The Three Minute Thesis competition (3MT), is an annual competition held in more than 200 universities worldwide. It began at the University of Queensland in 2008. The purpose is to challenge participants to present their research in just 180 seconds, in an engaging form that can be understood by an intelligent audience with no background in the research area.
-
Smart Materials and Technology in Concrete Construction
Orchi Mallick
Have you ever thought about the ground we are standing on, or the building we live in, what it is made of? Hello everyone, this is Orchi Mallick, and the answer to the question I have asked is concrete. And in my next three minute presentation, I am going to talk all about concrete. More specifically, the smart concrete. In this global urbanization, the concrete industry is also growing rapidly, and this concrete is also a big contributor for the carbon emission so this makes concrete both essential and also a matter of concern so why not make the concrete more smarter and sustainable.
-
Mechanical Stress in Solar Cells: Beyond the Sun's Light
Md Motinu Rahman
The average lifespan of a solar panel is typically 20-25 years, often limited by thermal mechanical stress caused by daily and seasonal temperature changes. These stresses create microcracks, leading to reduced efficiency and eventual failure. To address this, integrating stress and temperature sensors within solar panels can monitor and manage stress through a water-cooling system. The sensors are connected to the cloud through ThingSpeak, where data analysis is performed, and the entire system is integrated with a DC microgrid. A MATLAB algorithm, developed using reinforcement learning, manages the load and solar panel operation. This approach can potentially double the lifespan of solar panels while increasing their efficiency.
