Hardware Podcasts

33. The Solar Panel That Broke The World Record

The Next Byte Podcast · 31 Aug 2021 · 17m

AI in practice: one real use of AI described

What this episode covers

Daniel Scott Mitchell and Farbod Moghaddam discuss two technological breakthroughs: Australian National University's new world-record-setting bifacial solar cells, which harvest reflected light to achieve 29% efficiency, and an MIT AI-powered optical sensor that identifies laser cutter materials via speckle sensing. The hosts analyze how bifacial cells offer a 30% power boost in space-constrained urban areas without needing expensive tracking systems, while the MIT device solves the safety and material waste issues of cutting unknown substances like polycarbonate. They highlight the low-cost, retrofittable nature of the MIT sensor, built with a Raspberry Pi and 3D printed parts, as a significant win for maker spaces and hobbyists.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

Engineering & simulationMIT CSAIL AI algorithm

An AI algorithm trained on speckle sensing data identifies the microstructure of materials to determine if they are toxic and provides optimal laser cutting settings.

“they train this artificial intelligence algorithm. They put it underneath this sensor. They got this speckle sensing data, and they got 38,000 quote unquote images of it, so it knows, you know, which Minecraft block, uh, is associated with what actual, like, real physical material.”

Speaker 1 · Hear it at 11:19

Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists and early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Australian National University, MIT, Nova Labs
Products
Glow Forge
Chips
Raspberry Pi

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