{"id":56443,"date":"2018-09-13T07:45:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-13T05:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=56443"},"modified":"2018-09-10T16:26:27","modified_gmt":"2018-09-10T14:26:27","slug":"the-digests-top-10-innovations-for-the-week-of-september-5th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/the-digests-top-10-innovations-for-the-week-of-september-5th\/","title":{"rendered":"The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th<\/sup>"},"content":{"rendered":"

The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we\u2019ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we\u2019re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the changes. Here are the top innovations for the week of September 5th.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s Digest, pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation, and if you like pina-coladas, you\u2019ll love these silica nanoparticles \u2014 and more.<\/p>\n

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#1 Apparel company selects biomaterial startup for pain-relieving yarns<\/p>\n

In North Carolina, Textile-Based Delivery Inc., a biomaterials platform technology company, and Kentwool Performance Apparel, a wool sock brand, joined forces to develop a medicated, pain-relieving sock. The Kentwool SensationWool socks are constructed with Capsaicin-infused yarn by TexDel\u2019s Nufabrx platform and superfine Merino wool. Nufabrx is a patented biomaterial technology that incorporates active ingredients onto fibers and is programmed for predictable, effective, washable, long-lasting release, according to their press release. The main active ingredient, Capsaicin is widely recognized as a potent and effective topical analgesic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to work with Kentwool to provide them with Nufabrx yarn for use in their most innovative sock to date,\u201d said TexDel CEO Jordan Schindler. \u201cIt\u2019s extremely exciting to be a part of such a ground-breaking consumer product \u2014 socks that actively deliver pain-relief while you wear them. We believe clothing will start to care for your body in entirely new ways. We see the day when well-being is simply part of our everyday outfit. Starting today, rather than applying a cream, taking a pill or using a patch, we\u2019ll only need to get dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

#2 Oregon startup developing dissolvable plastic made out of algae<\/p>\n

In Oregon, a startup founded by three University of Oregon students is developing dissolvable plastic made from brown algae.
\nDavid Crinnion, Algotek\u2019s cofounder and CEO, says the product is edible and also dissolves in water in less than 60 seconds. \u201cIt won\u2019t hurt anything,\u201d Crinnion tells the Daily Emerald. \u201cA tree could absorb it, a dog could eat it, a baby could eat it.\u201d Conventional plastics, by comparison, take centuries to biodegrade. Justin Lebuhn, chief sustainability officer and cofounder of AlgoteK, says the company\u2019s plastic has the added benefit of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. \u201cIf the consumer cares about carbon emissions, their carbon footprint, fossil fuel consumption,\u201d Lebuhn adds, \u201cthe growth of our product is going to help reduce those impacts.\u201d The company has yet to decide on its first product application, but aims to raise $75,000 and roll out its first product in 2019.<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#3 Researchers turn soy waste into probiotic nutrition<\/p>\n

In Singapore, National University of Singapore food scientists gave okara \u2013 the residue from the production of soy milk and tofu that is usually discarded \u2013 a new lease on life by turning it into a refreshing drink that contains live probiotics, dietary fiber, free isoflavones and amino acids.
\n\u201cOkara has an unpleasant smell and taste \u2013 it smells fishy, tastes bland, and has a gritty mouthfeel. Our breakthrough lies in our unique combination of enzymes, probiotics and yeast that work together to make okara less gritty, and give it a fruity aroma while keeping the probiotics alive. Our final product offers a nutritious, non-dairy alternative that is eco-friendly,\u201d said project supervisor Associate Professor Shao-Quan Liu, who is from the Food Science and Technology Programme at the NUS Faculty of Science.
\nThe team found that encapsulating these nutrients in a beverage, they can be easily absorbed into the body and promote gut health.<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#4 UVA team designs new squid-inspired technology for smart materials<\/p>\n

In Virginia, University of Virginia mechanical engineers and materials scientists, in collaboration with materials scientists at Penn State, the University of Maryland and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, invented a \u201cswitching effect\u201d for thermal conductivity and mechanical properties that can be incorporated into the fabrication of materials including textiles and garments.<\/p>\n

Using heat transport principles combined with a biopolymer inspired by squid ring teeth, the team studied a material that can dynamically regulate its thermal properties \u2013 switching back and forth between insulating and cooling \u2013 based on the amount of water that is present. Squid ring teeth, which make programmable materials possible, are an inspiring new avenue of scientific research that were FIRST DISCOVERED AT PENN STATE. These biomaterials contain unique properties such as strength, self-healing and biocompatibility, making them exceptionally suitable for programming at the molecular level, in this case for thermal regulation. This is more good news for the environment, since they can be extracted from the suction cups of squids or can be synthetically produced via industrial fermentation, both sustainable resources.<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#5 Sight and sound combine to improve body tissue imaging<\/p>\n

In Indiana, Purdue University researchers are developing a novel biomedical imaging system that combines optical and ultrasound technology to improve diagnosis of life-threatening diseases and enhance the clinical care of patients.<\/p>\n

