MIT researchers have been able to use graphene to print 3D objects with a geometry that has 10 times the strength of steel but only a fraction of the wieght.
The discovery using the strongest material there is has the potential to enable lightweight products for airplanes, cars, buildings and even filtration devices because of the printed objects’ porous designs.
In its typical two-dimensional, flat state graphene is only one atom thick, so like a sheet of paper it is flimsy and easily torn. But, graphene also conducts electricity efficiently and is nearly transparent.
Until now, researchers struggled to use graphene’s two-dimensional strength in three-dimensional materials.
This illustration shows the simulation results of tensile and compression tests on 3D graphene.
Because of the extraordinary thinness, « they are not very useful for making 3D materials that could be used in vehicles, buildings, or devices, » Markus Buehler, the head of MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), said in a statement. « What we’ve done is to realize the wish of translating these 2D materials into three-dimensional structures.  »
The researchers created the new graphene structures using a proprietary, multi-material 3D printer; the structures have a « sponge-like » configuration with a density of just 5%.
Combining heat and pressure, the MIT researchers were able to compress small flakes of graphene to produce a strong, stable structure « whose form resembles that of some corals and microscopic creatures called diatoms.  » The new shapes contained an enormous surface area in proportion to their volume, and proved to be remarkably strong.
The research provided data about the critical densities below which the 3D graphene assembly starts to lose its mechanical advantage over most polymeric cellular materials, the researchers said.
« Once we created these 3D structures, we wanted to see what’s the limit — what’s the strongest possible material we can produce, » McAfee Professor of Engineering Zhao Qin said.
To test the 3D printed graphene’s strength, the researchers created a variety of three dimensional models and then subjected them to various tests.
« In computational simulations, which mimic the loading conditions in the tensile and compression tests performed in a tensile loading machine, one of our samples has 5% the density of steel, but 10 times the strength, » Qin said.
Just as rolling a piece of paper increases its strength, creating 3D printed geometries with graphene increased its ability to support substantial weight.
The new configurations were made in the lab using a high-resolution, multi-material 3-D printer. They were mechanically tested for their tensile and compressive properties and simulated using the team’s theoretical models. The results from the printed models and the simulations matched.
Because graphene materials used by previous researchers can be lighter than air, some considered whether when used in a vacuum, the graphene structures could serve as a substitute for helium in unpowered flight.
Because of the MIT researchers’ more accurate computational modeling, the use of graphene as a replacement for helium in balloons was ruled out because the material would not have sufficient strength and would collapse from the surrounding air pressure.
The MIT researchers, however, found that there were many other applications for the graphene 3D structures where a combination of extreme strength and light weight could be a benefit.
« You could either use the real graphene material or use the geometry we discovered with other materials, like polymers or metals, » Buehler stated. « You can replace the material itself with anything. The geometry is the dominant factor. It’s something that has the potential to transfer to many things. « 

© Source: http://www.itnews.com/article/3155102/emerging-technology/mit-creates-3d-printed-graphene-thats-lighter-than-air-10x-stronger-than-steel.html
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Jack Ma (R), founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, and President-elect Donald Trump talked about creating 1 million US jobs at Trump Tower.
Donald Trump met with the founder of China’s  » bigly » online retailer on Monday to talk jobs and small businesses.
Jack Ma, the chairman of Alibaba Group, visited the president-elect at Trump Tower in Manhattan to discuss the Chinese company’s plans to create 1 million jobs in the US over the next five years. With a stronghold on China’s e-retail market, Alibaba has plans to expand its presence in the US.
Ma told reporters at the hotel’s lobby the two focused on small businesses, especially in the agriculture industry. The Alibaba Group tweeted after the meeting that it wants to connect US companies and farmers to more than 300 million middle-class customers in China. Alibaba is looking to focus on garments, wine and fruits from the Midwest, Ma said.
« We had a great meeting, and (he’s) a great, great entrepreneur, one of the best in the world, » Trump told reporters. « Jack and I are going to do some great things.  »
Trump has had a shaky relationship with China, with experts speculating he was « picking a fight » with the nation after winning the election. He’s also criticized the country’s economic and military policies on his Twitter , frustrating Chinese officials.
Alibaba has also recently been at odds with the US government. Last year, the Office of the US Trade Representative put the company’s Taobao website back on its list of  » notorious markets  » that sells counterfeit goods.
Alibaba hopes small businesses in the US will be allowed to sell products on its platform. The site had 8 million active sellers in 2013 , with a consumer-to-consumer marketplace like eBay.
Ma isn’t the only retail giant Trump has met with. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos attended the president-elect’s tech summit in December and said the meeting was « very productive. « 

