Topic Review
Range Extender (Vehicle)
A range extender vehicle is a battery electric vehicle that includes an auxiliary power unit (APU) known as a 'range extender'. The range extender drives an electric generator which charges a battery which supplies the vehicle's electric motor with electricity. This arrangement is known as a series hybrid drivetrain. The most commonly used range extenders are internal combustion engines, but fuel-cells or other engine types can be used. Range extender vehicles are also referred to as extended-range electric vehicles (EREV), range-extended electric vehicles (REEV), and range-extended battery-electric vehicle (BEVx) by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The key function of the range extender is to increase the vehicle's range. Range autonomy is one of the main barriers for the commercial success of electric vehicles, and extending the vehicle's range when the battery is depleted helps alleviate range anxiety. A range extending vehicle design can also reduce the consumption of the range extending fuel (such as gasoline) by using the primary fuel (such as battery power), while still maintaining the driving range of a single fuel vehicle powered by a range extending fuel such as gasoline. The range extending fuel is generally considered to be less environmentally and economically friendly to use than the primary fuel source, so the vehicle control system gives preference to using the primary fuel if it's available. However, due to range limitations with the primary fuel source, the range extending fuel allows the vehicle to get many of the cost and environmental benefits of the primary fuel, while maintaining the full driving range of the range extending fuel source. For example, in the Chevy Volt, battery power from the electric grid can be cheaper and more environmentally sustainable than burning gasoline (depending on the electric generation source), but due to the trade offs between the range of a pure electric vehicle and its battery size, adding the range extending gasoline is considered by many to be good compromise to give the Chevy Volt a significantly greater driving range. How many benefits are derived from using the primary fuel however depend on how the vehicles are driven. For example, a first generation Chevy Volt will operate 100% on battery power from the electric grid for the first 60 km (37 miles), while the second generation Volt will operate on 100% battery power for the first 85 km (53 miles) when fully recharged between trips. However, if the same Chevy Volt is driven for hundreds of miles a day it will require significant gasoline as the battery will be quickly depleted. Using the gasoline engine to generate power for the motors, the economy ratings are 6.4 L/100 km (37 mpg‑US) and 5.6 L/100 km (42 mpg‑US) for the different generation models. Therefore, it is critical to understand the driving patterns of the average commuter to fully understand the impact these range extending vehicles will have in the real world. Many range extender vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt and the BMW i3, are able to charge their batteries from the grid as well as from the range extender, and therefore are a type of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). When a range extender uses conventional fuels they can re-fuel at regular fuel stations, which provides them with a similar driving range to conventional automobiles. As an REEV is only propelled by the electric motor it can do away with the weight and cost associated with the gearbox transmission system typically used in internal combustion engine cars. Further, as the range extender does not need to increase or decrease output in line with the power needs of the vehicle (this task is handled by the electric motor) the range extender can be sized to satisfy the vehicle's average power requirement rather than its peak power requirement (such as when accelerating). The range extender can also operate much closer to its most efficient rotational speed. These design features allow an REEV to convert fossil fuel energy to electric power and vehicle motion very efficiently.
  • 1.7K
  • 28 Oct 2022
Topic Review
6G Enabled Smart Infrastructure
6G is expected to have data rates in the order of terabits per second and a latency of less than 1ms. It is expected to drive the Internet of Everything, with 10,000,000 connections per square km.
  • 1.7K
  • 20 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Touch Sensors for Flexible Wearable Devices
The traditional touch sensors are bulky, complicated, inflexible, and difficult-to-wear devices made of stiff materials. The touch screen is gaining further importance with the trend of current IoT technology flexibly and comfortably used on the skin or clothing to affect different aspects of human life. Flexible sensors have advantages over conventional rigid devices. These sensors are nontoxic and lightweight and can be worn comfortably on the body.
  • 1.7K
  • 21 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Integration of Offshore Wind with Tidal Energy
Reducing the cost of electricity generation and integrating renewable energy sources are two essential factors in encouraging the development of novel ideas to tackle the lack of enough electricity and proposing alternatives for fossil fuels. Compared with onshore wind energy resources, offshore wind fields have many advantages, such as persistent wind, faster-flowing speed, higher uniformity, and longer available time per year, flat sea surface, and low turbulence intensity, which promotes the vigorous development of the offshore wind power industry.
  • 1.7K
  • 09 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Environmental Aspects of the Electric Car
Electric cars (or electric vehicles, EVs) have different environmental impacts compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). While aspects of their production can induce similar, less or alternative environmental impacts, some models produce little or no tailpipe emissions, and some have the potential to reduce dependence on petroleum and greenhouse gas emissions, depending on the source of electricity used to charge them, and health effects from air pollution. Electric motors are significantly more efficient than internal combustion engines and thus, even accounting for typical power plan efficiencies and distribution losses, less energy is required to operate an EV. Producing batteries for electric cars requires additional resources and energy, so they may have a larger environmental footprint from the production phase. EVs also generate different impacts in their operation and maintenance. EVs are typically heavier and could produce more tire, brake, and road dust, but their regenerative braking could reduce brake particulate pollution. EVs are mechanically simpler, which reduces the use and disposal of engine oil.
  • 1.7K
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
GeForce 7 Series
The GeForce 7 series is the seventh generation of Nvidia's GeForce graphics processing units. This was the last series available on AGP cards. A slightly modified GeForce 7-based card (more specifically based on the 7800GTX) is present as the RSX Reality Synthesizer, which is present on the PlayStation 3.
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  • 08 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Deep Learning-based Contactless PPG Methods
Physiological measurements are widely used to determine a person’s health condition. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a physiological measurement method that is used to detect volumetric changes in blood in vessels beneath the skin. Medical devices based on PPG have been introduced to measure different physiological measurements including heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, heart rate variability (HRV), oxyhemoglobin saturation, and blood pressure. Due to its low cost and non-invasive nature, PPG is utilized in many devices such as finger pulse oximeters, sports bands, and wearable sensors. PPG-based physiological measurements can be categorized into two types: contact-based and contactless.
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  • 08 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Energetic Valorisation of Olive Biomass
The generation, composition, properties and potential energetic applications of the main three biomass obtained from the olive oil industry are illustrated.
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  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Continuum Robots for Medical Applications
Traditional rigid robot application in the medical field is limited due to the limited degrees of freedom caused by their material and structure. Inspired by trunk, tentacles, and snakes, continuum robot (CR) could traverse confined space, manipulate objects in complex environment, and conform to curvilinear paths in space. The continuum robot has broad prospect in surgery due to its high dexterity, which can reach circuitous areas of the body and perform precision surgery. Recently, many efforts have been done by researchers to improve the design and actuation methods of continuum robots. Several continuum robots have been applied in clinic surgical interventions and demonstrated superiorities to conventional rigid-link robots.
  • 1.7K
  • 13 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion
Laser-based powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), formerly SLM, is one of the seven Additive Manufacturing basic process categories in the new standards. 
  • 1.7K
  • 01 Apr 2021
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