The system provides real-time compositional information of body tissue without the need for contrast agents and with better depth penetration compared with conventional optical techniques. Photoacoustic tomography is a noninvasive technique that works by converting absorbed optical energy into acoustic signal. Pulsed light is sent into body tissue, creating a small increase in temperature that causes the tissue to expand and create an acoustic response that can be detected by an ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound data is used to visualize the tissue.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nice thing about photoacoustic tomography is the compositional information,\u201d said Craig Goergen, assistant professor in Purdue\u2019s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. \u201cIt provides information about where blood and lipid are located, along with other essential information.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#6 High expectations: Illinois okays hemp cultivation<\/p>\n

In Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner has signed a bill to allow cannabis cultivation for industrial purposes such as fabrics, plastics, and construction materials.<\/p>\n

The Industrial Hemp Act (SB 22980) creates a program for the state\u2019s Department of Agriculture to issue licenses and sets guidelines for THC testing.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur farmers lead the nation in corn and soybean production. In signing this bill, Gov. Rauner is providing our framers another crop for their fields and another opportunity to compete nationally,\u201d Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, chair of the Governor\u2019s Rural Affairs Council, tells WIFR. The bills is effective immediately. HB 5749 takes effect in July 2019.<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#7 Ireland adds biogas for first time to the country\u2019s gas network<\/p>\n

In Ireland, Gas Networks Ireland is introducing renewable gas onto the Irish gas network for the first time, projecting that at least 20% of all gas used in Ireland can be renewable by 2030. The aim is to further reduce Ireland\u2019s emissions by using natural gas and biogas together as they can be used interchangeably in the same appliances. The renewable gas will be sourced in Ireland using agricultural residues and by-products.<\/p>\n

\u201cGas Networks Ireland is part of the Ervia commercial semistate company that owns and operates the national gas grid in Ireland and together with project partner NUI Galway, it is leading the European Union co-funded Causeway project,\u201d according to Bio-based World News. \u201cCauseway\u2019s infrastructural roll-out is carried out by Gas Networks Ireland, with NUI Galway\u2019s Ryan Institute leading the dissemination element of the \u20ac25 million project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#8 If you like pina-coladas, you\u2019ll love these silica nanoparticles<\/p>\n

In Costa Rica, scientists at the country\u2019s National Laboratory of Nanotechnology are extracting nanocellulose from the peel and stem of pineapples to produce materials for fertilizers.<\/p>\n

According to Jos\u00e9 R. Vega-Baudrit, director of LANOTEC, pineapple waste has been studied extensively, but LANOTEC is the first to see the rosette-like silica-based microparticles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI began to study the plant, to make the cuts, to see what it had, and incredibly, after doing the synthesis, I began to see those rosettes, like flowers, that did not fall apart under duress,\u201d says chemical engineer and material scientist Yendry Corrales-Ure\u00f1a. \u201cIt was wonderful. We had thousands, millions, of the same structures left over.\u201d Many commercial fertilizers contain silica.<\/p>\n

Costa Rica produces 4.5 million tons of pineapple crop waste every year. Currently, most of that waste is dumped in forests and becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. LANOTEC\u2019s work was described in a recent issue of Scientific Reports.<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#9 Seaweed an untapped resource for sustainable development challenges<\/p>\n

In Malaysia, New Straits Times has published a comprehensive review of seaweed applications. NST contributor Oon Yeoh notes seaweed is a largely untapped resource to provide food and materials for the additional 2.5 billion people that will be born by 2050.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople could turn to seaweed, a very versatile source of nutrition that is really still very much untapped,\u201d Yeoh writes. \u201cSeaweed is not yet a common food item and for most people, their exposure to seaweed is the seaweed wrap they find in sushi rolls.\u201d<\/p>\n

For use in food, almost all of the 10,000 varieties of seaweed are edible and full of nutrients. And For fuel, commercial algae farms can produce far more fuel per hectare than biofuels based on crops like corn.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of these things will take some time to come to fruition,\u201d Yeoh says. \u201cBut someday in the future, we\u2019re bound to see seaweed based products everywhere \u2014 in the food we eat and in the containers that we use to store our food and drink; and also in the fuel we use to power our cars.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest\u2019s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th
\nSeptember 5, 2018 | Jim Lane<\/p>\n

#10 Bamboo Babe brings eco-friendly feminine hygiene to Australia<\/p>\n

In Australia, Bamboo Babe has launched the country\u2019s first biodegradable feminine hygiene pads. The pads, made from bamboo, are more absorbent than cotton pads. They are also thin and hypoallergenic.<\/p>\n

The main benefit over conventional pads, however, is their biodegradability. A regular pad made from plastics and chemicals takes up to 800 years to break down in a landfill. Bamboo Babe\u2019s pads are compostable and biodegradable. The pads are available online via a subscription service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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