a catalyst that has the highest efficiency and can provide more active sites for the isomerization reaction and remain active for a longer time.”
“The research showed that the super acid catalysts are suitable for performing the isomerization process due to their high acid properties but due to their deactivation, a suitable solution should be sought. For this reason, we focused on this issue and the results of this research are definitely applicable in the process of normal hexane isomerization,” Rezayee added.
“Finally, by making a suitable acid catalyst, the isomerization process can be advanced and the environmental risks caused by the production of low-quality gasoline can be reduced,” she stated.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Produces Flexible Circuits to Print on Fabric
An Iranian knowledge-based company has succeeded in making flexible circuits with application in printing circuits on fabric and textiles.
During the past 8 years, the specialists of the knowledge-based company have focused on the new technology platform called printed electronics and developed the method of printing electronic circuits.
“In a bid to develop products in the field of printed electronics, we have built a printer by which we can make products like seat warmers and car sensors and panels with the help of nano-based inks which make it possible to produce flexible and low-cost electronic devices,” said Ali Qarakhani, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
“At present, this device makes it possible to print all types of flexible circuits, RFID tags, flexible heaters and flexible sensors in addition to research and development capabilities on other applications in the field of printed electronics,” he added.
“We produce electronic circuits through printing in our company. We started research in this field 8 years ago,” Qarakhani noted.
Researchers and technicians at a technological company based at the Islamic Azad University (IAU) have locally produced necessary materials and equipment for cell culture to reduce the cost of research in laboratories in Iran by 50%.
“Our company has focused on the production of laboratory materials, especially materials and culture media ingredients related to culturing cells. Currently, a high percentage of these culture media is imported into the country from overseas. Our main goal in this technological core is to produce these products to help the country be self-sufficient in this regard and reduce its dependency on imports,” said Amin Rouzbehi, a PhD student in microbiology and director of a Technology Core based in the health development center of the Islamic Azad University Shahrekord Branch (IAUSHK).
He said that they started the company at the IAUSHK in 2022 and have been able to use the facilities and equipment of the Biotechnology Research Center at that university.
“After conducting research and expanding the production of cell culture ingredients, our company has successfully completed the trail phase of its products. Now, we have met the research needs of professors and students of this university. Meanwhile, we are consulting with other universities, research centers and laboratories all over the country to introduce products and begin their mass production and supply them,” he added.
The director of the technological core also said that the domestically-producing the cell culture ingredients and equipment would also generate revenues for the IAUSHK.
“The products of this technology core include several types of cell culture media. Considering the fact that lots of those ingredients and equipment that are used in research centers and laboratories across the country are imported, this technology core would contribute to reducing the research costs for researchers at laboratories by domestically producing them.”
Iranian Company Designs Machinery for Livestock, Poultry Feed Production Line
An Iranian technological company managed to design different machinery for the production line of livestock and poultry feed.
“Our company is active in the field of consulting, designing and construction of animal, poultry and aquatic feed production plants in different tonnages in a fully automatic way, reconstruction, renovation and upgrading of animal and poultry feed production plants, imports of modern technology of feed production line machinery, spare parts and customized parts,” Mohammad Khalili, the managing director of Kardan Machine company, told ANA.
“In a bid to improve the quality and productivity of livestock and poultry feed production units, our company has embarked on designing the livestock and poultry feed production line machines in Iran with a new and up-to-date design and reverse engineering of high-quality machines of reputable brands,” he added.
Khalili noted that imports of the latest technologies, including advanced in-line analyzers, nutrition software, ration management for industrial and semi-industrial animal husbandry are other future plans of his company.
Iran Becomes Self-Sufficient in Producing Pen Ink
Iran has become self-sufficient in producing pen ink through the efforts of technologists at a knowledge-based company.
Technologists at a knowledge-based firm in Iran have successfully produced antibacterial inks for pens for the first time in the country and region.
“In this company, with working round the clock, we have made a great achievement that has been unprecedented in Iran and the region until today. The new product is pen ink,” said managing director of the knowledge-based company ‘Sepandar Johar Arian’ Mohammad-Amin Maghsoudi.
He said that prior to this, the Iranian factories that produced pen used imported ink from other countries, adding that $2.5 million used to spent on buying the material.
“Domestically producing pen ink in Iran will not only put us on the list of the top seven countries in the world in this field, but also it will lay the ground for further innovations and improvement in the stationery industry inside our country,” he added.
“The ink is produced using the world's latest technology and represents the high-level of know-how of Iranian experts. This ink is high quality and viscosity and helps you create the most beautiful writings,” Maghsoudi went on to say.
Iranian Company Produces Sanitary Gel for Women
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based pharmaceutical company produced a new type of sanitary gel for women with no impacts on hormones.
“Moisturizing vaginal gel is one of our company's latest products which was made for the first time in Iran, and its unique feature compared to similar products is its long-lasting effectiveness,” Ahmad Sadeqi, the managing director of the knowledge-based pharmaceutical company, told ANA.
“In similar products, vaginal gel is used every night, but this product is used once every 3 days, which is more convenient for the user,” he added.
Noting that the structure of the gel is not hormonal, Sadeqi said moisturizing vaginal gel does not cause any complications in disturbing the balance of hormones in the user's body.
“The main product has a special polymer that is the monopoly of a British-American company and is not imported into Iran due to sanctions, but with the efforts of our company's experienced specialists, this polymer has been transformed into simpler materials and is used in the production of this product,” he said.
Hospitals in Iran Equipped with Locally-Made Neopuff Neonatal T-Piece Resuscitator
A knowledge-based company has produced infant T-Piece resuscitators to equip Iranian hospitals with domestically produced devices.
“All the pieces of these devices (infant T-Piece resuscitators) are designed and produced by Iranian experts,” said Massoud Soleimani, the managing director of the knowledge-based company which has focused its operation on producing neonatal resuscitators and air-oxygen blenders.
“With its ergonomic design and simple user interface, the infant T-piece resuscitator allows for performing resuscitation without making error in applying work pressures and without causing fatigue during the resuscitation period. The infant resuscitation T-piece has the capability to connect to oxygen blender, oxygen and air flowmeter, capsule regulators, mask and tracheal tube of the baby, which creates high flexibility to use in different positions,” he explained about the device, according to a report by the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy.
The user interface (UI) is the point of human-computer interaction and communication in a device. This can include display screens, keyboards, a mouse and the appearance of a desktop.
Soleimani further explained that small size and light weight of the T-piece has made it easy to carry and use it in different places, including the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), female ward, emergency, etc.
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