Features / Bristicles
12 amazing discoveries made at UWE
1. You can charge a mobile phone with urine
A team of scientists at Bristol Bioenergy Centre, led by Professor Loannis Leropoulos, have developed a system that can turn urine into electricity. Energy generated through the Pee Power system’s network of microbial fuel cells has been proven to charge mobile phones, and power lighting and information displays at Glastonbury Festival.
Putting pee to good use at Glastonbury Festival
2. Preventing fruit and vegetables from spoiling
Fresh produce saw its shelf life increase by a day as part of a study by UWE’s Professor Darren Reynolds, who described the outcome as potentially ‘world-changing’. Raw fruit and vegetables were sprayed with an electrically-charged solution that killed bacteria responsible for spoilage but had no effect on the food’s taste or appearance.
3. Glow-in-the-dark germs can speed up treatment for leukaemia
UWE researchers harnessed the glow-in-the-dark properties of bacteria to help some leukaemia sufferers receive the most appropriate treatment. They can identify whether a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia will respond to a particular chemotherapy drug based on the amount of light their tumour cells emit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BGL64t3beU
4. The origin of your surname
The UK and Ireland’s largest and most comprehensive collection of family names was unveiled by academics from the Bristol Centre for Linguistics last year. Farah, Twelvetrees and Li were among the 8,000 family names explained for the first time ever in a project which spanned four years and saw 45,600 family names checked for their linguistic origins, history, and geographical distribution.
Credit: UWE Bristol
5. What seagulls are thinking
Researchers are using psychology in an attempt to tackle expanding urban gull populations in the UK. Scientists gathered information about nesting sites, feeding behaviours, and the human response to gulls in Bath to better understand their motivations. Findings revealed the birds are smart enough to target pubs at closing time, waiting for drunken customers to drop food.
is needed now More than ever
6. Wearable robots for surgery
A wearable robotic system for minimally invasive surgery, also known as keyhole surgery, is being developed by a research team led by UWE. It will offer surgeons natural and dexterous movement as well as the ability to sense, see, control and safely navigate through the surgical environment.
7. The future of reading
UWE researchers are part of a study investigating the emerging field of Ambient Literature, where the location of the reader can become the ‘stage’ for the story and books are delivered using pervasive computing platforms. Traditional academic research will inform the development of three original stories, to be delivered in new, experiential forms.
8. A test that smells prostate cancer
Researchers are creating a urine diagnostic test for prostate cancer that might end the need for men to undergo invasive procedures. The team use a special tool called an Odoreader to ‘smell’ cancer in urine in an alternative approach to conducting tests, which can result in patients undergoing unnecessary biopsies.
9. How to save aeroplane fuel
A sensor has been developed in partnership with UWE’s Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology which can detect how much dirt has built up on the surface of aircraft. The handheld device helps calculate when planes are due a clean to reduce drag and, in turn, cut fuel consumption by up to one per cent.
10. How healthy cows are
A 3D imaging system developed at UWE’s Centre for Machine Vision is being used at UK farms monitoring cattle to spot early signs of lameness. The technology, which detects changes in a cow’s condition, weight and mobility in an unobtrusive way, is aimed at improving the welfare of animals and the sustainability and profitability of the dairy industry.
11. How to combat overfishing
Research on major initiatives tackling overfishing have been effective both in the UK’s own coastal waters and elsewhere, and include the establishment of the world’s largest marine reserve. The initiatives have culminated in a High Court finding confirming that, contrary to private ownership claims from some stakeholders, UK fisheries are still publicly owned.
12. How to settle a cricket match interrupted by bad weather
An undergraduate final-year project at UWE in the 1990s was the origin of the system used today to adjust victory targets in cricket matches in the event of a rain delay. The Duckworth-Lewis Method for recalculating the number of runs needed to win weather-affected games was jointly invented by statistician Tony Lewis, who lectured in mathematics at the university. The algorithm also gives its name to a mighty fine band:
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