Friday, September 5, 2014

Futuristic Materials that Make Buildings Better

As technology evolves, it gets the minds of scientists working and searching for breakthroughs that could enrich our lives. Recently, researchers came up with innovative ideas for building materials which could not only help create bigger and stronger structures, but can interact with occupants as well.

Paint that feels
Research teams from America and Finland have developed a conductive paint that could sense any cracks on whatever it covers. Electrodes strategically placed on the building’s exterior are painted over with the special liquid. Once activated, the electrodes “scan” the building’s surface for imperfections or irregularities in the surface. This would make finding and repairing damaged facades a cinch.

Sun power
Harnessing solar energy is nothing new, but imagine if the cells were completely invisible. American scientists are working on a transparent solar concentrator that can be applied to windows and even the displays of smartphones. The material “soaks up” invisible wavelengths of light and stores them in cells located at the edge of the screen or window.

Life-size Lego
This new building block will not only cut building time down drastically, it will also bring back fond childhood memories of your Lego sets. Smart bricks use the Lego principle of “snap building” via an adhesion system which creators claim provides superior durability with minimal labor.

The need for building materials won’t be exhausted any time soon. Advanced technology will continue to open more possibilities and creative ways to build bigger, taller, stronger and more eco-friendly buildings in the not-so-distant future.

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