82. 3D Printing Space Sensors & Solar Cell Windows

The Next Byte Podcast · 9 Aug 2022 · 34m

What this episode covers

Hosts Farbod and Daniel discuss MIT's use of 3D printing with Vitrolite ceramic to manufacture low-cost Retarding Potential Analyzer (RPA) sensors for CubeSats, and the University of Michigan's development of semi-transparent organic solar cells for windows. They detail how digital light processing enables precise electrode housing fabrication, reducing costs from thousands to under $100, while a masking tape-like process allows scalable production of organic solar modules with 7.3% efficiency. The episode highlights the democratization of space sensor technology and the near-future commercialization of solar windows and OLED lighting.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies: Mouser Electronics, MIT, University of Michigan
Products: CubeSats, Retarding Potential Analyzer, OLEDs
Materials: Vitrolite
Also: Professor Forrest

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The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Next Byte Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.

82. 3D Printing Space Sensors & Solar Cell Windows

What this episode covers

Most relevant to

Topics

Mentioned

Related episodes from other shows

Ep 132: Laser Disco Ball, Moore's Law in Your Garage, Cheap Cyborg Glasses, and a Mouse That Detects Elephants

Ep 292: Stainless Steel Benchies, Lego Turing Machines, and a Digital Camera Made of Pure DIY

Ep 255: Balloon on the Moon, Nanotech Goblets, and USB All the Way

Ep 214: Jet Engine Hair Dryer, Comic Sans Type Balls, and Belief in Graphene

Ep 279: Solar Flares, Flash Cells, and Free Airline WiFi