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Micromechatronics, Inc., 200 Innovation Blvd. Suite 155, State College, PA 16803, USA; avc@mmech.com; Tel.: +1-814-861-5688; Fax: +1-814-861-1418 Academic Editor: Kenji Uchino Received: 15 November 2015; Accepted: 20 April 2016; Published: 26 April 2016 Abstract: Piezoelectric transformers (PTs) are solid-state devices that transform electrical energy into electrical energy by means of a mechanical vibration. These devices are manufactured using piezoelectric materials that are driven at resonance. With appropriate design and circuitry, it is possible to step up and step down the voltages between the input and output sections of the piezoelectric transformer, without making use of magnetic materials and obtaining excellent conversion efficiencies. The initial concept of a piezoelectric ceramic transformer was proposed by Charles A. Rosen in 1954. Since then, the evolution of piezoelectric transformers through history has been linked to the relevant work of some excellent researchers as well as to the evolution in materials, manufacturing processes, and driving circuit techniques. This paper summarizes the historical evolution of the technology.
Keywords: piezoelectric transformer; piezoelectric-based power supply; non-magnetic transformers

Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have synthesized crystalline materials that can bind and store oxygen in high concentrations. The stored oxygen can be released again when and where it is needed.  A Full detail of this research has been submitted to the Royal Society of Chemistry

Review: Piezoelectric
Transformers: An Historical Review By Alfredo Vasquez Carazo

In brief, the interest of the material is not replacing oxygen tanks because of its bigger storing capacity; the storing capacity of the material is much lower than commonly used gas tanks (equivalent of 32 bars of pure O2, or 160 bars of compressed air at the material, vs. 200-300 bars at pressurized tanks). On the other hand, the binding capacity is significantly higher than at hemoglobin (approximately 30 times higher). Only a spoonful of the material could be sufficient to construct a small respiratory device able to supply oxygen for a single person - much better portable and with possibly unlimited run-time in comparison with current portable O2 supplies.

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​Credit: Image courtesy of University of Southern Denmark

 

The following is written in the California education code:

The funds of any student body organization established in the public schools of any community college district, subject to approval of the governing board of the district, be deposited or invested in one or more of the following ways:

A, Deposits in trust accounts of the centralized State Treasury  system pursuant to Sections 16305 to 16305.7, inclusive, of the Government Code or in a bank or banks whose accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit insurance Corporation.

B, Investment certificates or withdrawlable shares in state- chartered savings and loan associations and savings accounts of federal savings and loan associations, if the associations are doing business in this state and have their accounts insured by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation and if any money so invested or deposited is invested or deposited in certificates, shares, or accounts fully covered by the insurance,

C, Purchase of any of the securities authorized for investment by Section 16430 of the Government Code or investment by the Treasurer in those securities.

D, Participation in funds that are exempt from federal income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that are open exclusively to nonprofit colleges, universities, and Page 2 of 4 CA Codes (edc: 76060-76067) 1/2/2000 .

E, Investment certificates or withdrawlable shares in federal or state credit unions, if the credit unions are doing business in this state and have their accounts insured by the National Credit Union Administration and if any money so invested or deposited is invested or deposited in certificates, shares, or accounts fully covered by  the insurance. The funds shall be expended subject to procedures that may be established by the student body organization subject to the approval of each of the following three persons, which shall be obtained each time before any of the funds may be expended: an employee or official ofth e community college district designated by the governing board, the certificated employee who is the designated adviser ot the particular student body organization, and a representative of the particular student body organization. 76064.

In addition to deposit or investment pursuant to Section 76063, the funds of a student body organization may be  loaned or invested in any of the following ways:

A, Loans, with or without interest, to any student body organization established in another community college of the district for a period not to exceed three years.

B, Invest money in permanent improvements to any community college district property including, but not limited to , buildings, automobile parking facilities, gymnasiums, swimming pools, stadium  and playing fields, where those facilities, or portions thereof, are used for conducting student extracurricular activities or student spectator sports, or when those improvements are for the benefit of the student body, the investment shall be made on condition that the principal amount of the investment plus a reasonable amount of interest therin shall be returned to the student body organization as provided herein, any community college district approving the investment shall establish a reasonable amount of interest thereon shall be returned to the student body organization as provided herein. Any community college district approving the investment shall establish a fund in accordance with the California Community Colleges Budget and Accounting Manual in which moneys derived from the rental of community college district property to student body oranizations shall be deposited. Moneys collected by the governing board fro automobile parking facilities as authorized by section 76360 shall be deposited inn the fund designated by the California Community Colleges Budget and Accounting Manual if the parking facilities were provided for by investment of student body funds under theis section. Moneys shall be returned to the student body organization as contemplated by this section exclusively from the special fund and only  to the extent that there are moneys in them special fund. Whenever there are no outstanding obligations against the special fund , all money therin may be transferred to the general fund of the school district by action of the local governing board. Two or more student body organizations of the same community college district may join together in making the investments in the same manner as is authorised herein for a single student body . Nothing herein shall be construed so as to limit the discretion of the local governing board in charging rental for use of community college district property by student body organizations as provided in Section 76060.

76065. The governing board of any community college district shall Page 3 of 4 Ca codes (edc: 76060-76067)

1/2/2000 http://www.leginfo.ca .gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=76001 – 77000&file=76…provided for the supervision of all funds raised b any student body or student organization using the name of the college. The cost of supervision may constitute a proper charge against the funds of the the district. The governing board of a community college district may also provide for a continuing audit of student body funds with community college district personnel.