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/alibabas-founder-jack-ma-chats-with-trump-over-1m-us-jobs/
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This Denso robot made me a cup of coffee and it was delicious.
Picture this: You walk through a crowded convention center and off to the side you see a huddle of smiling people engrossed in a demo. You walk over to the booth and see a large robotic arm handing a person a cappuccino. This was the scene at several booths at CES 2017. But after having three different robots make me coffee, tea and a cappuccino, which one did it the best?
CES had a few robots that made attendees a hot caffeinated beverage. But how did they rank?
All of the robots had one or more large articulating arms and all made actual beverages to be consumed.
The Bosch robot had one arm and could make either a latte, a cappuccino or a coffee. The company Aubo had a single arm robot that made a cup of hot tea. And Denso had a two arm robot that made a cup of pour over coffee.
One robot rose above the rest when it came to customer service.
Hands down the Bosch cappuccino robot gave the best customer service. It asked me for my name, what kind of coffee beverage I wanted and wished me well when it gave me my cup of joe. This robot did not talk, but rather projected words onto the counter top. I interacted with the robot by tapping on the projected opinions.
For example, when it asked what beverage I wanted, it projected three circles onto the counter top: one for a cappuccino, one for a latte, and one for an americano. I tapped on the projected cappuccino button and the robot validated my choice by projecting the words « good choice ».
Both the Aubo and Denso robots offered no such interaction.
When it came to actually making the beverage some of the robots worked harder than others.
Whereas the Bosch cappuccino robot was all about customer service, the Aubo tea robot and Denso coffee robot were all about putting on a hot beverage show.
To make the cappuccino, the Bosch robot just pushed a couple of buttons on an automated machine which did all the work.
The Aubo tea robot heated a kettle of water, scooped a spoonful of tea leaves, poured the hot water over the tea leaves and poured the tea into a cup.
The Denso coffee robot was my favorite to watch, largely because it had two robot arms. It made pour-over coffee in a Chemex. One robot arm prepped the filter while the second arm poured hot water over the grounds. When it got to the bottom of the kettle of water, the robot even flicked its hand to get all the water out.
When the Denso robot had to remove the filter and grounds, one arm picked up the spent filter while the other moved the Chemex underneath it to catch any drippings. Finally, the arm holding the Chemex poured the fresh coffee into white paper cups.
The Denso coffee robot was the best at preparing its beverage.
It’s worth noting that the Bosch cappuccino robot made a food handling error. It stuck its fingers into the cup multiple times. This is a big no-no especially because it wasn’t wearing a food service glove.
At the end of the day, which drink tasted best?
All the robots made good drinks. The cappuccino the Bosch made tasted as good as a cappuccino from Starbucks. The cup even had my name on it — spelled correctly!
The cup of tea the Aubo robot made was really good. It was steeped perfectly and tasted great.
The cup of pour-over coffee the Denso robot made was the best hands down. It was smooth and lively. Seriously, slap a man bun on this robot and get it to charge me $6.
The overall winner was definitely the Denso coffee robot. Despite its quiet engagement, the robot made the best beverage and put on the best show.
All of these robots are more than just the drinks they make.
None of these robots are going to be invading your local coffee shop anytime soon. But all showcased a technology that might be used in future products or services.
The Bosch robot showcased a projected interface for people to interact with robots. The Aubo robot was all about demonstrating the intricate movements a large robot arm is capable of. And the Denso robot showed how it can make nuanced movements as well as synchronize its two arms.
As far as coffee and tea? I am excited to get back to my local coffee shop that offers great customer service and great coffee without giant robot arms.

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/the-battle-of-the-ces-2017-coffee-and-tea-robots/
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