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Tech of the Week: Future lung belts

What: Scientists have found a way to make piezoelectric materials more flexible by combining them with silicone rubber, increasing their potential for use on or within the body. Piezoelectric materials generate electricity from kinetic energy. In the future, flexible "lung belts" could harvest energy from the rhythm of breathing to power pacemakers or other implantable devices.

Who: Researchers at Princeton University

The Future: The researchers hope once they have scaled the ribbons up to a larger size, they will be able to power implanted biomedical devices. Their use in powering pacemakers may help reduce the number of invasive surgeries patients undergo to replace batteries or fix problems.

-compiled by Haley McKey

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All University students are required to live on Grounds in their first year, but they have many on and off-Grounds housing options going into their second year. Students face immense pressure to decide on housing as soon as possible, and this high demand has strained the capacities of both on and off-Grounds accommodations. Lauren Seeliger and Brandon Kile, two third-year Cavalier Daily News writers, discuss the impact of the student housing frenzy on both University students and the Charlottesville community.