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Popcorn packaging for fragile items

01.07.2021

In Germany, researchers at the University of Göttingen have developed plant-based packaging for fragile items that can replace styrofoam.

The new material is 100% biodegradable. Popcorn is not only lightweight, but also water-repellent. With the help of 3D printing, popcorn granulate can take any shape. In addition to the actual packaging, the researchers made jars for spices, cups, as well as sound-absorbing plates and even chairs.

The University of Göttingen has already signed a cooperation agreement with Nordgetreide GmbH & Co.

"Our popcorn packaging is a great sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polystyrene foam," said Stefan Schult, Managing Director of Nordgetreide.

Only in the USA about 3 million tons of polystyrene are produced annually - mainly for packaging and food. At the same time, the full disposal of packaging based on polystyrene foam takes centuries, and popcorn can be used as compost.

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Random news from the Archive

Life without passwords 08.02.2015

Developers from the US military academy at West Point are creating a new employee identification system that will be able to replace passwords and biometrics. The government has allocated "millions of dollars" to the project, writes Sky News. The specific amount is not specified.

The project is called cognitive fingerprint ("cognitive fingerprints") and is dedicated to the ways of identifying a person according to the peculiarities of using a mobile device or PC. For example, how fast he types on the keyboard, moves the mouse cursor, or how often he makes spelling mistakes.

The new technology could change the market for identification systems, according to project documents that Sky News has accessed.

“When you interact with technology, your brain processes information in an individual way. In this way, you kind of leave a “cognitive imprint” inherent only to you, just like leaving your fingerprint on a fingerprint sensor,” the documents say.

"Our goal is to create a next-generation identification system that can be used on standard Department of Defense equipment," the authors say.

Similar technologies are currently used in commercial software such as plagiarism checker applications. They compare two texts and decide whether the second text is the original or a modified copy of the first. In the same way, here the system will understand whether an authorized user or a stranger is working with it.

“We live in a world where any user can become a victim of fraud, threats or intelligence agencies due to the lack of sufficiently reliable means of identification on the Internet. For this reason, any new technology that could determine the identity of a person in the background could make the world wide web more civilized place," ViaTheWire's strategist Sharif Sakr told Sky News.

The authorities plan to introduce the new technology in all military departments and do not exclude that it will enter the commercial market in the future. It is assumed that it will be able to increase the level of protection of bank accounts, accounts of payment systems and online stores. The new technology could also be used to access smart consumer electronics, Sky News writes, citing documents.

We add that Google is also working on improving identification tools, but the methods proposed by it are more traditional. In January 2013, the corporation presented a project in which it is proposed to provide web services with two-factor authentication using physical means, such as a smartphone or USB dongle. The first devices are already on sale.

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