www.sciencespin.com
SPIN ACTIVE APPLIED STI
AS anyone who drives long distances knows, dropping off to sleep at the wheel is all too easy. Even though truck drivers have to take regular breaks, the danger of dozing off, especially on those boring highways remains quite high. A device, developed by researchers at Tyndall in Cork, could prevent this happening by detecting any change in a driver’s breathing rate. The microchip sensor can also detect potentially fatal changes in people at risk from breathing difficulties, and it may have a role in monitoring babies for sudden death syndrome. According to Tyndall, the microchip consists of an ultra-wide-band pulse radar, and it operates without any need to be in contact with the person. Dr Domenico Zito, who led the development team, said the device has A chalcid wasp considerable potential for monitoring of respiratory diseases, and in Ethiopian as it can (Trichogrammatidae) generate a flow of data over a period of time, doctors are better equipped to amber, body length 0,6 mm make observations.
Sleep detection
UPFRONT
A wasp, just under half a cm long, from the famiuly Mymarommatidae. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
Window into the ancient past
APPLIED research in cloud computing is to get €5 million in support under plans announced in May by Minister, Richard Bruton to boost innovation. In addition to the support for cloud computing, €6 million is to go into a research centre for energy and the smart grid, and €44 million is to go to researchers leading life science, ICT and energy projects. In cloud computing, software programs and other resources do not have to reside on individual machines, but can be accessed on demand. Cloud computing is expected to grow rapidly, and with the development of better and faster it causes a severe infection. Acquired connections, Ireland could become a significant player in provision is making it resistance to antibiotics of services. On energy research, aas cathers to be more difficult to keep these fungal cluster is hosted by UCD in partnership with MEDICAL implants, such attacks under control, but as industry and prosthetics can save lives, but they ESB, Eirgrid, Bord Gáis, Intel, Ericsson, Siemens and other partners. 25 the Cork researchers report million in funding can also are reported to have host partners become an unintendedcommitted an additional €2.5 in the journal, Microbiology, another pathogen have for the coming five years. For some time, power producing companiescould overfungal infections. Thehe yeast, provide a solution to that problem. Candida albicans, can form a biofilm been pointing out that the existing grid structure cannot meet future demands, The bacterium, Pseudomonas which is difficult to eradicate, and and more flexibility is needed for Ireland to eruginosa, invades burnenergy. so become an exporter of wounds, as researchers at University College The €44 million support for leading it is seen as a Principal Investigators, Cork report, this is the most common researchers will to 44troublesome pathogen. mainly working ininfection. life sciences, ICT, and energy. These the researchers found, However, as projects involve a high hospital-acquired level of industry participation with 23 companies already on board as partners. it inhibits the growth of Canida Normally, the yeast is not a
Innovation
A REMARKABLY detailed snapshot of the Cretaceous period has been preserved in wantAmber, almost as clear as glass, is fossilized Waste not amber. not resin, hAS often been noted, Ireland spends a lot on imported fuel, yet has AS the sticky substance exuded by pine trees. A team of twenty researchers from saving energy. Austria, the capacity to cut this cost by Germany, France, According to Siemens, Ethiopia, Italy, the of up toUSA,per cent are possible the many of our existing energy savings UK and fifty have been examining on 95 million year old plants, insects, nematodes, fungi, and even bacteria encased buildings without having to make a big investment on retrofitting. Liam in Ethiopian amber. The amber was found within sandstone from the Mulligan from Siemens, told In reporting on initial Cities held in Dublin, northwestern plateau of Ethopia.a conferencetheirSmart findings in thatjournal PNAS, the researchers in buildingsthey now 350 kWh per square the the consumption of energy explain that here, at have an metre, is considerably higher than an average This was a time unprecedented window into a Cretaceous woodland. of 250 kWh for 30 cities abroad. “During the boom years,” he appear. when the first flowering plants began tosaid, “a significant number of buildings Two built scientists involved, or no consideration Norbert were of the cheaply with little Matthias Svojtka and for energy efficiency or Vávra, from the University of Vienna, explained thatan energy perspective.” sustainability. Some of them are appalling from thirteen insect families have been said that €250 million a include hymenopterans,government Liam Mullins identified so far. These year could be saved on thrips, barklice, zorapterans, and remains of moths and beetles. the savings. buildings alone, and retrofitting could easily be covered by During the lifetime of these animals, Ethiopia was part of the ancient continent, Gondwana. As the researchers pointed out, amber from this region is rare, adding greatly to the value of the fossil record. Until now the most significant Cretaceous amber deposits came from North America and Eurasia.
DAvID Byrne, NUI Galway research student in engineering, came second from a shortlist of 60 abstracts submitted to the Institute of Structural Engineers Young Researchers Conference. David’s project involved determination of shear and load transfer